I FIND it interesting to observe and analyze the unfolding political currents in Bacolod. It gives me a dosage of excitement and materials to write about amid the slow and boring movement of enterprise projects in this region.
If I may characterize the main political current in Bacolod, it is the build-up of strength among the old elites who want to consolidate and expand their political power and influence as a strategic positioning for and beyond 2013. Some of them see the 2013 elections as a "now or never" opportunity for their political survival; others see 2013 elections as a window for building up their political career and power agenda. Mayor Leonardia is apparently preparing the way for his congressional ambition with his term ending in 2013. At the same time, he is trying to make sure that the next mayor will be his loyalist to ensure the political survival and continuity of the businesses of his family and friends and that no disruptions will be made to his congressional pursuit. To date, Leonardia has no clear opponent yet, although there are loose talks that former congressman Monico Puentevella also plans to stage a congressional come back. Aside from him, there are also talks of former Bacolod councilor Renecito Novero and former Bacolod congressman John Orola to re-try the congressional arena. Vice Mayor Thaddy Sayson is reported to be gearing also for mayoralty, whether with Leonardia or somebody else. He believes he is long overdue for it. More important, he sees that the upcoming mayoralty fight is a make or break for him and his clan; he sees no other best time for his mayoralty opportunity but 2013. Monico is still bent on getting the mayoralty crown to ensure his own family's political and economic survival, and to get even with his political nemesis, Leonardia and the so-called Voltes gang. He still has substantial resources and machinery to re-stage a mayoralty fight. Congressman Doc Golez, with his reported growing attraction to power and the perceived vast opportunities it holds for him and his kin, is now sharpening his political perspective. Golez, however, is cognizant of the odds in his current position and the potential obstacles if he faced off with Leonardia in 2013 for the congressional post. Reports have it that Golez seems to consider mayoralty as his best option to avoid a one on one fight with Leonardia, who many believe will be very difficult to beat. First, Leonardia would face Golez fresh from his completion of his third term. Second, most factions that supported Leonardia and also campaigned for Golez in 2009 elections would throw their support to whoever Leonardia supports as his mayoralty mate, who is likely Thaddy Sayson, and therefore shut the door for Golez. Third, it would be easy for Leonardia to unite most political factions in Bacolod against Golez whom they can easily tag as an "outsider" and "hungry political intruder" in the city and "a traitor" to Bacolodnon's interests. What's the balance of strength? Right now, nobody could claim monopoly of political strength and dictate the outcome of the political contest, no matter how each one claims to be leading the fight. As of late, there are reports that Golez is trying to mend ways with Leonardia for the possibility of Leonardia-Golez tandem in 2013. The Golez camp apparently sees the necessity of alliance with Leonardia, given its weaker machinery and make use of the latter's political machinery. But this is not going to be easy for Golez because Leonardia's tandem with Thaddy Sayson as his mayor mate will keep the latter's ground machinery for him and also keep intact the reported broker, negotiator and resource generator Voltes gang behind him. For Thaddy Sayson, he is not an easy opponent, as he may seem to appear. He has his own political bastions of influence and power in the city. His biggest advantage is the full blessing and support of Leonardia clan and the so called Voltes gang. His public image of being a "friend of all", "diplomatic", and less obsessed with power add to his strength. But the guy's link with some politico-economic and moral controversies, however, suppressed or deliberately toned down by his media allies, could serve as his serious drawbacks if not managed well. His trapo politics movement is also predictable. Monico is also not less formidable because he still has substantial influence and resources to re-stage a mayoralty fight. But his political image is quite tarnished, especially among the middle class and business groups in the city. His public figure as a demagogue, scheming, storm trooper and trouble rouser, is shunned by many Bacolodnons; but he uses them well to get his way to the national corridor of power. There are also reports among political analysts and observers that incumbent councilors Achie Baribar and Elcid Familiarian are eyeing mayoralty or vice-mayoralty post. So with the last termer Councilors Dindo Ramos, Homer Bais and Al Victor Espino. Their possible entry into the political fray will surely complicate current political alignments. Vladi Gonzales is reportedly preparing to stage a return to the mayoralty race. The guy being young and entrepreneur in practice may have all the good intentions for Bacolodnons, but he simply does not have the sufficient political experience, stamina and machine to pose a threat to the others. What about media strength of political players? Reports point to parity of strength between Golez, Leonardia, Thaddy and Monico. Each of them can access the media anytime he wants. Whatever each one claims, at the end of the day, radio stations, newspapers and television, except cable TV, will not and cannot just ignore legitimate and news worthy items, even if their managers and editors have personal preferences. The regular anchor-commentators, except the few and irregular block timers, are open to all because they have to maintain balanced position even if they had to spin some issues sometimes to suit their personal biases or favored political patrons. Monico and Leonardia may claim to have upper hand in the media because of their enormous political fund, but no one can claim monopoly of propaganda, especially good propaganda for that matter. Effective propaganda rest not in the number of paid news people or influenced media but in the way one handles the truth and the critical mass he can mobilize to believe and support it. Propaganda is not about a battle of resources even if money talks and talks a lot. It is a war of truth against lies, deception, demagoguery and unjustified violence. Indeed, these are interesting developments. This will even become more interesting when we input the perceptions, ideas and plans of other stakeholders, the party-lists, community-based organizations, non-government service organizations, political mass organizations, and not the least, the armed revolutionary movement in the region. Karl G. Ombion Sun Star Bacolod
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THE Provincial Board passed into law Councilor El Cid Familiaran’s resolution requesting the construction of waiting sheds along North and South roads of the New Government Center.
Familiaran said there is a need to put up these structures as the number of employees and citizens of the city get drenched during rains or suffer the scorching heat of the sun. The architecture and design for the possible construction of such waiting sheds shall be consistent with that of the NGC, the ordinance stated. (CNC) An ordinance regulating the use, sale and provision of plastic bags as packaging materials in Bacolod City, was passed on third and final reading yesterday by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Those who voted in favor of the ordinance were Councilors Em Ang, Al Victor Espino, Caesar Distrito, Roberto Rojas, Homer Bais, Mona Dia Jardin, Carlos Jose Lopez, Sonya Verdeflor, and Keith Ramos. Councilor Elmer Sy voted against it, while Councilors Archie Baribar, El Cid Familiaran and Catalino Alisbo abstained. Councilor Dindo Ramos was outside the session hall. Ang said it is time that plastic bags should be extinct because they do not biodegrade but last for thousands of years. “Plastics may give convenience to users but it has a high cost to our environment and our well being,” she said. The ordinance was authored by Ang and co-authored by Bais, Distrito, Jardin, Rojas and Espino. The SP also approved a resolution requesting the Department of Social Services and Development through the Office of the mayor to submit an updated data on sex/child trafficking to the SP. Authored by Councilor El Cid Familiaran, the resolution said Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez clarified that sex-tourism is not among the considered tourist attractions of the current administration, in reaction to reports of the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines that foreign tourists prefer to come here because of sex tourism. The resolution said the pronouncement should be taken seriously by the government and Bacolod should come up with pertinent data on the matter. Meanwhile, the SP also approved a resolution inquiring from the City Engineer’s Office through the Office of the Mayor the status of city initiated water pump projects. Authored by Councilor Archie Baribar, the resolution requested the CEO for the number of water pumps already constructed and the area where they were set, as well as the budget extended for these projects since 2004 up to the present. It also requested for the number of pumps currently at the CEO to be constructed and the places where the pending ones will be constructed.*CGS CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Visayan Daily Star Giant MassKara puppets, each measuring 12-feet high, will become an added attraction to the MassKara street dance parade on October 16 in Bacolod City and the Electric MassKara on Oct. 14.
The giant puppets were created by the students of La Consolacion College School of Architecture, Fine Arts, and Interior Design, as they returned to the MassKara Festival this year after they stopped joining in 2005. The ARFIEN students with their 45 giant puppets will join as guest performers and a non-competing entry to the MassKara Festival dance parade on Oct. 16. Festival director Eli Francis Tajanlangit yesterday said the return of LCC is significant to the festival because it means that organizers have created a more hospitable environment for the artists. Hopefully, this will also encourage other groups of artists to join the festival, he said because, “What is a festival without the artists?” Tajanlangit said it is also significant because how LCC is coming into the festival will serve as a template or a model for future partnerships with other participating schools and artists’ groups. He said the giant puppets, created with flamboyant personalities and unique design, will be dancing in the arena of the public plaza as the first performer in the streetdance. Before that, the giant puppets will be dancing in the street from the Capitol Lagoon to the public plaza on Oct. 14 at 3 p.m. Upon arrival at the plaza, there will be a puppet dance showdown. Further merry-making will happen during the opening of the Electric MassKara on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. LCC president Sr. Ma. Myrna Concepcion said their academic community is very happy to participate again in the festival. The participation of the Puppet Show in the MassKara Festival this year also launches the ARFIEN Department’s 50th anniversary in June 2012. LCC-Bacolod is very excited to create an enthralling MassKara Festival for the people of Bacolod, she said. Concepcion said they are very proud to showcase the talents of all their 570 ARFIEN students, from the first year to the fourth year levels, who have helped in making the 45 giant puppets, with the guidance of their teachers. “We thank the festival organizers and the city government officials for their support to us. We are very happy with this partnership and hope this will continue in order to showcase the talents of the students,” she said. Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Councilor Homer Bais, who is also the honorary co-chairman of the MassKara Festival, Councilors Catalino Alisbo and El Cid Familiaran officially received the LCC group at the Bacolod Government Center yesterday where the press conference was held. Tajanlangit said that for several years before 2005, the LCC ARFIEN Department had participated in the festival as streetdancing contingent. Because they were artists, their creativity oftentimes went beyond the guidelines of the streetdancing and there was a year when they were disqualified from the competition, he said. Alisbo said the idea of LCC joining again in the festival was brought up by his son, Rialino Alisbo, who is the dean of the ARFIEN Department. Other LCC school officials present at the press conference yesterday, aside from Concepcion, were vice president for Academic Affairs Ma. Mercedes Joson, vice president for Finance Sr. Lucilla Felicilda, ARFIEN dean Arch. Rialino Alisbo, department heads Antonio Tejado (Fine Arts), Maricar Tuvilla (Interior Design), faculty organizers Jinky Joy Besa and Cherryl Bacay, puppet production coordinator Roy Aguilar and consultant Rogelio Diaz. Joining them was Rudy Reveche, chair of the streetdance committee and special events. Meanwhile, Sayson said he is happy that the 250 police augmentation from the Police Regional Office VI has already arrived in Bacolod and are now in place.*CGS CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Visayan Daily Star Board Member Nehemias Dela Cruz Sr. (1st District) has directed Christine Mansinares, supervising tourism operations officer of the Negros Occidental Tourism Center, to coordinate with her counterpart in the Bacolod City Tourism Office for a joint undertaking between the provincial government and the city government on tourism promotion.
Dela Cruz, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Tourism, said he is aware of the initial steps undertaken by Bacolod Councilor Homer Bais, chair of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Tourism, for such joint efforts to strengthen the tourism potentials of the city and the province. Dela Cruz said there is a need to unify all the tourism themes of different local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental to effectively promote the province’s tourism. He said every LGU has a unique theme in promoting their respective localities to attract more tourists into their areas, and the only way to promote the entire tourism potential of the whole province is the creation of tourism package. Dela Cruz said he will study the tourism program of Bacolod to determine what plan will be undertaken to unify both programs of the provincial government and the city government. The Bacolod SP has approved last week a resolution calling for the joint efforts of the Bacolod city government through Mayor Evelio Leonardia and the provincial government through Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., through their tourism officers, to come up with an attractive and complete tourism promotion package for Bacolod and the province of Negros Occidental as premier tourism destination. The resolution was authored by Councilor El Cid Familiaran and co-authored by Councilors Sonya Verdeflor, Em Ang, Archie Baribar, Catalino Alisbo, Elmer Sy, Homer Bais, Al Victor Espino and Dindo Ramos. The resolution said tourism is an indispensable and a major industry of every country, a rich source of revenues and employment that pump primes its economy. It also said the joint efforts of the Bacolod and Negros Occidental governments in coming up with an attractive and complete tourism promotion package will provide Bacolod and all component local government units in Negros Occidental with revenue and employment-generating opportunities for its constituents.* Danny B. Dangcalan Negros Daily Bulletin The MassKara season is on!
The Bacolod public plaza has turned into a virtual MassKara park with the lighting up of the bandstand and the 19 giant mask-lanterns during the opening of the 32nd MassKara Festival Saturday. The celebration is expected to increase tourist influx to Bacolod throughout the 19-day festival. Acting Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, in his message during the opening ceremonies at the public plaza Saturday, said the MassKara Festival has evolved from a simple dance parade to what it is now – world-class. He thanked festival organizers and the sponsors for bringing the MassKara to a level where it is now known throughout the world. Sayson said “We are hoping that in these 19 days of celebration, we could bring Bacolod to the forefront of the tourism industry.” He also explained that Mayor Evelio Leonardia had requested him to express his (mayor’s) greetings to the people of Bacolod and to inform them that he was in Indonesia to represent Bacolod and the Philippines in the meeting of five ASEAN countries. Sayson said the mayor will be back in Bacolod today. Also present at the opening rites were Councilors Homer Bais, Roberto Rojas, El Cid Familiaran and Al Victor Espino. Meanwhile, the mask-lanterns are entries of the inmates from 19 district jails all over the province in the 1st Priso Mask-Making Competition in partnership with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, a press release from the organizers said. Petronas Energy Philippines president and chief executive officer Carlos Corpuz and senior manager Elbert Munasque distributed gifts to the BJMP jail wardens in recognition of their participation in the festival, as part of Petronas Day, which also falls on the opening day. The opening ceremonies were capped by a fireworks display, after which, the 1st MassKara dance showdown, in partnership with GMA TV, held an elimination round for 20 competing dance groups. Ten finalists will compete in the grand finals, it said. Festival director Eli F. J. Tajanlangit said the 2011 MassKara festival is “writing history.” For the first time in 32 years, he said, the MassKara streetdancing competitions will use live, original music, composed, scored, arranged and performed by barangay-based musicians and choreographers in Bacolod. Three MassKara landmarks, designed to be photo opportunity sites for visitors and tourists have also been mounted: a MassKara Billboard of Lights, at Araneta-Gonzaga streets; a lighted Bacolod public plaza bandstand; and the Majica MassKara installation at the Bacolod Government Center that will be unveiled on Oct. 7, he said. Tajanlangit said three major activities are being added this year: the 1st Priso Mask-Lantern Making Competition, the 1st MassKara Dance Showdown, which is designed to popularize different forms of MassKara dancers, and the 1st MassKara preview, also in partnership with GMA TV, which is a fashion show of the costumes that will be worn during the streetdancing competitions on Oct. 15 and 16. He said the Electric MassKara will be held Oct. 14 and 15 and will be expanded to include not just the Tourism Strip of Bacolod along Lacson, but also Rizal Street in SM City. This year is also the second time that the MassKara Festival is partnering with the Diocese of Bacolod for the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary on October. 9. Before that, living rosaries will be held for nine days leading to it, he said. The MassKara Queen coronation night is set October 17, at the University of Saint La Salle coliseum, and on Oct. 18, we shall hold “Salute to Bacolod!” will be held at the Bacolod Government Center, he said. The festival will end on Oct. 19 with grand awarding rites at the Bacolod Public Plaza, during which they will also hold the grand finals of the 1st MassKara Dance Showdown, he said. This year's theme “Celebrating the New Icons of Bacolod” is a way of recognizing the new structures, landmarks, institutions, and personalities that have dramatically transformed Bacolod into what it is now, Tajanlangit added.* Visayan Daily Star THE 32nd MassKara Festival that opened October 1 is expected to increase tourist influx to Bacolod throughout the 19-day festival.
Acting Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, in his message during the opening ceremonies Saturday at the public plaza, said the MassKara Festival has evolved from a simple dance parade to what it is now world-class. He thanked festival organizers and the sponsors for bringing the MassKara to a level where it is now known throughout the world. “We are hoping that in these 19 days of celebration, we could bring Bacolod to the forefront of the tourism industry,” Sayson said. He explained that Mayor Evelio Leonardia requested him to express the mayor’s greetings to the people of Bacolod on the opening of the festival, and to explain that he could not come because he is in Indonesia to represent Bacolod and the Philippines in the meeting of five Asean countries. The mayor will be back to Bacolod today (Monday). Also present at the opening rites were Councilors Homer Bais, Roberto Rojas, El Cid Familiaran and Al Victor Espino. The plaza has turned into a virtual MassKara park with the lighting up of the bandstand and the 19 giant mask-lanterns. The mask-lanterns are entries of the inmates from 19 district jails all over the province to the 1st Priso Mask-Making Competition in partnership with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). As part of the Petronas Day of the festival, which also falls on the opening day, Petronas Energy Philippines president and chief executive officer Carlos Corpuz and senior manager Elbert Munasque distributed gifts to the BJMP jail wardens in recognition of their participation to the festival. The opening ceremonies were capped by fireworks display, after which, the 1st MassKara dance showdown, in partnership with GMA TV, held an elimination round for 20 competing dance groups. Ten finalists will compete on the grand finals. Festival director Eli F. J. Tajanlangit said the 2011 MassKara festival is “writing history.” For the first time in 32 years, he said, the MassKara street dancing competitions will use live, original music composed, scored, arranged and performed by barangay-based musicians and choreographers. Three MassKara landmarks designed to be photo opportunity sites for visitors and tourists are also mounted -- a MassKara Billboard of Lights, along Araneta-Gonzaga Streets; a lighted Bacolod public plaza bandstand; and the Majica MassKara installation at the Bacolod Government Center, which will be unveiled on October 7. Tajanlangit said three major activities are being added this year -- the 1st Priso Mask-Lantern Making Competition; the 1st MassKara Dance Showdown, which is designed to popularize different forms of MassKara dancers; and the 1st MassKara Preview, also in partnership with GMA TV, which is a fashion show of the costumes that will be worn during the street dancing competitions on October 15 and 16. He said the Electric MassKara will be held October 14 and 15 and will be expanded to include not just the Tourism Strip of Bacolod along Lacson, but also Rizal St. in SM City. This year is also the second time that the MassKara Festival is partnering with the Diocese of Bacolod for the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary on October 9. The MassKara Queen Coronation Night is set Monday, October 17, at the University of Saint La Salle coliseum. The festival will end October 19 with grand awarding rites at the Bacolod Public Plaza, during which, the grand finals of the 1st MassKara Dance Showdown will be held. This year's theme “Celebrating the New Icons of Bacolod” is a way of recognizing the new structures, landmarks, institutions, and personalities that have dramatically transformed Bacolod into what it is now, Tajanlangit said. Darryl JimeneaSun Star Bacolod |
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