Watchmen Daily Journal
105 QUAKES IN 10 HOURS
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has raised concern over increased seismic activity at Kanlaon Volcano after recording 105 volcanotectonic (VT) earthquakes in just 10 hours yesterday, higher than 28 quakes on Thursday,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FIND SOLUTION TO POWER WOES
The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has opposed the Bacolod City Police Office’s (BCPO) proposal for a four-day gun ban during the MassKara Festival highlights from October 15 to 18. In the resolution, the SP instead urged the BCPO to intensify...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
3,200 cops, force multipliers to oversee security at MassKara
A total of 3,258 security police personnel and other law enforcement agencies will secure Bacolod City’s 47th MassKara Festival following a send-off ceremony at the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) yesterday. The Police Regional Office - Negros...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PRE-FESTIVAL EVENTS, FOOD KIOSKS TO KICK OFF 47TH MASSKARA
Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc. (BGFI) will officially kick off this year’s 47th MassKara Festival with pre-festival events and the opening of food kiosks at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) and the Bacolod Public Plaza on Thursday, October...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Bacolod eyes joint opening of MMFF, Batang Pinoy on Dec. 12
The Bacolod City government is eyeing holding the opening of the 52nd Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) and the 2026 Batang Pinoy National Championships on the same date, December 12, 2026. “We will have two major activities in one day. Instead of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘Do your duty,’ brgy, SK leaders told after BSKE delay
Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials in Bacolod City should continue working and serving their constituents after the postponement of the November polls, city officials said. “Whatever the mandate of the national government, let’s just...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MARCOS CANCELS NOVEMBER BSKE
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said RA 12326 sets the next BSKE for November 13, 2028. The Comelec will cancel the filing of certificates of candidacy scheduled from
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BACOLOD GUGMA TO HIGHLIGHT INCLUSIVE MASSKARA
The Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc. will highlight the participation of various sectors and barangays through activities that embody the spirit of this year’s MassKara Festival. Anchored on this year’s theme, “Share the Smile, Celebrate Gugma,” MassKara...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
NO SOLUTION TO POWER CRISIS?
Power Watch Negros Advocates has accused the government and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) of failing to address the continuing power supply and transmission problems affecting consumers on the Visayas grid.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Negros Power lowers September power rate
Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power) has announced a slight reduction in residential electricity rate this month at P14.2487 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), down by P0.03 per kWh from August’s P14.2787 per kWh rate. Negros Power Vice President and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘NEVER AGAIN’ HEARD ANEW
Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya urged government employees who are licensed gun owners to properly secure their firearms inside their homes in light of the recent fatal school shootings across the country. “As responsible firearm owners, we should...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MassKara food kiosks under inspection for fire safety
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Bacolod City will conduct fire safety inspections of food kiosks at major sites ahead of the MassKara Festival. Once kiosks have been set up at the Bacolod Public Plaza, Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
GUN BAN, SIGNAL JAMMING FOR MASSKARA SOUGHT
The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has recommended a gun ban and a temporary jamming of cellular signals during the 47th MassKara Festival in October. BCPO deputy city director for administration Lt. Colonel Lester Leada suggested enforcing a gun...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MESSAGE
Iextend my warmest greetings to the Watchmen Daily Journal you celebrate your 15th Anniversary. A strong local newspaper helps people understand how national developments affect their own communities. By bringing the perspectives of Negrenses into the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SILAY DENGUE CASES REACH 203; BOY DIES OF ‘DENGUE SHOCK’
Dengue cases in Negros Occidental’s Silay City have reached 203, including an 11-yearold boy who died from dengue shock syndrome. Silay Assistant City Health Officer Dr. Vannesa Mahrie Madayag confirmed the denguerelated death yesterday, saying the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ARREST THE SUSPECTS!
Negros Oriental Governor Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria has ordered the provincial police to prioritize the investigation into the killing of an American national and his Filipina wife inside their home in Dumaguete City earlier this month.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
P3.7-M BRIDGE PROJECT ENTERED STRICT BIDDING ‘NO OVERPRICING’
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is processing an appeal seeking the lifting of the United States ban on the importation of blue crab products from the Philippines. Rene Parreno, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources - Negros Island Region...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
OVERPRICED FOOTBRIDGE?
Gastaya said the project cost was justified by engineering requirements. “If anyone believes the estimate was excessive, they should have participated in the bidding process, which was open to the public. This project is already proving very...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘SUPER’ EL NIÑO LOOMS
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the entire province is forecast to be affected by the dry spell, prompting the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) to discuss measures during its thirdquarter meeting at the Provincial...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BACOLOD SP BACKS INQUIRY INTO WORSENING POWER OUTAGES
The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has expressed its full support for the initiative of the House of Representatives calling for a congressional inquiry into recurring power interruptions and rotational brownouts, as well as red and yellow alerts...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CAPITOL UNDER THREAT
An individual — a certain John Keng Seng, also known as “John Sy” — allegedly threatened to shoot provincial government employees, prompting authorities to consider the incident an immediate security concern, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said in a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
POWER GRID ‘TOO FRAGILE, TOO WEAK’
The recurring brownouts across the Visayas should serve as a warning that the region’s power system needs comprehensive reforms rather than short-term fixes, Diocese of San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza said. The continuing power interruptions are no...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BACOLOD SETS UP CENTRALIZED HOTLINE FOR CITY SERVICE CONCERNS
The Bacolod City government launched a centralized hotline to handle general inquiries, requests and concerns regarding city services. “If you have concerns with various offices, just dial the Bacolod Hotline (034) 479-6100,” Mayor Greg Gasataya said...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
GRID INSTABILITY CAUSES OUTAGES
The Task Force Power Watch is challenging claims that the recent rotational brownouts in Negros and other parts of the Visayas are primarily caused by insufficient power supply, pointing instead to weaknesses in the region’s transmission network.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
3 Pamplona massacre gunmen convicted over illegal firearms, explosives
Three men implicated in the 2023 Pamplona massacre that left 10 residents dead, including Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, have been convicted for illegal possession of firearms and explosives, 3rd District Representative Janice Degamo said. In a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
2 MORE BACOLOD KIDS DIE OF DENGUE
Two more children died of suspected dengue in Bacolod City, bringing the total number of denguerelated deaths to three, Dr. Grace Tan, head of the City Health Office’s (CHO) Environmental Sanitation Division, said. The fatalities were a fouryear-old...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PUSH FOR HIGHER PAY
Bacolod City and Negros Occidental’s La Castellana town have recorded “very unhealthy” air quality levels as transboundary haze from forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia continues to affect parts of Negros Occidental, the Environmental Management...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SAGAY STEPS UP RSSI CONTROL AS INFESTATION SURGES
The Sagay City government has intensified efforts to contain the redstriped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation as the pest continues to spread rapidly across sugarcane-growing areas. Mayor Leo Rafael “Bebo” Cueva, along with Sangguniang Panlungsod...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Why do barangays need purok-based auxiliary teams for disaster response?
The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is pushing for the creation of trained and equipped purok-based auxiliary teams to provide immediate assistance during disasters, medical emergencies and public safety incidents. The SP recognizes the need for...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Gasataya honors media role, responsibility
“Media was never simply a job. It was a way of listening to people, understanding their concerns and giving space to stories that mattered.” This was Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya’s message, delivered by his executive assistant, Richard Chiu,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
POWERING A STRONGER GRID
Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power) has completed more than half of its planned grid modernization program after two years into its five-year development roadmap, with over P1.3 billion already invested to improve power reliability, expand...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CASES, FINES VS. GARBAGE HAULER AMONG CITY’S OPTIONS
Filing a case against Bacolod City’s former garbage hauler, IPM Construction and Development Corporation (IPM-CDC), remains among the options of the local government, including the possible imposition of penalties and fines. Earlier, the city...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CEBU EXTENDS NEGROS HOG BAN
The Cebu provincial government has extended its ban on the entry of live hogs, pork and pork products from Negros Island and other African swine fever (ASF)affected areas, citing the continuing threat of the hog disease and the need to protect the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MARAÑON STILL UNEGA’S TOP BET
Negros Occidental 2nd District Representative Alfredo “Thirdy” Marañon III is still the United Negros Alliance’s (UNegA) preferred choice for governor in the 2028 national elections, but the coalition is holding off on formally finalizing its slate...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
EX-OFW SHOT DEAD INSIDE CAR IN MANAPLA
A 57-year-old former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) was shot dead while driving his car at Barangay 1-A in Negros Occidental’s Manapla town shortly after 11:00 a.m. yesterday. Police identified the victim as Mauro Estrella, a resident of the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
NegOcc adopts province-wide rules to protect crab industry
Negros Occidental has adopted a province-wide framework for the sustainable management of its blue swimming crab industry through strengthening conservation, monitoring and enforcing measures for one of the province’s important coastal resources. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BACOLOD SP CALLS TO STRENGTHEN SECURITY, GUN-FREE ZONES AT SCHOOLS
The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) called for stronger measures to protect students, teachers and school personnel in public and private educational institutions in the city in light of the recent school shooting incidents in parts of the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Get kids vaccinated vs. measles, parents told
Parents in Bacolod City are urged to take an active role in protecting their children from measles by availing themselves of the free supplemental vaccination under the Ligtas Tigdas Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign. The City Health Office (CHO)...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
DILG PROBES 3 NEGROS LGUS OVER ‘SCHOLARSHIP FAVORITISM’
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Negros Occidental is investigating village officials in three barangays over allegations of favoring their children or relatives in the distribution of educational assistance under the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CONFRONT THE CHALLENGES
The United Sugar Producers Federation (Unifed) has expressed full support for the current leadership of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) as the sugar industry confronts the combined threats of red-striped...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SECTOR SEEKS RSSI RELIEF
Sugar industry workers, farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries are pressing the national government for immediate financial relief, clearer farmlevel guidelines and greater stakeholder representation as the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI)...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
DETERMINE ROOT CAUSE
Alert. Brownout. Apology. Repeat. This is how the Alliance of Concerned Consumers in Electricity and Social Services (ACCESS) describes the recurring cycle of unreliable power supply on the Visayas grid, as the group urged the Senate committee on...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PEST, WEATHER FACTORS IN CRISIS
The National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP) has warned that the Philippine sugar industry could face further decline unless the government moves swiftly to address falling sugar prices, pest infestation and worsening climaterelated threats.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
NegOcc local chiefs back regulated hog prices
The Negros Association of Chief Executives (ACE), Inc. has expressed support for the proposed regulation of hog prices in Negros Occidental amid concerns raised by hog raisers over declining and inconsistent live weight prices. Negros ACE President...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
An ECC for open dump site? Highly questionable —CLO
The issuance of an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECCs) for an old open dump site along Buri Road in Bacolod City’s Barangay Mandalagan has been questioned by the Bacolod City Legal Office (CLO) as procedures have been undertaken by developers...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
COMMON DISPOSAL FACILITY
The clustered sanitary landfill system in La Castellana town will serve eight local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental, years after the town was cited for violations over continued operation of an open dumpsite.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Sugar losses top P15-B; Confed seeks DA, SRA’s help
The Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations (Confed) is calling on the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to implement concrete and long-term measures to address the worsening crisis in the sugar industry,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
RSSI infests 10 Bacolod barangays
Ten barangays in Bacolod City have been affected by the infestation of the red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI), with estimated damage to sugarcane crops reaching at least P200 million. Councilor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP)...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘WEAPONIZED’ TO DISCREDIT
Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations (Confed) President Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama, Jr. claimed that a labor complaint filed against him was “weaponized” to discredit him, while disclosing before lawmakers that the dispute has already been...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ASF HITS 3 MORE TOWNS; HOG DEATHS NOW 2,338
Three more local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental have recorded new cases of African swine fever (ASF), raising the number of affected localities to 17 as provincial authorities continue efforts to contain the disease. Governor Eugenio...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
NEGOCC TREATS OVER 77 HA OF RSSI-HIT SUGARCANE FIELDS
The Negros Occidental provincial government has intensified its campaign against the red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI), with more than 77 hectares of sugarcane plantations already treated as authorities continue efforts to contain the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TRO DELAYS PAY RAISE
Labor organizations have strongly criticized the temporary restraining order (TRO) that halted the implementation of the P85 daily minimum wage increase in the National Capital Region (NCR), describing the court action as a setback for workers and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
KEEP ECONOMY AFLOAT, BACOLOD SP TOLD ADOPT FLEXIBLE BIZ POLICIES
While relocating families living under Lupit Bridge may take time, Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya said affected households will be prioritized for rescue, assistance and eventual transfer to safer and more permanent housing at the city’s relocation...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PAY RAISE IN LIMBO
The General Alliance of Workers Association (GAWA) strongly condemned the issuance of a status quo ante order and temporary restraining order (TRO) on the implementation of the P85 daily minimum wage increase for workers in the National Capital Region...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE HOTSPOT
The Bacolod City Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) said cases of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) in the city have reached an alarming level following the rescue of 10 minors aged 12 to 17 from livestreaming...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR BSKE
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Occidental has declared that preparations for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) in November are in full swing, emphasizing that there are no legal impediments that would delay the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TAX RELIEF GETS PRAISE BUT …
The National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines - Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (Nacusip-TUCP) welcomed the economic relief measures announced by President Ferdinand Marcos,Jr.inhis2026 State of the Nation Address...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘PLEASED’ BY THE SPEECH
Bacolod City officials expressed satisfaction with the fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. delivered at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City yesterday, presenting both an accounting of his accomplishments and a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
P250 WAGE HIKE BACKED
The General Alliance of Workers Association (GAWA) has welcomed the proposal to increase the daily minimum wage in the region by P250, saying the adjustment is needed to provide immediate relief to workers grappling with rising living costs and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
DA to allot P235-M for NegOcc RSSI response
The Department of Agriculture (DA) will download P235 million in funds to strengthen Negros Occidental’s response to the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation, with P200 million earmarked for cash assistance to affected sugarcane farmers and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
DECIDE YOUR OWN STRATEGY
The United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines (Unifed) has urged local chief executives across Negros Occidental to immediately implement large-scale measures against red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI), saying every available method...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PROBE ‘UNJUST WAGES’
Diocese of San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, along with two workers’ groups, has called for a thorough government investigation into the labor complaints filed by farm workers at Hacienda Lolita against sugar stakeholder Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
NFSP DEFENDS VALDERRAMA
The National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP) has denounced what it described as a “smear campaign” against Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations (Confed) President Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr., linking the controversy to his outspoken...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
GOING ‘GREEN’ NOT SUFFICIENT
As the debate continues over the most effective response to the infestation of red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI) affecting sugarcane plantations in Negros, the United Sugar Producers Federation (Unifed) is set to convene a forum with a chemical...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SP conference on sanitary landfill foul odor set
The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) will hold a committee conference on Thursday, July 23, to address the foul odor coming from the city’s sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa. Councilor Homer Bais, SP committee on environment and ecology...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FOR SAFE, QUICK PEST SOLUTION?
The Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations (Confed) supports immediate, large-scale spraying using drones and manual ground-based methods to combat the ongoing red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation, while cautioning against the use of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MULTI-PRONGED RSSI APPROACH
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) defended its consistent natural and biological methods to combat the infestation of red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI), saying its initiative began years before Negros Occidental announced its “gogreen”...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
DECLARE WASTE PACT ‘NULL, VOID’
Alyansa Kontra Basura lead convenor Wennie Sancho has requested the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod to officially acknowledge Victorias City’s withdrawal of its proposed memorandum of agreement (MOA) for waste disposal at a landfill in Barangay Felisa.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
LACSON REJECTS AERIAL SPRAYING
Lacson reiterated that while the province recognizes the growing threat posed by RSSI to the sugar industry, it will not finance the aerial spraying campaign being pushed by the United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines (Unifed). “We will...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘ONE-TIME, BIG-TIME’
Sugar producers are pushing for a P200-million emergency aerial spraying program to contain the rapidly spreading infestation of red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI) before the start of the milling season in October, warning that immediate...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PRO-NIR PROBES ONLINE BOMB THREAT AFTER SAN CARLOS SITES CLEARED
The Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) has launched a cybercrime investigation to identify the individual behind an alleged bomb threat posted on social media after authorities found no explosives or suspicious items during security...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ashfall hits 10 brgys in Canlaon City
Ashfall from Kanlaon Volcano’s eruption has affected at least 10 barangays in Negros Oriental’s Canlaon City on Thursday morning, July 9, prompting local authorities to assess damage and advise residents to take health precautions. Seth Barilag,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Olivia, Leo Rey Yanson face perjury, falsification raps
A 78-year-old retired executive of the Yanson Group of Bus Companies (YGBC) has filed separate criminal complaints against Olivia Yanson and her son, Leo Rey, alleging that false sworn statements they executed led to the filing of a carnapping case...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
NegOcc moves to protect municipal waters from commercial fishing
The Negros Occidental provincial government is pushing to strengthen its existing ordinance banning commercial fishing within municipal waters as officials intensify efforts to safeguard the livelihood of more than 45,000 small-scale fisherfolk across...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
2 BACOLOD SCHOOLS GET THREATS
Classes at the University of St. La Salle (USLS) and Luisa Medel National High School in Bacolod City were suspended yesterday due to alleged threats received by the schools. Lt. Colonel Joem Malong, Police Regional Office in the Negros Island Region...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
LANDFILL ACCESS TO PROCEED IF IT HAS SUPPORT: COUNCILOR
The proposed memorandum of agreement (MOA) to allow Victorias City to temporarily dispose of its residual waste at the sanitary landfill in Bacolod City’s Barangay Felisa should proceed only if the Bacolodnons support and accept it, Councilor...
Read Full Story (Page 1)