This Week in Bacolod (April 8 to 15, 2018)

The week will start with morning rain showers, specifically on March 8 to March 9, while thunderstorms to light afternoon rain showers will be experienced on March 10 to March 14. According to AccuWeather, minimum temperature will be at 25 °C, while maximum temperature will be at 34 °C [1]. Tourists are advised to always bring an umbrella whatever weather conditions are forecast. Since it is summer, it is also recommended to wear light-colored, breathable fabrics.

Commuters and tourists are advised by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board 6 (LTFRB-6) to shun riding “colorum” vehicles or unregistered public utility vehicles (PUVs) for their own safety. It was observed that there is a growing operation of “colorum” PUVs transporting passengers outside the routes covered by their franchises. LTFRB-6 regional director Richard Osmeña said that they will be going around Panay and Negros Occidental to hunt down these vehicles [2].

Better marketing initiatives are eyed for Sipalay Airport after having low passenger turnout last year. Reports showed that the number of passengers catered to was only 12.5 percent of the total 1,656 available seats from August to December 2017. A need to create more marketing efforts for the airport is eyed in order to further boost passenger traffic in Southern Negros Occidental.

According to Cristine Mansinares, provincial supervising tourism operations officer, the airport started its operation last August, which was a close season for tourist arrivals. It is expected that there will be an influx of tourists as summer approaches [3].

Silay Outdoor Recreation and Eco Tourism Area (SORETA) or Patag Mountain Resort will be temporarily closed as they are still pending compliance to the requirements of Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) [4]. Visitors and tourists who are planning to have a vacation at Mt. Patag are advised to stay in nearby resorts in the area instead. It is also recommended to book rooms and accommodations ahead of time since an influx of tourists is projected this season.