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The Department of Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion will market Bacolod as a prime investment destination, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said.*Ronnie Baldonado photoThe Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) approved an ordinance creating the Bacolod City Department of Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion (DLEDIP) on third and final reading during its regular session on Wednesday, July 12.Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, in his state of the city address on July 5, urged the SP to pass the ordinance that will elevate the existing Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office into a full-fledged department that will market Bacolod as a prime investment destination, strengthen investor relations and design and implement programs to support local ente...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez issued show cause orders to five city government employees on Wednesday, July 12, for failure to account for vehicles assigned to them.They have been given five days to submit affidavits to show why no criminal or administrative case should be filed against them.The five are regular employees of the city government, including a driver and engineers.The five issued show cause orders have not submitted any explanation on where the vehicles assigned to them are, Benitez said.If the vehicles disappeared several years ago, why is it only now that they are being reported missing? the mayor asked.*

Good news for 4Ps members and electric consumers who are living below the poverty threshold.The Central Negros Electric Cooperative will give discounts in the monthly electric bills of member-consumers who are 4Ps beneficiaries and those who are living below the poverty threshold starting August 1.CENECO, in a Facebook post, said it will start implementing the “Lifeline Rate Subsidy Discount” under the provision of Republic Act 11552, or An Act Extending and Enhancing the Implementation of Lifeline Rate, next month.This discount will be given to qualified 4Ps beneficiaries and marginalized users who are living below the poverty threshold.CENECO said all 4Ps beneficiaries and qualified non-4Ps beneficiaries, including the previously qualified lifeline consumers with 80kwh co...

The drug tests conducted in Silay City.*PNP photoEight persons tested positive in surprise drug tests of 249 traffic enforcers and city government employees in Silay City this week, the police reported Wednesday, July 12.About 99 traffic enforcers and 150 city government employees underwent drug testing on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, the Silay police said.A city government employee and seven traffic enforcers yielded positive results, it said.Silay City Mayor Joedith Gallego told DIGICAST NEGROS those traffic enforcers who tested positive will be terminated from their jobs.In the case of the city government employee who was found positive, they will look into the regulations of the Civil Service Commission on the possibility of termination, too, he added.The m...

The police nabbed six Negrenses and seized P239,162 worth of suspected shabu in buy-bust operations in three cities and a town in Negros Occidental on Tuesday, July 11.Ramir Alimoot, 21, a student, was arrested in a buy-bust operation and 30 grams of suspected shabu valued at P204,000 were recovered in Barangay Mambulac, Silay City, 10 p.m. Tuesday, the police reported.Janilo Dianongco, alias “Danibong”, 23, was also arrested with 3.5 grams of suspected shabu estimated to cost P23,602 in Brgy. Aguisan, Himamaylan City, Tuesday morning, the police said.In Cadiz City, Joebeth Oñates, 39, was arrested in Brgy. Burgos after the police seized eight heat-sealed sachets of suspected shabu weighing 0.9 grams worth P6,120.An improvised pistol loaded with 5.56 mm live ammunition was ...

The two bullets found on the stairs of the Food Terminal Market of Occidental Negros (FTMON) at North Capitol Road in Bacolod City were claimed by a person connected to a military intelligence unit in Negros Occidental, Renelo Lastierre, head of the Capitol’s Security and Safety Division, said on Wednesday, July 12.The bullets found on July 3 were not left in the area as a threat to anyone, the person who claimed ownership of them in fact returned to the FTMON to look for them, he said.Lastierre said the person asked that his identity be withheld but he has video footage of his claiming the two bullets.The person said he was asked to buy the bullets and he later discovered that two were missing that is why he returned to the FTMON to look for them.That is why he considers t...

The Sagay City Veterinary Office dispersed pigs and free-range chickens to Sagaynon farmers and graduates of the Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program (CBRP) in a ceremony on Tuesday, July 10.The city government distributed 100 fattening and 15 guild pigs to 65 farmers and livestock raisers and 66 heads of free-range chickens to 22 graduates of CBDRP of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, a press release from Sagay City said.The program was attended by Mayor Narciso Javelosa Jr., Councilors Rodnel Delos Reyes, Miller Serondo, Ching Javellana, Chris Javelosa, City Veterinarian Modesto Cañonero III, and personnel from the city government, and the beneficiaries of the livestock dispersal program.Livestock dispersal is one of the flagship programs of the city...

Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez signed a memorandum of understanding with WMI Renewables PTE LTD for the proposed development of 100MW Wind and 100MW Solar Power Plant in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, on Monday, July 10.The wind and solar energy project shall diversify the city's energy resources and will pave way for a sustainable reduction of non-renewable energy dependence, a press release from Victorias City said.The partnership heightens Victorias City’s efforts to promote sustainable development, environment conservation, and the use of renewable energy sources in response to the rapid growth of energy demands in the city, it said.WMI is a Singapore-based company that specializes in renewable energy development and investment services.WMI is set to pre...

The Bacolod City government is set to launch a Swiss challenge for the multi-billion development of the famous Manokan Country to promote local food tourism.Preparations are underway for the publication of a notice inviting interested companies to challenge the unsolicited proposal of property giant SM Prime Holdings Inc. amounting to P4.5 billion.Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday, July 10, that the rehabilitation of the Manokan Country, a row of food stalls mainly serving charcoal-grilled chicken or chicken inasal, through public-private partnership is an innovation aimed to enhance economic governance and fiscal management.“It’s for publication. We have already finished all the provisions of the agreement. We have a successful negotiation. It will be put in public...

The Bureau of Animal Industry has sent a technical team to Negros Oriental to help in the culling of pigs affected by African swine fever. *Photo courtesy of Board Member Woodrow Maquiling Sr.The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) has sent a technical team to assist the local government units (LGUs) of Bais City and Vallehermoso town in the culling of African swine fever or ASF-affected pigs and surveillance measures.Dr. Alfonso Tundag, chief veterinary officer of BAI-Negros Oriental, said Tuesday, July 11, that the team was in Bais City to continue the culling of pigs and will proceed to Vallehermoso on Wednesday or Thursday.Tundag said the team, composed of two veterinary doctors and three technical staff, arrived late last week and visited ...