THE Bacolod City Council approved the 60-day traffic experiment of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) within the Ayala Street in North and South Capitol Road starting Monday, November 26. Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said Thursday, November 22, that the 60-day experimental period, which was requested by BTAO head Superintendent Luisitio Acebuche, was approved during the regular session on Wednesday, November 21. He said Acebuche’s request is for the re-routing one-way traffic scheme and extension for the route of public utility jeepney (PUJ). The affected PUJs are plying Bata-Libertad; Mandalagan-Libertad; Fortune Towne/Homesite-Central Market; Sum-ag/Alijis/Pta. Taytay/Airport Subdivision-Central Market; Banago-Libertad; and vans to south terminal, airport, and seaport. The experiment will be until January 24, 2019. On November 18, Acebuche held a meeting with various transport groups for the re-routing of PUJs for the opening of Ayala Mall-Capitol Lagoon in December. Acebuche said that most of the affected PUJs are those plying Bata/Mandalagan-Central Market because of the extension of PUJs coming from the south and east portion of Bacolod. He said there would be a one-way along selected streets which PUJs from the south would not turn at the San Sebastian Cathedral, instead they would go straight to Gatuslao then left to South Capitol Lagoon, where the Ayala Mall is situated, then take a left at San Juan Street all the way back to original destination. “We will ensure that there will be no obstruction in the Burgos-Gatuslao streets during the experimental period,” he added. (MAP)
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Bacolod Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran is urging barangay officials to educate their constituents on the proper disposal of garbage, after debris scattered along the shorelines of Pala Pala in Purok Katilingban, Barangay Punta Taytay, Bacolod City, was posted on social media. Familiaran said he has already called the attention of Barangay Captain Lea Palma on the matter, and also asked her to determine if the garbage was indeed found along the shorelines of their barangay.
It is the obligation of the barangay to clean up their surroundings, he said. If indeed there are piles of garbage scattered along the shorelines of Punta Taytay, they should improve their performance by educating the people to dispose of their garbage properly, he added. Familiaran said that if people are not educated on the proper disposal of waste, they will continue to violate the law. But these problems do not only happen in Bacolod. He said the barangay captain is the one who should coordinate with IPM-CDC regarding the collection of garbage. But IPM-Construction Development Corporation should not collect garbage dumped on the shorelines or riverbanks of the barangay. It is the obligation of the barangay officials to discipline or educate their constituents on the proper disposal of garbage, he said. Familiaran said that if cell number 2 at the sanitary landfill has been constructed, only residual wastes should be dumped into it. So there is a need to start educating the people on proper waste disposal. He said they have started an information, education campaign on the “No Segregation, No Collection” policy of the city Sunday in Purok Lirio, Brgy. Taculing, together with Department of Public Service personnel and doctors of the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center. Hopefully, they will be successful in implementing the program in Taculing so they can spread the campaign out to other subdivisions in the city, he said. Familiaran said there was also a clean-up drive conducted along the shorelines of the city starting from Banago. He suggested to the barangay officials that they involve the residents of the barangay in the activity. Meanwhile, the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod approved a resolution requesting the DPS, through Mayor Evelio Leonardia, to initiate a program that would require IPM-Construction Development Corporation to collect garbage in all the barangays of Bacolod at least three times a week this December to cope with the volume of garbage during the Christmas season and to welcome the New Year with fresh and clean surroundings. The resolution, authored by Councilor Ricardo Tan, said it is during the holiday season that the volume of garbage increases, thereby making the weekly schedule of collection almost insignificant. There is therefore the need to increase the frequency of garbage collection in every barangay to keep the surroundings clean and tidy.* MAYOR Evelio Leonardia and other city officials at the ribbon-cutting ceremony during the inauguration of the Bacolod Historical Mural on Nov. 20. (Photo courtesy of the City PIO) MAYOR Evelio Leonardia led the inauguration of the Historical Mural, dubbed “Bacolod @ 80,” in celebration of the 80th charter of the city on Nov. 20, 2018.
The murals are painted on the outer fence of the Bacolod North Cemetery on Burgos Extension Road. Joining the mayor were Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, Councilors Ana Marie Palermo and Renecito Novero, City Administrator John Orola, barangay officials, city employees, Boys and Girls Week officials, and the local artists behind the project. The event was spearheaded by City Cooperative and Livelihood Development Office (CCLDO) officer-in-charge and project head Brenda Burdeos, whose late husband Rafael Burdeos, conceptualized the project. The murals show the history of Bacolod since its cityhood in 1938 up to the present. Artists from the National Committee on Visual Arts (NCAA), as well as the local, were earlier tapped to help in the project. “It is now one of our treasures in Bacolod,” Leonardia said at the inauguration. He added that this could also be one of the tourist attractions in the city, if maintained and will have the story properly narrated to tourists. HISTORY The murals have seven frames – the first shows the theme of the city’s 80th year celebration “Full Speed Ahead,” with some major awards received by the city. The second depicts the significance of agriculture, especially of sugarcane farming and sugar production to Bacolod as the capital city of Negros Occidental, while the third features the Cinco de Noviembre revolt of the Negrenses against the Spaniards. The fourth shows the modernization of sugar milling; the fifth, the signing of the Charter of Bacolod by President Manuel Quezon; the sixth, the dark moments in Negros Occidental; and the seventh frame, the MassKara Festival. (City PIO) Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia with Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and Councilor Renecito Novero at the Government Center Tuesday, November 20. (Merlinda Pedrosa) “WE feel this is such a big source of inspiration, encouragement and more than that, this gives us, at the same time, some kind of moral pressure that we have to live up with the expectation of our people.” This was the message of Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia Tuesday, November 20, after he received the Lifetime Excellence for City Governance award and Mentor of the Year award while the City Government was a finalist for Tourism Company of the Year award at the 2018 Asia Leaders Awards (ALA) gala night and awarding ceremony at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel recently. On November 16, Bacolod City was also recognized as the “most competitive city” in Western Visayas during the second Regional Development Council (RDC)-Western Visayas competitive Local Government Units (LGUs) in rites held in Iloilo City. “For us, these awards would mean that this will give us the motivation and even a deeper commitment that we had to continue our efforts to make Bacolod City a better place to live in,” Leonardia said. He said he is thankful to Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, the members of the City Council and the employees for having a very much contributory on these awards including Congressman Greg Gasatya. “If our city officials are working together we can do more development for the city,” he added. The ALA, a culmination of Asia Leaders Forum, recognizes and acknowledges leading men and women in various industries who have exhibited exemplary leadership and contributed in promoting the country as a premier business hub in Asia. “We are thankful to the organizers. This is not personal at all. Any awards we get are all due to the people of Bacolod because they are the major reason why all these positive things are happening to us,” Leonardia said. For his part, Familiaran said these awards is a manifestation that the administration of Leonardia is doing good and better. “This will encourage us to do better,” he added. On some problems in Bacolod that need to be addressed, Familiaran said they are also doing their best to address the said concerns. “We have existing problems and we are giving attention on that.” With these awards, the city government expects more tourist arrivals and investors to come in for the benefit of the people of Bacolod. By Merlinda Pedrosa
Bacolod City officials led by Mayor Evelio Leonardia (10th from left) and Representative Greg Gasataya (13th from left) during the presentation, blessing, and turnover of the new sewer jet, two ambulance vehicles, and a motor grader at the Government Center Monday, November 19. (Contributed photo) BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia led the turnover ceremony for the newly purchased equipment and vehicles of the City Government intended for disaster management, costing a total of P39 million, at rites held in the Government Center grounds Monday, November 19.
Joining the mayor at the blessing, presentation and turnover ceremony for the equipment and vehicles were Representative Greg Gasataya, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, Councilors Caesar Distrito and Dindo Ramos. Rotary Club of Bacolod Boys and Girls Week officials, led by Boy Mayor Ken Paolo Gilo, also joined the officials. The equipment and vehicles include one sewer jet costing P20.9 million, one motor grader—P14.5 million, and two ambulance cars—with a total cost of P3.9 million. The sewer jet was turned over to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), the motor grader to the City Engineer’s Office, and the ambulance cars to Barangays Sum-ag and Singcang-Airport. CDRRMO officer-in-charge Dondon Parandas said the new sewer jet will be a big help in the de-clogging of drainage systems faster in order to avoid flooding. (PR) The Rotary Club of Bacolod, in partnership with the Bacolod City government, is again in the forefront of the Boys and Girls Week celebration in the city. The club has been training future leaders for 51 years now through this project that aims to train the youth with effective leadership skills and good governance, to ensure brighter future for the next generations, its press release said. This year, 24 private and public high schools in Bacolod sent their academically excellent student leaders to participate in the project. Ninety-eight students took the qualifying examinations in Math, Science, English, and abstract reasoning, and 35 of them qualified to proceed to stage two, or the interview. During the panel interview, they were asked to point out problems in the city and present possible solutions. As gathered from their answers, the top responses were garbage, lack of discipline, poverty, traffic, corruption, lack of honesty among politicians, and lack of programs for the youth. “Awareness of the problem is the first step in solving it. Their solutions were sensible, practical and achievable,” the press release said. After the interview, 28 students advanced to stage three, or the election, where they had to form two parties with the following candidates: mayor, vice mayor, and 12 city councilors. Their platform of government was delivered through a skit. They voted through an automated election system and the winners were announced right after the election. This year’s Boys and Girls officials are Mayor Ken Paolo Gilo of the Negros Occidental High School, Vice Mayor Therese Dedel - Bacolod City National High School, and councilors Charito Radan III – NOHS, Lovely Jamesen Berbano - Bacolod City National HS, Jico Adriane Vinco - La Consolacion College Gardenville, Joanette Dalipe - St. Joseph School La Salle, Johann Christopher Gayares - Negros Mission Academy; Jerlyn Casiple - Handumanan NHS, Airis Abegail Serantes - St. Joseph School La Salle, Sharis Angel Casurao – NOHS, Alyx Buenavista - St. Scholastica’s Academy Bacolod, Anthony Joseph Lacson - St. Scholastica’s Academy Bacolod, Brian Paul Mesada - University of St. La Salle Integrated School, and John Carlo Cababan of St. Scholastica’s Academy Bacolod, the press release said. They were inducted by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran yesterday at the Bacolod Government Center, witnessed by City Administrator John Orola, city councilors, department heads, city employees, school teachers, and Rotarians assistant governor, Dr. Hector Gayares with his wife, Dr. Jocelyn Gayares, past president Jot Avelino, treasurer Pauline Cuaycong, director Richard Salem, and president Charina Puentevella. Alongside their counterparts, the Boy and Girl officials will serve the City of Bacolod from November 19 to 23, and they are expected to ask questions, join the planning, pass resolutions, participate in the SP sessions, and interact with their counterparts and subordinates, the press release added.* BACOLOD. Bacolod City officials led by Mayor Evelio Leonardia (third from right), and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran (right) receive Ambassador Han Dong-man (center) of the Republic of Korea and his staff during their courtesy visit at the Government Center Thursday, November 15. (Contributed photo) AMID the push to ban the entry of coal-fired power plants in Negros Occidental, Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong-Man said it’s better to have coal power stations in the province.
Dong-Man, who met with the officers of the Negros Press Club at 21 Bar and Restaurant in Bacolod City Thursday, November 15, said he observed that the province has a number of solar power plants and nothing for coal yet. “Well, it is good to address climate change with renewable energy sources like solar and wind, but to provide or supply electricity, it is better to have coal power stations,” he added. The Provincial Government of Negros Occidental is proposing a resolution to make the province coal-free. In fact, the Provincial Council has scheduled a committee meeting on it next week. Negros Occidental, along with Negros Oriental, recently received the 2018 Leadership Awards from The Climate Reality Project mainly for its commitment to embrace “green” energy and currently hosting renewable energy plants and farms. Provincial Environment and Management Office (PEMO) head Wilfred Ramon Peñalosa earlier said Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. already made a stand two to three years ago that they want a Green Energy Development Program for Negros Occidental. "We are not preventing them from applying, but the plan of the governor is really to push for a green province," he added. It can be recalled that San Miguel Corporation has expressed its intention to put up a coal-fired power plant in two barangays of San Carlos City. Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the City Council has already approved a resolution endorsing the project. Unlike Marañon, the second highest official in the province has manifested that he is open to coal-fired power plants in Negros Occidental. In Negros Oriental, meanwhile, the Provincial Council has already adapted Executive Order No. 9 preventing the entry of coal-fired power plants in the province. Governor Roel Degamo even appealed to other local government units (LGUs) to follow the move, expressing his vehement opposition to coal-fired power claiming that “it is bad for the environment.” Even the church supports the push to ban coal in Negros. Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of the Diocese of San Carlos earlier signed a position paper opposing the plan to put up a 300-megawatt coal plant in San Carlos City. Alminaza has appealed to the voters to do all they can to make all candidates know that "it is our demand" to keep the island coal-free and committed to respecting the vision and responsibility for the next generation. Korean companies are venturing coal plant operations in the country including those in Cebu, the foreign official said. In fact, Dong-Man said he was in the Central Visayas province last week to see the construction site of a coal power station there. He said that one of their businessmen told him that they are engaged in power supply operation with Naga Power Plant. “For Korean Electric Power Corp. (Kepco), we invested 1.7 billion U.S. dollars to build a huge coal power station in Pangasinan,” the ambassador added. On the opposition against coal in the province, Dong-Man said while it is good to have renewable energies to address climate change, solar power is too expensive compared to coal. Many countries have coal power stations because it is cheap, he pointed out. Amid questions on what should be prioritized, the protection of the environment or providing electricity to the people, Dong-Man stressed: “one method is to put a balance between conventional power stations and renewable energy sources.” Meanwhile, Dong-Man noted that the Philippines has a very high ratio of renewable energy compared to other Southeast Asian countries “which is very good.” “Also, you have many potentials in terms of developing geothermal and hydropower,” he added. The Korean official stayed in the province for three days starting Tuesday, November 13, for various engagements. On Wednesday, November 14, he led a talk on bilateral relations between Korea and the Philippines at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) in Bacolod City. He also met the officials of the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, City Government of Bacolod, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, and other groups including local business chambers. BACOLOD City – Barangays 18 and Handumanan won on Tuesday the top prizes in the local government’s Search for the Cleanest, Greenest, and Most Well-Managed Solid Waste Management Program of Urban and Rural Barangays. Barangay 18 got the first prize – P300,000 worth of solid waste management projects – in the Urban Barangay category. Handumanan, on the other hand, topped the Rural Barangay category and received P350,000 worth of solid waste management projects. Other winners in the Urban Barangay category were the following: * Barangay 15 – second prize, P200,000 (worth of solid waste management projects) * Barangay 17 – third prize, P150,000 * Barangay 13 – fourth prize, P100,000 * Barangay 30 – fifth prize, P50,000 Meanwhile other winners in the Rural Barangay category were as follows: * Montevista – second prize, P250,000 (worth of solid waste management projects) * Taculing – third prize, P200,000 * Vista Alegre – fourth prize, P150,000 * Sum-ag – fifth prize, P100,000 Thirty villages in the Rural Barangay category received P15,000 worth of solid waste management projects each as consolation prizes. Ten under the Rural Barangay category also got consolation prizes each of P20,000 worth of solid waste management projects. Handumanan barangay captain Ricardo Danoy Jr. credited their win to the cooperation of his constituents. He pointed out that they work to keep their village clean even without the clean-and-green competition. Meanwhile Barangay Captain Madeline Diaz of Barangay 18 said the contest did not force them to maintain the cleanliness of their village as they were doing the latter already. She considered their victory as a reward for their efforts. Mayor Evelio Leonardia led the awarding ceremony at the Masskara Hall of the Bacolod City Government Center. Helping him distribute the prizes were Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, head of the Solid Waste Action Team, and Councilor Cindy Rojas, chairwoman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod committee on environment and ecology. Rojas said they hoped to encourage barangays to segregate their wastes through the competition. Around P2.5 million from the city government’s solid waste management fund has been allocated for the contest, Familiaran disclosed. Leonardia vowed to continue the competition and push for its institutionalization./PN By Mae Singuay
A MEMORANDUM of agreement (MOA) was signed between Bacolod-based company Amatera Renewable Energy Corp. and its Korean partner, TPC Construction Corp., for the development of a 50-megawatt solar power plant in Barangay Vista Alegre, Bacolod City.
The MOA signing was led by Amatera chief finance officer Ramon Luis Lacson and TPC president Charles Ji. It was witnessed by the village chief of Barangay Vista Alegre, Jose Maria Leandro Norberto De Leon, and TPC members at the L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City Friday evening, September 6. Lacson said the MOA signing is an agreement between the Korean group and their family. The Korean firm will be given a year of collectively looking for investors and probably the start of construction. “The Korean firm should start the project within one year. Because after a year, all of what we have done here will expire. So they will have to push that within a year, they should start the project,” he said. He added that by August 2020, they already started the project. Lacson noted that the solar power plant project has an estimated budget of P2 billion. “From the bottom of our hearts Charles, thank you for trusting our family and we also extend our trust in you. Hopefully, this renewable energy project will not only deliver power to our city, but probably will deliver clean and more progressive type of energy which will later be appreciated by our children and our children’s children,” Lacson said. The Amatera Renewable Energy Corp. is leasing the 74-hectare Lacson family land for 25 years to the Korean firm for the first-ever large-scale solar power project in Bacolod. Ji also expressed his gratitude to the Lacson Family for allowing him to do his first business in the Philippines. Ji said as a Korean, it was very difficult to do business in the Philippines. “But I feel infinite pride being able to do MOA of solar energy business. Based on Korea’s superior technology, we will prepare thoroughly to ensure that construction and operation will not be disrupted,” he said. Familiaran said this is another milestone for the City of Bacolod because this is the first solar power energy project to be constructed in the city. He said the 50-megawatt solar power is equivalent to 50,000 households’ power consumers, and the requirement of the city is only between 60 to 70 megawatts. “They saw the potential of Bacolod because of the economic boom of our city so there’s a need of additional power. This is an assurance for all of us and our would be investors that we can supply power 24/7. And in the near future, this will lower down the cost of power,” he added. The power plant project has a lease contract renewable for 25 years. The firms target to start the operation by 2020, in time for the completion of the Cebu-Negros-Panay 230-kilovolt Backbone Project of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines. For his part, barangay captain Jose Maria Leandro Norberto De Leon said he is also thankful that the solar power plant will be constructed in his barangay. He said the project will be constructed in Purok Katilingban near the barangay hall of Barangay Vista Alegre. BARANGAYS 18 and Handumanan in Bacolod City were the champion in the city’s Search for the Cleanest, Greenest, and Most Well-Managed Solid Waste Management (SWM) program. The awards were received by its village chiefs in rites held at the MassKara Hall in the Government Center Tuesday, November 13 which was attended by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, Councilor Cindy Rojas, department heads, and barangay officials. For winning the Urban Barangay Category, Barangay 18 led by its village chief Madeline Diaz received P300, 000 worth of projects. Barangay 15 led by village chief Anthony Ayco finished second runner-up and received P200, 000 worth of solid waste management projects followed by Barangay 17 led by its village Rogelio Pabiano who received P150, 000 worth of projects. Barangay 13 led by village chief Franklin Andre Familiaran was the fourth runner-up and Barangay 30 led by village chief John Mark Petierre was the fifth runner-up. They received P100, 000 and P50, 000 worth of projects, respectively. Rojas, chairperson of the City Council committee on environment and ecology, said 30 barangays in Urban Category also received P15, 000 worth of projects as a prize. These are Barangays 31, 38, 5, 19, 29, 27, 36, 41, 3, 28, 39, 26, 14, 40, 7, 9, 20, 10, 33, 8, 37, 1, 32, 4, 25, 35, 24, 23, 2 and 22. In the Rural Barangay Category, which was won by Barangay Handumanan, village chief Ricardo Danoy received P350, 000 worth of projects. Barangay Montevista led by village chief Glo Ann Tambasen was second runner-up and received P250,000 worth of projects followed by Barangay Taculing led by the village chief, Councilor Lady Gles Gonzales-Pallen, who received P200,000 worth of projects. Barangays Vista Alegre led by village chief Jose Maria Leandro Norberto De Leon was fourth runner-up and received P150,000 while Barangay Sum-ag led by village chief Rodney Carmona was fifth runner-up and received P100,000 worth of projects. Ten barangays also received P20, 000 worth of projects as a consolation prize. These are Barangays Mandalagan, Alangilan, Cabug, Singcang-Airport, Villamonte, Granada, Mansilingan, Felisa, Estefania and Alijis. Rojas said the barangays were judged based on how they manage their solid waste program. She said in the previous years, the City Government also held a clean and green contest which was also participated by the 61 barangays. “This is our way to encourage our barangays to start off their waste segregation program within their barangay,” she added. Rojas pointed out they will continue this program in 2019 to sustain the clean and green program in various barangays. Leonardia said he is thankful to Familiaran and Rojas for conducting this kind of program for the improvement of the barangay. “This is just another stage and we should continue this program. This is really with the intention to be our day-to-day practice in Bacolod,” he said. He added it could also bring discipline to the people and make Bacolod’s business environment more conducive. Familiaran said the clean and green program is part of the city’s waste segregation campaign. He said the construction of the city’s sanitary landfill cell No.2 is also about to start and all the barangays should be compliant on waste segregation. “With or without a clean and green contest, we should do this every day for the cleanliness of our city,” he added. Diaz and Danoy said they were thankful for the support and cooperation of their constituents to be named as the most well managed solid waste management this year. They said that they will continue the clean and green program within their barangays to maintain a good environment. They added they will use their prizes to improve their solid waste management programs and they also urged their colleagues to do their efforts to attain a clean environment. By Merlinda Pedrosa
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