Three Bacolod councilors, who are close political allies of Mayor Evelio Leonardia, failed to attend his birthday celebration at the Forest Park Resort in Bacolod City yesterday, fueling speculations of a rift within Grupo Progreso.
But Leonardia and the councilors doused speculations, insisting that there is no rift. Councilor Al Victor Espino admitted that he and councilors Dindo Ramos and Homer Bais intentionally did not go to Leonardia’s birthday party to avoid former Bacolod Vice Mayor Renecito Novero, who attended the event. The names of the three councilors have been floated as possible vice mayoralty candidates of Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, who is said to be eyeing the mayoralty post in 2013, under the Grupo Progreso and of the Nationalist People’s Coalition. Novero, who is also a member of the NPC, is reportedly running again for vice mayor of Bacolod, together with Sayson, and Leonardia, who is the chairman of the party in Bacolod and who may run for Congress. “We cannot bear to be in the same place with Novero, who verbally attacked the entire Grupo Progreso in the 2010 election”, Espino said. “I cannot be part of a group willing to trade political principles for convenience”, Espino added. He added that they stood by Leonardia, especially on issues regarding the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corporation port revised reclamation agreement while Novero stood by Simplicio Palanca, who is the president of BREDCO. Bais, Ramos and Espino were at the latter’s resort in Murcia town, Negros Occidental, yesterday but they clarified that they are not withdrawing their support for Leonardia and Sayson. Asked for his reaction, Leonardia appealed to his political foes not to use this issue to sow intrigue among their group. Leonardia stressed there is nothing final yet as to the list of candidates of NPC and if there are names coming out, that remains to be speculative. Sayson said they are still looking into probable candidates for their slate and that they will announce it soon. He said they will choose a vice mayoralty candidate who can best represent the SP. He added there is no rift within their group. Novero, who ran as congressman under Grupo Serbisyo in 2010 together with Leonardia’s political ace rival, Monico Puentebella, said he and the Mayor remained friends although they belonged to separate groups. Novero ran for councilor under Leonardia’s slate in 1995 and as congressman in 2007. Novero said that so far, he and Leonardia have not talked about politics yet although he said he is open to the possibility that he may be chosen as the vice mayoralty candidate of NPC. Novero said he will respect the decision of the majority, but if he will be selected, he said he hopes that other party members would respect it. He also said that if he will run with Leonardia and Sayson, he will ask incumbent councilors Sonia Verdeflor, Archie Baribar, El Cid Familiaran and Elmer Sy to join him.*APN BY ADRIAN NEMES III Visayan Daily Star
0 Comments
BACOLOD City Councilor Sonya Verdeflor said Tuesday that she and her party mates Councilors Archie Baribar, El Cid Familiaran, Catalino Alisbo and Elmer Sy have not abandoned their original group tha helped them land seats in the City Council.
She said that their relationship with the Grupo Serbisyo party of former Bacolod City lone district respresentative Monico Puentevella extends beyond politics. "We have that kind of relationship where each one respects the other's right to a democratic process as regards to his or her direction as far as 2013 election is concerned. Our political sentiments individually will never be a destroyer of the friendship we had with each other," she said. She admitted that they had consultations with the Liberal Party but they have not abandoned Grupo Serbisyo. "We even meet from time to time for updating, consultations and bonding," she said. (CNC) Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod GIDEON'S International members, headed by Camp President Bong Leong, with Past Int'l. Representative Rene Novero, Past Nat'l. President Rey Moleno and Councilori El Cid M. Familiaran donated 1,000 copies of bible to the first year college students of West Negros University, Bacolod City ( July 5, 2012)
Sun.Star Bacolod THE administration's Liberal Party (LP) might field only candidates for councilors in Bacolod City.
This was the assessment of Bacolod City Councilor Elcid Familiaran, member of the local LP Executive Committee, after having a consultation meeting with LP provincial chair Rep. Albee Benitez (3rd District). Frank Carbon, LP Bacolod chief, said they held a consultation meeting with Benitez after they were advised by the national directorate of the party that they should consult Benitez on whatever plans they have regarding the party, especially in line with the forthcoming 2013 elections. Carbon said they asked Benitez if they could have a complete slate in the city and that Benitez advised them to bring up the matter to the national director. Carbon also revealed that they nominated former Vice Mayor Ramiro Garcia to be the LP's bet for mayor in the city but Garcia refused. He added that they submitted the name of former Councilor Lyndon Caña to be their bet for the congressional seat in the Lone District of Bacolod and Councilor Archie Baribar as the party's candidate for Vice Mayor. However, Familiaran said he believes the party will support only bets for councilors in the city and that each party member will also be given the free choice to join in any major local political party in the city. He said he is definitely seeking re-election and that his colleagues in “the first five” at the City Council, namely councilors Archie Baribar, Sonia Verdeflor, Elmer Sy and Catalino Alisbo, will also be seeking re-election under the LP banner. By Teresa Ellera Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod The Bacolod City government will be clearing certain areas in Barangay 7, Bacolod City, of illegal structures before the MassKara Festival in October, to provide more access roads that would help decongest traffic in the area.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Laws and Ordinances, chaired by Councilor Caesar Distrito, discussed with various stakeholders yesterday the planned demolition of 29 houses in the barangay, that will open a new access road through 15th Lacson Street. The public hearing was attended by the Barangay 7 Council, led by Barangay Captain Bernabe Sibug, members of the Urban Poor Purok Magnolia Chapter, City Legal Office-Enforcement Unit head Cesar Beloria, a representative from the Government Services and Insurance System, representatives of the Office of the City Mayor, and Bacolod Housing Authority head Josephine Segundino. Officials and residents of Brgy. 7 had requested for the suspension of the demolition pending the determination of the ownership of the property. Distrito said it was settled during the public hearing that the property intended for the road lots had already been purchased by the city from the GSIS. He said the amount for the entire 1.7 hectares that housed 280 families in Brgy. 7 had been paid by the National Home Mortgage Finance to the GSIS that originally owned the property. This places the 280 families under the coverage of the Community Mortgage Program, he added. Beloria said only 29 families will be affected by the demolition but the date for its implementation has not been discussed yet. He said they will implement the demolition before the MassKara Festival because the area will be considered a pilot site in Bacolod for the anti-poverty program of the Aquino administration. Beloria said of the 29 affected families, 26 have pre-qualified for the CMP program with 15 to be absorbed by the UPPMC while only 11 will be relocated. The residents who will be covered under the CMP will pay the NHMFC P220 per square meter. Segundino said the informal settlers should start obtaining lots while the city still has available land for them. Meanwhile, Beloria said part of 15th Street was donated by Capitol Subdivision and the city appropriated 643,000 in 1991 to buy the remaining property for road lots, footwalks and open spaces. Brgy. 7 covers 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th streets, he said. Distrito said it is for the good of the city if there is a road lot in 15th Lacson Street because it will help decongest traffic. Meanwhile, Councilor El Cid Familiaran said the SP approved City Ordinance 593 that provides for a comprehensive and sustainable development programs and services for the poverty alleviation of informal settlers in Bacolod City. Familiaran, who authored the ordinance, said it provides that demolitions should only be conducted during summer when there are no classes. It also states that the city will shoulder the survey of the lot for those who want to avail of the CMP, he said. The ordinance also provides that before the informal settlers will be transferred to a relocation site, the city should provide them temporary shelter, health services and transportation, he added.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Visayan Daily Star Rotary Club of Bacolod District 3850 Past Dist. Gov. Edgar Sy, with Past Presidents, Councilor El Cid Familiaran and Jonathan Avelino, Incumbent President Glen De Guzman, and Rotarians Luz Hilario, Jovi Linga, Jess Dela Cruz, & Dra. Bambi Avelino donated School Bags for the Day Care pupils in the presence of the Day Care teachers and Brgy. officials of Brgy. 16 led by Punong Brgy. Ronie Aquino. ( June 26, 2012)
Negros Daily Bulletin Some 1,000 seedlings were planted by city officials, employees and students headed by Mayor Evelio "Bing" Leonardia at the Sanitary Landfill in Brgy. Felisa on June 25, 2012, to celebrate Arbor Day and in accordance with President Benigno Aquino III’s Executive Order 26, dated February 24, 2011, enjoining the country’s NGUs to implement the National Greening Program (NGP) as a government priority.
Seeds, one meter apart, were planted mid-morning to serve as perimeter fence of the landfill to counter floods and to serve as buffer to check foul odor. The Mayor had issued a memorandum assuring participation in the NGP on Arbor Day and was strongly responded. Secretary to the Mayor Moises de la Cruz, in Monday’s first launching of Arbor Day at the NGC grounds stated that it’s "the day for trees" under an NGP target to plant 1.5 billion trees covering some 1.5 million hectares from 2011 to 2016 in lieu of climate change. The hills at the CHICKS area, Cruz noted, are now mostly covered by cogon grass thus contributing to climate change. The situation is not only a problem of the Philippines and Asia, but also of the world, he said. Councilor El Cid Familiaran, author of the city ordinance on Arbor Day, stated "if all of us will plant trees in our backyards, we can addresss the problem. Hope all of us will do it." Councilor Al Victor Espino, chair of the Committee on Environment and Ecology stated that the tree gives life apparently pointing out that if we cut a tree, we cut a life. He enjoined everyone to continue the thrust of planting trees immediately before the scheduled Arbor Day tree planting activity at the Sanitary Landfill.* Negros Daily Bulletin Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia requested the support of the members of the City Peace and Order Council and citizens for the upcoming MassKara Festival in October, being his last as mayor of Bacolod, during the CPOC consultation meeting and dialog Saturday at the MassKara Hall of the Bacolod Government Center, a press release from City Hall said.
He also thanked them for upholding peace in Bacolod and commended the Bacolod City Police Office led by Senior Superintendent Ricardo Dela Paz, for an exemplary job in maintaining peace during the celebration of Independence Day up to the commemoration of the Bacolod Charter Anniversary that saw a big crowd , as well as the Feast of “San Juan” celebration. Leonardia along with presiding officer Councilor El Cid Familiaran, told those present that Bacolod is much more better off than other places in terms of peace and security. Aline Cemafranca, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s agent leader, reported on the prevalence of shabu in Brgys. 2 , 27, 22 and Handumanan with Brgy 2 being the worst affected. He said a gram of shabu is worth P6,000, while marijuana costs P11,000 per kilo and ecstasy tablet Pl,500. Leonardia also commended Jonathan Maniego and Ivan Amar, whom he awarded with special citations during the June l8 Charter Day Anniversary for the apprehension of the suspects involved in the murder of Dr. Andres Gumban Meanwhile, Leonardia cited the popularity of the MassKara Festival in the U.S., for being number one among competing festivals in the New York Philippine Fiesta, as well as in the Bacolod’s ABS-CBN “Showtime” victory, which catapulted MassKara into international popularity, the release said.* Visayan Daily Star |
Categories
All
|