A new city ordinance strengthening the PhilHealth beneficiaries of Bacolod City sponsored by Bacolod Councilor El Cid Familiaran was passed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
The ordinance targets 4,000 to 5,000 families in Bacolod who were not qualified among the 46,000 families under the Universal PhilHealth sponsored by the national government of President Benigno Aquino III. Persons with disabilities, abandoned children, and single parents are being prioritized in the ordinance. If approved, the city will provide P2,400 for each PhilHealth beneficiary. Familiaran said the implementation may possibly fall at the end of the year./WDJ By Nicole A. Villavecer Watchmen Daily Journal
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As an additional security measure, a total of 46 elementary and secondary public schools in Bacolod City have been approved of a closed-circuit television camera surveillance system, Councilor El Cid Familiaran said yesterday.
The implementation, however, will still depend on Mayor Monico Puentevella. A budget of approximately P2 million will be allotted in installing the CCTV cameras, as this costs more or less P50,000 per school, he added. One of the 46 public schools that will benefit is the Negros Occidental High School (NOHS), which will receive tomorrow a 32-inch flat screen monitor and 16 CCTV cameras donated by the NOHS Class ‘78 led by Familiaran as class president. He also said the cable wiring in the CCTV camera installment is very expensive, but he assured the city has availed of a big discount from suppliers. “But this still depends on what Mayor Puentevella has to say,” Familiaran said. Familiaran added the city government may emulate Makati City in installing high-end cameras on major roads, as what they have experienced during their Lakbay Aral in Luzon last week. The proposal has been dubbed as “City’s Public Schools CCTV Ordinance” by Familiaran. This video surveillance system is aimed at recording factual evidence of crime, which the city plans to address./WDJ By Nicole Villavecer Watchmen Daily Journal Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella said yesterday he will respect whatever decision the Sangguniang Panlungsod will make on the reorganization of the major committee chairmanship today.
“Whatever their decision is, I will respect it,” he said. Puentevella also stressed that he does not meddle with the business of the Sanggunian, adding that it is on their discretion because it’s a separation of jurisdiction. Councilor El Cid Familiaran said Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya had called for a luncheon meeting today wherein the reorganization will be finally formalized. Familiaran added the reorganization of the different committee chairmanships will be appointed automatically, and not through votation. He hinted that police matters will remain on his committee, as well as health and urban poor. The committee on education, which he originally chaired, will be given to the majority bloc, he said. “It doesn’t matter what committee you are chairing. The moment you become author of an ordinance, you can have the jurisdiction already,” Familiaran added./WDJ By Nicole Villavecer Watchmen Daily Journal Members of the majority bloc at the Sangguniang Panlungsod will definitely push for the committee chairmanship reorganization in today’s regular session, confirmed Councilor El Cid Familiaran.
He said they expect a smooth transition in the transfer of committee chairmanships, as Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya calls for a caucus before the start of the session. Familiaran said the new committee assignments will be discussed during the caucus as members of the majority bloc had assigned among themselves the major committees. He revealed further there will be no more individual floor nomination for each major committee. Familiaran revealed the change in committee chairmanship is more of a formality, as the reorganization had been expected months ago yet. He further disclosed he will continue to chair the committee on police and security, but will waive the offer of heading the committee on education as this was personally requested by a fellow member. “Hapos lang gid sa akon istoryahun (I am easy to talk to) and he requested for it so I gave it to him,” Familiaran said without naming names. The councilor also explained that as tradition, the vice chairman of the committees will be assigned to members of the minority. Familiaran stressed committee assignments do not actually matter./WDJ By Ranie S. Azue Watchmen Daily Journal |
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