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By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez welcomed the leadership change in the House of Representatives yesterday, saying it is the “best way to move forward” amid mounting controversies hounding the chamber. With 253 votes, Isabela 6th District Representative Faustino “Bojie” Dy III was elected as the new speaker yesterday. Benitez, who has long …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he respects the opinions of those opposing the proposed genetically modified organism (GMO) regulatory ordinance, including 3rd District Representative Javier Miguel Benitez and environmental groups that staged a protest at the Provincial Capitol on Monday, September 15. “I know it is not a popular …

The Bacolod City government is working on the acquisition through donation of a lot in Barangay 27, titled under the name of an already terminated United States (US) agency, to set up a housing project for informal settlers displaced by a fire in the area on September 12. The affected dwellers, numbering almost a thousand, …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson assured residents that the provincial government is closely monitoring the situation at Kanlaon Volcano as seismic activity continues, with hopes that the alert status will not escalate. “Right now, it’s Alert Level 2. It means that nobody should be in the four-kilometer permanent danger zone,” …

By CESAR JOLITO III A clash between government troops and suspected rebels erupted near residential areas at Barangay 11 in Negros Occidental’s Victorias City on Sunday night, September 14, as the Army noted that despite the exchange of gunfire near populated areas, no civilians were harmed. According to 1st Lt. Dan Carlo Samoza, civil military operations officer …

Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya said yesterday that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s directive requiring local government clearance before national infrastructure projects are considered complete is a welcome development, saying it supports the practice already being implemented in this highly urbanized city. “For us, we welcome that. It has been our practice in Bacolod City,” he …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental officially opened the 25th Provincial Tourism Week with the theme “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation” yesterday, underscoring the importance of balancing tourism growth with cultural preservation and environmental stewardship. Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson led the opening ceremony, joined by provincial tourism officer Cheryl Decena, city and municipal chief executives, and …

By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the House of Representatives must undergo a leadership change to restore its credibility, stressing that public distrust has deepened amid the controversy over alleged irregularities in the government’s flood control projects. Benitez said the flood control mess has placed the chamber in …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Bacolod City has underscored the urgent need for additional fire trucks and a new fire substation following the massive blaze that gutted more than 230 homes in Barangay 27 on Friday, September 12. BFP-Bacolod Fire Marshal Supt. Jenny Mae Masip admitted that the city’s …

By CESAR JOLITO III The upcoming 46th MassKara Festival in October will carry a deeper meaning for Bacolodnons this year, as Mayor Greg Gasataya urged the community to draw strength from the city’s tradition of resilience following the fire that razed 216 houses in Barangay 27 on Friday, September 12. Speaking during the festival’s grand …