Top Stories

The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City has approved on third and final reading City Ordinance 1175 expanding the membership of the Bacolod City Local School Board (LSB), redefining its composition, roles, and functions to strengthen local education governance and maximize the utilization of the Special Education Fund (SEF).The measure was principally authored by Councilor  Caesar  Distrito, with Councilors Dindo C. Ramos and Israel P. Salanga as co-authors.It aligns the City’s Local School Board with recent national education reforms by broadening stakeholder representation to include the child health and nutrition sector, early childhood education, foundational literacy, and accredited civil society organizations, Distrito said in a press release Saturday, July 25....

The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region passed the Performance Governance Reporting Revalida for the Compliance Stage on Thursday, July 23, at Camp Crame in Quezon City.The evaluation assessed PRO-NIR’s governance systems, strategic initiatives, accomplishments and compliance with standards under the Philippine National Police Performance Governance System.The result signifies that the regional police office is ready for the conferment of Compliance Status under the PGS, which supports the implementation of the PNP P.A.T.R.O.L. Plan 2030.PRO-NIR Director BGen. Romano Cardiño and members of the regional technical working group presented the office’s governance journey before the evaluation panel at the Center for Police Strategy Management.The panel was chaired by BG...

Police seized about 840 grams of suspected shabu worth P5.712 million and arrested four individuals in three buy-bust operations in Bacolod City from Friday evening, July 24, to early Saturday, July 25.The Bacolod City Police Office said two of those arrested were classified as high-value individuals by the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council.In the first operation, City Drug Enforcement Unit personnel arrested a 64-year-old woman identified only as alias “Bebe” in Purok Kagaykay, Brgy. 2 at around 7:04 p.m. Friday.Police recovered about 35 grams of suspected shabu worth P238,000, buy-bust money and other evidence.At around 7:48 p.m., Police Station 7 operatives arrested alias “Kim,” 35, during another buy-bust operation in Brgy. Mansilingan.Authorities seized about five g...

`Aboitiz Renewables Inc., the renewable energy arm of Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower), broke ground for its 239-megawatt peak (MWp) Luna Solar Power Plant and a 65-megawatt (MW) battery energy storage system in Barangay Luna, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental,  Friday morning, July 24.The Luna solar plant, which is expected to be operational by 2028, will be their largest solar plant in the Visayas and their first integrated solar and battery energy storage facility on Negros Island, Aboitiz Renewables President Jimmy A. Villaroman said."Our solar journey began here in Negros Occidental with SacaSun, our very first solar plant in San Carlos City. And today, as we break ground on Project Luna—which will surpass even Calatrava once in operation," he said.Aboitiz Ren...

Rep. Javier Miguel L. Benitez at the SP hearing on Friday.*Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said he is very confident that the Philippines will be able to resume exporting its blue swimming crabs to the United States before the end of the year.He discussed the blue crabs issue with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his visit to Malacañang on Wednesday,  said Laurel,  who was in Negros Occidental on Friday, July 24.“They are aware of it and we were given the opportunity to reapply right away”   to resume exporting blue crabs to the United States, he said.The new application will be submitted, at the latest by September, and hopefully by that time it will be approved, he said.He is very confident because measures have been taken to ensure that endang...

Mayor Salvador Escalante* Cadiz FB page photoA coffee processing plant will be built in Brgy. Vicente F. Gustilo in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, Mayor Salvador Escalante said on Friday, July 24.The plant will be funded by Aboitiz Renewables' corporate social responsibility fund, which could be about ₱15 million to ₱20 million, he said.The facility will be turned over to the farmers so they will become the owners of the processing plant, Escalante said.Cadiz farmers have already planted 250,000 coffee trees on 250 hectares, he said.Escalante said Cadiz City is aiming to expand its coffee production to 1,000 hectares by planting 1 million coffee trees in two years.“The coffee processing plant will be very vital  in that expansion  as it  signifies the...

The Land Transportation Office-Negros Island Region has placed a vehicle under alarm after a video allegedly showed its driver crossing a double yellow line near the overpass fronting the Ceres North Terminal.On July 23, LTO-NIR said it issued a show cause order against the vehicle’s registered owner and designated driver following the circulation of the video on Facebook.The agency has opened an administrative investigation into possible violations of Republic Act 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.The respondents were directed to appear before the LTO-NIR regional office within five days from receipt of the order and submit a verified explanation on why administrative sanctions should not be imposed.While the investigation is pending, transactions invol...