Monday, July 18, 2022

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Clearing of 'spaghetti wires' in Bacolod begins

Posted: 18 Jul 2022 12:43 AM PDT

AS PROMISED, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo "Albee" Benitez has started to get rid of the "spaghetti wires" owned by telecommunications companies in the city's downtown area over the weekend.The clearing operations team started removing the wires dangling from the electrical posts at the stretch of San Juan Street and other major thoroughfares of the city.Benitez said that aside from being an eyesore, these dangling wires can post danger to both motorists and pedestrians.Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairman of the City Council on Transportation and Traffic, said Sunday, July 17, that they were supposed to finish the clearing of the wires at San Juan Street over the weekend.However, due to the bad weather, they needed to call off the operation, Espino said."The Task Force decided to resume operations on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday instead of Monday to Wednesday, wherein the traffic situation swells," he said.Espino assured that the clearing operations of the dangling wires will be implemented in the entire city and not in selected areas only.During the meeting with telecommunications company and Ceneco prior to the clearing operations, it was learned that the parties have an existing joint pole agreement.Under the accord, all telcos will utilize the poles of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) at P450 to P480 for every pole annually.Espino said that the top most wires at the poles are owned by Ceneco while the midlevel wires are those of the telecommunication and other service providers.He said that right now, about 60 percent of these wires are no longer functioning, especially that other telecommunications companies have already shifted to fiber optic lines in some areas.Aside from removing these dangling wires, the City Government is planning to construct an underground infrastructure that the telecommunications can use for their cables.Espino said that once the structure is constructed, the telecommunications company can rent for its use.

Negros Occidental may declare state of calamity amid rising dengue cases

Posted: 18 Jul 2022 12:40 AM PDT

AS DENGUE cases in Negros Occidental continue to rise, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said Sunday, July 17, that he is studying the possibility of declaring the province under state of calamity.Lacson said he is yet to consult Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ernell Tumimbang on the matter but maintained that dengue cases in the province remained manageable.He earlier said that dengue cases in Negros Occidental have reached alarming levels.Data from the Department of Health (DOH)-Western Visayas showed Negros Occidental has the highest number of newly reported dengue cases at 185 or a total of 1,869 cases as of July 15.That's an increase of 777 percent compared to last year.Last week, the DOH regional office informed the governor that it would send a team to Negros Occidental to help the provincial government deal with a recent surge of dengue cases.The Provincial Board of Antique on Thursday placed the province under a state of calamity due to dengue cases reported in all of its 18 municipalities.The board, during its regular session, unanimously approved the resolution filed by its Board Member Pio Jessielito Sumande Sr. for the province to be placed under a state of calamity, considering a total of 1,575 cases with six deaths reported from January to July 9.The figure is 556 percent higher than last year's 241 patients including two deaths for the same period.The resolution was approved upon the request made by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) on July 12.Meanwhile, the line agency in the region launched on Friday, July 15, the "Sabayang 4,5,6" in Antique and Negros Occidental in line with the agency's thrust to curb the increase of dengue cases in these provinces.Dr. Adriano Subaan, DOH's regional director in Western Visayas, in a statement said that if everyone cooperates, the rise of dengue cases in the region will be prevented.Number 4 stands for four strategies including search and destroy mosquito's breeding ground, employ self-protection, seek early medication and support for fogging.Subaan said that "5 and 6" refers to the five teams composing the Health Education, Vector Control, Fever Surveillance, Logistics and Data Management that would go around Western Visayas to provide assistance to various local government units through comprehensive prevention and response strategies.

'No booster, no entry' at La Carlota City Hall stays

Posted: 18 Jul 2022 12:40 AM PDT

"NO BOOSTER shots, no entry."The order came from Mayor City Mayor Rex Jalandoon to those who wish to enter the premises of La Carlota City Hall and three other government buildings despite criticisms he received.Jalandoon said the policy stays because he wanted his people to be protected against coronavirus disease (Covid-19)."It is not that I just want to impose my authority and for my own whimsical move but it is for the good of the people of La Carlota," he said.Jalandoon also said that the policy is for everybody, including the employees and officials and those doing business at the city hall."If they cannot present vaccination and booster cards, they may also present the latest result of an antigen test which is at their own expense," the mayor said.Those who want to avail themselves of the booster shot against Covid-19 may avail it at the City Health Office for free anytime.Jalandoon noted that all brands of vaccines are available and they also have a team that goes around the barangays for the vaccination drive.The policy is embodied in an Executive Order that Jalandomon issued on June 1 and took effect on July 1.Aside from the city employees, also included in the order are teachers especially that they will have a face-to-face class by November 2.Meanwhile, Jalandoon also said that they are preparing to hold an actual simulation activity in preparation for the Kanlaon Volcano eruption."On papers we have been prepared but we want an actual simulation so that everyone would know what to do in case of the Kanlaon eruption," Jalandoon said.Jalandoon have been coordinating with the Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office regarding the matter and want to initiate it this month.Despite several activities, Kanlaon volcano is still at Alert Level 1.

LTO-Western Visayas reminds public not to use 'wang-wang'

Posted: 18 Jul 2022 12:40 AM PDT

THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Western Visayas reminded the public over the weekend that emergency lights, sirens and mufflers or "wang-wang" can only be used by authorized personnel.Lawyer Allan Sacramento, LTO-Western Visayas legal officer, said that under Presidential Decree 96, only the president, vice president, senate president, speaker of the House of Representatives, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, chief of the Philippine National Police, LTO, and ambulances can use "wang-wang."Under Joint Administrative Order 2014-01 dated June 2, 2014, penalties for the use of such unauthorized devices can face a fine of P5,000.In addition, the involved vehicle may also be impounded until the device is removed.Sacramento admitted that some private citizens are illegally using "wang-wang" as a means to escape road traffic.He added that the LTO in the region will intensify efforts against "wang-wang" along with illegal blinkers.

Bacolod City reviews tripartite deal with AZ

Posted: 18 Jul 2022 12:38 AM PDT

THE City Government of Bacolod is now reviewing the tripartite agreement entered into by the city, the Department of Health (DOH) and AstraZeneca (AZ) Pharmaceuticals Philippines Inc. for the purchase of vaccines against coronavirus disease (Covid-19).Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said they already secured the original copy of the contract from the pharmaceutical firm on Thursday, July 14, 2022.Lawyer Lyzander Dilag, spokesperson of Benitez, earlier said that the original contract could not be found and what was presented to them was merely a draft.Dilag said that it was the City Legal Office (CLO) found out that the original copy of the contract is missing, adding that the contract was handled by the previous administration.The representative of the pharmaceutical firm arrived in Bacolod to collect the P98 million balance of the City Government claiming that they already fully delivered the vaccines as early as last year.Benitez, however, said that he will not pay the balance."Since it's a tripartite agreement, I will seek national assistance in terms of settling these accounts," he added.For his part, Dr. Chris Sorongon, the AZ and the deal initiator which is the national government represented by the Department of the Health headed by Secretary Francisco Duque or the National Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) under Secretary Carlito Galvez."If he is enterprising or diligent enough, and if he knows how LGUs operate, it is easy to find documents like this. A copy of the same contract may also be secured from the city's Bids and Awards Committee," he said.He said it is common sense in local governance where to find such documents.If he is not satisfied, Sorongon added that Dilag or his superiors can even write AZ for a copy.Sorongon explained that securing a contract with the AZ at that time was an urgent need to make sure that Bacolod population will be protected as there were no guarantees of steady supply because only three drug firms worldwide were manufacturing vaccines against Covid-19.It must be recalled that Bacolod, as among the first LGUs to ink a contract with AZ, was the envy of other local governments.None other Gov. Presbitero Jose Velasco, of the Province of Marinduque, the father of House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, and president of the League of Provinces, and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, sought Leonardia's in also securing a tripartite contract with AZ, Sorongon said.

Liba’s appointment as head of BTAC under review

Posted: 18 Jul 2022 12:38 AM PDT

BACOLOD Councilor Al Victor Espino said Sunday, July 17 that he will look into the appointment of Police Major Junjie Liba as head of the City's Traffic Authority Council (BTAC).The council was created through City Ordinance 230 Series of 1999, which Espino said was civilian in nature.That means, Liba's appointment should be reviewed as he is not a civilian but a uniformed officer and might be replaced, he said."I will make recommendations to the executive branch (of the city) as soon as I get to it," Espino stressed, adding that the City Council Committee on Transportation and Traffic, which he chairs, has the authority to endorse who should head the council.Earlier, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has issued Executive Order (EO) 004 convening the city's traffic council.Benitez, who signed the order on Monday, July 4, said that in order to address the worsening traffic problem of the city it is important to have an efficient and effective comprehensive traffic plan and management for the city.He said one of the thrusts of the present administration is to uphold a consultative and decisive governance that encourages participation from private sector, stakeholder as well as other concerned government agencies and offices.

Technician dies after motorcycle hits tree

Posted: 18 Jul 2022 12:38 AM PDT

A TECHNICIAN died after his motorcycle overshot from the street and hit a eucalyptus tree along at Barangay Singcang-Airport in Bacolod City around 10 p.m. Saturday, July 16, 2022.Major Joerey Puerto, commander of Police Station 8, identified the victim as Samuel Gustilo, 50, of Gonzaga Extension in the city's Barangay 28.Investigation conducted by Staff Sergeant Celerino Arrollado showed that the victim was about to make a turn at the junction of Lacson Extension and Magsaysay Avenue when the accident happened.Gustilo died on the spot from multiple injuries he sustained, the police said.Arrollado said the victim came from a drinking spree and was on his way home when the accident happened.He said that witnesses claim that Gustilo also almost hit a pick-up vehicle before he hit the tree.Arollado added that Gustilo has a helmet but he was not wearing it.
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