BACOLOD City – None of those seeking elective posts in this city was facing a disqualification case or petition to be declared “nuisance,” according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Thirty-nine people in October filed their certificates of candidacies, or COCs, here for the election in May 2016. Vying for the congressional seat were Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya (now acting mayor, Nationalist People’s Coalition, or NPC), former vice mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson (National Unity Party, or NUP), Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez (Liberal Party, or LP), Councilor Archie Baribar (independent, or IND), and Joel David Enriquez (IND). Suspended Mayor Monico Puentevella (NUP), meanwhile, was seeking reelection against Rep. Evelio Leonardia (NPC) and retired police officer Wilredo David (IND). Those who filed COCs for vice mayor were Councilor El Cid Familiaran (LP) and former councilor Vladimir Gonzalez (NUP). Twenty-seven have filed candidacies for councilors. They include Allan Arroyo (IND), Dr. Francis Balzomo (IND), Atty. Arnel Sigue (IND), Atty. Lorney Lizander Dilag (NUP), Jocelyn Uychiat (NUP), Rico Ferdinand William Villafuerte (IND), Bartolome Orola Sr. (NPC), Cindy Rojas (NPC), George Zulueta (NPC), Marlon Solidum (NPC), Jose Godfrey Perares (IND), Ronnie Albao (IND), and Israel Salanga (NPC). Former councilors eyeing a comeback in the Sangguniang Panlungsod were Dindo Ramos (NPC), Homer Bais (NUP), Catalino Alisbo (LP), Ricardo Tan (NPC), and Al Victor Espino (NPC). Former vice mayor Renecito Novero (NPC) was also seeking the councilorship. Incumbent councilors seeking a fresh mandate were Wilson Gamboa Jr. (NUP), Sonya Verdeflor (LP), Alex Paglumotan( NUP), Claudio Jesus Puentevella (Nacionalista Party or NP) , Ana Marie Palermo (LP), Caesar Distrito (NP), Elmer Sy (NPC), and Em Ang (NPC). Meanwhile, the city Comelec looks to having about 274,000 voters in the 2016 polls. As of this writing, the Commission’s central office was still finalizing the official list of voters, said City Election Officer Mavil Majarucon–Sia. Bacolod City had 259,000 registered voters during the 2013 mid-term election. That number was expected to decrease, with the delisting of the deceased and those who failed to comply with the biometrics requirement. About 4,600 voters here have no biometrics, said Sia./PN By MAE SINGUAY Panay News November 21, 2015
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With an acting mayor in City Hall, Bacolod may yet “regain” the P50 million lighting projects it lost recently under the Puentevella administration, Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia said yesterday. Since Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella has been suspended, he is requesting acting Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya to act on his P50 million lighting project including the flyover along the Burgos-Circumferential Road. He hopes their political opponents will not stop these projects, Leonardia said. Leonardia said he called up Road Board Executive Director Adolfo Escalona if the lighting projects can still be salvaged, considering that there is a new mayor now and he was assured that the project can still be revived. It can be recalled that the projects, which were supposed to light up the northern and southern entrances to Bacolod City, were shelved because suspended Mayor Monico Puentevella had refused to cooperate in their implementation, Leonardia said. Hopefully, with Mayor Greg Gasataya who is cooperative and friendlier, we can get these projects going, Leonardia also said. "We likewise expect the cooperation of Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and the council because lighting up our major thoroughfares is an utmost necessity," he added. The Bacolod solon also said that in a visit to Escalona earlier this year, he was informed that the P50-million fund he requested had already been allocated for Bacolod and that a Road Board study team was deployed in Bacolod to determine the exact locations of the project. Leonardia had initially recommended the Bago boundary leading to Sum-ag onwards and the Talisay boundary going to Barangays Bata and Mandalagan including lighting up the flyover, which many consider a traffic hazard during nighttime. The lighting projects need the approval of the local government to ensure it pays for the electrical consumption of the street lights. Without this cooperation, it cannot be implemented. Gasataya said the P50 million lighting project will be a big help to Bacolod City but they will have to check on the study conducted by the Department of Public Works and Highways on the flyover project. Earlier, Puentevella also opposed the P365-million flyover project for the Lopue's East section, which many consider the busiest and most congested junction of the city, Leonardia said. Puentevella had also opposed the P100-million Honorata Manalo (Buri) road in Mandalagan and delayed the P240-million tourism road project along Burgos Street leading to Granada and Alangilan. Meanwhile, Gasataya celebrated his birthday yesterday with a medical mission at the BAYS Center where he was joined by his family, friends and some Grupo Progreso candidates led by Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia who is their mayoralty candidate. Gasataya said “This medical mission is my way of giving thanks to the people of Bacolod.” More than a thousand Bacolodnons children and adults availed of the medical consultation and free medicines, he said. Gasataya said his birthday wish is for peace and for everyone to be able to achieve their dreams and aspirations and for Bacolodnons to improve their way of living. He also hopes candidates would respect each other and those who want to sow conflict should stop as it will only affect the city. He is always happy every time he celebrates his birthday and more so now that he was given a rare opportunity to serve as acting Mayor of Bacolod. On the other hand, Leonardia who also attended Gasataya's medical mission on his birthday said that it is good that Gasataya celebrated his birthday with the people of Bacolod. "His present position is a birthday gift to him in having that privilege to serve as the Acting Mayor. I hope that he will be able to perform the job with no pitfalls. He should be more conscious against saboteurs. But I am confident that he can do it well. “And I have the same wishes for acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran. I hope that both of them will be able to implement whatever plans they have," he said. Those who joined Gasataya in distributing the medicines were Rep. Leonardia, Councilors Em Ang, Caesar Distrito, Roberto Rojas and his wife Cindy, former Councilors Ricardo “Cano” Tan, Dindo Ramos and Al Victor Espino, former vice mayor Renecito Novero, and their party mate Israel Salanga, who served as emcee.*CGS Visayan Daily Star BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO sgg With a partymate in the City Mayor’s Office, it appears Lone District Representative Bing Leonardia is itching to have a taste of executive power once more. Proof? Bing has issued a public statement saying he expects both acting Mayor Greg Gasataya and acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran to cooperate with the projects he wishes to be implemented in the city. Bing hopes to get started on the implementation of a lighting project and another flyover project, which he claims were blocked by the administration of temporarily suspended Mayor Monico Puentevella. This, of course, is a strategy to force Puentevella to continue with these massive expenditures upon his expected return to City Hall after he serves his 90-day suspension because ground has already been broken. This style of leadership, however, reeks not only of political brinkmanship but also of opportunism that is not unfamiliar in Bacolod. How will Greg and El Cid take this reminder from their mayoralty bet and acknowledged padrino? This remains to be seen. While Greg has, so far, began transferring department heads and moving personnel around, the sentiment is that any change would be temporary. For a local government functionary, three months of heading a department or being transferred to a different office would be considered too limited a window of opportunity or a temporary inconvenience. Either way, it seems clear that Greg is not going to be mayor long enough to significantly change the way City Hall works or who works in City Hall. What is clear though is that it appears Bing misses the powers of the Mayor’s Office so much that he has no qualms publicly reminding Greg to cooperate and toe the line. Bing, Greg, and El Cid face tough fights in 2016 and the next three months will be a critical period for the top three of Grupo Progreso to show how they intend to govern if all of them are given the privilege of serving Bacolod in 2016. Acting Mayor Greg Gasataya held a medical mission at the Bacolod Arts, Youth and Sports (BAYS) center yesterday. During the event, more than a thousand Bacolodnons availed of free medical consultation, medicines, and other goods. “This medical mission is my way of thanking the people of Bacolod,” Gasataya said. Gasataya added he wishes everyone peace, and for everyone to be able to achieve their dreams and aspirations. He also hoped Bacolodnons would improve their way of living and for election candidates to respect each other. Gasataya was also joined by his family, friends and partymates in Grupo Progreso led by Bacolod Lone District Representative Evelio “Bing” Leonardia, who is their mayoralty candidate. For his part, Leonardia said Gasataya’s current position is already a birthday gift, having the privilege to serve as the acting mayor of the city. “I hope he will be able to perform the job with no pitfalls,” Leonardia said, adding he is confident Gasataya would do well. Leonardia also has same wishes for acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran. “I hope that both of them will be able to implement whatever plans they have,” he said. Councilors Em Ang, Caesar Distrito, Roberto “Bobby” Rojas and wife Cindy, former Councilors Ricardo “Cano” Tan, Dindo Ramos and Al Victor Espino, former Vice Mayor Renecito Novero, and Israel Salanga were also present./WDJ By Glazyl Jane Marie Y. Masculino With an acting mayor in City Hall, Bacolod may yet “regain” the P50 million lighting projects it lost recently under the Puentevella administration, Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia said yesterday. Since Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella has been suspended, he is requesting acting Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya to act on his P50 million lighting project including the flyover along the Burgos-Circumferential Road. He hopes their political opponents will not stop these projects, Leonardia said. Leonardia said he called up Road Board Executive Director Adolfo Escalona if the lighting projects can still be salvaged, considering that there is a new mayor now and he was assured that the project can still be revived. It can be recalled that the projects, which were supposed to light up the northern and southern entrances to Bacolod City, were shelved because suspended Mayor Monico Puentevella had refused to cooperate in their implementation, Leonardia said. Hopefully, with Mayor Greg Gasataya who is cooperative and friendlier, we can get these projects going, Leonardia also said. "We likewise expect the cooperation of Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and the council because lighting up our major thoroughfares is an utmost necessity," he added. The Bacolod solon also said that in a visit to Escalona earlier this year, he was informed that the P50-million fund he requested had already been allocated for Bacolod and that a Road Board study team was deployed in Bacolod to determine the exact locations of the project. Leonardia had initially recommended the Bago boundary leading to Sum-ag onwards and the Talisay boundary going to Barangays Bata and Mandalagan including lighting up the flyover, which many consider a traffic hazard during nighttime. The lighting projects need the approval of the local government to ensure it pays for the electrical consumption of the street lights. Without this cooperation, it cannot be implemented. Gasataya said the P50 million lighting project will be a big help to Bacolod City but they will have to check on the study conducted by the Department of Public Works and Highways on the flyover project. Earlier, Puentevella also opposed the P365-million flyover project for the Lopue's East section, which many consider the busiest and most congested junction of the city, Leonardia said. Puentevella had also opposed the P100-million Honorata Manalo (Buri) road in Mandalagan and delayed the P240-million tourism road project along Burgos Street leading to Granada and Alangilan. Meanwhile, Gasataya celebrated his birthday yesterday with a medical mission at the BAYS Center where he was joined by his family, friends and some Grupo Progreso candidates led by Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia who is their mayoralty candidate. Gasataya said “This medical mission is my way of giving thanks to the people of Bacolod.” More than a thousand Bacolodnons children and adults availed of the medical consultation and free medicines, he said. Gasataya said his birthday wish is for peace and for everyone to be able to achieve their dreams and aspirations and for Bacolodnons to improve their way of living. He also hopes candidates would respect each other and those who want to sow conflict should stop as it will only affect the city. He is always happy every time he celebrates his birthday and more so now that he was given a rare opportunity to serve as acting Mayor of Bacolod. On the other hand, Leonardia who also attended Gasataya's medical mission on his birthday said that it is good that Gasataya celebrated his birthday with the people of Bacolod. "His present position is a birthday gift to him in having that privilege to serve as the Acting Mayor. I hope that he will be able to perform the job with no pitfalls. He should be more conscious against saboteurs. But I am confident that he can do it well. “And I have the same wishes for acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran. I hope that both of them will be able to implement whatever plans they have," he said. Those who joined Gasataya in distributing the medicines were Rep. Leonardia, Councilors Em Ang, Caesar Distrito, Roberto Rojas and his wife Cindy, former Councilors Ricardo “Cano” Tan, Dindo Ramos and Al Victor Espino, former vice mayor Renecito Novero, and their party mate Israel Salanga, who served as emcee.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Executive Assistant Rufino Alcala, head of the City Risk Reduction Management Office, disclosed yesterday that several employees in the Bacolod City government were promoted and their appointments were regularized Monday just hours before the 90 days suspension order was served to Mayor Monico Puentevella. Alcala said that in his department, two employees were regularized and one was promoted to the position of special operations officer 4. The other two hold the position of heavy equipment operator 2 and SOO 2. He said he does not have the total number of employees whose appointments were regularized and those who were promoted Monday. The Department of Interior and Local Government served Puentevella a suspension order Monday, in relation to the resolution of the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division ordering him suspended for 90 days in the graft case filed against him by the late City Legal Officer Allan Zamora. The graft case stemmed from the alleged overpriced purchase of computers and software packages at P400,000 each, all worth P26 million in 2001 to 2006, funded from the suspended mayor's Priority Development Assistance Fund, or pork barrel, during his incumbency as congressman of Bacolod City. Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya and Councilor El Cid Familiaran were sworn into office as acting mayor and acting vice mayor, respectively, following the suspension of Puentevella. Meanwhile, Councilor Archie Baribar delivered a privilege speech during the 124 th regular session presided over by Familiaran yesterday. Baribar said that last October 16, when current public, elective officials filed their certificate of candidacy for the May 16, 2016 elections, political lines were drawn. A month later, November 16, these political lines became wider and deeper, he said. For the second time around, a very unusual incident happened in the City of Bacolod. For the second time around, a local chief executive faced something drastic from authorities outside, Baribar said. The service by the DILG of a Sandiganbayan order, has admittedly unsettled not a few political feathers, he said. It has made an impact, not only on those who seek office, not only to lowly public servants, but to the general public as well, he added. Baribar said changes did come in the City Mayor's Office, as well as the Vice Mayor's Office and with several departments. It seems, the only institution where there is an imperceptible change is the Sangguniang Panlungsod. Now our people, partisan and non-partisan alike, look up to this Body for guidance. How then should this Body respond to this most unusual turn of political events? He asked. “I humbly submit this proposition: When days are uncertain, the SP will stabilize. When the going gets adverse to certain parties, the SP will equalize. When official action take excesses, the SP will fiscalize,” Baribar said. “The good people of Bacolod then may look at this institution as its stabilizer, equalizer and fiscalizer, as we journey the 90-day political midnight that has descended on this beautiful city,” he said.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO THE Bacolod City Council created a joint committee to study the request of Mayor Monico Puentevella to grant him authority to dispose the property located at the corners of Rizal Street, Road Lot 4, Burgos Street, and Reclamation Area -- the area where the Manokan Country stands. The joint committee is composed of Councilor Ana Marie Palermo, chairman of the council committee on laws, ordinances and good government; Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairman of the council committee on assets; Councilor El Cid Familiaran, chairman of the council committee on urban poor, housing and resettlement; and Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez, chairman of the council committee on markets and slaughterhouse. Distrito said the committee will call for a hearing and study on the proposal and the various documents submitted by the City Mayor’s Office relative to the appraisal of the lot submitted by the Appraisal Committee. He said the hearing will also answer several questions such as: What is the necessity of selling the property? Does it have an approval from the Commission on Audit? What will happen to the squatters? How much is the actual price of selling the property? In his letter to the City Council dated October 13, Puentevella said that on January 22, he received an unsolicited proposal from SM Prime Holdings offering to purchase the lot under Transfer Certificate of Title 55866 with an area of 17,783 square meters, purposely for developing the property into an integrated shopping complex with transport terminal, a hotel and an improved Manokan Country. "The proceeds of the sale will be utilized to improve health and security services for the city, rehabilitation of relocation areas, and to provide solutions for decongestion of our city streets," Puentevella’s letter added. SM offered to buy the property in an unsolicited price of P20,500 per square meter, as the property is fronting SM City Bacolod. But as a matter of procedure, the City Mayor’s Office formed a City Appraisal Committee headed by acting City Assessor Rommel de la Cruz, and members City Engineer Belly Aguillon and City Treasurer Giovanni Balalilhe to assess the appraised value of the property. According to Appraisal Committee, the market value of the property is P21,200 per square meter. The Appraisal Committee also observed that the property is not being properly utilized and the City Government is losing money because of it. Based on the data gathered by the Appraisal Committee, there are 26 stalls occupied in the area, but only three have Mayor’s Permit to operate their business. As of March 2015, unpaid rentals amounted to P6,574,721.64. (CNC) BACOLOD City – Councilor Archie Baribar, Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) majority floor leader, said the city council should remain “firm and unaffected” by the suspension of Mayor Monico Puentevella and the sudden changes in the city government. Although “political lines have drawn wider and much deeper,” Baribar, in a privilege speech during the SP session on Wednesday, asked his fellow councilors to be mature enough to deal with the changes. Baribar said he believes that uncertainties and adversities can stabilize and equalize a person. He also called on the councilors to become “fiscals” of the changes being implemented at the city government. The SP should remain rational until the 90-day suspension of Puentevella is over, stressed Baribar. While the SP may face difficulty in decision-making under the chairmanship of Acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, the city council will aspire to make collective decision, he said. Baribar is running against Gasataya for the congressional seat in the city in 2016. Although he was identified with Puentevella’s Mabinuligay Kita para sa Kauswagan, or MKK Group, Baribar is running independently after the party decided to field former vice mayor Jude Thaddeus Lacson in the congressional race./PN By MAE SINGUAY Bacolod Councilor Archie Baribar, majority floor leader of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), assured the Bacolod populace that the SP will not be affected by the sudden changes in the City Mayor’s Office, Vice Mayor’s Office, and several departments at the Bacolod People’s House. “Puentevella’s [90-day preventive] suspension made an impact not only to those who seek office and lowly public servants, but to the general public as well. However, the only institution where there is an imperceptible change is the SP, which partisan and non-partisan alike look up for guidance,” said Baribar in his privilege speech yesterday prior to their regular session. “I humbly submit this proposition that when days are uncertain, ‘we stabilize’; when the going gets averse to certain parties, ‘we equalize’; and when official action take excess, ‘we fiscalize’,” Baribar emphasized as he called for political maturity among members of the legislative body, despite political lines drawing wider and deeper with the recent turn of events. “There is no startling,” Baribar said, “Puentevella’s suspension from the office is… only temporary,” he added, claiming a similar situation occurred during the time of former Mayor Carlos Benares. On the other hand, when asked if the SP will have difficulty making decisions due to Councilor El Cid Familiaran being designated as acting Vice Mayor of the city, Baribar said the city council will not be disturbed and can still make a collective action on whatever is needed as they still have 12 members in the SP. The 12 members of the city council comprise of Councilors Roberto “Bobby” Rojas, Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, Claudio Jesus Raymundo “Kalaw” Puentevella, Em Ang, Archie Baribar, Caesar Distrito, Wilson “Jun” Gamboa Jr., Carl Lopez, Noli Villarosa, Ana Marie Palermo, Alex Paglumotan, and Sonya Verdeflor./WDJ By Glazyl Jane Marie Y. Masculino CLASS 1996 Lane Thunder bowling team is back with 5,808 pin falls in the ongoing 2015-2016 Negros Occidental High School Alumni Association Inc. (NOHSAAI) “Unity Cup” Bowling Fellowship Season One at Negros Super Lanes in Singcang-Airport in Bacolod City. The Cyril Mayordomo led Class '96 bowled 1,457 pfs in round four highlighted by Jorge Joniega Jr.'s double strike for 362 pinfalls. Class ‘96 bowlers Mitz Villa, James Toga, Victor Gutierez, team manager Annabelle Taguiwalo, Gladys Leonardo, Janice Celiz-Gamboa, Joy Tayson, and Rochelle Camino are on a roll. Highest scorers are : pinning - Cesar Sumaylo of Class '82 with 95 pfs and Helen Cañete of Class '90 with 91 pfs; single - Noli Ortiz of Class '83 with 141 pfs and Cañete with 137 pfs; and in team total Class '90 (single) with 536 pfs & Class '85 (triple) with 1,544 pfs. The bowling committee is headed by sports chairman Councilor El Cid Familiaran with deputy chair Bernadette Villar of Class 2002. Games are played every Saturdays at 5 p.m. (HGD) |
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