Senior Citizens will now enjoy free parking privileges in the malls and other areas of Bacolod City, as per resolution of Councilor El Cid Familiaran, which was approved in the mid-week session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City.
The granting of such welfare services to senior citizens will alleviate their state and well-being which will also provide comfort & convenience in their daily transactions. The services that will also make elder people’s lives easier is by affording and giving them due respect & appropriate services, which among others, by exempting them fees on parking imposed by malls/department stores and/ or in areas within the City of Bacolod. This is stipulated in the Ordinance known as, "An Ordinance Giving Privilege of Free Parking for Senior Citizens in Malls and other Areas in the City of Bacolod." In short, the "Elderly Free Parking Ordinance." It is a policy of the City to provide welfare services and benefits thru incentives to its elderly people. Towards such end, senior citizens deserve respect, and appropriate services to realize such objective. Senior citizens who personally drive a vehicle are given privilege of free parking. However, for purposes of authenticity and veracity, senior citizens who may wish to avail of this privilege shall present his/her Senior Citizens ID. A priority parking space for vehicles driven by senior citizens shall be reserved at malls or at any concerned business entity in the City. For this purpose, a waiver for parking fee maybe issued by mall or business management. Violation of this ordinance would mean penalty. First Offense -One Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P 1,500.00). Second Offense - Three Thousand Pesos (P 3,000.00). Third Offense - Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00). This Ordinance shall take effect Fifteen (15) days after publication in the newspaper of local circulation in the City of Bacolod.*
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Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City have approved in yesterday’s session the resolution authored by Councilor Caesar Distrito, congratulating and honoring the Inglesia ni Cristo (INC) for its 98th Founding Anniversary today, July 27.
Distrito recalls that the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) was formally established on July 27, 1914, within its first chapel in Punta Santa Ana , and its expansion continued under the stewardship of Felix Ysagun Manalo, which he began establishing congregations throughout the country, including the Visayas and Mindanao. In 1949, the Iglesia built its first central office and official residence at the Executive Minister on Riverside Street, San Juan, Metro Manila. The congregation grew from approximately 85,000 in 1936 to 200,000 in 1954. By 1970, the INC had about 500,000 members and was established in almost every province in the Philippines. When Executive Minister Eraño Manalo assumed the leadership of INC, he began to travel to various congregations, officiating at worship services, and staging religious rallies. Over the next 30 years, the Iglesia established more than 4,000 locals and 100 districts. The Iglesia became the fastest growing church in the Philippines and it expanded to other countries, beginning with the United States, and it has now radio and TV stations operating 24 hours; INC as we had seen. Distrito said, had grown to more than 5,000 congregations in the Philippines and more than 600 abroad. The INC now has local congregations in 89 countries and territories, and its members belonging to 102 nationalities and ethnic groups. With the passing away of its second Executive Minister, the much loved Eraño Manalo, on August 31, 2009, the leadership of the church passed on to his son, Eduardo V. Manalo, who had served as Deputy Executive Minister, and is serving until this present time. In Bacolod City alone, Distrito quantifies, Iglesia ni Cristo has more than 22 locals with tens of thousands of members who had become part of the integral social dimension of the community, contributing so much in the spiritual, economic and social well-being of the entire populace. From the beginning, the INC has continuously extended help not only to the well-being of local townspeople but also to protect the environment through its various humanitarian services and outreach programs, such as its "Lingap sa Mamamayan (Filipino: Care for the People)", offering free medical and dental services, community cleanups and tree planting projects He therefore resolved to congratulate and honor INC on this special occasion, and furnish copies of the resolution to the Central Office of INC, as her district office at the Shopping Center and all their local churches in Bacolod City. The co-authors were Councilors El Cid Familiaran, Em Ang, Al Victor Espino, Mona Dia Jardin, and Jose Carlos Lopez.* HE City Council of Bacolod in a resolution authored by Councilors Caesar Distrito, Em Ang, El Cid Familiaran, Al Victor Espino, Carl Lopez and Mona Dia Jardin, greeted the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) on its 98th Founding Anniversary tomorrow, July 27.
The INC celebration is anchored on the theme "Intense Propagation of the Words of God.” The INC was formally established on July 27, 1914, within its first chapel in Punta, Santa Ana, and its expansion continued under the stewardship of Felix Ysagun Manalo, who began establishing congregations throughout the country. In 1949, the INC built its first central office and official residence of the Executive Minister on Riverside Street, San Juan, Metro Manila. The congregation grew from approximately 85,000 in 1936 to 200,000 in 1954. By 1970, the INC had about 500,000 members and was established in almost every province in the Philippines. When Executive Minister Eraño Manalo assumed the leadership of INC, he began to travel to the various congregations, officiating at worship services and staging religious rallies. Over the next 30 years, the Iglesia established more than 4,000 locals and 100 districts. The Iglesia became the fastest growing church in the Philippines and it expanded to other countries, beginning with the United States. It has now radio and TV stations operating 24 hours. INC had grown to more than 5,000 congregations in the Philippines and more than 600 abroad. The INC now has local congregations in 89 countries and territories, and its members belonging to 102 nationalities and ethnic groups. With the passing away of its second Executive Minister on August 31, 2009, the leadership of the church was passed on to his son, Eduardo Manalo, who had served as Deputy Executive Minister, and is serving until this present time. In Bacolod City alone, Iglesia has more than 22 locals with tens of thousands of members that become part of the integral social dimension of the community, contributing in the spiritual, economic and social well-being of the entire populace. (Carla N. Canet) Sun Star Bacolod Councilor El Cid Familiaran has observed that several months have passed since the repair/construction of circumferential roads, traffic remains a problem in the area.
Aside from that, a number of vehicular accidents ensued resulting in injuries to people. Those accidents and injuries should have been avoided had the Circumferential Roads been provided with traffic enforcers to insure the order of traffic, he said. Hence, to have a smooth traffic flow in the Circumferential roads and prevent further untoward accidents which may involve commuters, the presence of traffic enforcers is urgently needed. Therefore, he resolved during the midweek session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod to request the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office(BTAO) thru the Office of the City Mayor to assign traffic enforcers at the Circumferential roads, particularly in areas which are under construction.* (EBColmo) Submitted by Edith Colmo Negros Daily Bulletin BACOLOD City Councilor Elcid Familiaran has requested Mayor Evelio Leonardia to formally organize the People's Law Enforcement Board (Pleb).
He said the process of the selection for the membership in the Pleb was already done and what remains is for the local chief executive to organize the same and subsequently designate Pleb composition. He said Councilor Dindo Ramos was nominated to head the Pleb, while the City Peace & Order Council (CPOC) had already submitted to the City Council the list of sectoral representatives for the board. Familiaran also requested the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office through Leonardia to assign traffic enforcers at the Circumferential Roads especially in areas that are under construction. He said that for the past months, the Circumferential Roads are still under repair thus, the traffic bottleneck. (CNC) Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper There’s a lot of pairing with Mayor Evelio Leoanardia for a line-up in the next year’s election. In the past, this would be premature but because we are going to have an automated election, the filing of certificates of candidacy will be this October, seven months before the election.
We are now bombarded with names of who is running for what and with whom. The most interesting development so far is the pairing with Bing Leonardia who is expected to run for Congress against the incumbent Anthony Golez. Ironically they were partners in the last elections. Bing is barred by law from running for mayor, so he has his sights on a higher position and that is Congress, thus he challenges Golez. It is therefore no longer possible for Bing to pair with Golez or Golez with Bing, but the question that has been going the rounds for weeks is who will run with Bing for Mayor and Vice Mayor, and who will run with Golez for Mayor and Vice Mayor. Vice Mayor Thaddeus Sayson is Bing’s pick for mayor. There is a third pairing going the rounds. Who will run with Monico Puentevella who is gunning for mayor? Who will be his partner for congressman and for vice mayor? There are two dominant political groups in Bácolod at least in the last election. One group, known as Grupo Progreso had Golez for congressman, Bing for mayor and Thaddeus Sayson for vice mayor. The group won plus a majority of the Sanggunian. The other group is that of Puentevella known as Monopal, the acronym for Monico, Renecito Novero and Anne Marie Palermo. The three lost - Monico for mayor, Novero for congressman and Palermo for vice mayor. They had, however, a good group in the SP though not a majority, but top vote getters, like El Cid Familiaran, Archie Baribar and Sonia Verdeflor. Grupo Progreso remains intact except for Golez, who began to take a different stance since last year and got alienated from the Grupo. He is no longer acceptable in the slate that is being formulated by the group. Aside from him, Grupo Progreso is united except for a few days of indication of disagreements when Novero’s people sent out news that Novero would be taken in by the group as its vice mayoralty candidate, in effect, infiltrating the group and sowing seeds of disunity. Nevertheless, the perception of disunity was squelched as fast as it came out, when Bing and Thaddeus said that no agreement had been entered into between Novero and Bing or Thaddeus and that the supposed, or broadcast tandem with an acronym “Bing-Mo-No” has no basis but mere “pairing,” a whistle in the wind. Failing that, the media handlers and operators identified with the camp of Puentevella and Novero came out with another flight of fancy (palupad in Hiligaynon) – LPG which stands for Leonardia, Puentevella and Gonzales. Vladimir Gonzales is believed to be the tandem of Puentevella for mayor and Gonzales for vice mayor. LPG came out as another joke but it projected the image that the people considered to the propaganda spinner under the pay of Puentevella are trying to pair Bing with at least Puentevella to the exclusion of Novero. Some think that LPG came out of the tank of Gonzales and Puentevella. This recent pairing tells an interesting story. The people of Novero and or Puentevella are trying to hitch on Bing and therefore we can suspect that, in their assessment, Bing is the strongest candidate and that by latching their wagons with Bing, they can ride into the Bacolod Government Center. Well, at least, for Novero, because Puentevella pledged he would never hold office in the BGC, a promise that is being fulfilled because his first try was a failure and probably his second as well, because the Mayor of Bacolod holds office at the BGC. The heavens, I think, do not want him to break his pledge. The pairing being sent out from the opposition camp is with Bing. Nothing so far with Golez, which indicates that, from the point of view of those outside Grupo Progreso, Bing is the strongest contender to represent Bácolod in Congress. Golez is simply being ignored. These developments were unfolding while Golez is abroad but communication is not a problem so that, if there is pairing at all, his lieutenants here can also spin. I think one of his problems is that, aside from his disengagement from his wife, Princess Soraya, who handled his campaign in 2010 remarkably, another of Golez top campaign strategists had left his camp. Unintentionally perhaps, Puentevella and Novero camps are helping create a perception of Bing and his group’s political strength. Who takes a train ride to perdition? It will be interesting to know who Golez will pair with. BY:MODESTO P. SA-ONOY Visayan Daily Star The residents of Purok Magnolia, Brgy. 7, Bacolod City, have appealed to the Mayor through the Sangguniang Panlungsod to defer the demolition of their structures in 14 th and 15 streets until “certain issues” are clarified.
In their letter dated July 17, the residents asked the city officials to determine the purpose of the road lots, foot walk and open spaces bought by the city from the Government Service and Insurance System. They also cited an ordinance authored by Councilor El Cid Familiaran stating that demolitions should not be implemented during classes. Beloria said they held a dialog with the residents of Brgy. 7 yesterday and they agreed to meet again on Monday to clarify some legal issues. Beloria also said they were not invited during public hearings conducted regarding the ordinance. The portion in the ordinance about deferring demolitions during classes is vague, since the dates of the closing of classes are different for various levels, and summer classes are also being held, he added. Beloria said only 15 th and 16 Streets and part of 17 th Street will be affected by the demolition. Out of the 29 affected families in Brgy. 15, only three are not qualified for relocation, he said, adding that they have no problem with the affected families in 16 th Street. Beloria said the Barangay 15 officials and the affected residents are willing to cooperate with the city, while Kadamay is willing to help facilitate their application. He said there are residents of Barangay 7 who want the access road opened so they can use it and also because of several fire incidents in the past where fire trucks could not enter the area. He said their clearing operation in Brgy. 7 only involves the road lots. BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO The Visayan Daily Star Several members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod have expressed strong opposition to the proposed privatization of government run hospitals.
Councilor El Cid Familiaran said he believes that House Bill 6069 also known as “An Act Creating National Government Hospital Corporations, which is authored by Bacolod Representative Anthony Golez, is anti-poor. He also said that public hospitals provide basic health services that the government has promised to its people. Familiaran said that giving free health services to the people is a government responsibility. Councilor Carl Lopez, for his part, said that state run hospitals should remain with the government to ensure that healthcare remains affordable. “If it will be privatized, it will be another burden to the people,” Lopez stressed, adding that the privatization of hospitals will make sense only when all Filipinos are given Philhealth cards medical coverage. Councilor Archie Baribar, on the other hand, insisted that if the hospital privatization bill will be passed, it will create another problem to those who cannot afford to pay for their hospitalization. Earlier, finding no reason behind the move to privatize government hospitals, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia chided Golez for pushing the said bill. “I cannot comprehend why Golez is pushing to privatize government hospitals, Leonardia said, adding that the law will create more problems to the poor families who cannot afford to pay hospital bills. The mayor stressed that government hospitals should remain service-oriented and not profit driven./WDJ By Jay Mangogtong Watchmen Daily Journal City Ordinance 37 that created Barangay Paglaum in Bacolod City is valid and existing, based on the opinion of Department of Interior and Local Government VI regional director Evelyn Trompeta, Councilor Caesar Distrito yesterday said in a public hearing on the matter.
Distrito, who chairs the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government, also cited the opinion of the City Legal Office, which echoed the DILG’s legal stance. Residents of Paglaum Village in Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City, and its neighboring haciendas have filed a petition requesting the city officials to implement City Ordinance 37, Series of 1987. CO 37, enacted by the SP on Nov. 10, 1987 and approved by Amado Parreno Jr., officer in charge of the Office of the City Mayor, creates Brgy. Paglaum composed of the Paglaum Village, Sitio Buri, Mabesa Subdivision, and 12 haciendas. Distrito said that although the ordinance is valid, it requires further action like setting the date for the plebiscite, identifying the boundaries and allocating funds. Annie Tañeza, of the Commission on Elections Bacolod, cited a Comelec resolution that states the deputy executive director will be the one who will prepare the budget estimates that will depend on the population of the two affected barangays – Mansilingan and Vista Alegre. Kagawad Paul Catalan of Mansilingan said the implementation of the ordinance will only create disunity in Mansilingan The Barangay Council of Mansilingan presented during the hearing their proposed resolution requesting the SP to request Mayor Evelio Leonardia to appropriate funds for the conduct of a plebiscite on the implementation of CO 37. Distrito said he has consulted different agencies and offices for their opinion on the implementation of the ordinance, and all of them responded favorably and gave them substantial information that clarified matters. “But whatever is the outcome of our discussion in this public hearing will still depend on the decision of the entire SP”, he added. Distrito said a committee conference on CO 37 will be held within this month, and will involve the parties concerned and other members of the Committee. The public hearing presided over by Distrito, with Councilors Mona Dia Jardin and El Cid Familiaran, yesterday was attended by residents and convenors’ group from Paglaum Village, headed by their legal counsel Gemino Ymballa, barangay captain Leonardo Suansing and other officials. Also present were Tañeza, DILG city director Eliseo Orendez, Bacolod Housing Authority head Josephine Segundino, former Councilor Alex Paglumotan, representatives from the City Planning Development Office, Judy Jordan from the National Statistics Office, and the City Mayor’s Office.*CGS A political split between the majority party which controls City Hall, immediately looms with the formation of another political faction composed of Councilors Dindo Ramos, Al Victor Espino and Homer Bais, all of whom are to graduate from the City Council next year, 2013.
The information was relayed to this reporter by whistleblower and stormy petrel Romy Niere who, at presstime was with the aforementioned councilors in the Pandanon Village Resort, owned by the Espino family. Initial data elicited by NNF/NDB indicated that Ramos may throw his hat into the electoral ring come 2013 and will try his luck as vice-mayor, while former broadcaster Homer Bais will run as congressman for the congressional seat in the lone district of Bacolod against Mayor Evelio Leonardia who will run as congressman. Incumbent Congressman Dr. Anthony Golez would be one of the three candidates in Bacolod with Bais disclosing his candidacy for the post. Niere, who related the information, said the erstwhile Grupo Progreso stalwarts were dismayed after former Vice-Mayor and Congressional bet Renecito Novero may run as Vice-Mayoral running mate of Jude Thaddeus Sayson. The erstwhile Grupo Progreso stalwarts will try to entice the opposition councilors of the former MONOPAL coalition, namely councilors Archie Baribar, Sonia Verdeflor, El Cid Familiaran and Elmer Sy to join the alliance and to run for the same posts. Another member of MONOPAL, Catalino Alisbo, will leave the SP because his term is up after having served for nine years or three terms. But Councilor Archie Baribar has made no secret of his desire to also run as vice-mayor next year. That being the case, he may reject the group’s offer. The three councilors will try to convince Councilor Roberto Rojas to join them in one of the biggest re-alignments leading to next year’s election. Rojas still has one term or three years as eligible councilor if he runs for the same position next year. But some quarters are also convincing him to run as vice-mayor. But with Novero in place, Rojas has to make a decision on where he would place himself soon. With Bais’ entry into the congressional race, it will be a three-way contest in this category, with the biggest fight for congressman expected between Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Dr. Anthony Golez, both also former erstwhile allies. But political pundits say, Bais could be the big spoiler for Leonardia as he could divulge many hitherto anomalous details about the Leonardia administration. In another report, Leonardia’s close aide Marlon "Nonoy" Amago was reportedly "smarting" after being scolded following the Mayor having reportedly grabbed his shirt by the neck after seeing him in the presence of Renecito Novero in a lunchtime activity at the Forest Park. But it was just an elaborate "soap opera" to make it appear that he was in disagreement with Novero having been chosen vice-mayoralty bet for Sayson who will run as mayor in 2013. There is now an emerging three political aggrupations come the May 2013 electoral contest in Bacolod City, convoluted as it is. Information sourced by NNF/NDB indicated that the Liberal Party (LP)-Bacolod chapter will also field candidates for councilors in the coming elections. Among those who have decided to throw his hat into the proverbial political ring as councilor is whistleblower Reynaldo "Butch" Ebreo.* City Accountant Questions Dismissal Order by Ombudsman One of the city hall employees meted dismissal by Ombudsman-Visayas, Eduardo Ravena, city accountant, questions the fairness of such decision. He said, out of 9 vouchers allegedly tampered, he only signed one during the administration of former mayor Joy Valdez. Hence,he filed a motion for reconsideration with the Office of the Ombudsman, asking to reverse and set aside its 2007decision, with a new one entered declaring the dismissal of the case against him for lack of merit. The dismissal stemmed from the case filed by the Commission on Audit (COA) Regional Office VI against Management and Audit Service Office officer-in-charge Ricardo Dahildahil Jr., Crafts and Trade helper Salvacion Ortega, Accountant IV Eduardo Ravena, Office of the City Treasurer Clerk II Lalaine Villalva, former Executive Assistant Renato Rojo and former City Accountant Pioquito Quinones. Ravena said, because he signed the P38,400 check reimbursed to former Mayor Luzviminda Valdez, he was ordered dismissed. He said, he presumed that everything was in order especially that there were no obvious alterations in the vouchers, and the receipts had no erasures. All the documents were complete and there was an inspection and acceptance report. Also attached was the attendance of the participants since the occasion was the Lakbay Laban Kontra sa Droga involving all schools. He compared his case to the case of Mayor Roderick Paulate and two employees of Quezon City who were only meted a penalty of six months suspension for a case involving alleged ghost employees which involved a bigger amount. The concerned employees hope that the Ombudsman will look into the motion for reconsideration they filed, be fair and reverse its decision, he said. If their motion is not granted, they will elevate the matter to the Court of Appeals, he added. "I just did my job and did not gain a single centavo from the transaction." Ravena, 59, said he is supposed to be retiring from government service next year. He has worked for 18 years in other government institutions including the Philippine National Bank and Land Bank of the Philippines, and has served City Hall for 11 years. Ravena believes there is a political motive behind in order that the person’s name, who is planning to run in 2013, will be floated. "So the person personally followed up with the Ombudsman despite our pending motion for reconsideration," Ravena bewailed.* Submitted by Edgar Cadagat Negros Daily Bulletin |
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