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The grass fire that hit Bangga Lote, Brgy Alijis in Bacolod on Monday.*Bacolod City Fire Station photoThe Bacolod City Fire Department conducted controlled burning of grass at the reclamation area Monday night, April 1, to prevent uncontrolled fires, Bacolod Fire Marshal, Chief Inspector Stephen Jardeleza, said.The controlled burning that was done block by block took place near the Pope John Paul II Tower, he said.Controlled burning is one of their strategies to combat grass fires and to work efficiently with their current resources such as fuel and firefighting capabilities, he said.A one hectare grass fire hit Bangga Lote, Brgy Alijis, and another area in Barangay Granada in Bacolod City, on Monday, the fire station reported.Jardeleza also reiterated that burning of g...

Some 600 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are benefiting from a new library inside the Negros Occidental District Jail-Male Dormitory (NODJ-MD) based in Bago City. The NOJD-MD collaborated with the Negros Occidental Provincial Library to set up the learning hub, which was launched on March 25, as a tool to empower the PDLs through knowledge and transform their lives while in detention. Provincial Librarian II Rio Lynne Panisa said on Monday, April 1, that the NODJ-MD led by acting warden, Chief Insp. Alexander Sy, reached out to them in February for assistance in establishing a jail library.“It took us about a month to do the preparations. We also conducted a book donation drive. We helped them design the jail library. We conducted an orientation for the PDLs on how...

Cases of rotavirus, the most common cause of severe diarrhea among children below five years old, have continued to increase in Bacolod City in the past three months. From January 1 to March 23, a total of 101 cases were recorded, of which 31 were already confirmed, data from the City Health Office (CHO) on Monday, April 1,  showed. In the first three weeks of the year, or during the period January 1 to 20, only 24 suspected cases were listed. Last month, seven new cases were reported from March 17 to 23 alone. In a report, the CHO said that risk factors for rotavirus include poor sanitation and hygiene leading to contamination of food and water as well as low rotavirus vaccination coverage in the under-five-year-old population. The vaccine...

Extreme heat caused the cancellation of face-to-face  classes in 12 local government units in Negros Occidental on Monday, April 1, Irene Bel Ploteña, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office head, said. The majority of the 12 have also suspended  face-to face classes on Tuesday, April 2. The state weather bureau’s  forecasted  heat index  was 41 degrees Celsius on Monday and 42 degrees Celsius on Tuesday - both classified as extreme caution levels. The LGUs that suspended face-to-face classes at various levels are the cities of  Bacolod, Bago, Silay, Himamaylan, Kabankalan and Talisay, and  the municipalities of EB Magalona, Binalbagan, Hinoba-an, Isabela, Candoni and Cauayan, Ploteña said. Schools were ins...

Northern Negros Occidental Substation Commander Paterno Belarmino Jr.* The Philippine Coast Guard- Northern Negros Occidental substation recorded 106,263 inbound and outbound passengers in the province from March 22 to 31. Northern Negros Occidental Substation Commander, Paterno Belarmino Jr., said that they had been on heightened alert and conducting monitoring since March 22. There were 53,948 outbound and 52,315 inbound passengers in Negros Occidental, he said He also assured that monitoring and inspection of resorts will continue to ensure the safety of the beach goers, especially this summer. They will also continue monitoring the ports and vessels to  ensure the safety of passengers, he added.* 

A laborer died after he was  hacked on his neck and face in Sitio Hinogbigon, Brgy. Bulata, Cauayan, Negros Occidental,  on Easter Sunday,  March 31. The  31-year-old man was found dead in an open field with fatal wounds,  the police, who withheld his name, said. The victim was last seen going to the area to collect coconuts, the police said. His unidentified assailant  remains  at-large. * 

Dengue cases in Western Visayas have hit 1,830, which are 5 percent higher compared to the same period last year, the Department of Health (DOH) reported Monday, April 1.DOH Western Visayas  reported that there were 229 dengue cases from March 17 to 24, bringing the total number of cases to 1,830 since January. This is five percent higher compared to 1,742 cases reported in the same period in 2023, it said. Iloilo, Negros Occidental, and Capiz provinces recorded the highest number of cases last week with 78, 36, and 32, respectively. Aklan reported 31 new cases, Antique - 16, Guimaras - 10, and cities of Bacolod and Iloilo - 13 each.*

A barangay tanod was killed while a Sagaynon was injured after several unidentified individuals allegedly mauled them at a disco party in Purok Proper, Brgy. Malubon, Sagay City, Negros Occidental, on Easter Sunday, March 31.A 32-year-old barangay tanod died and a 21-year-old man was injured in the mauling incident in the middle of the party at 4:45 a.m. on Sunday.The police withheld their names. Investigation revealed that the victim and other companions were dancing at the party inside the barangay’s covered court. Suddenly, unidentified individuals mauled them resulting in injuries to their bodies. The victims were rushed to Alfredo E. Marañon Sr. Memorial District Hospital but the tanod was declared dead on arrival. The other victim is in sta...

A Grade 5 student drowned in the Bayhao River at Brgy. Camansi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Easter Sunday, March 31.This new incident brings the total number of drowning cases in Negros Occidental to five during Holy Week, from March 25 to 31, the police reported Monday.The police said the 11-year-old Grade 5 student drowned during an excursion.The victim played with her cousins and went to the deep part of the river where she  drowned, the police reported. Last week  four individuals, including a 5-year-old boy,  drowned, the police reported. They were Alexander Buenafe, 56, in Brgy. Antipolo, Pontevedra on March 25, Adrian Dequinto, 39, in Brgy. Sicaba, Cadiz City, Jeffrey Marinduque, 27, in Brgy. 1, Moises Padilla, and Ritche Areva...

The Court of Appeals has dismissed a petition for review filed by former administrator Hermenegildo R. Serafica of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to the Ombudsman’s order for the filing of a criminal case against him for the three-year delay in the procurement of P5.7 million in farm equipment. The Court of Appeals Ninth Division in a resolution dated February 28, and released to the media Monday, April 1, said the petition for review is outrightly dismissed as it suffers from “defect and inadequacy”.Serafica still has the option to go to the Supreme Court. The Ombudsman had earlier ordered the indictment of Serafica for violation of Section 65(a)(2) of Republic Act No. 9184, the Government Procurement Reform Act. The Ombusdman also found Serafica ...