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Jul312026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

3ID commander promoted to major general

The commander of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division has been promoted to major general, earning his second star.Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Antonio Nafarrete conferred the new rank on Maj. Gen. Joey Escanillas during a ceremony at the Philippine Army Officers’ Clubhouse in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on Tuesday, July 28.Escanillas, a native of Alimodian, Iloilo, was designated as the 36th commander of the 3rd Infantry Division on July 15.Before assuming the post, he served as the division’s assistant commander.He also previously held key leadership positions within the division’s area of responsibility, including assignments with Joint Task Force Cebu and the 302nd Infantry Brigade in Negros Oriental.The 3rd Infantry Division oversees mi...

Jul302026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Online sexual abuse of minors alarming, 10 rescued in Bacolod: DSSD

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Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya and DSSD head Richelle Verdeprado-Mangga at a press conference on Thursday.*Ronnie Baldonado photoThe online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) in Bacolod City is “very alarming” and a manhunt for a person tagged to be behind it is ongoing, Richelle Verdeprado-Mangga, head of the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD), said on Thursday, July 30.A study by the International Justice Mission, a global human rights organization dedicated to protecting people in poverty from violence, slavery, and exploitation, revealed that Bacolod City is a hotspot for online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, she said.The Bacolod DSSD and police have rescued 10 minors aged 12 to 17 from various barangays in Bacolod...

Jul302026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

40% of E.B. Magalona’s economy affected by blue crab ban, Malacon takes action to mitigate crisis

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EB Magalona Mayor Matthew Louis Malacon.*CPG photoE.B. Magalona Mayor Matthew Louis Malacon said he has issued three executive orders to address the economic crisis caused by the United States’ ban on blue swimming crabs from the Philippines and the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) attack on local sugarcane crops.About 40 percent of E.B. Magalona’s economy has been affected by the U.S. ban on blue crabs, with hundreds of jobs lost, Malacon said at a press conference on Thursday, July 30.Executive Order 32 created an RSSI Task Force to arrest the spread of the pests. The municipality has also established a nursery in Barangay Alicante to grow a new sugarcane variety that is much more resistant to RSSI, which will be distributed to small farmers, he said.Executive...

Jul302026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

601 NegOcc brgys to receive P120.2M on Friday

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Cabinet Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. will join the distribution rites.*Office of the Cabinet Secretary photoA total of P120,200,000 under the Presidential Assistance to Barangays will be distributed to 601 Negros Occidental barangays at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City Friday afternoon, July 31.Cabinet Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. will join Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Negros Occidental officials during the distribution.Each barangay will receive P200,000, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.Of the amount P100,000 will be allocated for barangay scholars and P100, 000 for priority projects, he said.The Presidential Assistance to Barangays Under is part of Socio-Civic Projects Fund of the president.*

Jul302026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Only 21 of 57 Negros LGUs have sanitary landfills; 9 towns ink clustered facility MOA

Negros Oriental, Top Stories

The La Castellana Sanitary Landfill* Richard Malihan photoOnly 21 of 57 local government units (LGUs) in Negros Island have sanitary landfill facilities (SLFs), a Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau official said Thursday, July 30.SLFs are required by law as the ultimate final disposal method for residual solid waste under Republic Act No. 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.In Negros Occidental, 13 LGUs have SLFs, while sanitary landfill construction is underway in three other areas, DENR-EMB Negros Island Region Director Vicente S. Losbañes Losbañes said.The LGUs with SLFs are the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Cadiz, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Sagay, San Carlos, Sipalay, Talisay, Silay, and La Car...

Jul302026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Javi files House resolution to probe system loss charges, VAT on power bills

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Following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call to lower electricity rates nationwide, Rep. Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) has filed House Resolution No. 1240, seeking a congressional inquiry into system loss charges and the value-added tax (VAT) imposed on them.The resolution directs the House Committee on Energy to investigate the automatic pass-through charges levied on consumers and mandates distribution utilities to disclose data showing where these power losses occur, Benitez said on Thursday, July 30."Every month, Filipino households are billed for power lost to inefficiency, poor maintenance, faulty metering, and theft. They are taxed on it as well," Benitez said. "Reasonable electricity prices are a matter of public interest, not a f...

Jul302026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Bacolod City, DepEd to build 16 new classrooms at Vista Alegre relocation site

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Mayor Greg Gasataya and Education Secretary Sonny Angara following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the construction of a new 16-classroom school building.* A new 16-classroom school building will soon rise at Progreso Village National High School in Barangay Vista Alegre after Mayor Greg Gasataya and Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara formally signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Wednesday, July 29.The project is expected to help address the growing classroom shortage in the relocation community and improve access to senior high school education for hundreds of learners, a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office said Thursday.Gasataya thanked the Department of Education (DepEd) and the national government f...

Jul302026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

College student dies after motorcycle crashes into vehicle making U-turn

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A college student died after his motorcycle crashed into a vehicle that was making a U-turn along Araneta Street in Brgy. Pahanocoy, Bacolod City, on Wednesday night, July 29.Police identified the victim only as "Jester," a resident of Brgy. Taculing, who was driving a Honda Click motorcycle.Initial investigation by Police Station 8 showed that a Mazda Bongo driven by a 53-year-old man identified only as "Jethor" was traveling northbound along Araneta Street. Upon reaching the area in front of Purok Hanapbuhay, the driver allegedly made a U-turn toward the west.Police said the motorcycle, which was traveling behind the vehicle, collided with the rear of the Mazda.The impact left the rider with multiple injuries. He was rushed by responders to the Bacolod South General Hospital ...

Jul302026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Gasataya seeks MPBL probe into alleged game-fixing; league expels Bacolod team

Sports, Top Stories

Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya has formally asked the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) to conduct an immediate investigation into alleged game manipulation during the July 28 match between the Bulacan Kuyas and the Bacolod MassKara.In a letter dated Thursday, July 30, addressed to MPBL officials, Gasataya cited widespread public concern over the Bacolod team's performance during its 100-64 loss at the Pasay Astrodome.The mayor said the team's nearly eight-minute scoring drought in the fourth quarter, unusual player rotations, and several missed scoring opportunities fueled online speculation about possible game-fixing."As a huge basketball fan myself, I am mindful that scoring slumps may occur. But the passive on-court deme...

Jul302026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Motorcycle rider dies in Bago crash during heavy rain

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A 32-year-old motorcycle rider died after losing control of his vehicle along a highway in Brgy. Ma-ao, Bago City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday night, July 29.Police identified the victim only as “Rehard,” a resident of Murcia.Initial investigation showed that the victim was traveling from Brgy. Mailum toward Brgy. Ma-ao when he reached a curved portion of the highway.Police said the rider apparently lost control of the motorcycle amid heavy rain and fell onto the pavement.The victim sustained a serious head injury and was brought by the Bago City Rescue Team to the Bago City Hospital.He was declared dead by the attending physician.The damaged motorcycle was taken to the Bago police station for proper disposition.*