Oil prices hit a record high above $126 a barrel in the worldwide market late last week.*

Police in Negros and Panay are on red alert for a nationally coordinated transportation strike against the spiraling increase in fuel prices that begins today.

Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar, Bacolod police director, yesterday said the police will practice maximum tolerance, but will not allow strikers to prevent vehicles still plying the streets from going about their business.

He also said trisikads will not be allowed to ply major streets, where they are prohibited from going, during the strike.

ILOILO CITY – Students and their parents face higher education expenses this coming school year as around 33 or 25 percent of the 134 private schools offering higher education programs in Western Visayas have increased their tuition and other school fees.

Data from the regional office of the Commission on Higher Education showed that 28 schools will increase their tuition by an average of 8 percent.

The highest percentage increase will be implemented by the Kabankalan Catholic College in Negros Occidental while the lowest increase is at 3 percent by the AMA Computer College..

Fifteen policemen assigned in Western Visayas have been suspended without pay effective May 1, for absence-without-leave and for inefficiency, police records show.

Seven of the policemen are assigned in Negros Occidental. Suspended for 90 days were Police Officers 1 Abraham Golingan and Judesses Catalogo, both members of the Sipalay City Police Station, and PO1 Cesar Espinosa of the Pulupandan Police Station.

Suspended for 15 days were SPO2 Charlie Gayatao, SPO2 Vicente Garino, PO2 Roberto Arrazola and PO1 James Barredo.