By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City government has expressed strong support for the proposed “Bayanihan for Economic Resilience and National Stability Act of 2026,” a measure set to be filed by House Deputy Speaker and Bacolod Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez in response to the ongoing global oil crisis and the declaration of …
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Gov’t crisis inaction ‘betrays’ public: consumer group
By CESAR JOLITO III Members of the Alliance of Concerned Consumers in Electricity and Social Services (ACCESS) have issued a strong call for government intervention against rising fuel costs, condemning what they described as the continued burden of oil price hikes on Filipino consumers. In their manifesto, ACCESS President Wennie Sancho sharply criticized the continued …
Lukay vendor weaves Palm Sunday tradition alive
By CESAR JOLITO III Faith, family and tradition continue to intertwine outside San Sebastian Cathedral in Bacolod City as 74-year-old Maria Rita Bantillo carries on a 47-year-long livelihood of selling woven palm fronds, locally known as “ramos” or “lukay,” every Palm Sunday, as part of a long-standing Holy Week devotion. Bantillo, a native of Negros …
Faster economic crisis response sought
By CESAR JOLITO III A lawmaker from Negros Occidental filed a proposed measure aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to respond to economic shocks through a permanent pre-positioned crisis response system. The proposal, Resilient Economy and Stabilization for Crisis and Urgent Emergencies (RESCUE) Act, was filed by 3rd District Representative Javier Miguel Benitez. The filing …
Holy Week road safety campaign on
By CESAR JOLITO III The Land Transportation Office in the Negros Island Region (LTO-NIR) reported smooth and orderly operations in its intensified road safety campaign under “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos!: Semana Santa and Summer Vacation 2026,” as authorities tightened inspections ahead of the Holy Week travel rush. Based on monitoring conducted from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. …
Aid set to roll out for farmers, fisherfolk
By CESAR JOLITO III More than 300,000 farmers and fisherfolk across the Negros Island Region (NIR) are set to receive P5,000 in financial assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) as the government moves to cushion the impact of rising fuel and commodity prices on the agricultural sector. According to DA-NIR Regional Director Engineer Albert …
Capitol exec in hot water over ‘misconduct’
By CESAR JOLITO III Allegations of workplace misconduct and inappropriate conduct led to the serving of a show-cause order against an official of the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) Operations Section. The memorandum order, dated March 18, was issued by Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II pursuant to Section 10 of …
Sugar workers question SRA transparency over sugar order
By CESAR JOLITO III A labor federation representing sugar industry workers has raised concerns over transparency in the approval of a major sugar importation policy, calling on the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to release the official minutes of the board meeting that authorized Sugar Order No. 8. The National Congress of Unions in the Sugar …
Missing woman remains found after 7 months
By CESAR JOLITO III Human remains believed to belong to a 52-year-old woman who had been missing since August 2025 were discovered at Barangay Dulao in Negros Occidental’s Bago City on Thursday afternoon, March 26. Bago police said the remains were found around 5:20 p.m. in Purok Michelle, approximately 40 meters from the victim’s residence. …
Fuel subsidy rollout for tricycle drivers starts April 8
By CESAR JOLITO III The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to begin the distribution of fuel subsidies to tricycle drivers across the Negros Island Region (NIR) on April 8, benefiting tens of thousands of transport workers affected by rising fuel costs. DSWD-NIR Regional Director Arwin Razo said that approximately 48,000 tricycle …