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By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez expressed support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., highlighting the President’s unprecedented move to investigate alleged corruption within his own administration. In a media interview during the opening of the Terra Madre Asia and Pacific at the Negros Occidental Capitol Park and Lagoon yesterday, Benitez …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has concluded that the catastrophic floods and landslides that swept through central Negros during Typhoon “Tino” were triggered primarily by 10 hours of nonstop torrential rain and accumulated volcanic debris on Kanlaon Volcano — not illegal logging, as initially suspected by affected communities. …

Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya is moving to recalibrate the city’s approach to the national Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program as concerns from transport groups intensify ahead of route evaluations and franchise consolidation deadlines. According to the Bacolod City Communications Office, Gasataya has set a formal dialogue with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Visayan Bloc in the House of Representatives has declared full support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., saying the political attacks against him in recent days are attempts to derail his administration’s intensified anti-corruption campaign. In a statement released yesterday by Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, the influential …

By CESAR JOLITO III Despite the heavy agricultural losses caused by Typhoon “Tino,” the Department of Agriculture in the Negros Island Region (DA-NIR) assures that Negros Occidental’s rice supply remains stable ahead of the holiday season. DA-NIR Director Engineer Albert Barrogo said the province’s rice stocks are sufficient for local consumption, as most rice harvests were completed before the …

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Oriental said yesterday that major business establishments in typhoon-hit areas in the province have been found compliant with the nationwide price freeze on basic goods. “We visited major retailers late last week and saw that the prices of basic necessities and prime commodities were within the …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has renewed calls for stronger, disability-inclusive disaster preparedness following the death of a 23-year-old man with developmental delay who saved his neighbors at the height of Typhoon “Tino” in Negros Occidental. DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the agency is honoring the …

By CESAR JOLITO III Cauayan Mayor John Rey Tabujara has denounced what he described as the “senseless and cowardly” killings of two barangay officials in separate incidents in the municipality, calling the victims innocent civilians whose only intention was to serve their communities. The victims — a barangay kagawad and a purok chairwoman — were …

By CESAR JOLITO III Residents of Barangay Robles in Negros Occidental’s La Castellana town shared harrowing accounts of how sudden and forceful floodwaters engulfed their homes at the height of continuous rains brought by Typhoon “Tino,” leaving many families displaced and uncertain about when they could return home. Mary Rose Samolde, 25 years old, from Hacienda Nahalinan …

By CESAR JOLITO III In the wake of the devastating Typhoon “Tino” earlier this month, Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo has made an urgent plea for national assistance, highlighting the town’s critical need for infrastructure repair, housing relief and relocation support for hundreds of affected residents. The appeal followed President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s visit …