Cases of dengue in Bacolod City this year have decreased by about 28 percent compared to the same period last year, records from the Bacolod City Health Office showed.
Reported cases of dengue in Bacolod City from January 1 to July 3, 2010 totaled 343 with two recorded deaths, CHO statistician Warlito Valiente said. In 2009, he said, reported cases of dengue from January 1 to July 3, totaled 480 with four reported deaths. Meanwhile, a resolution requesting Bacolod City Health Officer Dr. Salome Biñas, through the City Mayor’s Office, to intensify the campaign on preventive measure against dengue, was passed by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod Wednesday. The resolution said the CHO should be proactive in dealing with this health challenge confronting the people, especially the children who are in poverty and often times helpless because of poor access to hospitalization. It was proposed by Councilor El Cid Familiaran. Valiente said the CHO continues to conduct anti-dengue campaign and information drive in the different schools and barangays. Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez said he has provided screens for the windows of public schools in Taculing and Villamonte and two other barangays to protect school children from dengue. To be able to fight dengue, school children must be given all the support, he said. This has been his advocacy even before the elections, he added. Golez, a physician, said he is trying to make an inventory of all the public schools in the city to determine how many screens he has to provide them. He said he hopes to have all windows of public schools screened to protect school children.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Visayan Daily Star
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Bacolod City Police officer-in-charge, Senior Supt. Celestino Guara, yesterday said the proposal to centralize all the police precincts under the BCPO should be studied further.
A proposal to study the possibility of maintaining the back-up police precincts or centralizing them with the BCPO to address the crime incidents in Bacolod was made by Councilor El Cid Familiaran last week. Guara said that a directive from Camp Crame states that there should be a police station in every 12 barangays as the standard staffing pattern of a city police office. Since Bacolod has 61 barangays, at least five police stations with chief of police, deputy police chief administration and operations officers, are needed, Guara said. He called for a command conference with the chiefs of police yesterday, during which they were asked to report the crime situations in their areas of responsibilities. During the conference, the policemen learned that crime incidents in the areas of police stations 2 and 4 are more frequent compared to those in other police stations. “There are a lot of crime incidents in these areas but only few suspects were arrested and this is considered alarming, so we told them to boost police visibility in these places,” Guara said. Policemen in the areas where crimes are prevalent may have taken their duties for granted, Guara also said. He also denied that there are snatching and robbery syndicates operating in Bacolod, saying that thieves striking in the city are from out of town. Guara formed an anti-robbery and snatching task force this week to address the occurrence of crime incidents in Bacolod.*APN BY ADRIAN NEMES III Visayan Daily Star Upon assumption of service as legislators after their inaugural session on Wednesday, both re-elected and neophyte Bacolod councilors have committed to work more for the benefit of the people who gave a mandate for their presence in the sangguniang panlungsod.
First timer councilor Ceasar Distrito lauded Vice Mayor Sayson for a job well done because he presided over the inaugural session with excellence. He will work on the urban development, attend to legislations and cases involving the city officials and employees, as well as consider the support of everyone for the improvement of public markets. Re-electionist Coun. Homer Bais, who was unanimously endorsed to serve as floor leader, has committed to work as expected of him, especially the preparation of communications and agenda prior to the sessions. As education committee chair, he will be coordinating with DEPED to identify and address problems, and work for the distribution of school supplies to public school pupils upon the start of classes so that it would spare parents from buying the school supplies. More so, he will see to it that the ECOLA for teachers will be regularly released. We all claim to work as voted by the people, so they will have to serve as expected, it was pointed out. Re-elected Counc. Dindo Ramos said, this is the best inaugural session because in 2004, the inaugural session lasted until 10pm. But this time, it took them less than an hour only, and it was done smoothly due to the strategy of the vice mayor in presiding the session. As chairman of urban poor, housing and resettlement, and transportation and traffic committees, he has already lined up priorities to undertake. This was considered a chance that Bacolod must have urban development planning. Markets and slaughterhouse committee to him is challenging because of the present situation. He will solicit the support of all stakeholders to address problems in this area. Another re-electionist Coun. Al Victor Espino said, the initial dynamics of the sangguniang panlungsod was observed during the inaugural session. "We did it right, started the new term with something right under the leadership of Vice Mayor Sayson and Mayor Bing Leonardia. He believes that "history always allows us to rectify the wrongs of the past. The first session was productive and was presided by Vice Mayor Sayson with excellence. As chair of the environment and ecology, and, finance and appropriation, the SP needs further focus. Although he belongs to the majority bloc in the council, he does not believe that the tyranny of numbers will prevail because everyone in the session will always be given a chance to air their piece. Coun. El Cid Familiaran was satisfied during the first session of the SP. He should have preferred other committee to chair like health, but it was given to other councilors. At any rate, he is contented with his committee chairmanships - peace and security, and cooperative. Chairmanship is not important because we have mandate from the people to face all issues. We can even pass ordinances not related to our assigned committees. It does not also matter to him not having become floor leader despite the fact that he was number one councilor. "What counts most is our dedication to comply with the mandate of the people," he stated. Comebacking Coun. Archie Baribar has shown his fiscalizing mood at the inaugural session by scrutinizing the essence of the internal rules. He has still a lot of revelations that he will just keep to himself for the meantime. There are a lot more to reveal as the need comes and the moment arrives. Another re-elected Coun. Bobby Rojas who has retained his chairmanship in the committee on public works, plus the health committee, said it requires more attention. He will entice his fellow legislators to appropriate funds for the operation of lying in clinics at the City Health Compound for future expansion by adding wards for indigent patients. One of the 3 ambulances which just arrived, he said, will be stationed at the lying in clinic. He will also see to it that the problem on drainage and floodings will be addressed. Coun. Em Ang has already focused on women and gender issues. She is not new to head the women and social services committees. Vice Mayor Thaddy Sayson as presiding officer, will always lead and guide members of the sangguniang panlungsod to abide with the internal rules that they will come up separately. As earlier said, Mayor Evelio Leonardia noted that, the legislative and executive branches will be in harmony for the implementation of projects for better Bacolod.* (EBC) By Edith B. Colmo Negros Daily Bulletin The power shortage problem in Bacolod City can be addressed with the cooperation of the city officials and the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Bacolod Councilor Archie Baribar said yesterday.
Baribar now heads the committees he used to chair when he was councilor before, which are the Committees on Human Rights and on Communications and Energy, which he said he is comfortable with. Councilor El Cid Familiaran, who heads the Committees on Police and Security, and on Cooperative and Livelihood, said he had other preference but that is not a problem. Familiaran said that, given a choice, he would have wanted to chair the Committee on Heath and Sanitation, but they gave the incumbent councilors first choice of the committees. Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairman of the Committees on Laws and Ordinances and on Markets and Slaughterhouse, said he finds them very challenging. He said there are problems involving the markets but they will try their best to resolve them and seek the cooperation of the city and all the stakeholders. Distrito said the third committee he has is the Committee on Urban Development. He said this an opportunity for the city to have a long-term City Development Plan for all subdivisions and all projects of the city, to comply with.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Visayan Daily Star Bacolod Councilor El Cid Familiaran yesterday responded to the proposal of Mayor Evelio Leonardia to review the Bac-Up concept by proposing a study of the possibility of maintaining the Bac-Up Police Precincts or centralizing them under the Bacolod City Police Office to address the crime incidents in Bacolod City.
Familiran, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Police and Security, said he is not proposing abolition of the Bac-Up Precincts but to study which proposal will be more advantageous for the city. He said maybe one cause of the increasing crime rate in the city is that some policemen are assigned in offices so there is less police visibility in the streets. Familiaran said he will suggest to acting Bacolod police director Senior Supt. Celestino Guara and the mayor the need to add force multipliers to the police force especially in crime prone areas. Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said he believes they have to study the proposal if ever it is made in the Sangguniang Panlungsod. In his case, he said he lives in Brgy. Sum-ag which is far from the Bacolod City Police Office, so he believes they will need a Bac-Up Police Station in their barangay that will also cover Brgy. Punta-Taytay. Sayson said the proposal can be considered in police stations that are near the BCPO. But in the case of barangays Granada, Mansilingan or Mandalagan, he would suggest that the Bac-Up stations should be strengthened instead of being taken out, he said.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Visayan Daily Star Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who made history in local politics as the first city mayor elected for three consecutive terms, will lead city officials at their induction rites at the Bacolod City Government Center today.
Leonardia, who is serving his fourth term as the city’s chief executive, first served the people of Bacolod as a councilor in 1988-1992, became vice mayor in 1992-1995, and went on to become the youngest elected mayor in 1995-1998. With Leonardia at the helm, the long-time dream of the past city leaders became a reality. Bacolod also became one of the most, if not the most awarded cities in the country in various categories. The Bacolod City Government Center, a legacy of his administration to the people of Bacolod, is the city’s newest landmark that attracts local and foreign tourists. Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson also holds the distinction in local politics as the only vice mayor to be re-elected for a second term of office. Sayson rose from the ranks in his political career having started as a barangay kagawad of Barangay Sum-ag in 1994-98, as barangay captain in 1998-2001, and was elected twice as city councilor in 2001 and in 2004. He was first elected as vice mayor in 2007 and consequently, was elected president of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines-Negros and vice president for the Visayas of the same group. For the first time, under his leadership, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod rightfully earned the distinction as the country’s Best Sangguniang Panlungsod, highly urbanized city category, a recognition given by the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippine Councilors’ League. Councilor Em Legaspi-Ang is a political neophyte who vows to observe and promote good governance, efficiency, honesty, accountability and leadership by example. Ang is a registered nurse with a master’s degree in Business Administration at the University of St. La Salle Bacolod and is also a licensed real estate broker. Councilor Catalino Alisbo is now on his second term as a city councilor. He started his political career as a kagawad of Barangay 9 in 1982 and became the barangay captain in 1986. As a barangay leader, he was elected auditor of the Liga ng mga Barangay a post he held from 2001 to 2004 before being elected as a city legislator. Alisbo acquired his Associate in Arts title and Bachelor of Laws degree from the Silliman University and is a licensed mortician. Councilor Homer Bais won as councilor in 2004 and is now on his third term. As a former mediaman, he had worked for Bombo Radyo for 14 years covering 1989-2004. He is a graduate of A.B. Mathematics from the West Negros College and had taken up law at St. La Salle in Bacolod City. Bais is the chairman of the Committee on Tourism and Local International Cooperation and also chairman of the Committee on Social Service. He was the proponent of the conversion of Lacson Street into a tourism strip and had pioneered the presentation of the first human flag during the 111th Independence Day celebration last year. Councilor Archie Baribar graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1978 and the University of the Philippines, Diliman, College of Law in 1982. In the past 20 years, he has made his mark in Bacolod as a human rights and labor lawyer. Baribar won as no. 7 councilor in the 1995 elections, rose to no. 2 in 1998 and became the number one councilor in 2001. He is an ex-seminarian and a former political detainee. Councilor Dindo Ramos is now on his second term as a city legislator. He started his political career as a barangay kagawad and went on to become the barangay captain of Barangay Granada in 1995. During his tenure, the barangay was recognized as having the lowest crime rate with ideal peace and order condition. A lawyer and a certified public accountant by profession, Ramos is an active legislator who helped authored various ordinances and resolutions that benefitted the underprivileged members of the community. He is also a strong advocate of the city government’s relocation program. Councilor Al Victor Espino is now on his third term as a city councilor. He is one of the youngest city councilors in the present administration. He finished his elementary studies at La Salle Bacolod and his secondary education at West Negros College-Bacolod and Ohio Valley in Ohio, U.S.A. He completed his college education at the University of St. La Salle Bacolod. During his first term as a city legislator, he chaired the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Tourism and Sister Cities and the Committee on Environment and Ecology. On his second term, he was chairman of the Committee on Finance and Appropriation and the Committee on Police, Security and Jail Management. Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez is an entrepreneur in the field of finance and real estate by profession. He is also a lay minister in the Catholic Church and an active servant leader in various religious organizations. He is also a managing director in various family businesses that include agriculture, trading, manufacturing and real estate. As a neophyte politician his immediate plans include finding means to improve traffic and solving environmental problems. Councilor El Cid Familiaran, though a first-termer city legislator, is not exactly a political neophyte. He has been reelected three times as Punong Barangay of Barangay 13 and was the number 1 kagawad from 2007-2010. Familiaran holds a degree in Business Administration and started his career as a passenger services officer of Negros Navigation. He later became a branch manager of the same company. He is presently the president and chairman of the board of the Pioneer Entrepinoy Multi-Purpose Cooperative. Councilor Elmer Sy, a three-termer councilor, formerly chaired the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Public Works and Urban Development He was the chairman of the Philippine Councilors League-Visayas convention held in Bacolod that was attended by over 600 delegates all over the region. Councilor Roberto Antonio Rojas, Sr. took up Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business from the University of St. La Salle. Rojas was instrumental in implementing the city-wide preventive measures against dengue, donation of complete blood count kits (CBC), medicines and vaccines. He facilitated donations of x-ray machine for Bacolod City Health Office and dialysis machine for the provincial hospital; creation of the position of Medico Legal Officer; providing additional honorarium for Barangay Health Workers and the enforcement of sanitary standards for malls, restaurants, hotels. etc. He was also responsible for the creation of Task Force BAHA that conducts clean-up and clearing operations of drainages, manholes and canals within Bacolod City. He was likewise responsible for the construction of footwalks in various puroks and the construction artesian wells and jetmatic water pumps in various puroks of the city. Councilor Caesar Distrito who graduated with honors from ETCS II and finished his secondary studies at NOHS. He took up AB-Mass Communications at La Salle-Bacolod where he also took up his Bachelor of Laws. He passed the bar. Through a scholarship offered by La Salle-Bacolod he took up Masters in Public Management in 2006. He was elected as SK Chairman of Barangay Singcang Airport 1992 until 2006. He was elected as SK Federation Vice President, during his second term. The 2010 elections was his first venture into city-wide elections where he was voted into membership into the Sangguniang Panlungsod – a City Councilor. Councilor Sonya Montalvo-Verdeflor is not new to politics or to public service. She was Secretary to the Mayor from 1998 to 1999 under then Mayor Oscar Verdeflor. She was elected City Councilor of Bacolod from 2001 to 2004. She served in many committees: Trade, Commerce and Industry, Municipal and International Cooperation, Tourism and Sister Cities.*CGS The newly elected officials of Bacolod City will take their oath of office before Philippine ring icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao at the Bacolod City Government Center at 5 p.m. today.
Pacquiao, who arrived in Bacolod City yesterday afternoon with his wife, Jinkee, said he is very honored to have been chosen by Mayor Evelio Leonardia to administer their oath today. He did not expect it, but he is very happy that the mayor has chosen him, he added. Also expected to witness the inauguration are Senator Franklin Drilon, former League of Cities president and Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo, Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez Jr., and Gretchen Cojuangco. Pacquiao said Leonardia called him up after he won in the recent elections and invited him to Bacolod for the oathtaking rites as well as the inauguration of the new Government Center. The two are perceived to have a special bond because Pacquiao had chosen Leonardia to be the holder of his championship belts in his most successful triumphs in the ring. Leonardia said he has chosen Pacquiao because he is a duly elected congressman who won by an overwhelming majority and has toppled a dynasty in Sarangani. “His partylist, the People’s Champ Movement, I believe, is virtually controlling the province now, except for the governor and vice governor who are not his party mates,” he said. Leonardia said he believes that Pacquiao is not only a boxing great but has all the makings now of a political great, plus the fact that he is an adopted son of Bacolod and is the most popular Filipino in the international scene today. He is listed in the World’s 100 Most Influential People by the Forbes Magazine, and they have also personal ties with him being the godfather of Pacquiao’s first daughter, Leonardia said. Meanwhile, Pacquiao said he will file a bill creating a provincial hospital and a university in Sarangani. He said his partylist will focus on their sports programs. Pacquiao thanked the Bacoleños for their support and said he hopes they will continue to support him in his future endeavors. Meanwhile, the cutting of the ribbon to formally open the government center, as well as the unveiling of the NGC marker will start at 4:30 p.m. to be followed by the inaugural ceremony at 5 p.m. To be sworn in today, aside from Leonardia are Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, councilors El Cid Familiaran, Homer Bais, Archie Baribar, Em Ang, Sonya Verdeflor, Elmer Sy, Caesar Distrito, Catalino Alisbo, Roberto Rojas, Al Victor Espino, Carl Jose Lopez, and Dindo Ramos. The inaugural ceremony will be highlighted by a special performance from world renowned soprano Lisa Cabahug and a big fireworks display. There will also be a night-long concert at the NGC grounds after the ceremony. Acting Bacolod police director Senior Supt. Celestino Guara said he will deploy 100 policemen at the government center today and will also assign some policemen as security escorts of the VIP’s.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Visayan Daily Star |
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