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By CESAR JOLITO III The implementation of a gun ban during the 46th MassKara Festival remains uncertain as security and safety preparations for the festivities are now in full swing, with nearly 2,000 police officers, round-the-clock traffic enforcers, and fire protection personnel set for deployment. “I think this could be the first time a gun ban will …

By CESAR JOLITO III A validation team from the National Task Force Kanlaon (NTFK) will arrive on Negros Island in mid-October to inspect and assess additional recovery and development projects under the Kanlaon Recovery and Development Plan, officials confirmed. Donato Sermeno III, director of the Office of Civil Defense in the Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR), …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod Traffic and Transport Management Department (BTTMD) has resumed its clamping operations, targeting vehicles illegally parked near hospitals and other critical areas, in an effort to ease congestion and ensure emergency access. Since the enforcement drive restarted, five vehicles have already been clamped, most of them found violating parking rules …

Negros Oriental has filed eight court cases against 11 human trafficking suspects, with 16 victims recorded as of April 30, 2025. Fiscal Emmylou Bendanillo of the Provincial Prosecution Office revealed the latest figures as efforts to combat human trafficking continue nationwide. In a recent media seminar organized by the US Embassy in Bacolod City, Cagayan …

By CESAR JOLITO III Authorities have directed the preemptive evacuation of residents living near Taburong Creek at Barangay Biak na Bato in Negros Occidental’s La Castellana town whenever heavy rains occur, as lahar sediments from Kanlaon Volcano continue to block the waterway. Donato Sermeno III, director of the Office of Civil Defense in the Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR), said …

By CESAR JOLITO III An electrical overload from an alleged octopus connection caused a massive fire that razed 93 houses at Barangay Rizal in Negros Occidental’s San Carlos City on Monday, September 22, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said. BFP-San Carlos City Fire Marshal, Chief Inspector Erwin Johannes Gimotea, said their initial investigation revealed that the …

By CESAR JOLITO III A senator underscored the need to strengthen the country’s health service delivery network during her visit to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Bacolod City. Senator Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, said the move is essential to fully realize the promises of the Universal …

By CESAR JOLITO III Heavy rains over the weekend triggered another blockage of volcanic sediments at Tamburong Creek in Negros Occidental’s La Castellana town, causing flooding that forced the evacuation of 17 families in Barangay Biak na Bato on Sunday, September 21. John de Asis, head of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson clarified yesterday that the temporary closure of the Provincial Capitol Park and Lagoon during the Trillion Peso March on Sunday, September 21, was meant to enforce park rules that prohibit political and religious gatherings inside the premises. Lacson said the province received no formal request from the …

The proposed cruise port in Negros Occidental’s Sipalay City could become a “new gateway” that would expand opportunities for the locals. (travelandtourworld.com photo) By CESAR JOLITO III The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is eyeing Negros Occidental’s Sipalay City as a potential site for a new cruise ship port, a development that could strengthen the city’s …