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By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga The observance of Ramadan, a 30-day period of prayer and religious devotion for Muslims, begins later today. In a phone interview with Imam Omar Betita yesterday, he said, during the observance, Islamic faithful refrain from eating or drinking from dawn until dusk for 30 days. Betita explained, it is an …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Department of Agriculture Regional Director Joyce Wendam said the government will begin offering an affordable loan program for farmers and fisherfolk next month. Dubbed as Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA), the program will launch on June 23 and will allow the farmers to borrow loans through conduit banks, with a …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga A six-year-old child drowned at a resort in Barangay Camindangan, Sipalay City, Thursday morning. Local officials from the city’s disaster risk reduction and management office (CDRRMO) identified the victim as Jero Vermil, a resident of Barangay 5 in the said city. In an interview with Bombo Radyo-Bacolod, Sipalay City CDRMMO …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia assured city residents there is no need for panic, following the recent terror attacks by the Abu Sayyaf and Maute Groups in Marawi City, last Monday. “We can never tell when or where the terrorist will strike, at least, with this heightened tension in Mindanao, …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga The Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) passed a resolution voicing their opposition to the proposed excise tax on sugar and the expansion of the value-added tax (VAT), a part of the comprehensive tax reform package (CTRP) submitted by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. According to an email from City …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga The local leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization that has been deemed a terror group in countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, voiced his group’s support for the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao, a pronouncement recently made by President Rodrigo Duterte. In a recent radio …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga The Negros command of the New People’s Army (NPA) slammed President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of Martial Law in southern Philippines which they claim will result in “further isolating his regime from the people.” In a Facebook post by the Apolinario Gatmaitan command, the rebels claimed the president’s ultimate plan is …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga A drug personality who had previously surrendered under Oplan Tokhang was caught in the act of selling illegal drugs through a joint operation by members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the Regional Public Safety Battalion-18 (RPSB-18), and the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO) in Barangay Tampocon II, …

By Tara Yap Furniture shops in the Western Visayas have been warned of utilizing illegal lumber. The Regional Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force-Region VI (RAILTF-6), spearheaded by Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Region VI (DENR-6), is pushing to penalize the management of furniture shops that use illegal lumber. “This will serve as a form of deterrence …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga A Cebu native was arrested for selling illegal firearms by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and Regional Special Operations Task Group-18 (RSOTG-18) in the parking lot of major mall along Araneta Street, Barangay Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City, Thursday. Police identified the suspect as Alrem Richard Narte, a …