Responding to the city’s recent failed solid waste management inspection, Bacolod City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran urged barangay officials to take the lead on the matter.
“We have to call the attention of our barangay officials to implement solid waste management,” he said. Familiaran explained the barangay would be a big help since the source of waste comes from individual households. He said, in order for the implementation to be successful, we need the cooperation of our barangay officials to discipline the community in their respective areas. Every barangay is also supposed to have an annual allocation for solid waste management, or programs in their own barangay. “We must have a partnership with them,” the vice mayor added. “I hope the Mayor will also conduct a meeting for this.” Familiaran mentioned there is a problem in the pick-up of garbage in barangays. “Our compliance started when we constructed the sanitary landfill, however, we failed in the implementation,” he added. “After we have complied, we did not use it properly, thus we made it an open dump site.” Familiaran further reminded that the implementation of solid waste management is part of Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, which states a government entity must “set guidelines and targets for solid waste avoidance and volume reduction through source reduction and waste minimization measures.” A notice of violation has already been issued to the city by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The agency has, likewise, called for a technical conference with the city’s Solid Waste Management Board./WDJ Watchmen Daily Journal By Nicole Surriga, Intern
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BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to postpone the hearing for the election protest that defeated mayoral candidate Monico Puentevella filed against him. Leonardia asked to reschedule the hearing at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) central office in Manila from July 27 to Sept. 28. He received the notice only on July 22, City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan said. They filed the motion seeking the postponement on July 25. More time was needed to prepare the “voluminous” documents needed, including election returns, certificate of candidacy and vote counting machine (VCM) audit logs, according to Bayatan. Puentevella and his running mate, the defeated vice mayoral candidate Vladimir Gonzalez, filed election protests before the Comelec’s Electoral Contest Adjudication Department. They sought a manual recount of the ballots cast during the May 9 elections here. Puentevella lost to Leonardia, while Gonzalez lost to now Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran. Puentevella got 97,993 votes, while Leonardia got 120,231 votes. Gonzalez had 86,611 votes, while Familiaran garnered 108,360 votes. City Election Officer Mavil Majarucon–Sia earlier said Comelec has directed her to submit documents from the 198 clustered precincts in 45 barangays here which will be needed for the hearing. Puentevella wanted the Board of Canvassers to facilitate the manual recount and the city treasurer to secure the ballot boxes, VCMs, and other paraphernalia and records until ordered otherwise by Comelec, Bayatan said. “In the event the manually recounted or audited votes … show that … Puentevella is the rightful winner … Comelec shall annul and withdraw the proclamation of … Leonardia … and proclaim Puentevella as the duly elected mayor,” the former mayor said in his protest. Leonardia, in his counter-affidavit, said the protest was “bereft of any initiatory proof of facts about the alleged fraud or irregularities.” He claimed Puentevella was also “guilty of forum-shopping inasmuch as there is a similar pending case [for] recount filed before Regional Trial Court Branch 42.” The case at the court was filed by Richard Calulut and several other Puentevella supporters against the city Board of Canvassers and City Treasurer Giovanni Balalilhe. Leonardia also asked Comelec to dismiss the election protest for “lack of merit.”/PN Panay News BY MAE SINGUAY THE Bacolod City Council unanimously approved during its regular session on Wednesday the appropriation ordinance amounting of P60 million intended for Environment and Sanitary Services. On July 26, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, who was acting city mayor from July 21 to 27, requested the appropriation in behalf of Mayor Evelio Leonardia who was on leave. The fund will be sourced from the underestimated income for 2016 for the essential needs of the city, based on the certification issued by City Treasurer Giovanni Balalilhe. Familiaran said the P60 million will be used for garbage collection from September 2 to December 31 this year. The contract between the City Government and hauler Dynamic Builders and Construction Co. will end on September 1. Familiaran said a bidding will be conducted to find a new contractor. He added that the garbage collection of the city only costs more or less P15 million a month, whereas the previous administration had been city spending between P25 million to P30 million on a monthly basis. The city has a P170-million appropriated annual budget for the collection and hauling of garbage for 2016, but the fund was already used by the previous administration from January to June. “So what will happen in the next six months?” Familiaran asked. Last week, the Solid Waste Management Board convened and approved a resolution requesting the Bids and Awards Committee to conduct a bidding for garbage collection. Zamboanga.com By Merlinda A. Pedrosa BACOLOD City – Councilors approved a P60-million budget for the collection and hauling of garbage here after the city government’s twice-extended contract with its garbage collector ends on Sept. 2. The amount will be sourced from city hall’s “underestimated income” and local taxes. Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran — on behalf of Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who was on leave for official business until Wednesday — requested for the appropriation on Tuesday. Familiaran said the city allotted P170 million for garbage collection and hauling for the entire 2016, but the budget lasted for only six months. Last week, the Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) asked the Bids and Awards Committee to hold a bidding for the next garbage collector. It also sought the creation of a technical working group that shall, among others, draft the terms of reference for the contract. The city government’s contract with Dynamic Builders and Construction Co. (Phil.), Inc. ends on Sept. 2. Originally, it was supposed to end on Jan. 2 but was extended to July 1, and then again to Sept. 2. The law will no longer allow further extensions, according to Department of Public Services head Nelson Sedillo, an SWMB member./PN Panay News BY MAE SINGUAY A benefit run for Rolando Espina, Jr., the first and the only Filipino to qualify for the Spartathlon, is set for Sunday in Bacolod City. The benefit run which has 10km, 5km and 3km categories was organized by Espina's colleagues from the Negros Occidental High School Batch '85 and the Rotary Club of Bacolod Central. Running shoes donated by friends of Espina will also be raffled in the benefit run. Espina, a Bacolodnon nurse currently based in Ireland, paid a courtesy call to Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran today and called on Negrenses for support. Veteran triathlete Rolando Espina, Jr., who is set to compete in the Spartathlon this year, met with Bacolod Vice-mayor El Cid Familiaran.
ABS-CBN News Barbara Ann Mijares BACOLOD City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran on Wednesday assured the unpaid casual employees of the previous administration that they will receive their pay. “As long as they have their appointments and daily time records signed by their department heads, there is no reason they will not be paid," Familiaran said. On Monday, about 50 former casuals went to the New Government Center to ask how they could claim their unpaid salaries for June. The following day, some of them also went to the Vice Mayor’s Office, but Familiaransaid he was not around when they came. He said they are now validating the list of the unpaid casual employees. Lawyer Allyn Luv Zamora-Dignadice, administrative officer IV of City Administrator’s Office, had earlier said they have not yet received the official list of names of the complainants, but City Administrator John Orola directed them to validate their claims. Sun Star Bacolod ByMERLINDA A. PEDROSA SEVERAL officials in Negros Occidental are expecting President Rodrigo Duterte to tackle the administration’s policy direction and the proposed charter change when he delivers his first State of the Nation Address (Sona) this afternoon at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City. “Word from Malacañang said that his (Duterte) speech would last for 30 minutes. I hope he limits his anti-illegal drug, corruption, criminality policies to five minutes of the speech as he has proven his point,” Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said. Instead, the vice governor would like Duterte to “focus on the how, like he will keep the inflation low, create more jobs, address problems on education, health, housing, and agriculture.” He is also expecting the president to talk about federalism and tax reform, he added. First District Representative Melecio Yap Jr., said he is anticipating Duterte to push for federalism in his speech. He is also looking forward to more infrastructure projects in transportation like airport and metro rail transit in the province. For Fifth District Board Member Alain Gatuslao, he is expecting Duterte to discuss the details on charter change. “I’m also looking forward if local officials allegedly involved in illegal drugs will be named,” he added. Second District Board Member Salvador Escalante Jr. said he is “expecting the president to fast track our transition to federalism. No more imperial Manila.” In Bacolod City, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said he is looking forward to Duterte discussing on how to improve the peace and order especially on the campaign against illegal drugs as well as policies on health, education, and corruption. Familiaran is acting mayor from July 21 until July 26 since Mayor Evelio Leonardia will attend today’s Sona. Councilor Ricardo Tan has been designated acting vice mayor. “I do hope that Duterte will implement an equal distribution or allocation of funds in housing programs especially for the informal settlers,” he added. Councilor Caesar Distrito said Duterte, who is known for his simplicity and no-nonsense style, is expected to have a Sona that would not be long. “No dramatic and flowery words, and purely action-oriented plans and programs,” he added. “I am expecting also that he will speak about his economic agenda, population control, health care, simplified taxation plan as promised, his peace and development efforts, and the solution to the worsening traffic woes the public endures," Distrito said. He further said that he hopes Duterte will express his mode of amending the Constitution either through Constitutional Convention or Constituent Assembly. Meanwhile, Christian Tuayon, Bayan-Negros secretary-general, said they look forward to the progressive pronouncement of Duterte on the issue of peace. “(That there will be) resumption of peace talks between the national government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and address the root of armed conflict,” he added. “We also hope that Duterte will present his economic agenda in favor of the call of the people like land distribution, end of labor contractualization, and nationalist industrialization,” he said. ‘Positive development’ Two days before the Sona, Duterte signed the executive order on Freedom of Information. "Every Filipino shall have access to information, official records, public records and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions or decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for public development," the EO said. Tuayon said they “welcome this positive development.” “In order to have transparency, FOI is very helpful that public documents and transactions will be publicly accessible,” he added. Provincial officials also welcomed the EO that granted the Filipino people access to public transactions and documents. Lacson said he has not yet seen the full draft of the FOI but, “suffice to say, the president kept his promise.” Gatuslao said that “transparency in government dealings will always benefit our constituents,” adding that he is “very interested in the exceptions” clause on the FOI executive order. For his part, Yves Akol, secretary-general of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), said Duterte has started to fulfill his campaign promise wherein the result, especially in the campaign against illegal drugs, is seemed phenomenal. “If you try to look at it in a citizen’s point of view, the campaign is phenomenal. Although the killings can be done by syndicates just to silent them. There are messages shown that those being killed have coverings in their mouths, eyes or handcuffed. If you try to understand, they are sending a message also of ‘no talk’ or what you saw, you leave it there,” he said. Moreover, Akol said the PDP-Laban Negros Island Region has a mandate from Duterte to work on the dissemination of information about federalism. “We are supposed to give a template on the process as Constitutional Convention (ConCon) is being pushed. Whoever will sit as delegates, they will already have a template and will no longer start from zero,” he said. (With reports from CNC) By MARCHEL P. ESPINA MERLINDA A. PEDROSA WHILE most cities held their inauguration ceremonies before July 1, Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia decided to hold the rites for the City of Bacolod on July 6 at the Bacolod Government Center. The city’s top three officials were sworn in by three senators – Mayor Evelio Leonardia before Manny Pacquiao, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran before Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, and Representative Greg Gasataya before Senate President Franklin Drilon. Drilon, an Ilonggo senator coming from the neighboring Iloilo City, said this is a “new dawn in Bacolod” because for the first time in many years, it has a united political leadership, with the mayor, vice mayor, congressman and majority of the City Council belonging to the same political party – the Grupo Progreso. A united political leadership is the key to why Iloilo City’s development was able to move faster than Bacolod, he said. He added that he is also willing to sit down and assist Bacolod to “do what we did in Iloilo in developing our old airport site.” For Pimentel, Bacolod is now considered the land of opportunity because of its booming economic growth, noting that under Leonardia's watch, Bacolod was voted the “Best Place to Live in the Philippines” in 2008. Already the longest-serving mayor after four terms, this new mandate is Leonardia’s fifth term. Pacquiao, an “adopted son of Bacolod,” said he joined the inaugural rites to show his love and support for Leonardia who has been his “kumpare” and friend both in hard times and in good times. Leonardia had carried the champion’s belt and the Philippine flag in most of Pacquiao’s fight. He is also godfather to two of Pacquiao’s children – Queenie and Israel. Ten of the 12 members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod were sworn in by Regional Trial Court Branch 51 Executive Judge Anita Chua, including Grupo Progreso’s Ricardo Tan, Caesar Distrito, Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero, Em Ang, Elmer Sy, Dindo Ramos and Bart Orola, and Pamilya MKK’s Ana Marie Palermo and Sonya Verdeflor. In his inaugural speech, Leonardia said the new set of city officials have committed to work together to put Bacolod City back on track. “The result of the 2016 elections was a message from our people. And they are telling us that we must work together,” Leonardia said. Congratulations to all! By LUCI LIZARES 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. BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia called on city officials to forget politics and work together for the progress of the city. “Let’s forget politics. The result of the election is a message of our people that we must work together for the progress of Bacolod,” Leonardia said in his inaugural speech during the rites held at the People’s House (also known as the New Government Center) on Tuesday. Leonardia, who took his oath before Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao,” said that they should put Bacolod back on track. During the ceremonies, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran took oath before Senator Aquilino Pimentel III while Representative Greg Gasataya was inducted into office by Senate President Franklin Drilon. Ten of the 12 city councilors, including Ricardo Tan, Caesar Distrito, Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero, Em Ang, Elmer Sy, Ann Marie Palermo, Dindo Ramos, Bart Orola, and Sonya Verdeflor, took their oath before Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Anita Chua. Councilors Wilson Gamboa Jr. and Claudio Puentevella were absent. Despite heavy rains, hundreds of guests from various sectors as well as city employees, barangay officials, and supporters of the ruling part Grupo Progreso attended the inaugural ceremonies. Mayors from other cities and towns in Negros Occidental and Iloilo, also came as well as Bong Duterte, brother of President Rodrigo Duterte. “Our endeavor is to build, strengthen, and enhance economic infrastructure, social services, human resources, and good governance. And to achieve these, we want to restore business confidence and create an economic climate that will accelerate business development and growth in the city," Leonardia said. He added that his administration will also cut the red tape as earlier directed by President Rodrigo Duterte. The mayor said he wants the business permits to be processed as soon as possible as he shared that he received an information that there are fixers inside the Government Center. Leoanardia said he will also push to repeal the real property tax (RPT) ordinance. He added that he will write a letter addressed to the City Council asking that it should be repealed. “If we agree with the new RPT, I assure you that if you shake my hands that handshake is good as cash,” Leonardia added. The city mayor also encouraged barangay officials to be business-friendly to create an economic climate. Leonardia also said he will push for the realization of the new Bacolod economic highway projects that will create a new growth center in the city, and to address the traffic, education, and garbage problems. “Let us all march towards peace, progress, and prosperity,” he urged Bacolodnons. For his part, Gasataya said they are ready to work for the people of Bacolod. He said anybody he had met told him to start their work and stop the politics because the elections are over. “The people are expecting a lot from us,” he added. “I guarantee the people of Bacolod that I will continue to work and I don't get tired of working for Bacoleños. Gasataya said that on June 30, he filed House Bill 147 to establish two congressional districts in Bacolod. “I will continue to do the projects started by Mayor Leonardia,” he added. “Thank you for your all support and please watch me work.” Meanwhile, Pacquiao said, “As an adopted son of Bacolod, I am thankful to be here, to show my support and love to the city mayor.” He said Leonardia could bring new developments to Bacolod. For his part, Drilon said that there is a hope in the new administration in Bacolod. “For the first time that we can see a united political leadership from the mayor to the congressman, vice mayor, and city councilors,” he said. Pimentel also said he believes on the political leadership of Leonardia to bring more projects and programs for the people of Bacolod. Sun Star Bacolod By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA |
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