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The Department of Health (DOH) has detected three highly transmissible Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 cases in Western Visayas, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire announced on Tuesday, May 17.The cases were detected in Iloilo province.Two are local cases, while the other case involves a returning overseas Filipino (ROF), a report from DOH Western Visayas OIC Director, Ma. Sophia Pulmones, said.The DOH Western Visayas Center for Health Development is closely coordinating with local government units following the confirmation of the three cases, she said.One local case involves a 69-year-old male from Iloilo Province who was admitted in a hospital on May 5. He is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and was due for discharge on Tuesday, May 17.The other local case in...

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat visits Balay Puti in Silay City Tuesday morning.*Ronnie Baldonado photoTourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said she was in Negros Occidental for its slow food tourism circuit on Tuesday, May 17.“Negros has everything – food, culture, heritage and farm tourism”, she said of its tourism prospects afrer the COVID-19 pandemic.The province can also focus on health and wellness tourism, she added.Negros Occidental is ready to reopen to tourists since the vaccination rate of tourism workers in Western Visayas in 94.27 percent, Puyat said.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson met with Puyat in Silay City Tuesday morning and talked about the province's tourism recovery initiatives.The Negros Occidental provincial government kicked off its...

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has issued an executive order placing seven local government units in Negros Occidental under Alert Level 1 and the rest of the province under Alert Level 2 until May 31.Executive Order No. 22-19, Series of 2022, released Tuesday, May 17, placed the cities of Sagay, Victorias and La Carlota, and the municipalities of EB Magalona, Pulupandan, San Enrique and Candoni under Alert Level 1.Fully vaccinated incoming travelers to Negros Occidental are still required to present COVID-19 vaccination cards.Those who are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated must present non-reactive antigen test results prior to travel, or undergo tests provided by the provincial government free of charge on arrival, Lacson said.*

About P2.1 million worth of lumber was turned over to the Negros Occidental provincial government on Friday, May 13, to be used as further assistance for the victims of typhoon “Odette,” Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.The provincial government will also begin distributing the P94.6 million National Housing Authority assistance to the typhoon victims that was put on hold during the election ban from March 25 to May 8, he said.The recipients will be 18,933 families who will receive P5,000 each.Diaz said the local governments have completed their lists of recipients and the provincial government will schedule the distribution when they are ready.Meanwhile, the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office of Barotac Nuevo turned over 42,400 board feet of mah...

Sipalay LGU photoThe voter turnout in Negros Occidental, excluding Bacolod City, in the May 9 polls was 83.63 percent based on machine generated data, Acting Provincial Elections Officer Roberto Salazar said on Tuesday, May 17.There are 1.6 million voters in Negros Occidental so about 1.35 million voted, he said.Bacolod City has 327,403 voters.Salazar said he is waiting for data from the field to cross check with the machine generated certificates of canvass consolidated data.Poll officials reshuffled to different posts during the election period will return to their original assignments on June 9 unless an extension is ordered, he said.Salazar is expected to return as provincial election supervisor of Aklan and Ian Lee Ananoria will be back as head of the Negros Oc...

Kabankalan PNP photoA man was shot to death after he allegedly screamed at a dog in Barangay Salong, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Saturday, May 14.Killed was Carlo Norbe, 42, a laborer from Ilog town.The victim was walking past a house when a dog started barking at him, the police said.This prompted the victim to yell at the dog, which sparked a quarrel between him and the unidentified pet owner.When the victim left, he was allegedly followed by the suspect who gunned him down.The victim was found in a sugarcane field and was rushed to a hospital where he expired. He succumbed to two gunshot wounds.The unidentified suspect remains at large.*

Photo from Rachelle Temblor FBThe overseas Filipino worker from Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, who was recently rescued from her employer in Saudi Arabia has been provided medical help in Riyadh.Daiamy Restauro Cabaluna of Barangay 5, Sipalay City, is under the care of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, Barangay 5 Kagawad Mark Rey Alorro said Tuesday, May 17.Alorro, a member of the Angat Buhay group of Vice President Leni Robredo in Sipalay, said a relative of Cabaluna informed him of her situation and he sought the help of former Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon.Guanzon then called Consul Von Ferrera, her former student, who is assigned in Riyadh.Alorro said a lot of people have been helping Cabaluna, including OFWs in...

Pontevedra PNP photoA teenager who went to the Pontevedra Police Station to report a vehicular accident he was involved in on Monday, May 16, ended up behind bars after he was found in possession of drugs and a gun.The suspect was identified as Carl Santiso, 18, of Barangay Miranda, Hinigaran. He was onboard a motorcycle when he figured in an accident with a tricycle driver.Both drivers went to the police station to report the incident.When the police asked them to present their documents, a sachet containing suspected shabu fell to the ground when Santiso took his Identification card out of his belt beg.When the police searched him, he yielded two more sachets containing shabu as well as .38 caliber pen gun with two cartridges.Charges for illegal possession of drug...