By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA House Deputy Speaker and Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said that mitigating flooding in the city is not simply about structures — it is about protecting lives and the future. “Through this whole-of-government, whole-of-society roadmap, we are collectively reimagining Bacolod’s flood plans based on the lived experiences of …
TOP STORIES
Sagay island gains solar power, safe water
By CESAR JOLITO III Residents of Matabas Island at Barangay Molocaboc in Negros Occidental’s Sagay City now have improved access to renewable energy and safe drinking water following the formal commissioning of a REPower Matabas Project on Monday, June 8, coinciding with the celebration of World Ocean Day. The initiative introduced a 25-kilowatt solar power …
NegOcc ready to send rescue units for Mindanao quake ops
By CESAR JOLITO III The Negros Occidental provincial government has placed its search and rescue units on standby for possible deployment to Mindanao following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck offshore Sarangani and nearby areas on Monday morning, June 8. Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the province is ready to send its trained Collapsed Structure …
BACOLOD BECOMING UNSAFE? Intensified police visibility urged
By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) is urged to intensify police visibility and crime prevention measures following the recent holdup incident involving a female doctor in Barangay 19. Councilor Em Ang, chairperson of the city council committee on health and sanitation, said public safety is a primary responsibility of the local …
Brgys told to monitor water refilling stations with no permits
By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA The Bacolod City council has approved a resolution encouraging all barangays in the city to conduct stricter monitoring of water refilling stations operating without necessary permits and to assist in the identification and geotagging of water sources within their respective jurisdiction. Councilor Em Ang said the steady increase in the number …
Late enrollees to get school supplies too
By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya has assured parents that the city government will provide free school supplies to late enrollees from various public elementary and secondary schools in the city. “We will coordinate with [the Department of Education in Bacolod] to determine the total number of late enrollees, as most of …
Gasataya urges students to stop spreading fake news
By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya appealed to students to stop spreading fake news or anything that is not true to avoid creating panic and alarm. His call comes after a student posted a fake post on Facebook on Sunday, June 7, claiming that classes in the city were suspended yesterday, June …
1,612 NIR cops to secure class opening
By CESAR JOLITO III The Police Regional Office in the Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) has deployed 1,612 police personnel across the region as part of its SAFE Balik Eskwela 2026 initiative to ensure a peaceful, orderly and secure opening of classes today, June 8. The deployment covers both public and private schools, as well as …
Bacolod to repaint pedestrian lanes
By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA The Bacolod City council urged the Bacolod Traffic and Transport Management Department (BTTMD) to immediately conduct a city-wide assessment, repainting and regular maintenance of pedestrian lanes, particularly those located near schools. The council said they had already approved a resolution that seeks to enhance pedestrian safety as thousands of students, teachers …
Kanlaon emitted ash, had 9 volcanic quakes
Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island had four ash emission events and nine volcanic earthquakes on Saturday, June 6, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. The ash emission events lasted from five to 68 minutes. The volcano also had two volcanic tremors which lasted 13 to 23 minutes long. A total of 2,153 …