HEADLINE

By CESAR JOLITO III In a gesture underscoring the spirit of compassion and renewal this Christmas season, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in the Negros Island Region facilitated the release of six qualified persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from the Negros Occidental District Jail – Male Dormitory on Christmas Eve. The release …

By CESAR JOLITO III A consumer watchdog group is calling for full public disclosure and accountability following reports on the transfer of ownership involving PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. and Crystal Bridges Holdings, warning that the deal could further burden water consumers in Bacolod City. In a press statement issued on December 22, Wennie Sancho, convenor of …

  By CESAR JOLITO III Industry stakeholders have warned that the domestic sugar sector is facing a deepening crisis driven by oversupply and falling prices, urging the government to abandon plans that could trigger further importation and instead directly purchase excess local sugar at fair prices. In a letter dated yesterday, Enrique Rojas, president of …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental 5th District Representative Emilio “Dino” Yulo III has renewed calls for immediate and decisive government action to address persistently low sugar prices, stressing that small sugarcane planters are bearing the brunt of the problem as they struggle to meet weekly cash needs. Yulo said small planters cannot afford delays …

By CESAR JOLITO III The new owner of PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. is prepared to invest up to P3 billion to modernize and improve water distribution services in Bacolod City, according to Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez. Benitez said he met with business magnate Lucio Co on Thursday morning, December 18, to discuss the urgent …

By CESAR JOLITO III Amid mounting complaints from local chief executives over delays linked to the One Hospital Command (OHC) referral system, the Negros Occidental provincial government has maintained that the problem lies not in the digital platform itself but in hospital emergency room triage and human implementation on the ground. Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) has questioned PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. over its alleged failure to disclose the sale of the company despite their existing joint venture agreement (JVA), considering that the partnership directly affects the delivery of water services to city residents. In a media interview, Baciwa Acting Manager Engineer …

By CESAR JOLITO III A consumer advocacy group has called on Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya and the city council to investigate reports that PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. has been sold to a new entity, raising concerns over transparency and the protection of public interest. Water Watch Advocates convenor Wennie Sancho said the group received information …

By CESAR JOLITO III While some families affected by Typhoon “Tino” have begun rebuilding their lives, hundreds of residents in Negros Occidental’s La Castellana town remain displaced more than a month after the storm, underscoring the scale of destruction and the long road to recovery in the municipality. Mayor Anejo Nicor disclosed that 390 families …

By CESAR JOLITO III The continued collapse of sugar prices is tightening its grip on Negros Occidental, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of small farmers and farmworkers and raising fears of broader economic and social consequences on sugar-dependent communities in the province. Local leaders and industry groups warned that unless immediate interventions are implemented, the …