HEADLINE

By CESAR JOLITO III The Office of Civil Defense in Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) has suspended entry and prohibited residents from carrying out farming and livelihood activities within Kanlaon Volcano’s six-kilometer extended danger zone (EDZ) starting Tuesday, June 24. The Regional Task Force Kanlaon, in coordination with OCD and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology …

By CESAR JOLITO III The General Alliance of Workers Association (GAWA) has raised alarm over what it describes as a “double whammy” hitting Filipino workers, as surging fuel prices and the failure to pass a legislated wage hike are pushing laborers deeper into economic hardship. GAWA Secretary General Wennie Sancho warned that the expected rise …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Negros Occidental provincial government is still looking for permanent relocation sites for evacuees affected by Kanlaon Volcano’s continuing unrest in La Castellana town, providing a long-term solution in case of another eruption. Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz II said they are looking at two properties — eight hectares and 11 …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Philippine Sugar Research Institute Foundation, Inc. (Philsurin) has issued an urgent warning to farmers in the Negros Island Region (NIR) about the growing threat posed by the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI), a pest confirmed to be destructive to sugarcane. In an advisory, Philsurin said sugarcane growers must intensify their monitoring …

Stricter safety protocols are being studied by the Negros Occidental provincial government to curb the entry and spread of mpox (formerly monkeypox) in the province. Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the Provincial Health Office (PHO) has already sent out notices on health protocols against mpox after capital Bacolod City confirmed its first case on Sunday, …

The Office of Civil Defense in Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) has admitted it cannot intervene in the release of additional financial assistance to local government units (LGUs) affected by Kanlaon Volcano’s unrest. After the source of funds amounting to more than P203 million was transferred to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the guidelines stipulate …

  Negros Occidental remains free from the contagious mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) after a suspected case tested negative in laboratory examinations. Provincial Health Office (PHO) head Dr. Girlie Pinongan announced that the suspected mpox case in the province returned a negative result. Local health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure the …

Bacolod City recorded its first confirmed case of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) yesterday, as the city government assures residents that all necessary measures are in place to manage the situation effectively. “The patient is stable, properly monitored, and currently in isolation and receiving appropriate medical care,” Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said in a statement …

Negros Occidental’s La Carlota City is steadily facilitating the decampment of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have been staying in three public schools serving as evacuation centers amid the continuing unrest of Kanlaon Volcano. La Carlota Mayor Rex Jalando-on said starting yesterday, some families from evacuation centers began returning to their homes located outside the …

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has called for urgent intervention to address the environmental and regulatory problems surrounding the oil palm plantation operated by Hacienda Asia Plantations, Inc. (HAPI) in Candoni town’s Barangay Gatuslao. In a letter to Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Lacson highlighted the failure of HAPI to secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate …