TOP STORIES

By CESAR JOLITO III Six public utility vehicle drivers in Bacolod City tested positive for illegal drug use following a surprise and random drug test at the North Bound Terminal yesterday as part of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in the Negros Island Region’s Oplan Biyaheng Ayos! Undas Campaign, which aims to ensure the safety …

By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya has directed the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) to fully activate all security cameras across major areas in the city as part of efforts to enhance surveillance, traffic management and crime prevention. “Reactivating these cameras is a top priority for us. They play a …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Negros Occidental provincial government is seeking a special permit to transfer tons of sediments and debris collected from Ibid Creek at Barangay Tamburong in Negros Occidental’s La Castellana town, outside Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park (MKNP), after its designated storage site reached full capacity. “The province is still waiting for the …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has begun evaluating two major infrastructure projects worth a combined P300 million in Negros Occidental’s Moises Padilla town under the Kanlaon Recovery and Development Program, which aims to strengthen disaster resilience and connectivity in the municipality. OCD – Negros Island Region Director Donato Sermeno III …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City government has announced regulated visiting hours and traffic adjustments in preparation for the observance of Undas to ensure public safety and maintain order at cemeteries and nearby roads. Visiting hours in all public cemeteries will be limited from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., starting Friday, October 31, to …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City government has taken a major step toward strengthening its disaster resilience with the launch of a localized flood early warning system in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Mayor Greg Gasataya and DOST Secretary Dr. Renato Solidum, Jr. formalized the collaboration through a memorandum of …

By CESAR JOLITO III Nineteen members of the Badjao community rescued from the streets of Bacolod have been safely returned to their hometown in Jolo, Sulu, as part of the city government’s strengthened anti-mendicancy campaign. The repatriation, led by the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) through the Anti-Mendicancy Task Force, took place on …

By CESAR JOLITO III Authorities have raised concerns over the expanding ground fissures along the national highway at Barangay Mambaroto in Negros Occidental’s Sipalay City as cracks on the slope widened, and new ones appeared, prompting tighter safety controls and ongoing geotechnical monitoring. According to the Sipalay City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, led …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Police Regional Office in the Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) will deploy a total of 900 security personnel across Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental to ensure peace and safety during the observance of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days on November 1 and 2. PRO-NIR Director Brigadier General Arnold Thomas Ibay …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and other local officials have welcomed President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s directive authorizing local government units (LGUs) to take charge of constructing school buildings — a move aimed at cutting red tape and addressing classroom shortages nationwide. Lacson said he supports Marcos’ initiative, noting that LGUs …