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By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez called on Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan to take a leave of absence as the agency comes under scrutiny for allegedly failed and substandard flood control projects across the country. “Out of delicadeza, and to help preserve the integrity …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Negros Occidental provincial government is facing backlash from a local advocacy group following its decision to accept agricultural assistance from the Israeli government, particularly in addressing a pest infestation plaguing sugarcane farms. While Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson welcomed the aid, the group Freedom From Colonization – Negros condemned the move …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City government is pushing forward with the second tranche of the P20 per kilo rice program this August, aiming to bring more relief to households amid continued concerns over high food costs. Secretary to the Mayor Marty Go confirmed yesterday that they are now processing the next round of rice procurement following …

By CESAR JOLITO III The former head of the Office of the Building Official (OBO) in the Bacolod City government has denied accusations of extortion thrown against him after receiving a show-cause order from the city government. In an interview, Engineer Isidro Sun, Jr. clarified that the allegation — involving a business owner supposedly paying …

By CESAR JOLITO III The former head of the Office of the Building Official (OBO) in the Bacolod City government is under investigation over serious allegations of irregularities and bribery involving the processing of an occupancy permit. A show-cause order, issued by the office of the city mayor against OBO chief Engineer Isidro Sun on …

The Negros Occidental provincial government is prioritizing the establishment of a permanent relocation site for internally displaced persons (IDPs) living within the four-kilometer danger zone of Mt. Kanlaon after the volcano’s status has been lowered. From Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest/high level of volcanic unrest), the volcano was placed under Alert Level 2 (moderate level …

The Bacolod City government imposed a fine amounting to P1.68 million on IPM Construction and Development Corporation (IPM-CDC), the city’s garbage hauler, for violating its contract. City legal officer Atty. Karol Joseph Chiu said IPM-CDC failed to deliver the required Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking system and didn’t meet the shredder requirements. Chiu said the …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City Engineer’s Office (CEO) initiated the demolition of an illegal floodwall built by a salt storage facility in Barangay Banago following the establishment’s failure to comply with the voluntary demolition order. Mayor Greg Gasataya witnessed the demolition of the structure at Artemis Salt Corporation yesterday, backed by the Department …

By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has raised red flags over what he calls the “alarming centralization” and lack of transparency in the 2024 and 2025 national budgets, warning that political favoritism is skewing public fund allocation away from communities that need it most. In a strongly worded statement …

By CESAR JOLITO III The onslaught of the southwest monsoon or habagat, enhanced by Severe Tropical Storm “Crising,” left a trail of destruction worth P185 million in damages to agriculture and infrastructure across the Negros Island Region (NIR). Damage to schools and public infrastructure was pegged at P88.7 million in Negros Oriental alone, including 25 classrooms totally destroyed. Meanwhile, agricultural …