• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
Sagay City Mayor Leo Rafael Cueva has ordered an immediate review to implement stricter safety measures at rivers following the deaths of two Grade 10 students who were swept away by strong currents while swimming in the Himogaan River in Barangay Malubon on January 9.
Cueva directed the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), barangay officials, and concerned city offices to strengthen preventive measures, including clearer warning systems, stricter monitoring of river activities, and intensified public information campaigns, especially during the rainy season.
The mayor emphasized the importance of improving early warning coordination between upland and lowland barangays to ensure that sudden changes in river conditions are communicated quickly and effectively.
The city will assess existing river access points, signage, and community-based monitoring mechanisms to reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future.
This directive follows the completion of a three-day joint search, rescue, and retrieval operation conducted from January 9 to January 11, 2026, after an incident involving 10 students who went to the river to celebrate a birthday but were caught by a sudden flash flood that was caused by heavy rainfall from mountainous areas upstream.
Most of the students managed to return to the riverbank, except for two male students aged 16 and 15, who were carried away by the strong current, and were later found dead.
The mayor expressed deep sympathy to the bereaved families and stated that the city government shares in their grief over the tragic loss of young lives.
RICE RETAIL BIZ
The City Government of Sagay in Negros Occidental turned over a total of 270 sacks of rice to 27 farmers and fisherfolk beneficiaries under the city’s Rice Retail Business Project on January 15.
Beneficiaries under this program initially received 10 sacks each to be sold within their respective communities.
During the activity, Second District Representative Alfredo “Thirdy” Marañon III added 10 more sacks of rice per beneficiary to further support the participants. This brings each beneficiary’s total to 20 sacks.
The rice stocks will be sold at prevailing market prices, allowing beneficiaries to earn income while ensuring affordable rice supplies in their barangays.
The Rice Retail Business Project is facilitated by the City Agriculture Office and aims to provide an additional source of income for farmers and fisherfolk, whose livelihoods are often affected by typhoons and adverse weather conditions.*
