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The Negros Occidental Schools Division enrollment for School Year 2022-2023 hit 80.65 percent on Tuesday, August 16.Enrollment was at 271,771 compared to 336,970 in school year 2021-2022.The enrollment for school year 2022-2023 at public elementary schools was at 133,377 or 76.25 percent, public junior high school – 82,410 or 81.93 percent, public senior high school – 36,254 or 101.57 percent, integrated schools – 1,440 or 74.27 percent and private schools 18,290 or 76.78 percent, the Division reported.The Department of Education (DepEd) has set the start of classes on August 22 and will end on July 7, 2023.DepEd only prescribed the options of five days in-person classes, blended learning modality, and full distance learning until October 31.Starting November 2 all publ...

The recovered drugs in the buy-bust operation at Brgy. Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City.*BCPO photoA high-value suspect was arrested in a buy-bust operation at Prk. Kahirup, Brgy. Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City, at 8:35 p.m. Monday, August 15.The operation led to the recovery of 206 grams of suspected shabu worth P1.4 million, the police reported Tuesday.It also led to the capture of 21-year-old Jeboy James Poneles, who was said to be high-value individual.Also recovered from his possession were P1,000 marked money, a sling bag, and P220 cash proceeds.He is now in the custody of Police Station 8, facing drug charges.*

The suspect Ralph John Molinos *La Carlota PNP photoA drinking session that led to a fistfight claimed the life of a 43-year-old man at Barangay 2 Poblacion, La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, on Monday, August 15.Killed was Vicente Pingoy Jr., the police said.Police said that the victim and the suspect identified as 23-year-old Ralph John Molinos were having a drinking session when they figured in a heated argument that led to a fistfight, causing the victim to fall on his knees and lose consciousness.The victim suffered head injuries and was declared dead on arrival at the Don Salvador Benedicto Memorial District Hospital, Lt. Col. Lowell Garinganao, city police chief, said.The suspect later surrendered to the police.*

The belongings of suspected rebels left at the encounter site.*303rd IB photoTwo suspected rebels were injured in a clash with the state troopers at Sitio Cambairan, Brgy. Trinidad, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, Tuesday, August 16.Bloodstains were seen at the encounter site and the fleeing rebels left their personal belongings behind, the Army reported.There was no casualty on the government side, it also said.Troops of the 62nd Infantry "Unifier" Battalion were validating the reports after armed men were said to be intimidating and extorting from the community in the hinterland barangay.This led to a 10-minute encounter with around 10 suspected members of the New People’s Army.*

Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano (right) at the House briefing on Sugar Order No. 4 on Monday.*The Senate and House of Representatives are set to conduct inquiries into the “illegal” issuance of Sugar Order No. 4 (SO4) granting the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar, which was revoked by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last week.“We were not born yesterday. We know importation is a lucrative business,” Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said in a privilege speech Monday, August 15, calling for an investigation into the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Board’s issuance of SO 4.Zubiri also said there is “tong-pats” or a corruption scheme involving sugar importation that was divulged to him by industry insiders.He was informed that “tongpats” or bribes worth P50 to P1...

Dengue cases are nearing 10,000 in Western Visayas, with four new deaths, the Department of Health reported Tuesday, August 16.Western Visayas has had 9,533 dengue cases and 54 deaths from January 1 to August 6, or an increase by 572 percent compared to last year, the DOH Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit reported.The top three provinces with the highest number of new dengue cases are Negros Occidental with 235, Iloilo Province - 124 and Antique – 79, it said.Of the four newly-reported dengue-related fatalities, Iloilo province had two and Negros Occidental – two, the DOH said.Negros Occidental still has the highest number of dengue cases in WV at 3,345 and 16 deaths.Bacolod City has 569 cases and eight deaths.Antique  has 2,110 cases and nine deaths, Iloi...

Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) called on all of those who signed SO4 to resign out of delicadeza at a House briefing on the sugar importation mess on Monday.The millers’ representative on the Sugar Regulatory Administration Board resigned on Monday, August 15, and lawmakers are calling for the resignation of the rest of its members.Roland Beltran was the second member of the Board to resign.Department Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian resigned of Friday after Malacañang announced that he “illegally” signed and issued Sugar Order No. 4 (SO4) granting the importation of 300,000 MT of sugar without the authority of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.SO4 was also signed by Beltran, SRA Administrator Hermenegildo Serafica and Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama...

President Ferdinand Marcos explains the state of the country's sugar supply.*President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Sunday that the country has sufficient supply of sugar and “there is no need to import just yet”.Marcos, in his weekly blog, stressed that there is enough local supply that should be consumed first before the country resorts to importation, a press release from the Office of the Press Secretary said Monday, August 15.But Marcos noted that the supply might dwindle by October.“There is a possibility that by October, our supply in the Philippines will be depleted. We might need to import”, he said but not as much as 300,000 metric tons.“Perhaps 150,000 (metric) tons would be good for the entire year,” he said.Malacañang earlier called for a probe into the...

The drug recoveries during the buy-bust operation in Kabankalan City on Monday, August 15.*Radyo Bandera photoA suspected drug group leader was arrested in a buy-bust operation at Purok Paraiso, Brgy. Hilamonan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on  Monday, August 15.Nabbed was high-value individual Jonalyn “Mommy Jing” Bugalon, 49, who was said to be the leader of Bugalon drug group, and Juanito “Jerome” Artisano Jr., of Purok Riverside, Brgy. Suay, Himamaylan City.Recovered from the suspects possession were 130 grams of suspected shabu worth P884,000.The suspects and the recovered items are now under the custody of Kabankalan police.Col. Leo Pamittan, provincial police director, lauded his men on the accomplishment and  reiterated his directive for a more ...