A private port operator in Negros Occidental has filed charges against executives of a state-run bank over the alleged non-release of a project loan worth P180 million. In a statement, the Manapla Port, Stevedoring and Arrastre Corporation (MPSA) filed a complaint against four officials of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) for violating the …
HEADLINE
Repair operations; NIR to be fully operational by 2027— Lacson
By JEN BAYLON Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson announced that the Negros Island Region (NIR) is expected to be fully operational by 2027. This statement was made after a recent coordination conference hosted by Negros Occidental, where regional directors of various government agencies in NIR gathered. According to Lacson, the meeting directed regional directors …
Mercury rising: Bacolod, 3 NegOcc LGUs suspend classes amid high heat index
By JEN BAYLON Bacolod City and three local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental suspended face-to-face classes yesterday due to high heat index. The cities of Kabankalan and Himamaylan issued respective executive orders suspending in-person classes yesterday to protect students from the extreme heat in response to the forecast by the state weather bureau, Philippine …
Cases rising: DOH braces for ‘expected’ dengue case surge
By JEN BAYLON The Department of Health (DOH) is intensifying its preparations for an expected significant increase in dengue cases this year. “We are due for another surge this year. We already saw cases rising as early as January. In fact, we forecast this last year,” DOH Undersecretary Dr. Mary Ann Maestral said. She said dengue cases …
Prove involvement: Bacolod CDEU validates brgy execs in illegal drug trade
By JEN BAYLON The Bacolod City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) is still investigating information regarding the involvement of some barangay officials in illegal drug operations in the city. In a radio interview yesterday, CDEU chief Lt. Colonel Antonio Benitez, Jr. said some of their data dates back to 2016, which is why it is necessary to investigate whether some …
‘Unlawful campaign’; Comelec: Poll offense, DQ raps await campaign violators
By JEN BAYLON Violators involved in the proliferation of illegal campaign materials will either face election offenses or disqualification charges, the Commission on Elections in the Negros Island Region (Comelec-NIR) said. Comelec-NIR Regional Director Lionel Marco Castillano said yesterday they are set to document instances of campaign materials improperly displayed in violation of election regulations. Castillano said violation …
‘Lack of interest’: Court junks murder raps vs. 5 Moises Padilla execs
The Regional Trial Court Branch 64 dismissed the murder charges filed against five officials in Negros Occidental’s Moises Padilla town after four years of litigation. Acting Presiding Judge Ma. Anna Priscila Pareja, in an order dated Friday, February 28, granted the motion to dismiss the case against Moises Padilla Councilor Vincent Bryan Garcia, Barangay Captain Felisa …
Safe shelters: OCD needs P1-B for permanent Kanlaon evac facilities
By JEN BAYLON The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) needs P1 billion in funds to put up permanent evacuation facilities for residents affected by the Kanlaon Volcano eruption. OCD Regional Director and Task Force Kanlaon head Raul Fernandez said the final decision regarding the funding and implementation of evacuation sites will rest with the national task …
421% case surge: NegOcc grapples with 1,012 dengue cases in 8 weeks
By JEN BAYLON Negros Occidental is grappling with a significant rise in the number of dengue cases, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) said. PHO’s Morbidity Week No. 8 data showed that from January 1 to February 22, the province recorded a total of 1,012 dengue cases, a dramatic leap of 421.65 percent from the 194 …
Fully activated; Benitez: 90% of NIR regional gov’t offices operational
By JEN BAYLON Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez confirmed that the Negros Island Region (NIR) is now fully activated following the publication of its implementing rules and regulations (IRR). During a meeting attended by 36 government agency heads, it was revealed that 90 percent of the required regional offices are now operational. Benitez said …