BACOLOD City — In anticipation of increased activities and potential emergencies during the holiday season, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council–Emergency Operations Center (PDRRMC–EOC) in Negros Occidental has been placed under Blue Alert Status.
The alert will be in effect from 5 p.m. on December 22 until 8 a.m. on January 2, 2026.
The move aims to ensure heightened preparedness and swift response capabilities amid Christmas and New Year celebrations, when travel, gatherings, and public events are expected to peak across the province.
Under Blue Alert Status, PDRRMC–EOC personnel are required to be on standby, closely monitor developments, and maintain coordination with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, response agencies, and other concerned units.
To help ensure public safety, the Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO–NIR) has also implemented heightened police visibility through intensified patrols, strategic checkpoints, and close coordination with local government units, barangay officials, and force multipliers across the region.
Brig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, regional director of PRO–NIR, urged the public to remain vigilant during the Yuletide season.
“As we celebrate the Yuletide season, we call on everyone to stay alert, responsible, and cooperative,” Ibay said. “Public safety is a shared responsibility, and with the active participation of our communities, we can ensure a peaceful, orderly, and joyful Christmas and New Year for all Negrenses.”
Authorities also reminded the public that indiscriminate or celebratory gunfire is illegal and dangerous. Anyone caught engaging in such acts—whether a civilian or a law enforcer—will face immediate arrest./PN
