The barangay captain of Brgy. 41, Bacolod City, said they are planning to seek a temporary restraining order or injunction from the court to stop the Araneta family and Megaworld from closing the access road of the Bacolod Murcia Milling Company leading to Doña Juliana Heights. Barangay Captain Leonilo Colegado, in an interview over Aksyon Radyo yesterday, said the residents of Brgy. 41 are willing to transfer to the Arao Relocation site, but the area is not yet ready. He said that since the property owner closed the access road from BMMC leading to Doña Juliana Heights yesterday, about 1,000 residents living near the riverbank have been affected. BMMC has provided them access through Lopez Jaena–Galo streets, but they are asking for reconsideration since the road is too far for the residents, Colegado said. They submitted a barangay resolution to the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod last week asking for a survey and ocular inspection by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the City Engineer's Office on the boundary of the Araneta property and Gonzaga property in Purok 4, beside the creek in Purok 5 near the riverbank, because they believe the survey done by the property owner is not correct, he said. They also wrote the Araneta family on the matter but have not received any reply, he added. Megaworld is planning to build its first township, to be called The Upper East at the 34-hectare property that used to be the BMMC on the eastern side of Bacolod and is just across the city government center. Meanwhile, Felipe Minerva, Megaworld operations manager for the Visayas, had earlier written the SP, that they cannot delay the closure of the main gate of the BMMC compound because the present occupants of the property have alternative routes going out and getting in to the compound, such as the Galo-Lopez Jaena road. He said they have given the occupants/squatters enough notices and all the accommodations they need to relocate, such as relocation site and helped them in processing Bacolod Housing Authority requirements for lot allocation, including financial assistance, demolition/hauling assistance, water facilities at the relocation site (4 units deep well) and electrical facilities. The continued presence of informal settlers in the area will cause a delay in the project and its completion, Minerva added. On the other hand, Councilor Renecito Novero, chairman of the SP Committee on Urban Poor, Housing and Resettlement, said they will study the possibility of creating a trust fund for manmade disaster under an ordinance that was authored by former Councilor and now Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran. Under the ordinance the fund will be taken from the calamity fund, which can be utilized in providing assistance for victims of relocation and ejectment, that can be considered as manmade disaster, he said. Novero said they have discussed the matter with the urban poor and this will be among the items to be taken up in their July 29 conference at the government center. They have invited Mayor Evelio Leonardia to give the welcome address and answer the concerns of the urban poor during the conference, he said. One of the problems of the urban poor is urban housing and relocation. He met with them before June 30 on the matter, Novero said. However, the Bacolod Housing Authority has no official head yet so, it could not decide as far as providing assistance, identification of beneficiaries and relocation sites, he said.*CGS Visayan Daily Star BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO
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The calls for mandatory drug testing of all officials and employees working in the city government has garnered the support of Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran. Prior to being elected as vice mayor, Familiaran said he forwarded three resolutions of the same kind before the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) while serving as councilor. He said, besides regular employees, even job order casuals (JOs) should also undergo drug testing as part of their requirement before being hired to work for the city government. “This is a welcome development from Mayor Evelio Leonardia and this will be in line with the directives of President Rodrigo Duterte,” he said. Familiaran added the drug tests should be carried out yearly to stomp out delinquent government workers if any, and to deter the employees from engaging in illegal drug activities. Last Wednesday, Leonardia ordered the City Legal Office (CLO) to draft a memorandum ordering and requiring all city officials and employees to undergo mandatory drug tests. Councilor Ricardo ‘Cano’ Tan has also revealed plans to file a resolution before the SP for the mandatory testing of all city workers. /WDJ Watchmen Daily Journal By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga CPOC: Bacolod City Mayor and Chair of the City Peace and Order Council Evelio Leonardia (center) with (l-r) LGOO Dino Ponsaran and Councilors Mona Dia Jardin and El Cid Familiaran welcomes the newly installed OIC-City Police Director Ricardo de la Paz during the regular meeting of the CPOC recently. (PIA/EAD)
The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod yesterday repealed City Ordinance No. 08-14-700, series of 2014, or the ordinance that updated the schedule of market values of real properties in Bacolod City. The tax ordinance, that was also declared by the Department of Justice as null and void for being “unjust and confiscatory”, was repealed with eight SP members voting in the affirmative. Those who voted in favor of repealing the ordinance were Councilors Cano Tan, Caesar Distrito, Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero, Em Legaspi-Ang, Elmer Sy, Dindo Ramos and Bart Orola. Councilor Wilson Gamboa voted against its passage while Councilors Sonya Verdeflor and Ana Marie Palermo abstained. Distrito, chairperson of the SP Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government and the author of the repealing ordinance, said there is a need to finally put the final nail on the ordinance to allay the fears of the 173,000 landowners in the city about the unreasonable tax hike, and to once and for all resolve all questions regarding its passage. With its passage, real property owners in the city will pay their land taxes based on the old rates, he said. “This is a victory for our poor and oppressed small landowners and taxpayers who can finally sleep soundly every night without being bothered or threatened by any unconscionable and oppressive land tax increase.” Distrito added. Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia thanked the SP for its swift and decisive action in repealing the Real Property Tax Ordinance as he had requested. “While this ordinance has been considered inutile after having been declared unconstitutional by both the Department of Justice and the courts, its repeal puts to rest one of the most abusive measures the previous administration foisted on our people,” he said. “I had always considered it excessive, exploitative, confiscatory and immoral, and am sure most of the councilors now feel the same. I thank Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and the rest of the SP. Indeed, we can do big things together, and put Bacolod "Back on Track" faster, Leonardia added.*CGS Visayan Daily Star BY CHYRYSEE SAMILLANO POLICE Regional Office 6 Director, C/Supt Cipriano Querol Jr. (2nd from right) seals the muzzle of the issued firearm of Supt. Joseph Bayan, deputy city director for administration of Bacolod City Police Office, while BCPO Director Ricardo Dela Paz and Councilors El Cid Familiaran and Al Victor Espino look. The activity is in compliance with the directive from higher office to seal all short and long firearms of every police officer to prevent them from firing illegally or indiscriminately during the holiday season.
Jared Esquilla City Administrator John Orola said they are planning to remove several illegal vendors operating at the three major public markets in Bacolod City. Orola explained the illegal vendors along Central Market, Burgos Public Market, and Libertad Public Market must be removed since they could pose as a traffic, environment, and safety hazard to the public. “They have been appealing to us to let them stay, however, we cannot allow them to return anymore as long as they are illegal vendors,” Orola said. “We will also see to it that those who have existing contracts will be reviewed and, if they are breaking regulations, we will exercise our right to remove them as well.” The city administrator also said they are now doing several consultations with Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) Head Armando Tubongbanua to carry out clearing operations. He said the presence of the illegal vendors is one of the root causes of last week’s floods and traffic problems. Orola added, they are planning to remove several illegal structures built beside river banks, citing these are not only a hazard but they also block the flow of flood waters./WDJ Watchmen Daily Journal By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga THE City Council of Bacolod approved a resolution authorizing City Administrator John Orola to be a signatory in all documents and checks of the various accounts in the depository banks under the name of the city government. The resolution was approved during the inaugural session Thursday. The checks will be countersigned by City Treasurer Giovanni Balalilhe. Those who voted for the approval were Councilors Caesar Distrito, Ricardo Tan, Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero, Em Ang, Wilson Gamboa Jr., Dindo Ramos, and Sonya Verdeflor. Councilor Ann Marie Palermo chose to abstain. Councilors Claudio Puentevella and Noli Villarosa were absent. Distrito said that under the Local Government Code, only the city administrator can sign the check and it will be countersigned by the city treasurer. “The city mayor cannot sign the check because he is the one who approves the voucher,” he said. The City Council also approved the resolution authorizing Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and Balalilhe to sign checks issued by the City Government drawn against the funds of the SP. Sun Star Bacolod By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA Members belonging to Grupo Progreso, the majority bloc in the Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), were assigned powerful committee chairmanships in the local legislature during their inaugural session on July 7. Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, who serves as presiding officer of the city council, said the internal rules say each councilor must have a minimum two committees. In a document released by Familiaran, Councilor Caesar Distrito was appointed Floor Leader and chairman for Committee on Appropriation and Finance, Laws Ordinances and Good Government, and Urban Development. Councilor Ricardo ‘Cano’ Tan was designated chairman of the Committee on Police, Security, Jail Management and Illegal Drugs, and the Committee on Cooperatives and Livelihood program. Councilor Cindy Rojas – Committee on Environment and Ecology; Committee on Family and Child care development; and Committee on Women and Gender. Councilor Renecito Novero – Committee on Education; and Committee on Urban Poor, Housing and Resettlement. Councilor Em Ang – Committee on Health and Sanitation; Tourism and Local, National and International Cooperation; Committee on Social Services and Development. Councilor Elmer Sy – Committee on Public Works, and Committee on Fire, Natural Disasters and Calamities. Councilor Dindo Ramos – Committee on Youth, SK Affairs and Sports Development; Committee on Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs; Committee on Communications and Energy; and Committee on Transportation and Traffic. Councilor Bartolome Orola – Committee on Markets and Slaughterhouse; and Committee on Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. The eight majority councilors belong to Grupo Progreso (GP) of Familiaran and Mayor Evelio ‘Bing’ Leonardia. Meanwhile, the four minority councilors belonging to the opposition Partido MKK Bacolod also received posts. Councilor Ana Marie Palermo – Committee on Human Rights; and Committee on Labor, Management Relations and Overseas Workers. Wilson Gamboa, Jr. – Committee on History, Culture and Arts; and Committee on Ways and Means. Councilor Claudio Puentevella – Committee on Government Assets; and Committee on Human Resource Development. Councilor Sonya Verdeflor – Committee on Trade, Commerce and Industry; and Committee on Agriculture and Agrarian Concerns. Councilor Noli Villarosa, who sits as ex-officio member of the City Council as president of the Association of Barangay Captains, will head the Committee on Barangay Affairs. During the session, Distrito said they debated internal rules and added provisions for members of council to respect the deadline of submission of items to the SP, except for urgent matters that have to be accommodated. He said they also adopted the old internal rules, where the chairman of the committee appoints his vice chairman so they can work together smoothly. For purposes of transparency and accountability, the chairman and vice chairman should come from different political groups. Distrito also added the minority members are lucky, citing the example of Iloilo wherein minority councilors were not given any chairmanships. During the inaugural session, only Villarosa and Puentevella were absent./WDJ Watchmen Daily Journal By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga VICE Mayor El Cid Familiaran said the City Council will prioritize the request of Mayor Evelio Leonardia to repeal City Ordinance 0814-700 or the new Real Property Tax (RPT) Code that updates the market value of real properties in Bacolod. They will also give priority to the mayor’s request to repeal the ordinance naming the People’s House to return to its original name, New Government Center, he added. Leonardia, in his July 5 letter to Familiaran, said he is endorsing the tax ordinance to the council for appropriate repeal, as it has been declared “null and void” by the Department of Justice on February 18, 2015. “This is one of the priority plans of the city mayor, and we need a consultation with all the stakeholders,” Familiaran said. The vice mayor said he believes the real property owners will accept whatever the amendments of tax rate that will be passed. He said the City Government needs more funds for projects and basic services. The City Council will also conduct public hearings to repeal the two ordinances, Familiaran said. Meanwhile, Councilor Caesar Distrito was elected majority floor leader during the inaugural session on Thursday. Councilors Claudio Puentevella, and Noli Villarosa, president of Association of Barangay Captains, were absent. The council approved the committee chairmanships, including that of Councilor Ricardo Tan’s committee on police, security, jail management and illegal drug prevention, and committee on cooperatives and livelihood programs; Distrito -- committees on environment and appropriation and finance; laws and ordinances; and urban development; Councilor Cindy Rojas -- committees on environment and ecology, family and child care development, and women and gender; Councilor Renecito Novero -- committees on education; urban poor, housing and resettlement; Councilor Em Ang -- committees on health and sanitation; tourism and local, national and international cooperation; and social services and development; Councilor Elmer Sy -- committees on public works; and fire, natural disasters and calamities; Councilor Dindo Ramos -- committees on youth, SK affairs and sports development; senior citizens and veterans affairs; communication and energy; and transportation and traffic; Councilor Bartolome Orola -- committees on markets and slaughterhouse; and fisheries and aquatic resources; Councilor Ana Marie Palermo -- committees on human rights; and labor, management relations and overseas workers; Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. -- committees on history, culture and arts; and ways and means; Councilor Claudio Puentevella -- committees on government assets; and human resource development; Councilor Sonya Verdeflor -- committees on trade, commerce and industry; and agriculture and agrarian reform; and Councilor Noli Villarosa -- committee on barangay affairs. Distrito said each regular councilor was given two committees, and all of them are free to choose their vice chairmen although Gamboa said the minority was not allowed to do so. Familiaran said the elections are over and it is time for them to work for the progress of Bacolod. “I know all of them, and they are all reasonable legislators and public servants,” he said. He added that the presence of opposition councilors Verdeflor and Palermo on Wednesday’s inaugural ceremonies is a sign of reconciliation. “We are not serving only one person, we are serving the entire populace of the City of Bacolod,” Familiaran said. Sun Star Bacolod By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod passed an omnibus resolution designating all 13 councilors to a committee and also elected three-termer Councilor Caesar Distrito as floor leader during its inaugural session yesterday. Distrito said that since they belong to the majority (Grupo Progreso), traditionally it is the majority that picks the floor leader. A floor leader is just an officer of the SP who will take over as presiding officer temporarily in the absence of the vice mayor. He said they debated on the internal rules and added some provisions for members of the council to respect the deadline for submission of items to the SP, except for urgent matters that have to be accommodated. They also adopted the old internal rules where the chairman of the committee appoints his vice chairman so they can work together. And for purposes of transparency and check and balance, the members should come from the other party, he said. The SP also made minor changes before finalizing the assignment of committee chairmanship. Councilor Cano Tan was designated chairman of the Committee on Police, Security, Jail Management and Illegal Drugs, and the Committee on Cooperatives and Livelihood program. Distrito – Committee on Environment and Appropriation and Finance; Committee Laws and Ordinances, and Committee on Urban Development. Councilor Cindy Rojas – Committee on Environment and Ecology; Committee on Family and Child care development; and Committee on Women and Gender. Councilor Renecito Novero – Committee on Education; and Committee on Urban Poor, Housing and Resettlement. Councilor Em Ang – Committee on Health and Sanitation; Tourism and Local, National and International Cooperation; Committee on Social Services and Development. Councilor Elmer Sy – Committee on Public Works, and Committee on Fire, Natural Disasters and Calamities. Councilor Dindo Ramos – Committee on Youth, SK Affairs and Spots Development; Committee on Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs, Committee on Communications and Energy, and Committee on Transportation and Traffic. Councilor Bartolome Orola – Committee on Markets and Slaughterhouse, and Committee on Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Councilor Ana Marie Palermo – Committee on Human Rights and Committee on Labor, Management Relations and Overseas Workers. Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. – Committee on History, Culture and Arts; and Committee on Ways and Means. Councilor Claudio Puentevella – Committee on Government Assets, and Committee on Human Resource Development. Councilor Sonya Verdeflor – Committee on Trade, Commerce and Industry, and Committee on Agriculture and Agrarian Concerns. Councilor Noli Villarosa – Committee on Barangay Affairs. Gamboa said that since they belong to the minority (Partido MKK), they have to contend with whatever committee they will be given by the majority. However, he is happy that the chairman of the committee on Transportation has agreed to his request to be the vice chairman, he said. Meanwhile, Distrito said he does not know why Puentevella and Villarosa were not present at their first session yesterday. Both councilors, and Gamboa did not also attend the inauguration of the new set of city officials Wednesday. Gamboa said that a week before the inauguration, he had committed to attend the briefing of the national board of officers of the Philippine Councilor's League, where he is vice chairman for the Visayas. Secondly, their party has a pending petition for recount filed in the local court (against Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran), so he opted not to attend, he said.*CGS Visayan Daily Star BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO |
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