TOP STORIES

By CESAR JOLITO III Two people, including an eight-year-old girl, were injured after an early-morning fire razed four residential houses at Purok Magsungay in Bacolod City’s Barangay Singcang-Airport on Thursday, December 18. The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) – Bacolod reported that a 32-year-old man sustained an abrasion on his left foot after he jumped …

By CESAR JOLITO III The former officer-in-charge of the Bacolod City Office of the Building Official (OBO), Engineer Isidro Sun, has been placed under preventive suspension for the second time as city authorities recommended both administrative and criminal charges over alleged irregularities in the processing of building permits. City Legal Officer Atty. Karol Joseph Chiu …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Police Regional Office in the Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) has stepped up its security preparations ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, calling on the public to remain vigilant as travel, shopping and social gatherings intensify across the region. In a public advisory, PRO-NIR reminded residents and visitors to …

By CESAR JOLITO III Authorities have launched parallel investigations into an alleged kickback scheme involving the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program in Negros Occidental’s Victorias City after more than 150 beneficiaries complained that their cash aid was unlawfully reduced. In an official statement, Victorias City Mayor Abelardo Bantug III disclosed that the …

The management of Negros Occidental District Jail – Male Dormitory (NODJ-MD) based in Bago City dismissed the allegation of abuses to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) and visitors claimed by Kabataan party-list Representative Renee Co in a privilege speech on December 15. In a statement released yesterday, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology – …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Negros Association of Chief Executives (ACE) has raised concerns over the implementation of the One Hospital Command (OHC), calling for a thorough review and fine-tuning of the provincial health referral system following mounting public complaints. Negros ACE president and Cadiz City Mayor Salvador “Bading” Escalante said the initiative, while well-intentioned, …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City government has regularized several longtime job order (JO) workers, citing years of dedicated service and consistent performance, in a move that city officials say reflects a broader commitment to dignity and fairness in public employment. Mayor Greg Gasataya confirmed that the regularization forms part of the city’s policy …

By CESAR JOLITO III With just seven days before Christmas Eve, the National Democratic Front (NDF) in the Negros Island Region has challenged the government’s claim that a P500 budget is sufficient for a Noche Buena spread, urging instead a stronger push to develop local industries and revitalize the agricultural sector to ease the burden …

By CESAR JOLITO III Cadiz City Mayor Salvador “Bading” Escalante acknowledged that PrimeWater has been struggling to keep up with the city’s growing water demand, even as he expressed hope that a reported sale of the company to new operators could improve services. Escalante told reporters yesterday that while Cadiz continued to expand and new …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Office of Civil Defense in the Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) has officially taken over the chairmanship of the Regional Task Force (RTF) Kanlaon from OCD in Western Visayas (Region 6), while the region continues to be under red alert due to ongoing volcanic activity. OCD-NIR Director Donato Sermeno III will …