HEADLINE

By JEN BAYLON The Bacolod City government has formed a task force to address the widespread proliferation of vandalism in the city. Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez signed Executive Order No. 25, creating the Task Force Anti-Vandalism which is assigned to implement strict measures against vandalism. The task force will be responsible for enforcing existing anti-vandalism ordinances, …

By JEN BAYLON The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) is ready to comply with the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) mandate on the removal of tattoos among police personnel. BCPO spokesperson, Lt. Colonel Ronnie Brillo said they are prepared to enforce PNP’s Memorandum Circular 2024-023, issued on March 19, which regulates the bearing and sporting of tattoos among uniformed and …

Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6) director Brigadier General Jack Wanky ordered all police personnel in the region to wipe out illegal gambling activities, while asserting a “no-take policy” in their operations. Wanky said he was informed by his predecessor about the widespread illegal gambling operations in the region, including “bookies,” despite the presence of the …

By JEN BAYLON Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the quota memorandum issued by the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) which ordered traffic enforcers to carry “at least five apprehensions a day” is “not applicable” and “not legal.” Benitez said the memorandum could lead to abuse, forcing traffic enforcers to unnecessarily carry out their duties. …

  By JEN BAYLON Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson expressed the need for more investments in renewable energy (RE) projects in the province after the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) issued yellow and red alerts on possible rotating brownouts and load dropping last week. “This is also a warning that we cannot depend …

By JEN BAYLON Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said there is no need to declare a state of calamity in the province due to agricultural damage brought by the El Niño phenomenon. “We still don’t have to declare a state of calamity because there are still funds we can use,” Lacson said. Lacson explained that when …

By JEN BAYLON The agricultural damage due to the dry spell caused by the El Niño phenomenon in Negros Occidental has now reached P184.7 million, data from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) showed. As of Tuesday, April 16, the damage to crops in the province climbed to P184,764,120.11 from P173.576 million reported last April 11, …

By JEN BAYLON The Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office (PHO) said another infant died due to suspected pertussis or whooping cough, as they waited for the patient’s confirmatory test results. PHO head Dr. Girlie Pinongan said yesterday a two-month-old girl died at a district hospital on Tuesday, April 16. Pinongan said the specimens were sent …

Local group Power Watch Negros (PWN) is requesting Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) acting general manager Atty. Arnel Lapore to conduct a comprehensive investigation into recent power interruptions in Bacolod City. PWN secretary-general Wennie Sancho, in a statement yesterday, said they raised suspicions about “possible internal forces” attempting to sabotage Ceneco’s operation. Sancho said they are asking Lapore …

By JEN BAYLON Negros Occidental has recorded its first pertussis fatality, involving a one-month-old patient who was hospitalized last week. Provincial Health Office (PHO) head Dr. Girlie Pinongan said the child passed away at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital. Pinongan said the infant died before confirmatory results came out. The PHO has so far recorded …