Flood-hit Isabela town in Negros Occidental has been declared in a state of calamity, while Moises Padilla town officials are expected to make a similar declaration next week.

A Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office report as of 4 p.m. yesterday said flooding brought on by Typhoon Mina affected 2,448 families or 9,524 persons in five towns of Negros Occidental, but many who evacuated had returned home after the waters subsided.

Isabela Mayor Francis Malabor said they declared a state of calamity in his town following floods that caused residents to evacuate destroyed agricultural crops, the total cost of which was still being computed.

A driver and his passenger were injured when his jeepney fell on its side at the flyover area in Brgy. Bata, Bacolod City, at about 10:10 a.m. yesterday.

This brings the total number of accidents at the flyover area to five since it was inaugurated Friday last week, Bacolod City Traffic Management Unit head, Chief Insp. Luisito Acebuche said.

Investigation conducted by Police Officer 3 June Garong showed that the jeepney, with plate number FVZ143 driven by Leoncio Banguanga, 42, of Murcia, Negros Occidental was heading north of Lacson Street when one of the vehicle’s tire rod ends was detached.

San Carlos Bioenergy Inc. has resumed production of  ethanol fuel and recently delivered 1.08 million liters to Petron, Arnel Amparo, its vice president for operations and resident manager, said last night.

“We intend to produce ethanol year round, along with power and, later on, CO2. We intend to succeed even if we had some initial hiccups, and will be a reliable supplier to our consumers,” Jose Ma. Zabaleta, SCBI chairman,  told the DAILY STAR.

Under  the Biofuels Act of 2006 a minimum of  10 percent  blend of bioethanol is currently required in all gasoline fuel distributed and sold  in the country.