BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia is seeking an authority from the City Council to sign the contract of service between current garbage hauler IPM-Construction and Development Corp. (IPM-CDC) and the City Government for the P150-million environmental and sanitary services deal.
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said he received the mayor’s letter Monday morning, requesting them to hold a special season at 3 p.m. today to take up the matter. He said the representatives of IPM-CDC will be around to make a presentation about their facilities, and obligations to the City Government. Familiaran added that the two-month extension contract of IPM-CDC will end today, and they will start with the new contract on March 1 for the 10-month garbage hauling and collection services at P14.858 million per month. The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) had earlier released the resolution stating that the IPM-CDC was declared a winner after passing the post-qualification. The IPM-CDC had the lowest and responsive calculated bid of P149,696,384.53. Familiaran said that after the granting of authority to the mayor to sign, they will hold a regular session tomorrow to ratify the contract of service. “While we are finalizing the contract with the garbage hauler, the IPM-CDC will continue their services until their contract will be ratified,” he said. Familiaran said the IPM-CDC is already doing good in addressing the garbage problem of the city. By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA
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Thousands of supporters and local officials joined “A Call for Unity and Support to President Rodrigo Duterte” caravan and rally held in Bacolod City, yesterday afternoon.
A caravan started at the Capitol Lagoon and ended at the Bacolod Government Center, where a police-estimated crowd of 2,000, wearing red shirts converged for a program. “We want to show that Negros is one with the President Rodrigo Duterte in his fight against drugs, corruption and poverty because before, during the elections, Negros was known as Liberal Party country,” Local Government Undersecretary Jesus Hinlo, who was at the event, said. Hinlo said he was very happy to know that, with Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, and other mayors in the province, that Negros is now one in support of the President. “Since the people have already chosen the President in his victory during elections, we have to rally behind him,” Hinlo said, adding that “We have more than five years to go, and there is no other recourse than to support Duterte and move forward. “Negros needs the attention of Malacañang and if we are seen united, I believe that the President will give us more attention,” Hinlo also said. The caravan is also a show of solidarity with the rally staged in the Luneta Saturday, he said. At the rally, Marañon said the gathering yesterday showed that Negrenses are helping and are one with the President for the betterment of the province and the country. “Let us be one because a place that is not united will not progress, a place without peace will not develop,” Marañon said. Leonardia, meanwhile, said that Bacolod fully supports the administration of Duterte. “I think it is clear that the President has the mandate and that he will stay for six years,” Leonardia said, adding that people should give Duterte the chance to accomplish his plans for the country. RETENTION OF NIR At the Bacolod rally, protesters also brought with them tarpaulins bearing appeals to retain the Negros Island Region. Hinlo said the appeal with the Cabinet will still continue as they have not finally decided on the fate of the NIR. He hopes that the hearts of those in the Cabinet will be touched by the plea of the people of Negros Occidental that they don't want to be divided from their Oriental counterpart. “If not for the voices of some of the Negrense leaders here, NIR would have been dissolved already last November. The President has heard the cries of the DILG, together with the appeal of Marañon and other mayors that we want to be retained as a region,” Hinlo said. He said if the Negros Occidental and Oriental be treated as one island, the development will be faster and the economy stronger, so they appealed to Duterte to save NIR. Hinlo said he was informed that the retention of NIR will be included in the Cabinet meeting this March. Hinlo told supporters and local officials at the rally to set aside their differences for the sake of Negros. The two-hour rally, organized by the MRRD-NECC-NIR (Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Council-Negros Island Region), was also attended by Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya, Bacolod Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, Mayors Nicholas Yulo of Bago City, Isidro Zayco of Kabankalan City, Alfredo Marañon III of Sagay City, Francis Frederick Palanca of Victorias City, Agustin Ernesto Bascon of Himamaylan City, Oscar Montilla Jr. of Sipalay City, Emmanuel Aranda of Binalbagan, Marvin Malacon of E. B. Magalona, Jose NadieArceo of Hinigaran; Rhumyla Mangilimutan of La Castellana, Lourdes Escalante of Manapla, Magdaleno Peña of Moises Padilla, Jose Benito Alonso of Pontevedra, Vice Mayor Gerany Suatengco of Pulupandan, Marxlen Dela Cruz of Don Salvador Benedicto, JilsonTubillara of San Enrique, Richard Jaojoco of Toboso, and Enrique Miravalles of Valladolid. Jude Doctora, regional chairman of MRRD-NECC-NIR; Jessie Clavecillas, regional vice chairman of MRRD-NECC-NIR also joined the rally. Enrique Rojas of the National Federation of Sugar Planters, Manuel Lamata of United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines, Inc. (UNIFED), Francis Dela Rama of Confederation of Sugar Producers Association, Inc. (CONFED), Roberto Gatuslao of Negros Prawn Producers Coop, and Edgar Sarrosa of Sicogon Development Corp. (SIDECO) were also present. ON WAR ON DRUGS The campaign against illegal drugs is continuing, but it is taken away temporarily from the police and now headed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, to cleanse the ranks of the police first, Hinlo said. Last week, Chief Supt. Renato Gumban, acting director of the Police Regional Office-18 in NIR, said that crimes in the region increased after the police have stopped its anti-drug operations. Hinlo said that the campaign on drugs is one thing to be considered but if the problem is crimes, the NIR police should do their job better since drugs is only one of the crimes to be eliminated to retain peace and order. “But the opinion of Gumban will be taken into consideration in reporting to the higher authorities that they are requesting that police authority to conduct operations against illegal drugs be returned,” Hinlo added.*SGG BY SHIELA GELERA TOP officials of Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, joined the caravans and unity rally in Bacolod over the weekend to show support to President Rodrigo Duterte.
About 2,000 people led by Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. and Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia trooped to the Government Center on Sunday, February 26. Interior Undersecretary for Public Safety Jesus Hinlo Jr., a Negrense, and 17 mayors also joined the rally, which started with a caravan from the Provincial Capitol. On Saturday, Leonardia and fellow Bacolod officials, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, and Representative Greg Gasataya, also joined the caravan of pro-Duterte group Kilusang Pagbabago-Negros Island Region led by former councilor Archie Baribar. Marañon, in his speech Sunday, said that Negrenses are uniting for Duterte. “We are one with the President for the development of our province and the country,” he said. The governor said that a locality with “no unity and peace will not develop,” adding that the administration is assured of the help of the Negrense leaders in the programs and projects for the nation’s development. Marañon is also the adviser of Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte National Executive Coordinating Committee (MRRD NECC). For his part, Leonardia said that his administration fully supports Duterte, and the retention of the Negros Island Region. “I think it is clear that the President has the mandate and that he will stay for six years,” Leonardia said. He added that the people should give Duterte the chance to finish his plans for the country. Victorias City Mayor Frederick Francis Palanca, president of Association of Chief Executives in Negros, said they attended the rally because they are “very happy” with the situation of the government right now, especially with the peace and order and the campaign against illegal drugs. He added that the previous administration had failed to address the country’s peace and order situation. With Duterte’s leadership, the country right now is peaceful, he added. Hinlo said that through Marañon, almost all of the mayors in Negros Occidental have joined Duterte’s party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban). He added that the leaders of Negros Occidental have to help the President and should set aside their political differences. “We have five more years to go. If we do politicking and go against the President, Negros might get neglected. We have an elected president, the Filipinos have spoken. We have to unite for the President,” Hinlo said. Majority of the officials in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod, supported the presidential bid of Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II. After the elections, Marañon, along with the mayors and other local officials, pledged their allegiance to the administration party. Aside from showing unity for the President, the Negrenses also appealed to Duterte to retain Negros Island Region. Other mayors present at the pro-Duterte rally were Nicholas Yulo of Bago City, Isidro Zayco of Kabankalan City, Alfredo Marañon III of Sagay City, Agustin Ernesto Bascon of Himamaylan City, Oscar Montilla Jr. of Sipalay City, Emmanuel Aranda of Binalbagan, Marvin Malacon of E.B. Magalona, Jose Nadie Arceo of Hinigaran, Rhumyla Mangilimutan of La Castellana, Lourdes Escalante of Manapla, Magdaleno Peña of Moises Padilla, Jose Benito Alonso of Pontevedra, Marxlen de la Cruz of Salvador Benedicto, Jilson Tubillara of San Enrique, Richard Jaojoco of Toboso, and Enrique Miravalles of Valladolid. Also present were Bacolod Representative Greg Gasataya, Board Member Annabelle Bermudo, and retired army general Raymundo Jarque. Leaders of sugar planters groups also came, including Enrique Rojas of the National Federation of Sugar Planters, Manuel Lamata of United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc., Francis de la Rama of Confederation of Sugar Producers Association Inc., Roberto Gatuslao of Negros Prawn Producers Cooperative, and Edgar Sarrosa of Sicogon Development Corporation. By MARCHEL P. ESPINA Bacolod City officials joined the motorcade spearheaded by the Kilusang Pagbabago-Negros Island Regionto show support for President Rodrigo Duterte Saturday afternoon in Bacolod City.
About 60 vehicles and close to 100 motorcycles joined motorcade from the Bacolod City Government Center to the KP-NIR headquarters in Bacolod City with Duterte supporters wearing red shirts and carrying placards expressing their support to the President. Leonardia, during the program, said they saw during the motorcade that until now the popularity of Duterte has not diminished because of his stand against illegal drugs and criminality. That is why, despite what is happening, his popularity rating remains high, he said. Gasataya said his presence, as a member of the Nationalist Peoples Coalition, is to show his continued support to the programs of Duterte. They thank Baribar and the Duterte supporters who invited them to join the activity. Familiaran said a leader cannot attain his objectives without the support of the people. “Today we have united in giving our support to President Duterte against criminality, poverty, corruption and illegal drugs, he said.” The GrupoProgreso led by Leonardia and Gasataya came to give their full support to the President, Familiaran said. Baribar said they expected the city to wholeheartedly support the activity because the congressman, mayor and vice mayor are supporting the Duterte administration . He said the motorcade was participated in by their leaders in KP-NIR from Valladolid, Bago, Murcia, Pontevedra, Talisay and Silay and several barangays in Bacolod City. Also present was Yves Acol, PDP-Laban secretary general, and other KP-NIR members.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, Lone District Representative Greg Gasataya, and former councilor Archie Baribar, spokesperson of Kilusang Pagbabago-Negros Island Region, join the pro-Duterte motorcade in Bacolod City on Saturday, February 25. (Glazyl Y. Masculino Photo) THE top officials of Bacolod City joined on Saturday, February 25, President Rodrigo Duterte’s supporters who held a caravan around the city’s major streets.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, and Lone District Representative Greg Gasataya rode in the same vehicle with former councilor Archie Baribar, who is now the spokesperson of pro-Duterte group Kilusang Pagbabago-Negros Island Region (KP-NIR). All three officials are members of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban). They welcomed the President to Bacolod last October to lead the opening of the 2016 MassKara Festival. “We’re very happy with their presence despite our political differences before,” Baribar added. The Duterte supporters, including the city officials, sang “Bayan Ko” while raising their fists in Duterte style after a short program, where Baribar thanked the participants for their continued support to the President. About 100 motorcycle riders from Cops Brigade, Riders Alliance of Responders, and other motorcycle clubs, and 100 four-wheel vehicles joined the caravan. Yves Akol, secretary-general of PDP-Laban in NIR, said they showed their support to President Duterte while other groups commemorated the 31st anniversary of Edsa revolution. “Edsa is still there but there is no rift between the Aquinos and Marcoses now,” Akol said. Baribar said: “Edsa is a moment of remembrance that should place all of us in a serious thought if we had a revolution or political sickness.” “The celebration of Edsa creates an impression of political tremors which we, as Duterte supporters, do not like,” he added. Baribar earlier expressed his non-interest to commemorate Edsa revolution anniversary because he does not want to be identified as one of the “yellow forces.” Glazyl Y. Masculino BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod is supporting the proposal to reapportion this city into two legislative districts.
Councilors approved on Wednesday a resolution expressing “strong support” to House Bill No. 147 filed by Rep. Greg Gasataya and asking the House of Representatives to expedite the measure’s approval. Gasataya earlier asked Mayor Evelio Leonardia and the city council for their official position on his proposal. Leonardia on Tuesday said he will study the measure. The mayor was cool on the proposal, citing the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) — for him the clear immediate advantage of having two districts/two House representatives. Councilor Ricardo Tan, author of the resolution, believes having two legislative districts will allow for two representatives creating laws and working for the economic development of the city. Four other officials — Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and councilors Caesar Distrito, Cindy Rojas and Em Ang, all Leonardia and Gasataya allies — already expressed support to having another district. And like them, Tan believes the plan will lead to “more projects” and “economic benefits.” The abolition of the PDAF is not a problem; there are many ways to find sources of funding, Tan stressed./PN BY MAE SINGUAY Bacolod City Cong-ressman Greg Gasataya and Partylist Rep Stephen Paduano refiled the house bill on redistricting of Bacolod City which was previously authored by former Cong Anthony Golez in July 2016 however it was unapproved. This time Cong Paduano included the present situation of the barangays in the city.
Cong Gasataya has sought the position of city officials in Bacolod City on the proposed creation of the new legislative district in the city, which is consolidated as House Bill No. 147 or “An Act Reapportioning the Lone Legislative District of the City of Bacolod and thereby Creating a New Legislative District from such Reapportionment.” According to Cong Gasataya, the bill seeks to create another legislative district in Bacolod City due to its consistently increasing population, and in pursuit of efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of basic services and equal representation for the people of Bacolod. To concretize his Bill, Gasataya sent a letter to Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and members of the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod dated February 15, Gasataya noted that the bill has already been referred to the technical working group, which he chairs, upon deliberation by the House Committee on Local Government. He also stated that a committee hearing was conducted yesterday by the committee on local government to study the proposed bills for redistricting which included the bills he and Partylist Rep. Stephen Paduano proposed. The requirement of the House Committee on Local Government is an SP resolution for the current term and the position of the City of Bacolod, he said. Therefore he sent a communication to the mayor, vice mayor and the City Council asking them for their positions to know if they are willing to have two congressional districts for Bacolod, as basis in calling for a meeting as chairperson of the technical working group that will study the proposal for the redistricting of Bacolod City, he added. The bills of Gasataya and Paduano will be reconciled together with the position of the city.* (Edith B. Colmo) BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia will look into the proposal to divide this capital city into two legislative districts.
Rep. Greg Gasataya sought the city government’s official position on his proposal, contained in House Bill No. 147. He separately wrote Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and the Sangguniang Panlungsod on Feb. 15 to seek their stand. In the bill, the congressman cited the city’s continuously growing population. “I have not yet received the letter,” Leonardia told a news conference on Monday, “but when I get it, I will make a study on that.” An executive branch committee comprising representatives from planning, engineering, treasury, and other city hall departments “with relevance to Congress” will be formed, said the mayor. “We should have a thorough study on that,” Leonardia said. Several local officials — Gasataya and Leonardia’s political allies — earlier told Panay News having two districts will be good for the city. Familiaran and three councilors have similar opinion: the redistricting will lead to “equitable representation” in Congress, “more projects and opportunities,” “more developments,” and “progress.” But on Monday Leonardia noted that “there is a difference between then and now.” He cited the Priority Development Assistance Fund, or pork barrel. Each lawmaker was allotted P70 million. If Bacolod had two districts represented by two legislators, it would have had P140 million, he said. But now the discretionary fund for representatives — which the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional — could no longer be a reason for seeking to divide the city into two districts, Leonardia stressed. According to the City Planning and Development Office, the city is projected to have a population of 579,101 this year, based on a 1.78-percent annual growth rate. Section 5, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution provides for a 250,000 minimum population for a legislative district to merit representation in Congress. “Each legislative district shall comprise, as far as practicable, contiguous, compact, and adjacent territory,” the Constitution stated. “Each city with a population of at least two hundred fifty thousand, or each province, shall have at least one representative.”/PN BY MAE SINGUAY Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said he will form a committee to study the proposed creation of a new legislative district in Bacolod City. Leonardia said they have not yet received the communication of Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya on the matter. Gasataya said he is seeking the position of the officials of Bacolod City on the proposed creation of a new legislative district in the city as one of the requirements of the House Committee on Local Government, aside from a Sanggunaing Panlungsod resolution. The solon filed House Bill No. 147 or “An Act Reapportioning the Lone Legislative District of the City of Bacolod and thereby Creating a New Legislative District from such Reapportionment.” In his letter to Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and the members of the Bacolod SangguniangPanlungsod dated February 15, Gasataya said the bill has already been referred to the technical working group, which he chairs, upon deliberation of by the House Committee on Local Government. He said a committee hearing was conducted Tuesday to study the proposed bills for redistricting which included the ones he and Partylist Rep. Stephen Paduano proposed. Leonardia said the committee he will form will involve the City Planning, City Engineer's Office, City Treasurer's Office, or even the Department of Social Services or, more or less, departments that are co-existent with the Mayor's Office and theCongressional Office. Although he had endorsed the redistricting of Bacolod before, the circumstances during that time were different, he said. Leonardia said his major argument at that time was the Priority Development Assistance Fund. At that time there was a specific PDAF amount given to the congressman which was P70 million. If there are two congressmen it will be P140 million instantly, he said. But when he joined Congress, the PDAF was abolished. So that is no longer a valid reason, Leonardia said. Another thing to consider is that there are more city roads than national roads in Bacolod City, he said. Leonardia recalled that during his term as congressman, he had poured in billions of infrastructure projects to the city, citing for example, the concreting of roads from Granada to Alangilan. During his term, they widened the Circumferential roads to four lanes and the repair and construction of bridges are almost completed, he said. Leonardia said that among the things he did when he was in Congress was to file bills that would convert local roads into national roads, because the vision was to accelerate the growth in Bacolod City. If local roads are connected to national roads, there will be two sources of funds to cement, rehabilitate or maintain them, he said.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Bacolod Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran encouraged government employees present during the regular flag-raising ceremonies at the Bacolod Government Center lobby, today, January 16, 2017, to be ambassadors of discipline, especially in observing the traffic rules.
Familiaran said “if we should start within ourselves following traffic rules, it will help the traffic condition of our City”. Recently the City has added 107 new traffic enforcers who graduated after a 5-day seminar and training spearheaded by the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO). This new batch of traffic enforcers will be deployed in various thoroughfares of Bacolod. |
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