A total of 1,127 dengue cases were reported in Negros Occidental from January 1 to May 11 this year, or an increase of 496 percent compared to last year’s cases, records of the Provincial Health Office showed.

Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, said majority of the cases were from Talisay City with 134, followed by Victorias City with 126.

Other reported cases include San Carlos City with 96 dengue patients; Bago City – 91, with 1 fatality; Kabankalan City – 76; Silay City – 71; Escalante City – 57; Murcia – 47; E.B. Magalona and Isabala with 46 each; Himamaylan City – 45; La Carlota City – 44; Manapla – 32; Binalbagan – 27; Calatrava and La Castellana with 26 each; Sagay City – 25, with 1 death; Cadiz City – 16; Hinigaran and Ilog with 14 each; Pontevedra and Don Salvador Benedicto with 9 each; Moises Padilla – 8; San Enrique and Valladolid with 7 each; Cauayan, Hinobaan and Pulupandan with 6 each; Toboso—5, Sipalay City—4, and Candoni—1.

The recently released National Electrification Administration (NEA) categorization puts Central Negros Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CENECO) in the elite list of triple A Electric Cooperatives (ECs) for fiscal year 2012.

Triple A category is the most coveted recognition from NEA. It is a testimony of hard work and team work motivated by burning desire to conform to the Key Performance Standards (KPS) of good governance prescribed by NEA mea-sured in terms of Financial, Institutional and Technical parameters: resulting to efficiency and improvement of service delivery to the customers.

Receiving NDB News-Info alerts via SMS (text messaging) from Negros Daily Bulletin is free.

It does not charge nor bill you if you are a post-paid subscriber.

It does not deduct any amount from your load if you are a pre-paid subscriber.

Whether you receive one or two alerts a day, no worries because it’s absolutely free.

It will only deduct from your load, or charge you, when you reply to the text alert after you have consumed your free or unli-text.

There is no need for you to reply to every NDB News-Info text alert, unless you are requested to do so.

Six persons were arrested in Victorias City early morning yesterday for illegal logging, police said.

Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, acting Negros Occidental Police provincial director, said the six suspects were arrested at 2a. m. by the Victorias police led by Supt. Santiago Rapiz for violation of Forestry Laws.

The suspects on board a tricycle were carrying two pieces of lawaan trees, measuring 392 board feet, with a market value of P13,800, de la Paz said.

Three security guards allegedly involved in a robbery incident were arrested by local police authorities at about 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon at the Kabankalan City New Public Market.

Psupt. Calixto Mabugat, police chief with PO3 Rafael Y. Sta. Ana IV and PO1 Efren T. Gaspillo Jr. arrested Jaime Linas, Rene Estremera and Octavio Gascon, all of E&R Security Agency assigned at Kabankalan City New Public Market. The three were reportedly suspects in the robbery incident that occurred about 10AM, today inside Marasigan Store.

Police probers are now conducting follow-up investigation on the case; while robbery charges are being prepared to be filed against them.

SEASIDE. High tide and waves bring garbage like these in Purok San Roque’s shoreline in Tangub, Bacolod. Nobody seems to care.* (Alein Gazo photo)

Independent Congressional bet for the lone district of Bacolod City, lawyer Lyndon Caña, strongly denied and condemned those who are behind talks and those criticizing him for allegedly having been used to negate the chances of incumbent Congressman Dr. Anthony Golez, by getting votes away from him, in order to make Mayor and winning candidate Evelio Leonardia, emerge victorious after the election. Caña was interviewed yesterday morning over radio station DYRL’s "Tungkaron Ta Ini" program hosted by this reporter and Jeffrey Gelangre. The canard further insisted that Caña was paid a measly P500,000 by Leonardia to get votes away from Golez.

"This is a very stupid, albeit, a preposterous idea as the measly amount mentioned does not compensate my hardships in carrying out my campaign," said Caña, who got around 30,000 votes, lesser than either Leonardia or Golez got. "The claim is totally false and lies."

A congressman can get projects and budget from different agencies. So, as promised to the people during the campaign, Congressman-elect Evelio Leonardia said, he will try his best that Bacolod will get a bigger share of the pie from the national government.

He also said, he is development-oriented having been a mayor for 12 years.

"Although the primary nature of job of a congressman is legislative, I can not take it away from me the mentality to have as many facilities, infrastructure projects and programs, in order that Bacolod will continue to grow, because in the bottomline, if Bacolod will progress, it is the people who will benefit it."