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The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has reaffirmed its commitment to humane safekeeping and professional jail management in Negros Island Region (NIR) during the official visit of its chief in Negros Occidental on Tuesday, February 17. In an interview yesterday, chief Inspector Juniven Rey Umadhay, BJMP-NIR spokesperson, said BJMP chief Jail Director Ruel …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Moises Padilla municipal government has started distributing P20 million in presidential financial assistance to families affected by Typhoon “Tino,” with payouts commencing on Monday, February 16, at the municipal auditorium. Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo led the first day of distribution, during which nearly P1.5 million was released to 894 families …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Binalbagan municipal government said it will terminate the contracts of 24 contractual and casual employees who tested positive for illegal drug use. The drug tests were part of a screening conducted last February 11 on approximately 300 to 400 non-regular employees across various municipal departments. Officials said employees were informed …

Bacolod City welcomed the Year of the Fire Horse yesterday, opening the 21st edition of the Bacolaodiat Festival, one of the country’s largest Chinese New Year celebrations. The Fo Guang Shan Yuan Thong Temple led midnight prayers and the traditional striking of the drum and bell on Monday, February 16, to usher in the Lunar …

By CESAR JOLITO III The traffic along the national highway at Barangay Bago in Negros Occidental’s Don Salvador Benedicto town remains limited to a single lane following a landslide that struck the area last week, prompting authorities to restrict the passage of heavy vehicles. Mayor Nehemiah Joe dela Cruz said only light vehicles and light …

By CESAR JOLITO III Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo has clarified that the municipal government is not involved in the distribution of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program in the municipality, stressing that the process is being handled exclusively by the national agency. In a statement, Garcia-Yulo said …

The MassKara Festival dancers from Bacolod City will perform in the 2026 Cathay International Chinese New Year Night Parade in Hong Kong on Tuesday, February 17. About 40 dancers from Barangay Tangub are representing Bacolod at MassKara’s second appearance as an international performing group at the annual cultural showcase, following an invitation from the Hong …

By CESAR JOLITO III A total of 46 job applicants were hired on the spot during the 2026 Valentine’s Day Job Fair organized by the Bacolod City government on February 14, reflecting sustained efforts to boost local employment. Data from the Bacolod City Public Employment Service Office (PESO) showed that 3,653 applicants joined the one-day …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported a strong turnout in voter registration across the Negros Island Region (NIR), with more than 109,500 applications processed to date — highlighting sustained public engagement ahead of the 2026 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in November. Data released by the office of the regional election …

By CESAR JOLITO III Opposition to the Negros Occidental provincial government’s proposed P1.2-billion bulk water supply project is intensifying as two barangays in Silay City formally rejected the plan, raising environmental, social and community welfare concerns that now threaten to delay its implementation. Barangays Bagtic and Guimbalaon, both host to the project’s identified water source, …