By Paulo Loreto Lim Following reports 54-year-old Chinese national Young Taihang was killed by a boat propeller while snorkeling off Apo Island, part of Dauin, Negros Oriental, local police recently arrested and detained the captain of the boat that fatally struck the tourist. Police identified the captain as 28-year-old Juvy Baat, a resident of …
HEADLINE
Malay Municipal Government accepts Duterte’s ‘constructive criticism’
Following President Rodrigo Duterte referring to resort destination Boracay as a “cesspool” and ordering the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to get a handle of the ongoing pollution problem in six months or risk being shut down, the Malay municipal government, which has jurisdiction over the island, said they accept the president’s “constructive criticism.” “We …
Another barangay, SK poll postponement is up to Congress –Comelec Official
By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Negros Occidental Commission on Elections (Comelec) election supervisor, Atty. Jessie Suarez, yesterday confirmed a bill is currently before the House of Representatives proposing the postponement of the upcoming May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, which, if passed, would be the third time the polls would be postponed. In an …
NDF-Negros supports PUV operators in opposing modernization
Spokesperson: Stop blaming PUVs for traffic By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga The Negros chapter of the National Democratic Front (NDF), the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), recently expressed their support for operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs) in their opposition to the PUV modernization program, which would eliminate old …
Sugarcane workers protesting today
By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Following their Regional Congress yesterday at the San Sebastian Cathedral, members of the National Federation of Sugarcane Workers (NFSW) agreed to hold a protest today outside the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) compound located along Cottage Road. NFSW Chairman Rolando Rillo said they are looking to discuss the …
Iloilo Provincial Government to provide P100K for family of slain OFW
By Jezza A. Nepomoceno Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor, Sr. is scheduled to turnover P100,000 today, February 20, to cover for burial expenses for slain overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Joanna Daniela Demafelis, who was found dead inside a freezer while working abroad in Kuwait. Provincial government employees also offered a moment of silence during yesterday’s flag-raising …
Unemployment on the rise in the Western Visayas –DOLE-6
By Paulo Loreto Lim Based on findings by the Department of Labor and Employment-Region VI (DOLE-6), unemployment is on an upward trend with an October 2017 report citing a 5.6 percent unemployment rate in the region, up from 3.2 percent the previous year. According to DOLE-6 director, Atty. Johnson Cañete, there were around 183,000 …
Bago City blames heavy rains on decreased rice production
Mayor echoes Governor’s call for mechanization By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Amid reports showing rice production decreased in Bago City between the last quarter of 2017 and the early months of 2018, Bago City Mayor Nicholas Yulo blamed the situation on heavy rains experienced throughout the region recently, noting the rice supply has also …
Teachers protesting tomorrow to demand higher wages
Local ACT: Repeal TRAIN Law, RA 10912 By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Negros Occidental chairman Gualberto Dajao said his group will be protesting tomorrow, February 21, as part of a nationwide demonstration demanding higher wages for teachers following the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law. He …
Labor union calls anticipated Coca-Cola layoffs ‘blatant disregard’ for workers’ rights
By Paulo Loreto Lim With the recent announcement of layoffs by Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines, attributed to the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, after the company cited “recent developments within the beverage industry,” labor unions have spoken out, calling the matter a “blatant disregard” for workers’ rights. Unions within the …