Subsidence worsens | ‘Sinkhole,’ ground cracks threaten infra, road access

Posted by siteadmin
February 17, 2026
Posted in HEADLINE

By CESAR JOLITO III Safety measures have been tightened in Negros Occidental’s Toboso town after widening ground cracks raised fears of a possible sinkhole or landslide, with students among those most at risk. Toboso Mayor Richard Jaojoco said that the local government is awaiting an urgent on-site assessment from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) …

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Access to care | Bacolod launches digital HIV/AIDS service platform

Posted by siteadmin
February 13, 2026
Posted in HEADLINE

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City government has rolled out a new digital platform aimed at strengthening access to services for treating persons living with human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) as the city recorded 1,312 confirmed HIV/AIDS cases as of November 2025, ranking 22nd nationwide among more than 140 local …

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Do kids know the suspect? | Police identify 2 persons of interest in siblings attack

Posted by siteadmin
February 12, 2026
Posted in HEADLINE

By CESAR JOLITO III Investigators have identified two persons of interest in the brutal attack that killed a nine-year-old girl and seriously injured her two siblings inside their home at Barangay E. Lopez in Negros Occidental’s Talisay City. Police said the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) handling the case is now focusing on the two …

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Firm policy support | Lacson urges Congress to act on sugar prices

Posted by siteadmin
February 11, 2026
Posted in HEADLINE

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has renewed his call for decisive congressional action to address the worsening sugar price crisis that continues to batter farmers and agricultural workers in Negros Occidental, the country’s top sugar-producing province. With mill-gate prices remaining low, Lacson said the upcoming congressional hearing on the sugar …

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Who mauled the kids? | Probe ordered into girl’s death, siblings’ attack

Posted by siteadmin
February 9, 2026
Posted in HEADLINE

By CESAR JOLITO III The Police Regional Office in the Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) has ordered a thorough and impartial investigation into an alleged mauling incident involving three minor siblings in Negros Occidental’s Silay City that left one child dead. Authorities said a nine-year-old girl was found lifeless, while a 14-year-old girl and a three-year-old …

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Poorly designed | Urban development key cause of worsening flooding

Posted by siteadmin
February 7, 2026
Posted in HEADLINE

By CESAR JOLITO III The Negros Island chapter of the advocacy group AGHAM has raised alarm over the worsening flood situation in Bacolod City, attributing the problem to decades of rapid and poorly planned urban development that failed to account for comprehensive flood control and drainage systems. In a press statement released on Thursday, February …

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Expect heavy rain | NIR braces for ‘Basyang’; flood among watch points

Posted by siteadmin
February 6, 2026
Posted in HEADLINE

By CESAR JOLITO III Government agencies across the Negros Island Region (NIR) have intensified pre-disaster preparedness measures as Tropical Storm “Basyang” is expected to bring heavy rainfall today, prompting authorities to place the entire region under red alert status. Donato Sermeno III, director of the Office of Civil Defense – NIR, said a pre-disaster risk …

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