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Rep. Jose Francisco "Kiko" Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) with members of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) conducted a series of site visits and consultations with public and private schools in Negros Occidental on Saturday, August 26.The initiative aims to address concerns and gather suggestions from education stakeholders to improve the country’s education policies, he said.The visits included demonstrations at E.B. Magalona Elementary School, where students showcased improved literacy and reading comprehension through the help of the USAID ABC+ Language Identification and Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment Tools.Discussed were solutions to remediate learners who cannot read at grade level during the school year, a press release from the off...

Four fishermen were apprehended for alleged illegal fishing off the coast of Hinigaran town, Negros Occidental, on Friday, August 25, the police said.The Bantay Dagat Task Force apprehended Robert Sapio, 44, Ramil Alarcon, 35, Gerald Miraflores, 25, and Jan-Jan Geanga, 33, for alleged illegal fishing near the territorial waters of Hinigaran.Recovered from the fishermen were motorbancas, fishing nets, a wooden board, and other fishing paraphernalia worth P33,000, the police said.They also confiscated fish catch worth P10,400 from the fishermen.All of them were fined P5,000 each for violation of the municipal ordinance of Hinigaran and the recovered items are now under the custody of Hinigaran Municipal Agriculture Office.*

The logo for this year’s festival was designed by Bacolod graphic artist and director, Myish Endonila.*The Bacolod Yuhum Foundation (BYF) unveiled the official logo and theme song for the “Super City Bacolod MassKara 2023 Festival” set October 7 to 22 at a press presentation on Saturday, August 26.It also announced the activities lined up for the 16-day festival and the names of the participating groups in the MassKara street dance and arena competition and the MassKara Electrika Diva float parade and competition.The official logo with the tagline “Super City Bacolod” is in support of Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez's vision that Bacolod makes it way to becoming a global city, BYF spokesperson Mate Espina said.The logo for this year’s festival was designed by Bacolod...

The rebel killed in an encounter with 11th Infantry Battalion troops in Sitio Taleo, Barangay Milagrosa, Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental on Saturday.*11th IB photoThe Philippine Army’s 11th Infantry Battalion confirmed the death of a Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) rebel during an encounter in the far-flung barangay of Milagrosa in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental, on Saturday morning, August 26.The military said the recovered body of the slain rebel has yet to be identified.Also seized were one M653 rifle, one anti-personnel mine, four magazines for M653 (20 rounds cap), three magazines for M653 (30 rounds cap), 40 rounds 5.56 mm ball, an electrical tester, three lithium batteries, one bandolier, five backpacks with personal belongings, tarpaulin an...

Provincial Election Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria, Provincial Police Director Col. Leo Pamittan and Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, (l-r) during the activation of the Negros Occidental Provincial Joint Security Control Center on Friday, August 25.*The Philippine Army will continue to conduct relentless operations against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) rebels in Negros Occidental who are expected to intensify their presence during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan election period.“We will be more relentless in the conduct of our operations in order to ensure the safety of all voters, especially in critical areas,” Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said on Friday, August 25.They will n...

The participants at the activation of the Negros Occidental Provincial Joint Security Control Center .*The Negros Occidental Provincial Joint Security Control Center was activated Friday, August 25, to put in place strengthened security measures for the election period that starts Monday and ends on November 29.The filing of the certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the October 30 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) will start Monday and end on September 2.Provincial Election Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria, Provincial Police Director Col. Leo Pamittan and Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, led a provincial coordinating conference at the Social Hall of the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City to activate their security plan.Joint Commissio...

Electric consumers in northern Negros Occidental will pay P0.83 less per kWh this month, the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative announced.The electricity rate for August is P11.73/kWh, while in July it was P12.5564/kWh.The decrease was attributed to the decline in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market price which was at P5.8964 this month, or P1.0986 lower than July’s P6.9950, NOCECO said.The decrease in government charges and payable taxes of generation cost were also cited by NONECO.*

Barangay Captain Joseph de los Santos*Suspended Barangay Captain Joseph de los Santos has not been going to the Barangay 16 Hall in Bacolod City since last week.Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez informed de los Santos that his assuming his duties could be construed as usurpation of authority or official functions.Benitez on August 11 was replying to a letter of delos Santos, which he received on August 8.Delos Santos in his letter informed the mayor of his intent to assume his duties as barangay captain.The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod in a resolution dated August 2 suspended de los Santos for six months for gross neglect of duty.He was suspended for five unjustified consecutive absences from barangays sessions in violation of the provisions of the Local Gove...

Two suspects were arrested and P23,120 worth of suspected shabu was seized in buy-bust operations in Cauayan and La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, Wednesday and Thursday, August 23 and 24.Ryan Rey Dela Cruz alias “Maoy”, 27, was arrested in Sitio Carolina, Barangay II, La Carlota City, Wednesday afternoon.Recovered from him were three grams of suspected shabu estimated to cost P20,400, the police said.Meanwhile, Joel Arguel, 45, was also arrested in a buy-bust operation in Brgy. Bantayanon, Calatrava, Thursday morning.Recovered from him was 0.4 grams of shabu valued at P2,720 and drug paraphernalia, the police said.*

An unidentified man was found dead along the seashore in Purok 2, Brgy. Mambugsay, Cauayan town, Negros Occidental, Thursday, August 24, the police said.The body was found naked at about 1:40 p.m. on Thursday.The victim who was mentally ill was last seen walking along the seashore by three residents, the police said.His body was brought to RS Funeral Homes for a medical examination, the police added.*