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Monsignor Guillermo “GG” Azcona Gaston*RBaldonado photoMonsignor Guillermo “GG” Azcona Gaston will be buried at the Silay Catholic Cemetery in Silay City, Negros Occidental, on Thursday, August 3, his nephew Joey Gaston said.He will be buried after a 2 p.m. funeral mass at the San Diego Pro-Cathedral in Silay City.Gaston, 91, succumbed to cardiac arrest in Bacolod City on July 20.The fifth of eight children, Gaston was born in Hacienda Santa Rosalia, Manapla, on March 7, 1932, to Jose and Consuelo Gaston.He obtained his college degree from the Ateneo de Manila and studied to become a diocesan priest at the San Jose Seminary and later at the San Carlos Seminary.In 1956, he began higher theological studies at the Pontificio Collegio Pio Latino Americano in Livorno, It...

A Bacolod resident was arrested in a buy-bust operation and P61,200 worth of suspected shabu was seized in Purok Boulevard, Brgy. 13, Bacolod City, on Friday, July 28.Billy Orolan, 40, of Purok Boulevard was arrested by Station 1 operatives on Friday night, the police reported.Eight heat-sealed sachets of suspected shabu weighing nine grams were recovered from him, the police added.A tactical interrogation is still ongoing to locate the source of illegal drugs, links and accomplishes of Orolan for follow-up operations, the police said.*

A Polish national driving an SUV accidentally hit a motorcycle causing the death of its driver at the Murcia-Mansilingan Road in Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City, Saturday evening, July 29.Konrad Aleksander Wieczorek, 31 hit the motorcycle with couple Aljun and Ma. Mariel Gual, residents of Alunan-Yulo, Brgy. 35, Bacolod City, on board.Capt. Andy Ofalia, Bacolod Police City Station 7 chief, said that both vehicles were heading from west to east direction when the SUV driven by Wieczorek accidentally hit the motorcycle.Ofalia said that due to impact the motorcycle was tossed a few meters away resulting to the death of Aljun and injuries to Ma. Mariel on her hands and feet.The station commander said representatives of the victims and the suspect have reached a settlement and n...

Expect another large increase in fuel prices starting Tuesday, August 1, Unioil Petroleum Philippines Inc. announced on Saturday, July 29.It will be the third consecutive week for fuel prices to increase.Diesel prices are expected to increase by P3.20 to P3.40 per liter, and gasoline by P1.70 to P1.90 per liter, Unioil said.The price of gasoline increased by P1.35 per liter, while diesel and kerosene increased by P0.45 and P0.35 per liter, respectively, on July 25.*

A Bacolod resident was sentenced to two counts of life imprisonment for possession and sale of shabu to a policeman.Regional Trial Court Branch 52 Judge Raymond Joseph Javier on Friday, July 28, found Nestor Besiata Barneso, alias Ban-Ban, guilty beyond reasonable doubt for violation of Sections 5 and 11 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.His co-accused Juliet Bolivar Jagonob, on re-arraignment on August 19, pleaded guilty to the offense filed against her and the trial ensued against Barneso, the judge said.Barneso sold .253 gram of shabu to a police poseur buyer for P1,000 at Purok Tangigue, Barangay 1, Bacolod, on March 8, 2023, and on his arrest 24.199 grams were recovered from him, court records stated.He vehemently denied the charges but the judge ruled t...

Crops in Negros Occidental were flooded.*OPA photoHeavy rain and strong wind brought on by Typhoon “Egay” caused P43,686,232 in damage to agriculture in Negros Occidental this week, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist reported on Friday, July 28.Damage to rice was P35,223,842, high value commercial crops – P3,336,490, corn - P3,725,700, fisheries – P1,000,000 and irrigation P400,200.The areas affected were San Carlos City, Cadiz City, EB Magalona, La Carlota City, Valladolid, Pulupandan, Pontevedra, San Enrique, Bago City, La Castellana, Binalbagan, Sipalay City, Candoni and Cauayan.The Office of Civil Defense 6 reported on Friday that affected by flooding in Negros Occidental were 15,219 families with 58,829 members.Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Thursday said ...

Bivalent vaccines offer protection against the original COVID-19 virus and the Omicron variant and its subvariants.*PNA photoThe next recipients of the bivalent COVID-19 shots after the Negros Occidental provincial government hospital workers will be the personnel of the provincial, city and municipal health offices.The national government sent Negros Occidental 352 vials of bivalent vaccines that are equivalent to 2,112 doses, Dr. Girlie Pinongan, Provincial Health Office OIC, said Friday, July 28.There are 692 hospital workers eligible for the bivalent vaccines so the rest will be used for the personnel of the health offices, she said.Bivalent vaccines offer protection against the original COVID-19 virus and the Omicron variant and its subvariants.Healthcare workers w...

Six job order workers of the Don Salvador Benedicto municipal government in Negros Occidental who tested positive for the use of illegal drugs have been dismissed from the service, Mayor Marxlen dela Cruz said on Friday, July 28.The six tested positive during surprise drug tests conducted after the municipal government’s flag ceremony on Monday, he said.He said about 250 employees, including the town’s officials, were tested.“I had the surprise drug tests conducted because of rumors that some employees are using illegal drugs,” de la Cruz said.It is important to ensure a drug free workplace, he said.Three of the six who tested positive were already suspected of drug use because of their erratic behavior and appearance, he said.The six were JO workers assigned to the...

Residents wade through floodwaters in Bacolod City.*BFP photoThe Provincial Health Office on Friday, July 28, warned the public against diseases that may have been acquired during the recent flooding in Negros Occidental.Dr. Girlie Pinongan, PHO officer-in-charge, warned against water-borne diseases, such as typhoid fever, cholera, and leptospirosis, and vector-borne diseases, such as dengue.Pinongan reminded the public to boil their drinking water to ensure that it is safe.She also warned against respiratory diseases that could have been acquired at evacuation centers.The Typhoon “Egay” induced rains caused flooding that affected 14,325 families or 56,988 individuals in Negros Occidental this week, the Provincial Disaster Management Program reported Friday.Almost a...

The blue heart human monogram during World Day Against Trafficking at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon Park on Friday, July 28.*Richard Malihan photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson called for collective vigilance to eradicate human trafficking during the observance of World Day Against Trafficking at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon Park on Friday, July 28.Lacson, in his speech, urged everyone to be more aware of this issue as it is through “united and collective vigilance that we can effectively help eradicate this menace in our midst”.The Negros Occidental provincial government through the Provincial Committee Against Trafficking, Child Pornography, and Violence Against Women and Children (PCAT-CP-VAWC) observed the World Day Against Trafficking this month.“Trafficki...