By CESAR JOLITO III In a major blow to the illegal drug trade, authorities in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City recorded two successive operations that led to the arrest of two high-value drug personalities and the seizure of more than P1 million worth of suspected shabu. In Negros Occidental’s Victorias City, operatives of the City Component …
Monthly Archives: October 2025
The SK CSC eligibility shortcut
By Herman M. Lagon There are quiet policies, and there are loud ones that hit people in the gut. The Civil Service Commission’s move to grant eligibility to Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials who finish their terms feels like the second kind. On paper, it honors youth service and invites young people into government. Look closer, …
‘Save yourselves from this perverse generation’
By Fr. Roy Cimagala St. Peter said these words to the house of Israel who realized that they had crucified the very Son of God, the Messiah whom they had expected for so long. He proceeded to advise them to do some penance. (cfr. Acts 2:36-41) These words can also be applied to us now. …
Common inhalers carry heavy climate cost, study finds
The inhalers people depend on to breathe are also warming the planet, producing annual emissions equivalent to more than half a million cars in the United States alone, researchers said in a major new study. Using a national drug database, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles and Harvard analyzed global warming pollution from …
Negros felt tremors from Davao Or. quake
By CESAR JOLITO III Several areas across the Negros Island Region (NIR) experienced mild tremors following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Manay town in Davao Oriental at 9:43 a.m. yesterday, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-NIR. OCD-NIR Director Donato Sermeno III confirmed that reports of light shaking …
SRA rules out sugar importation plans amid industry concerns
By CESAR JOLITO III The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has ruled out any plans to import sugar until at least mid-2026, emphasizing that the local supply and production remain stable despite concerns raised by sugar planters’ groups. SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona made the assurance in response to the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP), which earlier …
Floods hit 12 Bacolod brgys; 150 residents displaced
By CESAR JOLITO III At least 12 barangays in Bacolod City were hit by flooding on Thursday night, October 9, following heavy rains brought by a tropical storm and a low-pressure area. The flooding displaced at least 150 residents and prompted city officials to activate emergency response operations. According to the City Disaster Risk Reduction …
Thousands to join ‘Holy Rosary Rally’ vs. corruption
By CESAR JOLITO III Catholic leaders and civic groups across Negros Occidental are set to gather in Bacolod City on Saturday, October 11, for a massive prayer rally that doubles as a protest against what they describe as widespread corruption in government infrastructure projects. Dubbed the “Grand Holy Rosary Rally Against Corruption,” the province-wide event will be …
NegOr dengue cases drop sharply amid interventions
The number of dengue cases in Negros Oriental has continued to decline this year, a trend attributed to heightened public awareness and intensified efforts to combat the viral disease. Provincial Health Officer (PHO) chief Dr. Liland Estacion told the Philippine News Agency on Thursday, October 9, that the downward slope began early this year, following …
Bertolano, Foxies edge Nxled in PVL
By ADRIAN STEWART CO The Farm Fresh Foxies kicked off their 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference campaign with a strong four-set victory over the Nxled Chameleons, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-21, at the City of Dasmariñas Arena in Cavite on Thursday night, October 9. Negros Occidental’s Talisay City native libero Alyssa Bertolano stood out as the Foxies’ defensive anchor, …