This Week in Bacolod City (July 10 to 16, 2022)

New and current Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez or Mayor Albee has formed a new pandemic response team in Bacolod City renaming Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Coronavirus Disease Action Team.

The newly renamed COVID-19 response team is previously known as EOC, created under the term of previous Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia.

The newly renamed Coronavirus Disease Action Team (COVID-19 Action Team) shall regulate and track of COVID cases in Bacolod City. The team composes of the City Health Office (CHO), the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD), the Management Information Technology and Computer Services (MITCS), and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO).

Benitez said that he and his team would also meet with the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental in alignment with the new team responsible for COVID cases in the highly urbanized Bacolod City. [1] The newly appointed Mayor Benitez said that for this COVID-19 response team, they will converge and put all efforts needed as he already ordered the CHO to coordinate with the Department of Health (DOH) regarding the matter. To solidify the authorized COVID-19 response body, Benitez said that they would also connect with the World Health Organization (WHO) through the DOH to gather data and information that would help them respond to the issues brought by the pandemic, especially with new and future variants.

Benitez also plans to establish more vaccination drives and campaigns in localized barangays, especially with the further inoculation of booster shots.

Drivers and public transportation operators of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City seek the assistance of newly-elected President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. regarding the modernization plan concerns of public utility vehicles (PUVs).

They emphasized that the said modernization plans by the local and national government should not hinder or breach the Republic Act 11494, also known as Bayanihan to Recover as One-Act. [3]

According to the public transport body, the modernization plan is not aligned with the benefit of the people; instead, it will only favor some privileged corporations.

The statement that they have sent to the president says that under the said law, ‘there should not be a phase-out at the national and local levels of any modality of public utility vehicles as the industry transitions to a new normal.’ [4]

Moreover, public transportation mainly seeks the immediate response of the national government on finding solutions to the continuing increase of gasoline and diesel products.

On the other hand, the food delivery riders in Bacolod City also seek to help increase the delivery service fees, akin to the increasing oil and gasoline prices.

Food delivery riders from a widely known delivery service platform expressed this through a protest last July 4.

The food delivery riders temporarily did not go on duty to organize the food delivery riders’ strike. They call for assistance, expressing their concerns through the said protest at Bacolod City Government Center, demanding their management increase the service fees and charges.

To the testimony of the riders, the said management has declared to them that there would be a raise to the minimum delivery fee amounting to PhP45. At present, delivery ranges from PhP15 to PhP21 still, and the delivery riders attest that the fees were insufficient to sustain their daily income of only around PhP350. [5]

The management responds to this, saying that they closely coordinate with delivery partners and keep the delivery riders updated. The administration aims to provide and help their delivery riders benefit more in support of these economic struggles and trying times.

Mt. Kanlaon shows increased activity and danger with possible phreatic eruptions, as confirmed by Director Renato Solidum Jr. of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). [6]

Residents living near the volcano are advised to avoid being near the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone.

Movements and magma eruptions from Mt. Kanlaon have caused at least 41 volcanic earthquakes detected from June 30, 5:00 AM, until July 3, 2:00 PM.

For the past 72 hours, no plume has been detected from the volcano, and at least 21 volcanic quakes were detected.

As of writing, a status of Alert Level 1 is maintained within Mt. Kanlaon.

A new hospital building in Bacolod City was launched last July 5, featuring state-of-the-art facilities and new health care services. The Riverside Medical Center Inc. (RMCI) opened its new hospital building through a successful blessing and unveiling attended by the RMCI Executives, RMCI President, and Chief Executive Officer Genesis Goldi Golingan. It was also graced by the presence of Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson.

Newly-elected Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez or Mayor Javi Benitez announces that he will soon launch a Complaints and Action Center and Career Assistance Help Desks to better serve the residents of Victorias City. [6]

The Complaints and Action Center and Career Assistance or Victorias City Help Desks will listen to and address the concerns, applications, recommendations, and other needs of the constituents in the northern Negros Occidental locality.

Benitez has also recently released his first Executive Order under his term regarding the general policy of the six-point agenda under his administration. The Victorias City Mayor has also retained the employment of all casual, contractual, and job order workers.

Mayor Javi Benitez is the son of also newly-appointed Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez.

Smile Residences, named after what Bacolod City is known for, is being developed under SM Development Corp. (SMDC), aiming to take Bacolod City to more improved developments as it offers the people the best leisure and business services in one setting.

SMDC boasts its master plan development to be situated near lifestyle establishments near SM City Bacolod, SMX Convention Center, and Park Inn by Radisson Hotel.

SM Offices are also to be established within the vicinity.

Visit Yoorekka Magazine for more travel and COVID-19 updates and guidelines in Bacolod and Negros!