By CESAR JOLITO III Government offices in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City will implement a work-from-home (WFH) setup on Wednesday, April 1, as part of adjusted schedules for the observance of Holy Week. In a memorandum order issued yesterday, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson directed all provincial government employees to work from home from 8:00 a.m. …
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SSS to explore loan moratorium, penalty condonation to ease economic burdens
QUEZON CITY — The Social Security System (SSS) said today that it is actively studying the feasibility of offering a loan moratorium for members and a condonation program for contribution penalties for employers as relief measures amid economic challenges. SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Joseph M. de Claro said these measures aim to …
Bus firm offers 10% fare discount this Holy Week
By CESAR JOLITO III A major transport operator in the country has announced a 10 percent fare discount for passengers traveling during the peak Holy Week period this year as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative and support for the government’s call for solidarity and bayanihan. The discount will be implemented on Good Friday, …
Viral ‘gas-and-go’ driver under probe
By CESAR JOLITO III Authorities have launched an investigation following a viral video showing a driver of a sports utility vehicle leaving a fuel station in Bacolod City allegedly without settling payment. The Land Transportation Office in the Negros Island Region (LTO-NIR) confirmed that a show-cause order (SCO) has been issued to the driver in …
Biodiesel project seen to cut fuel costs of up to 50%
By CESAR JOLITO III Farmers and fisherfolk could save up to 50 percent on fuel expenses through the use of biodiesel, according to project proponents, following the relaunch of a renewable energy initiative at the Barangay Taculing Community Center in Bacolod City yesterday. Ian Fred Solas, chief executive officer of Green Solutions, said the revived …
Bacolod backs proposed Bayanihan act amid oil crisis
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 …
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. …