THE City of Bacolod is planning to establish a dialysis center and a mini-hospital. Councilor Alex Paglumotan said he will propose an ordinance creating the dialysis center in relation to the concept of Mayor Monico Puentevella to convert the City Health Office (CHO) into a mini-hospital. Puentevella said the CHO needs to be renovated for expansion to accommodate dialysis patients. The mayor said his concept of establishing a mini-hospital came up after he received information last week that a certain mother went to the CHO and asked helped for the treatment of her daughter, who later died. Before that, the patient was brought to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH), but she was not accommodated due to overcrowding. In 2014, the City Council approved a resolution authored by Councilor El Cid Familiaran requesting the 11 congressmen from Negros Occidental to donate or cause the donation of a hemodialysis machine to the CLMMRH. For his part, Abang Lingkod party-list Representative Stephen Paduano is working on a House bill which will require the national government through the Department of Health to put up at least two hemodialysis machines in all public hospitals in the country within three years. (CNC)
0 Comments
BACOLOD City – The city government here considers converting the City Health Office (CHO) into a mini hospital. A councilor, on the other hand, plans to file an ordinance seeking the creation of a dialysis center. It is time for CHO to be renovated and expanded to accommodate more patients, Mayor Monico Puentevella said. Puentevella said he was informed an ill girl taken to CHO recently had died. Before that, he said, the girl’s mother went to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) but was not accommodated because the hospital was already “overcrowded.” He said the city government needs to have its own mini hospital to take the patients who cannot be admitted in existing hospitals here. Councilor Alex Paglumotan, meanwhile, thought it would be good if the city government also has a dialysis center. In 2014, the Sangguniang Panlungsod asked representatives in Negros Occidental to “donate or cause the donation of” a hemodialysis machine to CLMMRH. In the resolution authored by Councilor El Cid Familiaran, health committee chair, the council said the number of hemodialysis machines at CLMMRH is not enough to “serve the overwhelming needs” of patients in the province and this capital city. Abang Lingkod party-list’s Rep. Stephen Paduano, on the other hand, is working on a bill that requires the national government, through the Department of Health, to put up at least two hemodialysis machines in all public hospitals in the country. Puentevella had also said part of the income from the sale of the Manokan Country property will go to health care services, which include the purchase of new hemodialysis machines./PN By MAE SINGUAY Panay News February 22, 2016 sgg BACOLOD City – Finally, city councilors here can discuss other matters in their sessions now that the P1.8-billion annual city government budget for this year is approved. The city government may now function better, too, compared to when it was operating on a reenacted budget, according to Councilor Archie Baribar. The Sangguniang Panlungsod unanimously approved the budget yesterday after Councilor Claudio Jesus Puentevella, chairperson of the committee on appropriations and finance, submitted his committee report on it. The city council started discussing the then proposed annual budget in October last year. Baribar, who presided yesterday’s session, said it took them only an hour to deliberate on the report and approve the budget. He noted no objections from his fellow councilors and no reduction in any of the city hall departments’ allocations. Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya was on official leave. He left for Manila to attend an event of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines. No. 1 Councilor El Cid Familiaran, on the other hand, was sick. In its next sessions, Baribar said, the Sangguniang Panlungsod may discuss Mayor Monico Puentevella’s request for authority to enter into an agreement on the P2.5-million financial aid the city government will give Bacolaodiat Festival organizers. Bacolaodiat (Chinese New Year celebration) was held from Feb. 5 to 8. The city government earlier promised the organizers a P4-million financial assistance but was unable to release it in time for the festival. At that time, the city council was still barred by the Local Government Code from tackling matters other than the annual budget. On Monday, the executive department sent the city council another request for the cash aid, with the amount reduced to P2.5 million. Another matter the councilors will discuss, Baribar said, is the ratification of the contract for the flyover project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) at the Magsaysay-Araneta intersection here. Gasataya, who acted as mayor when Mayor Puentevella was suspended for 90 days over a graft charge, signed the agreement for the construction and installation of a two-lane, 195-meterpermanent modular flyover. Once the agreement is ratified, it will be forwarded to the DPWH for project implementation, Gasataya earlier said. One of the city government’s priority projects, the Araneta-Magsaysay flyover is seen to decongest vehicular traffic here./PN BY MAE SINGUAY After more than a month, the proposed 2016 general budget amounting to P1.8 billion was finally approved by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) during their regular session yesterday. Councilor Claudio Jesus Raymundo “Kalaw” Puentevella, Chairman of the SP Committee on Appropriations and Finance, submitted during the session his committee report which was consolidated based on the series of budget hearings he had conducted since January. Prior to the session, Councilor Archie Baribar was chosen by the SP to sit as acting presiding officer after acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran notified SP secretary Vicente Petierre III of his absence. Familiaran is acting Vice Mayor until Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya returns from a Vice Mayor’s League meeting in Manila. “If the vice mayor is not around, we recognize the first councilor to preside but if he is not available, the council will select from among themselves who will preside,” explained Baribar, a lawyer. Baribar said he was privileged to be selected by the body as the presiding officer. In yesterday’s regular session, Baribar said the City Council had no further questions during the budget deliberation and decided to unanimously approve the budget with colatilla, a request for the list and number of job order (JO) casual employees that may be hired under the said budget. Baribar claimed, however, that the number of JOs cannot yet be determined as it cannot be immediately seen in a budget proposal for the whole year. They finally proceeded with the approval of the budget for second and third reading, Baribar added. Despite the colatilla, Baribar pointed out the City Government can now utilize the 2016 budget, especially for the placement of personnel and other pending projects. With the passage of the budget, the SP can also start to tackle some of the more than 60 pending matters next week. “It will be a heavy normal situation for us next session as we will discuss urgent matters with the SP that have been delayed for the past month,” Baribar said. Aside from Baribar, other members of the SP present were Roberto “Bobby” Rojas, Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, Em Ang, Carl Lopez, Ana Marie Palermo, Sonya Verdeflor, Alex Paglumotan, Wilson “Jun” Gamboa, Jr., Caesar Distrito, Noli Villarosa, and Puentevella./WDJ By Glazyl Jane Marie Y. Masculino Bacolod Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez, who is running for congressman of Bacolod City, will enjoy the support of the Liberal Party to help him attain victory in the May 9 elections, Senate president Franklin Drilon said yesterday. “He (Lopez) is our official candidate and there is no reason why we will not support him,” Drilon said. Lopez took his oath as a member of the Liberal Party at the party's Balay Headquarters at the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City last year in the presence of LP presidential candidate Mar Roxas and LP president Jun Abaya. He was the only candidate in Bacolod issued a certificate of nomination and acceptance by LP in Manila signed by Abaya. Other LP candidates in Bacolod City are Councilor El Cid Familiaran, who is running for vice mayor under the Grupo Progreso of the Nationalist People's Coalition, and Councilors Sonya Verdeflor and Ann Marie Palermo, who are seeking re-election, as well as Catalino Alisbo who is running for councilor, all under the MKK Partido Bacolod. Drilon said all mayoralty candidates in Bacolod are his allies, referring to Rep. Evelio Leonardia of the NPC-Grupo Progreso and Mayor Monico Puentevella, who is seeking re-election for a second term. Meanwhile, Drilon had pledged to help make Bacolod as progressive and beautiful like what he did in Iloilo City if he will be re-elected. He promised to help Bacolod realize the project if Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo, Liberal Party presidential and vice presidential candidates, respectively, will be elected, during the rally of the Liberal Party Tuesday at the Paglaum Sports Complex. Drilon also suggested to Leonardia and Puentevella to find a way to put up a Bacolod Business Center in the 23-hectare old Bacolod airport, either through a joint venture, in order to provide employment to the people.*CGS BACOLOD City – Suspended Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella is expected to return to the Bacolod People’s House today, Feb. 15, 2016, after serving the 90-day suspension meted by the Sandiganbayan. Acting Mayor Greg Gasataya turned over Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, to the General Services (GSO) Office properties of the city issued to him when he assumed as acting mayor Nov. 16, 2015. The GSO conducted an inventory of all properties it issued Gasataya as it had done when the latter took over from Puentevella. Puentevella was meted the 90-day preventive suspension by the Fourth Division of the Sandiganbayan for the graft case filed against him for alleged overpriced computer packages amounting to P26 million using his priority Development Assistance Fund when he was still Bacolod City representative. Puentevella, a former Tawag ng Tanghalan champion during his heydays as a singer, also held a concert Sunday, Feb. 14 in celebration for his comeback to the city hall. Earlier, he said declared he will restore discipline in the city and regretted that the city government’s affairs will in on Gasataya’s hands during his suspension which ended Feb. 13. With Puentevella’s comeback, Gasataya will resume as vice mayor and acting vice mayor El Cid Familiaran will also relinquish the vice mayor’s office. Familiaran said he did not encounter any problems because the SP did not take up any other items since the proposed 2016 general budget amounting to P1.8 billion has yet to be approved by the city council. Familiaran added that he also said he did not use the P1.6-million budget allocated for the salaries of job order casual employees of the council. They only utilized about P600,000 for the salaries of the JO's for two months, he said By: Dolly Yasa BACOLOD City – Acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran is not welcoming the come-backing suspended Mayor Monico Puentevella. Familiaran has taken a leave for five days, from Feb. 12 to Feb. 16. He returns to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) on Wednesday. Being the councilor who earned the second highest number of votes in the 2013 elections, Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue is temporarily replacing Familiaran. Familiaran, however, said Batapa-Sigue is assuming the vice mayoralty post only until this afternoon as Puentevella’s 90-day preventive suspension is set to expire at 4 p.m. Familiaran described his three-month stint as SP presiding officer as smooth sailing. He said the city council did not face serious problems during his leadership, except for the city council’s failure to pass the 2016 budget of the city. Familiaran further said he also did not terminate or hire any job order employees for the SP with Puentevella’s suspension. His decision not to dismiss anyone or create new job positions was out of respect to Puentevella, he said. Only P600,000 of the allotted P1.6-million budget for the salaries of SP’s job order employees were released as of the first two months of the year, he added./PN BY MAE SINGUAY Acting Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya turned over yesterday to the General Services Office properties of the city issued to him when he assumed as acting mayor on Nov. 16, 2015. The GSO conducted an inventory of all properties it had issued Gasataya as it had done when he took over from Mayor Monico Puentevella who was preventively suspended for 90 days, in preparation for the return of the latter on Monday. Puentevella was meted 90 days preventive suspension by the Fourth Division of the Sandiganbayan for the graft case filed against him involving the purchase of alleged overpriced computer packages amounting to P26 million using his priority Development Assistance Fund when he was yet congressman of Bacolod. Meanwhile, acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran took a five-day leave starting yesterday afternoon until Tuesday to attend to some appointments. Familiaran said he will be temporarily replaced by Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, being the councilor with the second highest number of votes during the 2013 elections. Sigue will only take over for three days or until noon of February 14, since Gasataya will return as vice mayor of the city, after Puentevella has fully served his 90-day preventive suspension, he said. Familiaran said he will return on Wednesday to attend the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod. During his 90 days stint as presiding officer of the SP, Familiaran said he did not encounter any problems because the SP did not take up any other items since the proposed 2016 general budget amounting to P1.8 billion has yet to be approved by the city council. He also said he did not consume the P1.6 million budget that was allocated for the salaries of the job order casual employees of the SP. They only utilized about P600,000 for the salaries of the JO's for two months, Familiaran said. He also pointed out that he did not hire additional JO's for the SP in respect to Puentevella who is set to return to office on Monday.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO AFTER serving a 90-day preventive suspension ordered by the Sandiganbayan First Division, Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella returns to office on Sunday. With Puentevella’s return, the city’s proposed 2016 annual budget of P1.8 million is also expected to be approved in the coming week. His son, Councilor Claudio Jesus Puentevella, chair of the committee on finance and appropriation, is already set to submit his committee report to the City Council. The mayor had earlier said that once he returns to office he is keen on “restoring order and discipline in Bacolod.” Puentevella also said there will be a lot of reorganization and he will be “hands-on in the reforms, starting with the traffic condition of the city.” “You will see me on the streets again. Bacolod will be back to normal and we will put back what’s necessary on Valentine’s Day,” he said. Last November 16, Puentevella stepped down from office after he was ordered suspended over the graft case he is facing pertaining to the purchase of P26 million in computer packages for public schools when he was still a congressman of Bacolod. Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya took over as acting mayor while Council El Cid Familiaran assumed as acting vice mayor. Gasataya said that once he returns to his post as vice mayor, he will submit a certificate of compliance to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on his temporary assumption of Puentevella’s mayoral post. He added that his appointees will also step down from their current positions on February 14. Among his appointees are Acting City Legal Officer Juvy Dioso and Acting City Administrator Goldwyn Nifras as well as several executive assistants. The General Services Office (GSO) also asked Gasataya to turn over the properties he used during his three-month stint as acting mayor. GSO head Jerome Solinap said on Thursday that he instructed Building Administrator Victor Espina to conduct an inventory of the properties turned over to Gasataya when he assumed the post of Puentevella. On leave Familiaran took a five-day leave effective Friday to attend to some of his appointments. Familiaran, who will be back on February 16, was substituted by Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, being the second councilor with the highest votes. However, Familiaran said that Batapa-Sigue will take over the vice mayoral post only until noon of February 14 since Gasataya will return to his post on the same day. (with reports from CNC ) Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on February 14, 2016. The Bacolod General Service Office will conduct an inventory today of all properties it had issued to acting Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya as it had done when he took over on November 16, 2015, from Mayor Monico Puentevella who was preventively suspended for 90 days. GSO head Jerome Solinap yesterday said he has instructed Building Administrator Victor Espina to conduct the inventory of all properties owned by the city turned over to Gasataya in preparation for the return of Puentevella on February 14 . Puentevella was meted 90 days preventive suspension by the Fourth Division of the Sandiganbayan in the graft case filed against him involving the purchase of alleged overpriced computer packages amounting to P26 million using his priority Development Assistance Fund when he was yet congressman of Bacolod. Gasataya will return to his position as vice mayor on Monday, while acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran will assume his position as number one councilor. Solinap said they need to conduct the inventory now to avoid any confusion or allegations involving properties issued to Gasataya, to secure City Hall. They will request Gasataya to turn over the keys to the guards, or to Espina, he said. “If they enter City Hall during the weekend they can coordinate with us. As property custodian, we are tasked to secure the properties of the city,” he added. In an interview over ABS-CBN, Gasataya said he has no problem about an inventory of city's properties issued to him because he is finalizing everything he needs to turn over before Puentevella returns. He is also trying to finish all the documents that need to be signed for the salaries of city employees, he said. Puentevella had earlier announced that he will “resurrect” during a concert on February 14 after he was “politically crucified” by his political opponents. The graft case against him was, however, filed by the Special Prosecutor of the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas before the Sandiganbayan. Puentevella also disclosed plans to reorganize City Hall when he return after having fully served his 90 days preventive suspension and that hw will also ask the Sangunian to extend the processing of business permits until March 15. He also said he will invite the business sector to a dialog on February 22 to discuss the real property tax and added that there will be “fireworks” in the Sanggunian when he comes back. Meanwhile, City Social Services and Development head Pacita Tero said the financial assistance of the city for the fire victims of Purok Sunrise in Brgy. Taculing and Barangay 2 is now being processed, and may be released “when Puentevella returns”.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Visayan Daily Star February 12, 2016 sgg |
Categories
All
|