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By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City is poised to become the sports capital of the newly restored Negros Island Region (NIR) as Mayor Greg Gasataya confirmed that the city will host the inaugural Negros Island Region Athletics Association (NIRAA) Meet in February 2026 — a first in the region’s history. But the bigger breakthrough came …

By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City moves quickly to overhaul its animal welfare systems as Mayor Greg Gasataya announced a P10-million City Veterinary Office and Animal Shelter Complex as well as the appointment of a new assistant city veterinarian — key steps seen as a turning point in addressing the dire conditions at the city …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson is pressing local government units (LGUs) across the province to strengthen their disaster preparedness by investing in heavy equipment, as Negros continues recovery efforts from the devastation caused by Typhoons “Tino” and “Uwan.” Lacson said the recent disasters underscored the urgent need for LGUs to acquire …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City government has launched an investigation into the alleged failure of the City Veterinary Office (CVO) to properly utilize millions worth of African swine fever (ASF) test kits — most of which expired on November 30. City Administrator Mark Mayo confirmed that Mayor Greg Gasataya issued a show-cause order …

The Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod has taken a firm step toward controlling noise pollution, approving on first reading an ordinance that would regulate the use of modified and excessively loud motor vehicle mufflers across the city. The proposed measure, authored by Councilor Caesar Distrito with Councilor Jason Villarosa as co-author, aims to directly respond to …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan unanimously approved the P7,618,490,053 provincial budget for 2026, marking a major push for enhanced social services, stronger disaster response and expanded development programs across the province. Presided over by Vice Governor Joeben Alonso, the budget was approved on second and subsequently third reading following the motion of …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City Agriculture Office is still waiting for the official guidelines on the implementation and monitoring of the new suggested retail price (SRP) for onions, which is expected to take effect starting December 1. An official from the office said no formal directive has been released to local authorities as …

After enduring the successive blows of Typhoons “Tino” and “Uwan” on November 4 and 9, 2025, Central Negros is now steadily returning to normalcy as Negros Power announced the full restoration of power across its franchise area. As of November 27, Negros Power reported that 100 percent of all lateral lines have been re-energized, restoring electricity to …

By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya has issued a strong warning to business owners in the city to avoid dealing with fixers, stressing that the local government is tightening its processes to stop long-standing schemes that put entrepreneurs at risk. “Gapanawagan kita sa aton mga businessmen diri sa syudad: Indi na kamo …

By CESAR JOLITO III Voter registration in the Negros Island Region (NIR) has experienced a temporary slowdown, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) confirmed, citing flooding in several areas in the past weeks. Comelec-NIR Director Atty. Lionel Marco Castillano confirmed that the recent flooding in Bacolod City and other areas temporarily affected registration after schools and offices were forced …