HEADLINE

By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya said they are accelerating the clearing of houses built along riverbanks and creeks as part of an urgent push to address the city’s worsening flooding. Gasataya said the removal of structures obstructing waterways has become a key priority after severe flooding due to Tropical Depression “Verbena” on …

By CESAR JOLITO III Nearly 19,000 residents across Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, have been evacuated as Tropical Depression “Verbena” brought heavy rains, widespread flooding and dangerous river swelling yesterday. The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported that 4,230 families or 13,831 individuals fled their homes across the province. PDRRMO chief Irene Bel …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental and the Negros Island Region (NIR) are now under heightened alert as heavy to intense rainfall is expected due to Tropical Depression “Verbena” until Wednesday noon, November 26. Based on the rainfall advisory issued yesterday, Negros Occidental — along with Capiz, Iloilo, Cebu, Bohol, Surigao provinces, and parts of the Bicol Region — will …

By CESAR JOLITO III Government officials in Negros Occidental are once again pressed to reject a pending provincial ordinance that would open the door to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the province, as advocates of GMO-free agriculture renewed their calls for strong local organic farming. Members of GMO-Free Negros, speaking at a press conference on …

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin has lauded the rapid and coordinated efforts of Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power) and the people of Central Negros in restoring electricity after the devastation of Typhoon “Tino,” calling their response a “remarkable example of resilience and unity.” “We commend Negros Power and the resilient communities who have united to …

By CESAR JOLITO III More than 200 families living in newly declared no-build zones along the shoreline in Negros Occidental’s Hinigaran town are expected to be relocated following the widespread destruction caused by Typhoon “Tino” to their communities earlier this month. Hinigaran Mayor Mary Grace Arceo said the relocation is a necessary step after “Tino” devastated …

By CESAR JOLITO The Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) said remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Negros Island have reportedly carried out a series of targeted killings, claiming the lives of several individuals accused of acting as military informants. “These acts of violence are part of the NPA’s continuing attempts to intimidate communities …

By CESAR JOLITO III Disaster response authorities have officially terminated large-scale search, rescue and retrieval (SRR) operations for those missing after Typhoon “Tino,” as they agreed to conduct case-by-case search efforts for families who request continued assistance. “The order will be cut, but families can request a continuation if they are not satisfied,” Donato Sermeno III, director of …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has admitted difficulty in distributing the P50 million aid released by the national government for families affected by Typhoon “Tino” in six local government units (LGUs) in the province. “It’s very difficult to distribute this money because the amount is not enough to cover all damages,” Lacson …

By CESAR JOLITO III The national government has already released P45 million in emergency assistance to six local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental, as authorities begin planning the relocation of hundreds of families displaced by Typhoon “Tino,” La Castellana Vice Mayor Rhumyla Nicor-Manguilimutan said following President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s visit to the province on …