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By CESAR JOLITO III In a bid to contain the continued spread of the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) that has already infested over 2,300 hectares of sugarcane farms across the Visayas, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) will conduct a specialized training in Bacolod City on Monday, July 14. The one-day training, organized by SRA’s …

The government, through the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), on Thursday, July 3, condoned P1.834 billion in loans, debts, and interest owed by 11,179 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Negros Island Region (NIR). DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III led the distribution of certificates of condonation with release of mortgages (CoCRoMs), land titles, and support services …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan is gearing up for its inaugural session on July 8, following a caucus held on Tuesday, July 1, to finalize key preparations and committee assignments. According to Vice Governor Jose Benito Alonso, the upcoming session will formally open the new term of the provincial board and is …

The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) introduced yesterday two high-zinc rice varieties to help reduce zinc deficiency, one of the leading contributors to stunting among Filipino children. The ceremonial “Unang Ani (First Harvest)” at the DA-PhilRice Negros Station experimental field in Murcia, Negros Occidental was led by Director Ommal Abdulkadil and Dr. Mallikarjuna Swamy, …

By CESAR JOLITO III At least 24 internally displaced persons (IDPs) composed of eight families, among 89 IDPs or 33 families, voluntarily returned to the evacuation center following their unauthorized decampment earlier this week. John de Asis, head of the La Castellana Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), said evacuees from Kanlaon Volcano’s continuing …

The Office of Civil Defense-Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) is working with the local government unit (LGU) of La Castellana in Negros Occidental to address the continuing concerns of internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon. OCD-NIR Director Donato Sermeno III met with Mayor Añejo Nicor on Tuesday, July 1, a day …

By CESAR JOLITO III Three individuals were apprehended, while 10 others evaded arrest after an estimated P8.3 million worth of smuggled cigarettes were intercepted at the Old Bacolod Airport in Bacolod City’s Barangay Singcang-Airport yesterday morning. The arrested individuals were 38-year-old Sibang Sali Sadjari, 43-year-old Husaim Arram Ajibon, and 29-year-old Alsidi Umran Isnani — all …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Candoni municipal government confirmed that earth-moving activities at the controversial palm oil plantation operated by Hacienda Asia Plantation Inc. (HAPI) in the town have stopped, following continued monitoring efforts by municipal authorities. Candoni Mayor Ray Ruiz told members of the media that, based on the reports from their personnel under the Municipal …

The local government unit (LGU) and the incident management team (IMT) of La Castellana in Negros Occidental are looking into the unauthorized decampment of at least 33 families or 89 persons affected by the unrest of Mt. Kanlaon. In a statement on Monday, June 30, the LGU said certain persons convinced the internally displaced persons …

By CESAR JOLITO III An early morning fire claimed the lives of an elderly couple who were trapped inside their two-storey house in City Heights Subdivision in Bacolod City’s Barangay Taculing yesterday. The victims were identified as 80-year-old Edison Hibionada, Sr. and his wife, 81-year-old Emelyn. The blaze broke out shortly past 4:00 a.m. from …