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Emilia Abelido, Dr. Marilyn Marañon (l-r, seated), Niko Abelido, Lulu Abelido, Gen Sasuman, Michelle Abelido, Iday Valderrama, Joy Perez and Verlyn Perez (l-r, standing) during the soft opening of the Heavenly Hills Memorial Park in Sagay City.*It was the dream of former Negros Occidental governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. to have a private cemetery in Sagay City and his wish was finally fulfilled with the opening of the Heavenly Hills Memorial Park on Tuesday, July 18.It is a joint venture of the LS PRAMMANI Realty and Development Corp. and the Marañon family.Dr. Marilyn Marañon, the former governor’s wife, led the ceremonial soft opening of the 2.5 hectares park in Sagay City along with Emilia Abelido, the matriarch of the Abelido clan that owns LS PRAMMANI.“This is the legacy ...

The country’s business leaders will meet with Commissioner Mona Lisa Dimalanta of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Thursday, July 20, to discuss the proposed convening of an Electric Power Industry Coordinating Council, Frank Carbon, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry vice president, said Wednesday.The meeting with ERC aims to convene a coordinating council to monitor the industry players in the supply chain of the electric power industry, Carbon told DIGICAST NEGROS.The council will monitor electric generation, transmission, and distribution players, and help ERC and the Department of Energy (DOE) in reviewing policies, he said.Carbon is also PCCI director for Power and Energy and chief executive officer of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry. ...

Five persons were arrested in separate buy-bust operations and P156,400 worth of suspected shabu was seized in three cities and a town in Negros Occidental from Sunday to Tuesday, July 16 to 18, the police reported Wednesday.Albert Cabayaran, 38, of Brgy. Mambulac. Silay City, was arrested in a buy-bust operation and 10 grams of suspected shabu worth P6,800 onwas confiscated, the police said.John Paul Lirazan, 39, and a teenager, from Brgy. Aguisan, Himamaylan City were also arrested by the police on Tuesday.Recovered from them were 10 grams of suspected shabu worth P68,000 and various drug paraphernalia, the police reported.Jade Ian Tarrazona, 24, of Brgy. 13, Victorias City, was also arrested after the police confiscated from him a gram of shabu worth P6,800 on Monday nig...

A tricycle driver was shot to death at Rizal Street near SM City in Bacolod City, Tuesday night, July 18.Killed was Joenel Pahilanga, 29, of Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City, who was shot in the back of his head by an unidentified suspect, the police said.Pahilanga was rushed to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.Maj. Elmer Bonilla, Bacolod City Police Station 1 chief, said they have created a tracker team to investigate the incident.The suspect is still unidentified and they are now requesting CCTV footage from the commercial establishments in the area, he said.The police recovered a .45 caliber empty shell in the area, Bonilla said.*

Councilor Claudio “Kalaw” Puentevella*The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod approved on third and final reading an ordinance establishing the “Local Energy Code” during its regular session on Wednesday, July 19.The Code, authored by Councilor Claudio “Kalaw” Puentevella aims to promote energy efficiency and conservation, facilitate the implementation of energy projects, and harmonize local and national resilience and development in Bacolod City.The Local Energy Code of Bacolod City will promote and encourage the development and utilization of efficient renewable energy systems and technologies and other alternative sources of energy, the ordinance states.It will also realize economic growth and development through a sufficient and stable energy supply while ensuring the protec...

The Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA) has submitted a letter of intent to participate in the pioneering Bulk Water Supply Project of the Negros Occidental provincial government, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Wednesday, July 19.The minimum committed volume of water BACIWA aims to avail of for the duration of the project is 10 million liters a day (MLD) subject to the conduct of due diligence and execution of a definitive agreement, its general manager Mona Dia Jardin said in a letter to Lacson.“That is already a good amount that we were expecting from Bacolod,“ Lacson said.Lacson said with the BACIWA letter of intent the project will be more beneficial for investors.The investors forum for the bulk water project is set August 10 and expected to join are Aboitiz InfraCapit...

The Talave Bridge in northern Negros*Andoni Llantada Valencia photosA Negrense is calling for the preservation of the 90-year-old Talave bridge that connects San Carlos City and Calatrava in northern Negros Occidental.The Talave steel bridge has connected San Carlos and Calatrava since it was built in 1933 by the United Sates Steel Products Company as stated in its marker, Andoni Llantada Valencia said.He said because of the bridge, the economy of the two areas was boosted, as it hastened the mobility of Negrenses and cane trucks were able to go to sugar mills, thanks to the Americans.San Carlos Mayor Renato Gustilo said on Wednesday, July 19, that the old bridge will be replaced with a new one by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) because ...

The e bulk of beneficiaries are from Negros Occidental with 134,447.*Nic Ledesma photoAround 170,096 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) from Western Visayas are recipients of the newly-signed Republic Act No. 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, one of the priority measures under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.The law condones the principal payment, interests, and penalties.“Last July 7, finally our President signed the New Agrarian Emancipation Act where our farmer-beneficiaries will become debt-free from the lands that were awarded to them,” said lawyer Sheila Enciso, DAR Regional Director for Western Visayas, in an interview on Monday, July 17.Beneficiaries can already purchase farm inputs for higher production and pay for their household...

Sen. Risa Hontiveros (right) reaffirms her support for the sugar industry at a meeting in Bacolod City Tuesday, July 18, attended by CONFED president Aurelio Gerardo G. Valderrama Jr. and NFSP president Enrique D. Rojas.*Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Tuesday, July 18, that there is a need for better implementation and strengthening of existing laws to protect the country’s sugar industry.Hontiveros, who was in Negros Occidental for consultations with sugar industry stakeholders, cited possible amendments to laws such as the Sugar Industry Development Act and the Price Act to improve and strengthen them.She was in Negros to gather inputs to aid the sugar industry in its modernization and development, said Hontiveros, who also met with Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson...

The volleyball team of Western Visayas won the volleyball pre-Palaro qualifying games in Cebu City in June.*The Department of Education (DepEd) in Western Visayas is eyeing new records in the 2023 Palarong Pambansa to surpass the seven records set in the sporting event held before the pandemic in 2019.The region recorded five new records in athletics composed of long jump and shot put for secondary girls, 3,000-meter steeple chase and 1,500-meter run for secondary boys, and javelin throw for elementary girls.Two records were also set in swimming consisting of the 100 and the 200 long course (LC) meters freestyle.DepEd information officer Hernani Escullar Jr. said on Tuesday, July 18, that the region will have a strong contingent consisting of 539 athletes; 131 coaches, assi...