The bloodletting activity of Operation Tulong Task Force, the socio-civic arm of Aksyon Radyo Bacolod, generated 117 units of blood in the event held at the Negros Occidental Multi-Purpose Activity Center in Bacolod City February 14, a press release from the station said.
It was in cooperation with the Provincial Health Office Negros First Provincial Blood Center, and the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, and supported by the John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, 303rd Infantry Brigade Philippine Army, BJMP-NODJ, Bacolod Convention Baptist Bible College, MID Security Agency, barangays 40, 26, 23, Handumanan, Taculing and Banago, Nature’s Spring Water Resources Inc., Bacolod councilors El Cid Familiaran and Jun Gamboa, and the employees and drama talents of the radio station, the press release also said. Task Force chairman Art Tayhopon said the blood collected will be of a big help to indigent patients, who often troop to the station located in front of the government hospital. Other members of the task force are Wilma Sugaton, Nona Magbanua, Sunshine Lacson, Felix Campaniel Jr., Henry Espulgar and Johnny Buguina III. For more details, those interested may contact Tayhopon at 434-3861 or 708-1237, the press release added.* Visayan Daily Star
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The installation of Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in all public elementary and high schools in Bacolod City is being proposed by Bacolod Councilor El Cid Familiaran.
Familiaran said installing CCTV cameras, or surveillance recordings, in all of the city’s elementary and high schools will be an effective tool in curbing if not preventing crimes in these areas. He said the employment of CCTV cameras by any entity purposely to record factual evidence of crime has been proven to be effective in deterring acts of lawlessness. He said the CCTV cameras or video surveillance system to be installed in the public schools should meet the minimum technical standards and should be operated in coordination with the City Mayor’s Office and the Bacolod City Police Office. The head of the school or its personnel will be prohibited from viewing or using any saved or archived recorded data through camera or video recordings, he said. The unauthorized disclosure of the identity of any person on video is prohibited, without the order of the proper court, except for the complainant, he added. He said the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod had previously passed City Ordinance No. 595, series of 2012, or the “Bacolod City Eye in the Sky Comprehensive Closed Circuit Television Ordinance”. They also passed C.O. No. 600, series of 2012, or “An Ordinance Requiring all Banks and other Financial Institutions, as well as Certain Business Establishments within the City of Bacolod to install CCTV within their premises,” he said.*CGS Visayan Daily Star The oldest couple, who had earlier registered for the mass wedding at the BAYSCenter in Bacolod City on Valentine’s Day, failed to show up.
Corazon Mori, head of the Bacolod Civil Registrar’s Office, yesterday said they do not know why the oldest couple, Sulpicio de la Serna, 79, and Irene Bravo, 53, of Brgy. 29, backed out from the ceremony. She said a total of 328 couples registered with her office for the mass wedding but when De la Serna and Bravo backed out, they were replaced by Mario Chin, 73 and Annie Diamante, 63 of Barangay Estefania. Last year, about 2,013 couples exchanged marriage vows at the grounds of the Bacolod City Government Center. The mass wedding, that started at about 5:25 p.m. yesterday, included persons with disability, among them blind couple Joel Galvan, 44, and Pinky Permesa, 43, who have both been living in the Home for the Blind for eight years. The Bacolod BAYS Center was transformed into a wedding hall as Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella solemnized the wedding of 327 couples yesterday. “Marriage need not be expensive; it is measured by your love and commitment to each other,” Puentevella said, as he delivered his words of counsel in front of a jam-packed venue attended by the couples’ family members, relatives and friends. Several barangay captains were present during the ceremony, with Councilors Claudio Puentevella, Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, Sonya Verdeflor, Ana Marie Palermo, Wilson Gamboa, Jr., El Cid Familiaran, Archie Baribar and some of the city’s executive assistants who stood as their “second parents”. “The vows that you will make today will last until forever,” Puentevella added before leading the exchange of vows. Palermo, who saluted the sweethearts’ decision to seal their bond when others choose to end their relationships, lauded them for giving each other the most precious gift in the world: the gift of self. “Today is the first day of the rest of your married life,” she said. First lady Josefa Puentevella said that she and the Mayor have been married for 42 years. What made their bond as a family stronger is by placing the Almighty at the center of their lives, she said. She also recognized the couples for taking the “bold step” in expressing their love publicly. As an official gesture, the marriage contract of the oldest couple, Chin and Diamante, was signed by the Mayor. The couple have lived together for 25 years and have an only child named Ana Marie. Among the couples who joined the mass wedding were Ryan Moreno, 21, and Rizyl Grace Cestina, 22, of Tangub, daughter of broadcaster Henceboy Cestina. Joseph Gantala, 41, and Lea, 37, of Villa Esperanza, who wore a wedding gown with a veil, were joined by their children Julia, Onyx and Summer, who were dressed up as flower girls and ring bearer. Puentevella also sang “Ikaw” at the end of the ceremony. Meanwhile, Puentevella also visited the Bacolod Boys Home and St. Vincent's Home for the Aged yesterday morning to share Valentine's Day with them. He also serenaded the elders with the song "Mahiwaga ang Buhay ng Tao” and gave a check for P150,000 to the Daughters of Charity running the institution. DSSD head Pacita Tero said the St. Vincent’s Home for the Aged is one of the nine government organizations being supported by the city. She said the city has been providing P500,000 for the Boy’s Home every quarter, or P2 million every year, for their food supply, while the St. Vincent’s Home for the aged receives P150,000 a year.*CGS Visayan Daily Star The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City yesterday approved a resolution congratulating Franz Sarmiento and Katrina Tan Kit for winning in the Google Cloud Developer Challenge 2013 with the entry Mishmash in the “Social/Personal Productivity Games/Fun Category” for Southeast Asia.
The resolution, authored by Councilor El Cid Familiaran, and co-authored by Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue said 98 teams participated in the “Google Cloud Developer Challenge 2013” on Sept. 24, 2013. Among the entries in the Google Cloud Competition Mishmash were the contenders from the Southeast Asian Region that engaged people in Google + circles into three challenges, namely Picture Matching, Word Search and name Scramble, it said. The resolution said Mishmash emerged among the 12 winners that were awarded from the categories on “Enterprise/Small Business Solutions, Education, not for profit”, and “Social/Personal Productivity Games/Funs.” One winner from each of the regions was considered, namely, from: India, Latin America, Middle East and North Africa, South East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, United States, Europe and the rest of the world, and among the winners are “Bacolodnons” Sarmiento and Tan Kit who received $20,000, it said. University of St. La Salle-Bacolod, the institution represented by the participants, also received an award of $18,000, it also said. Also, deserving recognition is the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod, where both Sarmiento and Tan Kit do their studies, the former as fourth year BS Computer Science student, and the latter as fourth year BS Information Technology student, it added.*CGS Visayan Daily Star The “new majority” introduced a resolution Wednesday replacing Councilor Cesar Distrito and installing Councilor Archie Baribar as the new majority floor leader of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City.
Allies of Mayor Monico Puentevella became the “new majority” with the election of Noli Villarosa as the new Liga nga mga Baragay president, and the postponement of the election of the Sangguniang Kabataan, after the term of its representative, Councilor Keith Ramos, who was allied with Grupo Progreso, ended. Bacolod Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya yesterday said that under the internal rules, a floor leader is chosen by a vote of the majority of all members of the SP. A resolution was passed by eight members of Council extending their appreciation to Distrito for having served as floor leader of the SP since July 2013 to Wednesday. After that, they elected Baribar as the new floor leader, he said. The resolution said Distrito served the Office with “marked idealism, pronounced impartiality and distinct industry. Said exemplary service should not pass unnoticed that other public servants may emulate the same.” The SP also passed another resolution discharging the Committee on Laws of correspondence No. 08-13-0054 entitled “Amended Consolidated Internal Rules of Sangguniang Panlungsod” and to refer the same to the SP as a whole, by a vote of 8 – 2 with Councilors Em Ang and Alex Paglumotan abstaining. Gasataya said the majority members of Council decided to pull out from the Committee on Laws the amendment of the internal rules, and for the whole of the SP to act as a committee of the whole to discuss their internal rules, which goes with it the reorganization and other contents of the internal rules. Both resolutions were proposed by Councilors Archie Baribar, Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, Wilson Gamboa Jr., Sonya Verdeflor, El Cid Familiaran, Claudio Puentevella, Ana Marie Palermo and Noli Villarosa. Gasataya said they respect whatever is the reason of the eight councilors for changing the floor leader. “This is a rule of the majority. This is a numbers game,” he said. But as presiding officer, he will try to maintain, as much as possible, the good working relationship in the Council, despite the change in the number of the majority or the minority, he said. Gasataya said that, in the past, he had been advocating fairness to all members of Council regardless of political affiliation. Asked for his reaction, Distrito said that is expected because there is a shift of balance. Being floor leader of the SP is a task given by the majority. “This is all politics. We are governed by the rule of majority and the position of floor leader will always be dependent on the Sangguniang Panlungsod,” said Distrito, who, at the same time, was surprised upon knowing that there was a resolution of thanks and added jokingly that “Una pa ang condolence antes sya mapatay (Condolence was extended even before he was dead). Distrito also thanked the previous majority and his colleagues in the SP for giving him the mandate to serve as floor leader for the seven months.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Visayan Daily Star “The BacoLaodiat has united all of us”, Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella yesterday said at the opening of the 9th Bacolaodiat Festival in Bacolod City as he enjoined everyone to cooperate and unite to make Bacolod City a top tourist destination in the country and in the world.
Red Chinese lanterns illuminated the festival site as these were switched on before the start of the cultural program at the North Capitol Road that was transformed by the Filipino Chinese community in Bacolod City into a China town. Puentevella and Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya, with members of the Sanggunian, and leaders of the Filipino-Chinese community in the city, led the parade along Lacson Street to open the festival. Today is a national special non-working holiday in celebration of the Chinese New year based on Proclamation No. 655 series of 2013 signed by President Benigno Simeon Aquino lll. Puentevella said, "Bacolaodiat is growing bigger every year and is a very laudable addition to our tourism events in the city. We cannot depend on MassKara Festival alone so we have to produce many tourism events in order to attract people to come to Bacolod.” The Bacolaodiat was originated by former mayor and now Congressman Evelio Leonardia, and is now in its 9 th year. Puentevella said SM-Bacolod is building a convention center and with this development, many people will be interested to come to Bacolod and this will trigger an economic upsurge in the city. He thanked the Filipino Chinese community not only for their voluntary support to fire fighting and rescue operations, but for their contribution to the tourism program of the city like the Bacolaodiat Festival as well. ”I hope that through the years, this will grow further," he said. Bacolod is also host of the 2013 Batang Pinoy national championship games where 2,500 young athletes all over the country have arrived to compete in various sports in the city, Puentevella said. The Ceres - FC friendship football festival 7A side will also be staged in Bacolod on Saturday where 204 football teams and club will complete for a friendly game in ten categories, he said, adding that these events will fill up all the restaurants and hotels in Bacolod. Also present at the opening rites were Councilors Em Ang, Sonya Verdeflor, Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, El Cid Familiaran, Wilson Gamboa Jr., Archie Baribar and Carlos Jose Lopez. Meanwhile, road closures will be implemented at the festival site along the North Capitol Road and Lacson Street from noon to midnight starting today until tomorrow, and from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Visayan Daily Star An ordinance regulating the use of airspace of Bacolod City, was approved on second reading by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod Wednesday.
The ordinance, authored by Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairperson of the Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government and Committee on Urban Planning and General Services, aims to regulate airspace usage in the City of Bacolod particularly in public properties. It provides that the use of airspace can only be allowed if it is intended for the welfare, security, safety, health and convenience of the general public. It also provides that the use of public airspace for commercial purposes can only be allowed if it will not cause danger to the public, is within the allowable height as determined by Office of the Building Official and certified by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and should be declared by the SP as a patrimonial property of the City. Meanwhile, the SP also approved a resolution requesting PhilHealth president Alexander Padilla, through Director Vincent Andrew Leyson, national project manager of the National Household Targeting Office, the list of indigents in the City of Bacolod covered by PhilHealth, and the corresponding budget provided by the national government. The resolution authored by Councilor El Cid Familiaran, saidthe list of indigents identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development through the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction, based on Republic Act No. 10606, or “National Health Insurance Act of 1995, “ is indispensable for PhilHealth beneficiaries. The resolution also said that while other local governments and provinces, such as Negros Occidental have been already provided with the lists of their indigents under PhilHealth coverage, and provided funds, Bacolod City has yet to be provided its own official list of indigent beneficiaries, necessary for appropriate funding from the national government. The official list of Bacolod’s indigents is critical for crafting and implementing programs and services for social protective services, it added.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Visayan Daily Star An ordinance granting a 20 percent discount to stall awardees or lessees who are prompt and faithfully paying their monthly stall/block rentals, was approved on first reading by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod Wednesday.
The ordinance was authored by Councilor El Cid Familiaran and co-authored by Councilors Sonya Verdeflor and Caesar Distrito. The resolution said the City had been granting market stall awardees tax relief on surcharges/ interests/penalties and arrearages on their rental obligations through the passage of City Ordinance No. 407, series of 2006, City Ordinance No. 589 Series of 2012 and City Ordinance No. 615 Series of 2012. These market awardees or lessees, who are beneficiaries of these ordinances, are not religious or prompt tax payers, yet they were given by the city tax relief on their unpaid market rentals, it said. A number of market awardees, who have paid their market rentals religiously, are supposed to enjoy the same privileges or incentives being enjoyed by those who have surcharges or arrearages as provided in Article 11 of C.O. 407, C.O. 583 and C.O. 632, the resolution said. The city should grant 20 percent discount to market stall/block stall awardees or lessees, who are promptly and faithfully paying their monthly stall/block rentals, under Section 192, Chapter 5 of Book II of the Local Government Code of 1991 which authorizes the Local Government Unit to grant tax exemptions, incentives or reliefs, it added.*CGS Visayan Daily Star A resolution declaring the month of January as Cleanliness Awareness Month, was approved by the Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod last week.
The resolution authored by Councilor El Cid Familiaran said that, usually after the December holiday celebration, garbage and solid waste become very apparent in of the city. The city should respond to such perennial environmental challenge, it said. The resolution also said the Local Government Code of 1991 mandates local government units to maintain a balanced environment and healthful ecology. It also said this awareness campaign for the environment, if continuously practiced and becomes sustainable in the city, will surely improve its condition.*CGS Visayan Daily Star A resolution requesting the City Legal Office and its Enforcement Unit, the Bureau of Fire Protection and Bacolod City Police Office through the Office of the City Mayor to implement City Ordinance No. 511, Series of 2009 regulating the manufacture, sale and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics in Bacolod City, was approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod Wednesday.
The resolution authored by Councilor El Cid Familiaran, chairman of the SP Committee on Peace, Security and Jail Management, said that among the positive things that the Christmas celebration brings is that it stimulates business in the city and provides more benefits or business opportunity to the people. It said these businesses also involve the sale of firecrackers and pyrotechnics. However, the manufacture, sale and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics pose danger, not only to the buying sector, but to the general public and should be strictly regulated through existing laws. To prevent untoward incidents that may cause fire due to fire crackers and pyrotechnics, the enforcement of C.O. No. 511 that prescribes the place and imposes regulation for the manufacture, sale and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics in the City of Bacolod, should be strictly implemented, it added.*CGS THE VISAYAN DAILY STAR |
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