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By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya has placed the review of flood control projects in the city in the hands of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Malacañang, following President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s disclosure that Legacy Construction Corp. has cornered a significant share of such projects nationwide. “Let us …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park has asked Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla to approve the immediate clearing of lahar-clogged waterways inside the protected area, warning that inaction could lead to flooding in low-lying communities. Engineer Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya, assistant regional director for technical services of the Department of …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Negros Occidental provincial government will finance its P1.1-billion bulk water supply project using its own savings, abandoning the earlier public-private partnership (PPP) scheme after negotiations collapsed over high water tariffs. Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II confirmed yesterday that the bulk water project’s first tranche, amounting to P520 million, has already …

By CESAR JOLITO III More than 1,300 employees of the Bacolod City government are set to receive higher pay starting August 15, as part of the second tranche of the modified salary schedule for local government personnel. Mayor Greg Gasataya confirmed that the salary adjustment will cover not only regular employees but also plantilla casuals …

By CESAR JOLITO III The emergency room (ER) of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) will shut down starting in September for a P92-million renovation aimed at transforming the aging facility into a modern, fully equipped center for urgent care. CLMMRH chief Dr. Joan Cerrada said the renovation project, expected to last three …

By CESAR JOLITO III The joint venture agreement (JVA) between Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) and PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. is “no longer worth it” due to multiple violations and unfulfilled commitments, according to Baciwa Board President Atty. Sonya Verdeflor. In a radio interview yesterday, Verdeflor revealed that PrimeWater has failed to meet several key provisions …

Preparations are underway in the cities of Bago and La Carlota in Negros Occidental for the decampment of their respective internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon later this week. A total of 61 displaced families in La Carlota are set to return home to Barangay Ara-al on Thursday, August 14, …

By MAE SINGUAY Twelve barangays in Bacolod City failed to comply with the Barangay Road Clearing Operations (BaRCO) Program of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). DILG-Bacolod Director Christian Nagaynay said the 12 barangays that failed to submit their road clearing operations report from January to June of this year are Barangays …

BACOLOD CITY — Negros Electric and Power Corporation (Negros Power) clarifies the importance of bill deposits and explains the option for bill deposit refunds amid the transition from the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco). Negros Power Assistant Vice President for Customer Care Maricel Pe emphasized that the bill deposit is a mandatory and standard requirement for …

By CESAR JOLITO III Central Philippines State University (CPSU) President Dr. Aladino Moraca expressed optimism that the ongoing land dispute involving the university’s Moises Padilla campus can be resolved through dialogue. “I believe that if we talk properly, this issue can be settled,” Moraca said, adding that he met with parents and students earlier in …