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The scene of the encounter* An alleged New People’s Army (NPA) rebel was killed in an encounter with the Philippine Army and police in Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, on Thursday, April 4.The 62nd Infantry Battalion and Negros Occidental Police Mobile Force Company troopers engaged about five remnants of the NPA’s Central Negros 1 in encounters at Sitio Angalan and Sitio Saksak in Barangay Quintin Remo.The slain rebel  was abandoned by his fleeing comrades, the  62IB press release said. Recovered was a KG9 sub-machine gun, rifle grenade, medical paraphernalia, magazines with ammunition, personal belongings, and subversive documents, the 62IB report said. In their  second encounter at Sitio Saksak, the troops also reco...

Pork prices in Negros Occidental have dropped by P10 to P20 per kilo, based on the latest monitoring of the Provincial Veterinary Office. They have noticed a significant decrease in the prices of pork and live pigs in the province, Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Placeda Lemana said on Thursday, April 4. The decrease implies that local supply is already stabilizing, she said. Lemana said the price of live pigs dropped from P230 per kilo to P210 to P200/kilo, while pork retail prices are around P390 a kilo from the previous P400 to P410/kilo. The lowest pork price is P350/kilo, while the highest is at P410/kilo, she said.They have also noticed that the farmers are selling more breeder pigs than those ready to be slaughtered, she added. Lemana sai...

Senator Imee Marcos* Senator Imee Marcos will be attending the Panaad sa Negros Festival, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on  Thursday, April 4. The festival will be held at the  Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City on April 15 to 21. Local Government Secretary Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr. has also been invited but he cannot make it on the first day, the governor said. The provincial government has also invited Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and  Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito, he added. Both senators have roots in Negros Occidental.* 

The list of farmers affected by the  El Niño drought  to be provided  assistance by the  Negros Occidental provincial government is already with the Department of Social Services and Development, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Thursday,  April 4. They are validating the list, after which a series of releases will follow, he said. Each affected farmer will receive P2,000, he said. The El Niño drought has damaged crops worth P97,788,037 and affected  2,585 farmers in   20 out of 31 local government units in Negros Occidental, Lacson said on Monday.* 

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Benitez, Edgardo Uychiat of the Negros Island Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development  Foundation Inc.  and Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson (l-r) at the organizational meeting on Thursday.*Richard Malihan photo  A Negros Occidental technical working group convened Thursday,  April 4, to prepare  the  bid of the province  to host the 2027 Organic World Congress,  Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson  said. The Negros Occidental provincial government needs to submit data by the end of April for  the bidding  set in December, Lacson  said, adding that the event itself will be in 2027. “We would just like to introduce ourselves to the world and one way to do that is to host the congress,” he said.&nbs...

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared April 10 a regular holiday throughout the country in observance of Eid’l Fitr, or the culmination of the fasting month of Ramadan for Muslims. In his Proclamation 514, Marcos said the declaration of April 10 as a regular holiday aims to “bring the religious and cultural significance of Eid’l Fitr to the fore of national consciousness.” The President added that declaring Eid’l Fitr a holiday will “allow the entire Filipino nation to join their Muslim brothers and sisters in peace and harmony.” Eid’l Fitr follows Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) on April 9, also a regular holiday nationwide.*PNA 

The first batch of beneficiaries during the lot awarding on Thursday.*The Bacolod Housing Authority (BHA) awarded 20 lots in Purok Arao, Barangay Vista Alegre, to residents of the Manokan Country in Barangay 12 on Thursday, April 4, who are up for relocation, on instructions of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez. The first batch of 20 beneficiaries each received one  lot, a press release from the Bacolod Public Information Office said. The initiative was launched in response to the demolition activities scheduled in Barangay 12, aimed at facilitating the restoration of the renowned Manokan Country.  Benitez emphasized the importance of ensuring that displaced families are resettled before the demolition proceeds, the press release said.“We will commence ...

A vandalized wall in Bacolod City.*photo courtesy of Caesar Distrito The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has formed a task force to address the recent proliferation of vandalism, which is prohibited by City Ordinance 534. Col. Noel Aliño, police city director, said on Thursday, April 4, that they have been directed by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to strictly implement the ordinance as more vandalism on walls of commercial establishments have been monitored around the city.“I issued an order to all BCPO operatives on this. Those who are able to arrest the vandals will receive monetary reward,” he added. Aliño assigned Lt. Col. Lester Leada as the anti-vandalism task force overall supervisor and Lt. Greeky Cayao as the team leader.The members include th...

Seguerra, Padilla and Delilan (l-r)* Senator Robin Padilla and singer/songwriter Ice Seguerra will headline this year's induction and oathtaking ceremonies for the new officers and members of the Negros Press Club (NPC).  Themed “NPC @ 88: Still the Vanguard of Truth”, the event will be held at the SMX Convention Center in Bacolod 6 p.m. Saturday, April 6.  Padilla, chairman of the Senate's committee on public information and mass media, will induct the new NPC president, Erwin "Ambo" Delilan, columnist of Panay News and correspondent for Rappler.Tasked to induct the other officers is Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya.  They are Nida Buenafe - vice president (Negros Now Daily), Lourd John Diaz - secretary (dyEZ Aksyon Radyo-Bacolod), Nanette Guaralquiver - ...

The suspension of face-to face classes in Bacolod City and several other local government units in Negros Occidental will continue on Thursday, April 4, with the heat index forecasted to be at 40 degrees Celsius,Bacolod, Talisay and Silay extended the suspension of classes at specified levels until Thursday.Himamaylan and San Carlos cities are suspending face-to-face classes until Friday.EB Magalona will shift to blended learning with face-to-face classes from 7 to 10:30 a.m. and modular classes from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., a press release from the town said.*