By Herman M. Lagon Floods do not wait for paperwork. When rain slams Iloilo, Bacolod or Manila, you either have working drainage or you do not. That is why Senator Bam Aquino’s push to put the national budget on a blockchain ledger feels worth hearing out. The promise is plain enough for taxpayers who are …
Monthly Archives: October 2025
Why shallow earthquakes cause more damage than others
The magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit Bogo City in Cebu on September 30, has already claimed 72 lives, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). Occurring at a depth of five kilometers, the earthquake was shallow and had devastating consequences, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. The September …
Minor cracks seen in some buildings after Sipalay quake
By CESAR JOLITO III Some infrastructure in Negros Occidental’s Sipalay City suffered minor cracks from the magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck the city on Tuesday morning, October 7. The Sipalay City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) observed minor damages in several establishments, such as the Gil Montilla National High School, market stalls in Barangay …
NegOcc farmers yet to benefit from rice import ban: group
By CESAR JOLITO III The two-month rice importation ban imposed by the national government has yet to make a difference for farmers in Negros Occidental, as the farmgate price of palay continues to hover between P12 and P14 per kilo, barely enough to cover production costs. Pedro Limpangog, president of the Federation of Irrigators’ Association …
NFSP: Sugar prices to drop amid excessive imports
By CESAR JOLITO III The National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP) has raised alarm over what it describes as “excessive sugar importation” under Sugar Order No. 8, issued by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), warning that it could trigger a price slump at the start of the new milling season. NFSP President Enrique Rojas said …
BCPO: Few drug volume in MassKara’s 1st week
By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) observed that the volume of suspected shabu entering the city in the first week of the 46th MassKara Festival has significantly dropped this year. “We’ve observed a noticeable decrease in drug supply in the city. One possible reason is that the person behind the entry …
NegOcc, Bacolod log economic growth in 2024
Negros Occidental and Bacolod City registered economic growth in 2024, although slower compared to their performance in 2023, data released on Tuesday, October 7, by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed. The economic data were presented by the PSA during the Provincial Product Accounts Dissemination Forum here. PSA-Negros Occidental chief statistical specialist Diesah Biaco said …
‘ALL-OUT WAR’: 6 vans seized in anti-colorum crackdown in Negros, Iloilo
By CESAR JOLITO III Six vans, including one apprehended at the North Terminal in Bacolod City and four others in Negros Occidental’s Bago City, were seized during a joint anti-colorum operation conducted by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Western Visayas (Region 6) and the Negros Island Region (NIR) this week. The operation is part …
Soyud, Akari bow to ZUS in PVL
By ADRIAN STEWART CO Despite a stellar performance from Negrense Christine Joy Soyud, the Akari Power Chargers fell short against the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, 24-26, 25-23, 17-25, 26-24, 15-7, in an import-less opening day of the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference at the Ynares Center in Montalban, Rizal on Tuesday night, October 7. Soyud powered Akari …
Nacario rules MassKaralympics race in Bacolod
By ADRIAN STEWART CO Adrian Nacario of Team Go For Gold emerged as the overall champion in the MassKaralympics and KambyaDos Racing Team MTB XCO Race 2025, ruling the Open Category held at the Manggahan Playground XCO Course in Bacolod City’s Barangay Granada. The Iloilo City native outpedaled more than 250 cyclists from Bacolod, Negros …