Tag: Negros Island

Oct12026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

House to probe Visayas power crisis in Bacolod hearing

Three committees of the House of Representatives will hold a public hearing to look into recurring power outages and other electricity supply problems affecting the Visayas Grid in Bacolod City on Saturday, Oct. 3.The hearing will be jointly conducted by the House committees on Energy, Visayas Development, and Legislative Franchises from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at L’Fisher Hotel.Among the measures to be discussed is House Resolution No. 1429 filed by Deputy Speaker and Bacolod Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez, which seeks an inquiry into the continuing power outages in the Visayas.The resolution calls for an examination of the causes of the outages and possible accountability, as well as measures to ensure a more stable, adequate and reliable electricity supply in the region.Lawmakers...

Oct12026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

P102,000 shabu seized in Kabankalan buy-bust

Police, Top Stories

A 28-year-old man was arrested after police seized an estimated P102,000 worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 30.Police identified the suspect as alias Jee, a resident of Brgy. Tan-awan, Kabankalan City.The operation was conducted at around 3:13 p.m. in Purok 6, Brgy. 1 by personnel of the Kabankalan Component City Police Station.Police said the suspect allegedly sold a sachet of suspected shabu to a poseur buyer during the operation.Authorities recovered a total of 11 sachets containing suspected shabu with an estimated weight of 15 grams and a standard drug price of P102,000.Police also recovered P1,105 in cash, including the marked buy-bust money, and other non-drug evidence.The ...

Oct12026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

PRO-NIR trains 55 participants on cases involving minors exposed to violent extremism

Community, Negros Oriental, Police, Top Stories

The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region has opened a three-day seminar-workshop in Bacolod City on handling cases involving minors who may be exposed to nihilistic violent extremism and harmful online content.The activity began Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Food Terminal Market along North Capitol Road and gathered 55 participants from law enforcement and partner government agencies.PRO-NIR said the training is intended to strengthen the ability of personnel to identify, prevent and respond to cases involving minors exposed to violent extremist ideologies.The seminar includes discussions on online environments where minors may encounter content promoting hatred, violence or acts that could cause serious harm.Participants are also being trained to recognize possible in...

Oct12026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

GCash offers government bond investment from P5,000 for Negros residents

Business, Top Stories

Residents of Bacolod City and Negros Occidental looking to earn interest every three months can invest in a Philippine government bond through GCash, starting at P5,000, the company said.Retail Treasury Bond 32 (RTB 32) is available to eligible users through GBonds in the GCash app. The primary offer runs from September 29 to October 7, unless the Bureau of the Treasury closes it earlier.Buying a government bond means lending money to the government in exchange for interest payments and repayment of the principal under the bond’s terms.RTB 32 has a two-and-a-half-year term, with issuance scheduled for October 12, 2026, and maturity on April 12, 2029. Interest is paid quarterly, or every three months.For someone investing P5,000, the release estimates an interest pa...

Oct12026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Proposed Maceda Law changes could give Negros homebuyers longer payment grace periods

Business, Community, Press Release, Top Stories

Homebuyers in Negros who purchase residential properties on installment could receive stronger protection against contract cancellation and payment penalties under proposed amendments to the 54-year-old Realty Installment Buyer Protection Act.Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said Thursday, Oct. 1, that he is pushing amendments to Republic Act No. 6552, commonly known as the Maceda Law, to provide additional safeguards for buyers who experience difficulty paying their installments.The existing law covers installment purchases of real estate, including residential condominium units, and provides grace periods and refund rights to qualified buyers who default on succeeding payments.The proposed changes would apply nationwide, including to covered installment homebuyers in Negros Islan...

Oct12026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Bago becomes first Negros Island LGU with 2 licensed primary care facilities

Business, Community, Top Stories

Bago City has become the first local government unit in the Negros Island Region to operate two licensed primary care facilities after the Barangay Ma-ao Health Station passed its assessment on Wednesday, Sept. 30.The city government said the Ma-ao facility was granted a license to operate as a Primary Care Facility following an assessment conducted by the Regulation, Licensing and Enforcement Division of the Department of Health-Negros Island Region.The RLED team was led by Dr. Anna Andrea Libo-on, while the Barangay Ma-ao Health Station team was headed by Dr. Elijah Blaise Bimbao under the supervision of City Health Officer Dr. Ferdinand Ramon Mayoga.Bago City Mayor Marina Javellana said Brgy. Ma-ao is also the first barangay in the Negros Island Region to have a licensed...

Sep302026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

P100M dialysis center opens at Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital

Community, Negros Oriental, Top Stories

A P100-million hemodialysis center offering free dialysis services to patients has opened at the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital (NOPH) in Dumaguete City.Gov. Manuel Sagarbarria led the inauguration and blessing of the NOPH Dialysis Center on Tuesday, Sept. 29, before the facility began receiving its first patients.The center currently has 12 dialysis machines, with the number expected to increase to 25 by October.Another 25 machines are planned for the second floor of the facility next year, which would bring its total capacity to 50 dialysis machines.Sagarbarria said the dialysis center was one of his administration’s flagship projects and was intended to make renal care more accessible to Negros Oriental residents.The provincial government said patients will ...

Sep302026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Negros Oriental returns to 4-day workweek amid rising fuel, energy costs

Business, Community, Negros Oriental, Top Stories

The Negros Oriental provincial government has reimplemented a four-day compressed workweek as a temporary energy conservation and cost-saving measure amid renewed increases in fuel prices and continuing energy cost volatility.Gov. Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria issued Executive Order No. 58, Series of 2026, which took effect Monday, Sept. 28.Under the arrangement, covered provincial government employees will report onsite from Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break from noon to 1 p.m.Employees will work 10 hours a day to complete the required 40-hour workweek, while Friday will generally be designated as a non-working day subject to service requirements.Job order and contract of service personnel will follow the same compressed schedule without re...

Sep302026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Tricycle driver shot dead in Murcia

Police, Top Stories

A 53-year-old tricycle driver was shot dead by an unidentified assailant in Brgy. Salvacion, Murcia, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday morning, Sept. 29.Police identified the victim as alias “Tampol”, a resident of Hacienda Beri in Brgy. Salvacion.The shooting occurred at around 6:05 a.m. in Purok Señora while the victim was driving his tricycle.Initial police investigation showed that the victim stopped his tricycle and was talking with bystanders when an unidentified man approached him.The assailant allegedly drew a firearm of unknown caliber and shot the victim several times, hitting him in the head and other parts of his body.The gunman fled in an unknown direction after the shooting.The victim was rushed to the Murcia Health Unit, where he was declared dead on arri...

Sep302026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

CAFGU member killed, 2 soldiers wounded in Escalante clash

Police, Top Stories

A member of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) was killed and two soldiers were wounded in an armed encounter in Brgy. Malasibog, Escalante City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 29.The Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) said personnel of the 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB), including members of its Mobile Community Support and Sustainment Program team, were conducting a security patrol in Sitio Bautista when they encountered an armed group.The firefight lasted for about 10 minutes, the Army said.One CAFGU Active Auxiliary member was killed, while two soldiers were wounded and brought to a hospital.The Army said the wounded soldiers were in stable condition.The 3ID attributed the attack to remnants of the communist armed movement, althoug...