HEADLINE

Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the city government expects that more supplies of rice, sourced at a lower price, are seen to arrive soon. “Local supply is gradually coming in, which is driving the price down. These are local supplies that will soon arrive,” Benitez said in a press briefing on Monday, September 11. …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga The reestablishment of the Negros Island Region (NIR) should not be based on cost, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday morning. “If that’s the basis, we will never have the chance,” Lacson admitted. Lacson responded to Senator Imee Marcos’ statement when she visited Bacolod City on September 8. The senator …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga At least 269 police officers of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) were relieved in preparation for the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) in the province. NOCPPO spokesperson, Police Captain Judesses Catalogo, said among those relieved were 268 police non-commissioned officers (PNCOs) and a police commissioned officer …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga The Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD) advised Negrenses residing near Kanlaon Volcano to remain vigilant after seismic activities were monitored anew. PDMPD head, Irene Bel Ploteña said residents living within Kanlaon’s four-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) should be prepared to evacuate upon notice of seismic events that may …

Several dealers in Bacolod City have been selling rice at a cheaper price in compliance with the mandated price ceiling, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said yesterday. “We went around the markets [on Wednesday, September 6]. Right now, P45 per kilo of rice is already available in Burgos and Libertad markets,” Benitez said in a statement. …

By Mae Singuay The Negros Electric and Power Corporation (NEPC) will soon take over as the new distribution utility under the joint venture agreement (JVA) entered between the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) and Primelectric Holdings Inc. Roel Castro, Primelectric/NEPC president and chief executive officer, recently told members of the media at the Bacolod City Government Center that there is …

By Mae Singuay The member-consumer-owners of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) are heading in the right direction after the “yes” vote dominated the plebiscite for the joint venture agreement (JVA), Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said yesterday. “I think we’re heading in the right direction. Hopefully, the JVA will now be properly implemented and we can expect better services …

By Mae Singuay The six-day power interruption in Negros Occidental’s Victorias City has affected the local government unit’s (LGU) economy. Victorias Mayor Javi Benitez said the LGU received several information from a local business group that there were some establishments that were really affected due to the outage, especially those businesses that sell frozen foods. As of press time, the mayor …

The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco) is working to restore electricity in Negros Occidental’s Victorias City and E.B. Magalona town. On Saturday night, September 2, electricity was partially restored in E.B. Magalona after Noneco interconnected with the power lines of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) in Silay City. “For now, it’s partial power restoration in …

The legal counsel of Yanson siblings Roy, Ricardo Jr., Ma. Lourdes Celina Yanson-Lopez, and Emily — also known as the Yanson 4 — addressed reports claiming that the Court of Appeals (CA) had “affirmed the arrest warrants” against them as “fake news.” In a press statement, issued by law firm Fortun Narvasa & Salazar, the legal counsel dismissed the reports …