HEADLINE

By CESAR JOLITO III The Negros Island chapter of the advocacy group AGHAM has raised alarm over the worsening flood situation in Bacolod City, attributing the problem to decades of rapid and poorly planned urban development that failed to account for comprehensive flood control and drainage systems. In a press statement released on Thursday, February …

By CESAR JOLITO III Government agencies across the Negros Island Region (NIR) have intensified pre-disaster preparedness measures as Tropical Storm “Basyang” is expected to bring heavy rainfall today, prompting authorities to place the entire region under red alert status. Donato Sermeno III, director of the Office of Civil Defense – NIR, said a pre-disaster risk …

By CESAR JOLITO III Labor group General Alliance of Workers Association (GAWA) warned that ordinary Filipino workers are facing a growing struggle to survive as the cost of living continues to outpace wages, calling on the government to urgently intervene. In a position paper released to the media and government agencies, GAWA said prices of …

By CESAR JOLITO III Flooding triggered by a powerful shear line weather system has caused more than P10 million in combined agricultural, livestock and infrastructure damage across northern Negros Occidental, affecting nearly 9,000 residents in seven local government units (LGUs). Data from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office showed that 193 houses were …

By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya has taken full responsibility for the persistent flooding in parts of the city over the weekend, saying the local government unit is directly addressing the issue and not placing blame on any individual or agency. “As your mayor, akon ini responsibilidad. Wala ko ‘ya nagapanago,” Gasataya …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson renewed his appeal for peace after two suspected New People’s Army (NPA) members were killed in separate armed encounters with government troops in Binalbagan town, highlighting the need for a long-term, non-violent solution to the decades-old insurgency. Lacson, who chairs the Regional Peace and Order …

By CESAR JOLITO III With the onset of the hot and dry season, the Bacolod City council warned of a possible recurrence of widespread water supply disruptions in the city, citing unresolved operational and financial issues involving the current water concessionaire. Councilor Wilson Gamboa, Jr. raised concerns that city residents could once again face reduced …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod approved on third and final reading an ordinance requiring all water distributors and suppliers in the city to install standby power generators in their pumping stations and wells to ensure uninterrupted water service during power outages. The measure, titled the Permanent Power Generators on Pumping Stations Ordinance …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City council has amended its nearly 30-year-old mendicancy ordinance to strengthen regulation of street begging, with an emphasis on discouraging dependency and promoting employment and livelihood opportunities rather than merely imposing penalties. Councilor Israel Salanga, author of the amended ordinance, said the measure is designed to break the cycle …

By CESAR JOLITO III Local labor and industry groups have raised alarm over newly issued sugar orders by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), warning that the measures could effectively liberalize sugar imports and threaten the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of workers and small farmers. In a statement released yesterday, the Save the Sugar Industry …