Drugstores urged to honor discounts for PWDs

MEMBERS of the Drugstores Association of the Philippines (DSAP) are urged to honor discount privileges of persons with disability (PWDs).

Malacañang told to push RH bill

LOCAL advocates of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill in Iloilo City urged Malacañang to disregard the stand of Catholic bishops and pursue the bill.

The Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has reportedly pulled out from the supposed third round of the series of dialogues on RH with Malacañang.

70 soldiers to receive new homes

AT LEAST 70 soldiers assigned in Negros Oriental will receive the certificates of ownership of their new homes on Thursday at Camp Leon Kilat in Tanjay City.

Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz, Commanding General of the Philippine Army, will turn-over the keys and the certificates of ownership to soldier-beneficiaries under the “Kalinga sa Kawal Housing Project” (KKHP).

Guv’s address gets good reviews from mayors

MAYORS who attended the first state of the province address delivered by Governor Roel Degamo Wednesday lauded the governor’s programs of government, which focused on the areas of health, education and livelihood.

Speaking before a packed Provincial Board Session Hall at the Legislative Building in Dumaguete City, Degamo promised concrete, meaningful solutions to current problems as he intends to continue the programs started by his two predecessors.

Coconut authority reactivates coco coir plants

THE Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in Eastern Visayas has started re-activating coco coir plants to control steep and road slopes erosion in the region.

This, after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) committed to buy geo-textiles to be used as materials in controlling steep and road slopes erosion.

Limasawa sets up electronic billboard on nutrition

THE sixth class island-town of Limasawa in Southern Leyte is setting up an electronic billboard devoted for nutrition messages as effort to bring down malnutrition rate to zero this year.

Mayor Melchor Petracorta said that they are not contented with the fact that they are the best performing municipality in Eastern Visayas in terms of combating malnutrition unless there are still underweight children in their island.

Military: Rebel leaders hiding in Samar

THE Army’s 8th Infantry Division theorized there is a significant presence of top New People’s Army (NPA) leader communing in the region’s hinterlands.

The military said this during the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) meeting in Catarman town in Northern Samar presided by RPOC Chairman Leyte Governor Jericho Petilla.

Mining bureau slammed over project approval

THE Leyte Provincial Board vented again its ire on the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) after the approval of mining project feasibility of a firm in MacArthur town in Leyte.

6 Cebuanos in NZ trapped in collapsed buildings

CEBU CITY (2nd Update, 4:41 p.m.) -- At least six Cebuanos were reportedly trapped in a building that collapsed in Christchurch, New Zealand after a massive earthquake Tuesday.

Dr. Ethel Uy, aunt of Rhea Sumalpong of Tuyan, City of Naga, Cebu, called up the office of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia on Wednesday to seek assistance for the trapped Cebuanos.

Hong Kong judge sides with Singson in cocaine case

HONG KONG — A Hong Kong judge on Wednesday agreed with a Philippine congressman that the cocaine he brought into the southern Chinese territory was for his personal use as he considered a sentence for the politician.

Rep. Ronald Singson was caught with 0.24 ounces (6.67 grams) of cocaine while transiting through the Hong Kong airport en route to the neighboring gambling enclave Macau in July. He has admitted to a charge of trafficking in a dangerous drug. Under Hong Kong law, the mere act of bringing drugs in the territory amounts to trafficking.

14 Filipinos in NZ trapped in collapsed buildings

NEW ZEALAND (Updated 2:32 p.m.) -- At least 14 Filipinos were reportedly trapped in two collapsed buildings in New Zealand after Tuesday’s massive earthquake.

The confirmed death toll from Tuesday's magnitude-6.3 quake rose to 75 on Wednesday, and officials said it was almost sure to climb further. Some 300 people were listed as missing amid crumbling buildings in downtown Christchurch in the South Island city.

Philippines offers to fly citizens home from Libya

MANILA (Updated 12:33 p.m.) — The Philippine government raised the alert level for its nationals in Libya, offering to fly home 30,000 Filipino workers amid a bloody crackdown on protests calling for an end to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's regime.

City Health Office conducts leprosy orientation

THE Bacolod City Health Office, together with the Regional Health Office and Department of Health (DOH), held an orientation on leprosy Tuesday at Bacolod’s New Government Center.

The activity is in line with the celebration of DOH’s Leprosy Prevention and Control Week from February 21-27, 2011 with the theme “Promoting leprosy and human dignity towards a ‘leprosy free’ country”.

20,000 join rally vs RH bill

ABOUT 20,000 members of religious groups, academe and civic-oriented organizations joined in the interfaith rally against the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill Tuesday at the Bacolod City Public Plaza.

The RH bill, or "The Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population and Development Act of 2011” is a consolidation of six RH bills proposed in Congress.

Women’s group bats for RH bill

WHILE the rally against the controversial RH bill was ongoing Tuesday, women’s rights advocate Gabriela-Negros defended the RH bill, saying it is not anti-life and it is not pro-abortion.

Nenita Cherniguin of Gabriela-Negros disputed the Church’s claim that the RH bill is anti-life and pro abortion.

Excavation starts at landfill

A. L. Salazar construction has started the excavation works at the sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa, Bacolod City with backhoes, trucks and excavators being utilized for the digging as part of the preparatory works.

Barangay Felisa head Mona Dia Jardin said that the first phase of the construction works started two weeks ago with the aim to finish the project within three months.

Paglaum Complex deal draft now ready

THE final draft of the agreement for the reversion of the management of Paglaum Sports Complex to the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental is now ready.

Provincial Legal Officer Jose Maria Valencia said that the memorandum of agreement (MOA) and may be signed between the Capitol and the Department of Education (DepEd) by next week.

Police trainee faces dismissal over nude pose

A POLICE trainee will receive his dismissal after he was positively identified posing nude in popular social networking site Facebook.

Regional Police Office 6 Director Cipriano Querol said the trainee is set to graduate from the Public Safety Basic Recruitment Course at the Regional Training Center 6 in Bakyas, Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod.

Aloha Medical Mission heals Negrenses anew

THE Aloha Medical Mission is back in Negros Occidental for a five-day surgical mission at the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City.

The Aloha Medical Mission is a group of medical practitioners headed by Dr. Brad Wong that regularly conducts humanitarian missions in several countries in the world.

Seminar held for village officials

THE Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) is conducting an orientation-seminar to 610 Barangay officials at Mambukal Resort in Murcia, Negros Occidental.

DILG Bacolod Director Dino Ponsaran and ABC President Councilor Mona Dia Jardin gathered the barangay captains and their kagawads, secretaries and treasurers to a three-day orientation seminar on Laying the Foundation for Grassroot Empowerment for Accountable and Transparent (Great) Barangays, which will be conducted in three batches from February 21 to March 2, 2011.

2 nabbed for illegal firearms

TWO men were arrested for illegal possession of firearms by operatives of Murcia PNP during the saturation drive in the annual fiesta of Barangay Canlandog, Murcia Sunday morning.

Murcia PNP commander Senior Inspector Norberto Barniso identified the suspects as Robert Calapan, 24, and Roberto Sentida, 21, both residents of Hacienda Guinam-an, Barangay Buenavista, Murcia.

Wanted person arrested

A 42-YEAR-old suspect with pending warrant of arrest for frustrated homicide was arrested Monday evening by operatives of Silay City police.

Silay PNP commander Jerry Bartolome identified the suspect as Rodel Ayalin, of Tres-Fuentes, Barangay Lantad, Silay who was arrested at about 7:40 p.m. at Barangay Lantad by policemen led by PO2 Roy Lanaza by virtue of warrant of arrest issued by Judge Reynaldo Alon, RTC Branch 40, Silay City.

Rape suspect collared

A SUSPECT who was wanted for two counts of rape was collared Tuesday morning by operatives of Silay City police led by Superintendent Jerry Bartolome.

The suspect was identified as Ronilo Panaguiton, 22, of Hacienda Napilas 7, Barangay E. Lopez, Silay. Panaguiton was arrested at about 11:04 a.m. at his residence by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Felipe Banzon, RTC Branch 40, Silay City no bail recommended.

Teen injured in stabbing

A TEENAGER was injured in a stabbing incident Monday evening at Barangay 27, Bacolod City.

Station 4 commander Senior Inspector Leilani Garcia identified the victim as Raffy Gonzaga, 19, of Barangay 19, Bacolod City.

Search begins for new police chief

SENIOR Supt. Erson Digal resigned yesterday afternoon as chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), which his superior described as “a good move.”

“Limpiyo akong konsiyensiya. Way hocus-pocus ug way hinanakit (My conscience is clear.

PB seeks help for children tapped in probe

A WELL-TRAINED psychologist or psychiatrist must be provided to the minors who helped identify the suspects in heinous crimes, the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) said.

It passed a resolution requesting the Cebu Provincial Police Office to arrange for such help.

Car painter left home but didn’t seek police help with his accusation

CAR painter Casimiro Briones is missing.

A police team went to the house of Briones in Barangay Candulawan, Talisay City yesterday to verify his allegation that he was mauled by Joavan Fernandez over the weekend.

DPS chief awarded as best department head

DEPARTMENT of Public Services (DPS) chief Dionisio Gualiza has won, for the second time, as Cebu City Hall’s most outstanding department head.

Cebu City Michael Rama defended the choice of Gualiza for the award, saying there will always be criticisms.

Councils for kids need work

ONLY four of Cebu City’s 80 barangays have no barangay council for the protection of children (BCPC). Those that do were encouraged to improve their services.

The 2010 monitoring report on child-friendly barangays showed that the BCPC of Barangays Day-as, Inayawan, Capitol Site and Mabini are still not functional.

Cebu auxiliary bishop describes contraceptives as ‘part of evil act’

WHILE doctors consider contraceptives as “preventive medicines,” the Church looks at such items as part of an evil act.

This was how Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Julito Cortes described the differences in the way doctors and Catholic Church authorities view contraceptives.