By CESAR JOLITO III The release of national government funds worth P203 million for local government units (LGUs) affected by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano remains in limbo, leaving more than 6,000 evacuees in temporary shelters. “Until now, the funds have not been downloaded. The Department of Budget and Management [DBM] advised that only local …
Monthly Archives: July 2025
Creating with, not by, AI
By Herman Lagon In a cozy 7th floor hall of the University of San Agustin CPMT Building, while the city of Iloilo simmered in July heat, a soft-spoken priest posed a piercing insight: Artificial intelligence may never have a soul, but it surely can be persuasive. Rev. Gary McCloskey of the Order of St. Augustine, …
Bakit marami ang ‘di lubos ang tiwala sa mga hukuman?
By MELANIO LAZO MAURICIO, JR. INSPIRASYON SA BUHAY. “Pairalin ninyo ang katarungan sa mga hukuman…” (Amos 5:15, Bibliya). *** BAKIT MARAMI ANG ‘DI LUBOS NA NAGTITIWALA SA SISTEMA NG KATARUNGAN SA PILIPINAS? Bakit marami ang ‘di lubos na nagtitiwala sa mga hukuman sa bansa at sa sistema ng katarungang umiiral sa Pilipinas sa ngayon? Kasi, ang …
NegOcc SP not rubber stamp as provincial dev’t partner
By CESAR JOLITO III The 37th Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Negros Occidental will not function as a rubber stamp but as an active policy-shaping body that will ask the “right questions” to ensure that programs and projects are truly beneficial for the Negrenses, Vice Governor Jose Benito Alonso said. This, after the SP formally opened …
Negros Occidental tops average rice yield per hectare in WV
Negros Occidental ranked first in terms of average yield per hectare in rice production in Western Visayas in the first half of 2025, making it one of the region’s top producers recognized by the Department of Agriculture (DA). The province’s average yield is 3.94 metric tons (MT) per hectare, data released by the Office of …
PGN Bridge engineering design 84% complete
The detailed engineering design of the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) bridge is already 84.10 percent completed, according to the latest project briefer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Data from the DPWH revealed that the design of Segment A or the Panay-Guimaras portion of the bridge is already 93.60 percent completed, while Segment B …
NegOr health chief ‘baffled’ by mpox case; seeks repeat testing
Negros Oriental’s Provincial Health Office (PHO) is seeking a repeat testing of an infant for mpox (formerly monkeypox) amid “baffling” circumstances surrounding the baby’s infection. Dr. Liland Estacion, PHO chief, said in an interview yesterday that the six-month-old boy neither had a history of travel nor did his parents or other family members. Contact tracing …
Bacolod cops nab 5, seize P1.36-M ‘shabu’
Operatives of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) arrested five persons and confiscated P1.36 million worth of suspected shabu in a buy-bust operation at Barangay 3 early yesterday morning. In a report, the police identified the main subject as alias “Toto Murillo,” 21 years old; and his companions with aliases “Negro,” 37 years old; “Jonathan,” …
NegOcc to establish DRRM training center this year
The Negros Occidental provincial government will start operating its own disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) training center in Bacolod City within the year as part of the initiatives to boost the province’s readiness against natural disasters and calamities. “This year, we will open the Negros Occidental DRRM Training Center, a vital step in building …
Tan captures gold, silver in swimming
By ADRIAN STEWART CO Negrense swimmer Carmina Sanchez Tan took home gold and silver medals in the 2025 Junior Olympic Championships held recently at the Arlington ISD Athletics Center and Natatorium in Arlington, Texas. Tan, who hails from Negros Occidental’s Talisay City, notched her gold medal in the 15-17 women’s team free along with Karen Cho, …