Sunday, July 10, 2022

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Number of Bacolod City’s traffic enforcers dwindling

Posted: 10 Jul 2022 07:01 AM PDT

MORE enforcers are needed in Bacolod to man the city's worsening traffic situation.Major Junjie Liba, head of Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO), said Sunday, July 10, 2022, that presently, they only have 272 personnel.Of the number, 211 are traffic enforcers while the rest are deployed at BTAO offices assigned at the engineering, truck ban, traffic education personnel, among others."We have a small number of traffic enforcers compared to the previous administration, but we will ensure the smooth flow of traffic in various areas," Liba said.He said the new administration retained some of the traffic enforcers from the previous administration and they also hired additional ones.However, Liba noted that they still need additional 70 traffic enforcers including the BTAO task force to be deployed in various streets."We aim to have 340 personnel in 2023 so we can address traffic problems in Bacolod," he added.Liba said they are planning to form more task forces, including towing task force to apprehend the erring motorcycle and e-bike drivers, and illegal parking violators.On Saturday, BTAO conducted an orientation or basic training for the newly hired traffic enforcers at the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) compound.Liba said BCPO Director Colonel Thomas Joseph Martir also deployed 10 motorcycle policemen for BTAO to supervise the traffic enforcers.Meanwhile, Liba said they will ask the City Government to purchase two towing trucks to tow the vehicles on illegal parking in different areas of Bacolod.These towing trucks will be deployed in the northern or southern portions of Bacolod and will be an augmentation to the existing one, which Liba said is no longer serviceable.He added that BTAO currently has one tow truck but is not in good condition.Liba said they are now preparing their request to be submitted to Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.

San Carlos, Bago review disaster plans amid Mount Kanlaon activities

Posted: 10 Jul 2022 07:01 AM PDT

THE local governments of the cities of Bago and San Carlos heeded the advice of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and began reviewing their disaster preparedness plans amidst the increased activity exhibited by the Mount Kanlaon volcano lately.San Carlos City Mayor Renato Gustilo ordered the villages of Quezon and Codcod to make all necessary measures in case the situation worsens.Even though the volcano's activity seemed to have lied-low for the past three days, Gustilo still encouraged the residents in the two barangays to ensure their readiness at the family level.The city's Operations and Warning Division also made a quick visit to the two villages over the weekend.During the meeting, the teams discussed with the concerned barangays the preparation and revisited the evacuation plan presented a few years ago.The two barangays have also laid out their functional transportation, communication capacity, and budget allocation.Also discussed in the meeting were high-risk sitios, identified evacuation sites, pick-up points, evacuation protocols and other immediate concerns.In Bago City, Mary Jane Ortizo head of the city's Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO) said they are also monitoring the volcano's activities and are releasing daily advisories in order to inform the public.The Bago City DRRMO has also attended the pre-disaster risk assessment meeting led by the Negros Occidental Provincial DRRMO last week, which was also attended by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson.They have also started stocking up on facemasks, food and non-food items.Ortizo also said they are reviewing their contingency plans and have identified the villages of Ilijan and Mailom as the first to be affected in the event of a volcanic eruption.The two barangays are located close to Kanlaon and have a combined population of more than 12,000 people.Ortizo advised the two villages to also review their disaster plans so that they know where to evacuate.Last week, the Municipal Government of La Castellana also made preparations in case Phivolcs escalated the alert level of the volcano.La Castellana has already identified five possible evacuation sites, four of them are public schools while the fifth is located in the town's Barangay Talaptap.The villages of Masulog, Biaknabato, Cabagnaan, and Mansalanao were also identified by the town's Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO) that will be directly impacted in case the volcano's alert level escalates.Phivolcs Director Dr. Renato Solidum advised the local government units surrounding the Kanlaon Volcano to review their disaster preparedness plans after the volcano continued to exhibit increased activity over the past few days.Solidum said they currently don't see a need to increase Kanlaon's Alert Level, however, he emphasized that the local chief executives of every LGU, especially those who are newly elected and have just stepped into office, to revisit their disaster preparedness plans.Kanlaon currently remains under Alert Level 1, and entry inside the four-kilometer danger zone is prohibited.

Troops behind arrest of high-ranking rebel leader commended

Posted: 10 Jul 2022 07:00 AM PDT

MEMBERS of the 79th Infantry (Masaligan) Battalion responsible for the arrest of a high-ranking official of the communist terrorist group (CTG) received military merit medals over the weekend.No less than Major General Benedict Arevalo, commander of the Third Infantry Division, led the awarding at a ceremony held at the Headquarters, Barangay Bato, Sagay City, Negros Occidental.The Masaligan Troopers were recognized following a successful encounter against seven CTG members in Sitio Banwa Minatay, Barangay Marcelo, Calatrava on July 6, 2022.The encounter resulted in the arrest of Isabelle Necesario, alias "Maolin/Nads/Diane/Ide," who is the deputy secretary of the dismantled Northern Negros Front.Following the encounter, various war materials and subversive documents of high intelligence value were recovered from the site."As your Commander, giving awards is my obligation and duty (because) I want to ensure that my troops will always be in the highest state of morale by giving them medals and due recognition for what they've worked hard for," Arevalo said.

‘Drug personality’ shot dead in Bacolod

Posted: 10 Jul 2022 07:00 AM PDT

AN ALLEGED drug personality was shot to death by an unidentified person on board a motorcycle in Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City past 9 p.m. Saturday, July 9, 2022.Captain Armilyn Vargas, commander of Police Station 3, identified the victim as Jovanie Gonzalez, 46, the barangay's Purok Bulak.Vargas said Gonzalez sustained a gunshot wound to his head and died on the spot.She said they recovered an empty shell of an unidentified caliber of firearm from the scene of the crime believed to have been triggered by an illegal drug transaction.Vargas said the victim was a drug peddler and user, adding that they are now coordinating with various business establishments near the area to check their surveillance camera to identify the gunman.Police records show that this is now the third shooting incident that happened in Bacolod City from July 1 to 9, 2022.In San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, a jobless man was seriously injured after his neighbor shot him around 9:30 a.m. Sunday, July 10.Lieutenant Ruby Aurita, deputy chief of San Carlos City police, said victim Roberto Agbay, 41, of the city's Barangay Rizal sustained a gunshot wound on the stomach and will undergo an operation.Initial investigation showed that Agbay was at the Eco-Tourism highway in the barangay when the suspect Jovanie Alora, alias "Banie", 40, approached him.Aurita said Alora was asking Agbay about the speaker he pawned to the latter for P1,000 but a misunderstanding occurred between the two causing the latter to punch the suspect.In retaliation, Alora drew his .38 caliber revolver and shot Agbay, who is now confined at the San Carlos City Hospital. (with reports from APN)

3 suspects fall in drug bust; P500,000 ‘shabu’ seized

Posted: 10 Jul 2022 06:58 AM PDT

THREE illegal drug suspects, to whom the authorities recovered more than half a million worth of suspected shabu, were arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Punta Taytay, south of the highly urbanized city of Bacolod past 2 a.m. Sunday, July 10, 2022.Following weeks of surveillance, the police finally arrested Cyril Gepielago, 49; Julius Londres, 42; Pearly Mae Panes, 30, all residents of the barangay's Purok Kapawa.A report from the Bacolod City Police Office showed that the three were arrested after one of them transacted with a poseur buyer.Some 20 sachets of the banned substance valued at P523,600 and weighing 77 grams, the P1,000 in mark money and other personal belongings and cash were recovered from the suspect when they were arrested, the police said.Gepielago and Londres were identified by the police as high-value individualsThe suspects were detained at the custodial facility of Police Station 9 while charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be filed against them.

Police Station 1 conducts clearing operation in downtown area

Posted: 10 Jul 2022 06:58 AM PDT

MAJOR Ramel Sarona, commander of Police Station 1, said Sunday, July 10, 2022, that they will continue the clearing operation along the downtown area this week.Sarona said they started the clearing operation along Central Public Market on July 7, and on Saturday, several stalls were also removed in Luzuriaga and Gatuslao Streets."We will conduct the clearing operation every day to ensure that our roads will be passable to our motorists," he added.Sarona said several vendors were already occupying the roads and it caused traffic congestion, especially during peak hours.However, the police official said they are waiting for guidelines from the City Legal Office to determine the legal remedy against the erring vendors."For now, they were only given a warning and policemen were assigned at the downtown area to ensure that they will not occupy the roads," Sarona said.Meanwhile, Sarona reiterated that private vehicles including delivery vans and ambulant vendors are not allowed to park along Gatuslao and Luzuriaga Streets.He is hopeful that the market vendors will not occupy the streets to avoid penalties.In 2019, hundreds of vendors from Burgos Public Market, Central Public Market and Libertad Public Market were demolished and their illegal structures were transferred inside the public markets.The demolition of illegal structures is pursuant to Memorandum Circular No. 2019-121 dated July 29, 2019 of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, directing the local government officials, from the mayors down to barangay captains, to implement the clearing of roads.

Negros Occidental eager to go back to normal from Covid-19

Posted: 10 Jul 2022 06:58 AM PDT

NEGROS Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said Sunday, July 10, 2022, that the province "would like to go back to normal."Lacson made the statement in response to the call of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for local government units (LGUs) to support his administration's booster shot drive against coronavirus disease (Covid-19).Marcos made the call "so that face-to-face classes could resume and the country may reopen its economy."In a virtual speech before the newly elected governors and mayors in Malacañang on Friday night, Marcos cited the importance of booster shots in building a wall of immunity and moving on from the pandemic.Marcos also said he was open to making face masks optional and said there will no longer be wide lockdowns in the country despite the sharp rise in the number of Covid-19 cases."Let's do this booster rollout and we can make sure (that) there is no more lockdown as we really don't want to have lockdowns anymore," Marcos said.For his part, Lacson said, "at the end of the road, we would like to go back to normal and making the use of facemask optional is a step in that direction."He said that local officials have been reminded to push their respective vaccination drives, especially the poor performers.Lacson, however, admitted that vaccination rates in the province are still below our targets.

Pamet Visayas regional confab set in Bacolod City

Posted: 10 Jul 2022 06:58 AM PDT

THE Philippine Association of Medical Technologists Inc. (Pamet)-Negros Occidental Chapter will be hosting the 11th Pamet Visayas Regional Conference at SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City from July 15 to 17, 2022.Pamet National President Rommel Saceda will be joining the event together with some national officers and chapter presidents from all Visayas regions.The conference will carry a hybrid convention platform, of which a virtual and face-to-face conference, will be done following the minimum public health standards set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and in compliance with health regulations of the local government unit.This year's theme is "Medical Technologists: Moving Forward Through Selfless Service and Dedication in the Midst of Adversities."In 2014, Pamet-Negros Occidental also hosted the biggest gathering for medical technologists in the Visayas. (PR)

Pakiglambigit Youth Summit: Empowering the youth through leadership

Posted: 10 Jul 2022 06:50 AM PDT

THE young are the future of our nation, but in some instances, many of them can not fulfill this mission.That's why several groups and organizations like the Philippine Army are mapping out activities to ensure that the youth of today will remain steadfast in the path that they are traversing.Like what transpired from July 1 to 3, where some 66 young people from barangays Minapasuk, Cambayobo, Hilub-ang and Winaswasan in Calatrava town, Negros Occidental completed a three-day Youth Leadership Summit (YLS).Organized by the Philippine Army's 79th Infantry Battalion (IB), the activity was held at the evacuation center of Calatrava town.It was anchored on the theme, "Pakiglambigit: Advancing Peace Amidst Challenging Times Through Culture of Collaboration."The activity aimed to empower the youth through leadership training; instill among them the spirit of patriotism, nationalism and social responsibility; transform them into active partners of the government in its peace-building initiatives; and protect them from manipulation, recruitment and exploitation of the Communist Terrorist Group.Participant Junwel Orot of Sitio Tinibiangan in Barangay Minapasuk shared the wonderful experience and learning he had during the three-day summit and thanked the Philippine Army for this endeavor."I'm going back to our place and when I come back here, I'll encourage my friends to go with me," he said.Calatrava Mayor Marilyn Era, who was represented by Executive Assistant Mariane Lumanog, lauded the barangay officials for accepting the invitation and for sending their youth to participate in the activity.She also expressed gratitude to the Philippine Army for their support not only in the peace and development efforts of the municipality but also in shaping the minds and hearts of the future generations of Calatrava to become productive citizens and responsible leaders in their community.Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel J-jay Javines, commanding officer of 79th IB, recognized the determination and interest of the youth to protect and sustain the peace in their respective communities."Consider this leadership summit as a privilege and training as future leaders of your locality," Javines said, as he encouraged the participants to be responsible citizens.He also told them to make use of what they have learned and utilize their talents and abilities to influence others to do the right thing.

Ombion: Substantive change

Posted: 10 Jul 2022 06:50 AM PDT

SUBSTANTIVE change. This is what the people expect and need from the new administration of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (PBBM) – a substantive rebound from a life made more miserable under the so-called pandemic despite the billions spent on it.Anywhere I go in the country, the cries and the rumblings on the ground are deafening.The majority of the marginalized and vulnerable cry for improvement in their quality of life, peace and security in the environment they live in -- not promises, fantasies, hot-air and lip service, hodgepodge meals.The micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and informal entrepreneurs, the most numerous business force, are groaning from the worsening economic crisis and its crippling impact on them, higher costs of services, and more retrogressive taxes, declining incomes, depleting savings.The small agricultural producers including artisanal fishers are agonizing from soaring costs of farm inputs, post-harvest expenses, and low prices of their products.The low-income middle class and city odd-jobbers can hardly cope with their basic needs.Worse, the increasing unemployed labor force, which is now edging 40 percent of the labor force, increases the risk of anti-social and criminal activities to escalate. The poor on the street and even those with formal education don't need higher degrees in economics and development to see and feel the flaws in the government's fundamentals.The state neoliberal economic policies of liberalization of deregulating or removing state laws and restrictions on agriculture, services and industries to allow market forces to dictate supply and demand like what happened to our oil industry now controlled by the oil cartel, the massive importation of rice and rice tariffication, giving foreign monopoly companies to control hundred percent of our vital industries, among others, are simply destructive.The state campaign of privatization, that of surrendering vital state industries and utilities like water, energy and transportation to private companies is wreaking havoc on our consumers and Filipino entrepreneurs. These policies began three decades ago, followed a non-interventionist approach to economic activities and touted to spur growth, better allocation of resources, and accelerate poverty reduction -- plainly bringing the opposite –- more plunder of our resources and impoverishment of our people. Ibon Foundation is right and sharp in its analysis that the economic top guns of the PBBM administration are no mavericks, and will only pursue the same plunderous and destructive economic policies of the past administrations. This early, PBBM and his team have not lifted a finger on the havoc caused by unabated oil price hikes, instead, focusing on planning to get more state loans and further squeeze the people with more debilitating taxes. These they do while they good time a small fraction of the consumers in the National Capital Region with token-free train and free bus rides, and media-hyped dole out cash assistance. Nationalist economist Alejandro Lichauco was right in his assertion that under the Philippine conditions, which unfortunately have not changed substantially since the 80s, the only way for the state to move forward to agricultural and industrial development is to take effective control of the direction and management of the Philippine economy instead of allowing and watching idly big corporate companies rake super-profits from plundering our resources and bleeding our people dry.The state's full control of the country's economy and economic thrust is the only way to effect substantive change. Anything less would only make the state, and so the administration of PBBM, a mere "tuta, errand boy" of the big corporate interests and swindlers, and limited to the old traditional functions of collecting taxes, repairing roads, delivering social services, giving donations, and worse, looting and pocketing public treasury. Unless this is stopped and reversed, the country's economy and sovereignty are up on the road to final suicide.

Sanchez: Streaming radio

Posted: 10 Jul 2022 06:50 AM PDT

AS AN OpEd columnist for SunStar Bacolod, I make it a point to keep abreast with local, national and international news.As a polyglot, I can speak and write in Hiligaynon, Cebuano, the Tagalog-based national language, English, Spanish and French.I encouraged my high school, college classmates to speak Hiligaynon but in Messenger, we chat in Tagalog, Spanish and English.I often chat in Hiligaynon and Cebuano, American English.I used Google Translate flit from different languages.To keep up with idiomatic expressions, I listen to streaming radio. Español: El que hace un cesto hace ciento. Cebuano: Kaniadto naay nakawat, ning dagan ang panahon kawatan gihapon.As a Catholic charismatic, I frequently listen to streaming radio such as Rádio Chile or watch movies on Netflix with subtitles in Spanish and French.I use two devices using my Android and earphones for the sensor with different layers of sound.But the internet radio (also web radio, net radio, streaming radio, e-radio, IP radio, online radio) is a digital audio service transmitted via the internet. Broadcasting on the internet is usually referred to as webcasting since it is not transmitted broadly through wireless means. It can either be used as a stand-alone device running through the Internet, or as software running through a single computer or smartphone.TV and radio are bundled into one in real-time with the possibility of being replayed for accuracy.Internet radio is generally used to communicate and easily spread messages through the form of talk. It is distributed through a wireless communication network connected to a switch packet network (the internet) via a disclosed source.Internet radio involves streaming media, presenting listeners with a continuous stream of audio that typically cannot be paused or replayed, much like traditional broadcast media; in this respect, it is distinct from on-demand file serving. Internet radio is also distinct from podcasting, which involves downloading rather than streaming.Internet radio services offer news, sports, talk, and various genres of music—every format that is available on traditional broadcast radio stations. Many internet radio services are associated with a corresponding traditional (terrestrial) radio station or radio network, although low startup and ongoing costs have allowed a substantial proliferation of independent internet-only radio stations.The first internet radio service was launched in 1993. As of 2017, the most popular internet radio platforms and applications in the world include (but are not limited to) TuneIn Radio, iHeartRadio, and Sirius XM.In the US, unlike over-the-air broadcast radio, a FCC license is not required to operate an Internet radio service.Worldwide I have a choice of 3,000 radio stations to listen to the news in various languages. Truly the world is interconnected.

Environment group: 'Negros forest protection, a disaster risk reduction'

Posted: 10 Jul 2022 06:43 AM PDT

THE Group of Environmental Socialists (Goes) is asking the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to act on the issues affecting Negros forests.The group made the call in line with the ongoing celebration of the National Disaster Resilience Month themed "Sambayanang Pilipino, Nagkakaisa tungo sa Katatagan at Maunlad na Kinabukasan."For the group, the activity highlights the unified efforts of all sectors and communities toward sustainable development."The group has been consistent in calling the DENR to act against illegal structures which continue to create irreversible damage inside the protected area," it said in a press statement Sunday, July 10.Related to this, Goes said, the best recent example is how the flash floods in Northern Negros Natural Park (NNNP) affected the forest area.This is a common cause of how illegal structures have replaced natural resources in the mountains, it said.Goes said the DENR should uphold the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 which pushes for the protection of our terrestrial ecosystem."We found out that the Certificate of Stewardship Contract of the Tenured Migrants inside NNNP was canceled by the DENR. Yet, there were no acts of demolition to the structures claimed to be illegally owned by environmental violators," it said.The environment group also claimed that "they [DENR] facilitated the application for the Special Authority for Protected Area (Sapa) with the violating individuals while neglecting the rights of the tenured migrants or locals inside the protected area."They added that the abuse of power leads to an injustice to the ecosystem as well as an insult to the rights of the community and to its intellectual capacity."The Sapa should be abolished," Goes stressed, adding that while the "One Lens for Resilience: Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction" aim to educate the majority, it also states that climate change and natural disasters as social constructs which are therefore due to man-made effects.Thus, the focal point in addressing the impact is to continuously cooperate with the people, which is us, the group also said.Goes said a consistency to promote what is better for the common good leads to the shift of paradigm on policy, programs, and actions.For the group, paradigm-shifting entails that we need to recognize and transform our current practices and lifestyle which contributes to unsustainable development."We know that climate change is inevitable and it will come to us in greater bounds than before. A long-span drought can become possible and frequent, stronger typhoons and floods may arise. Thus, we need to mitigate the possible risk and hazards by protecting our natural parks," it said.Goes said that climate mitigation means reducing carbon emissions and increasing carbon sink and sequestration.It means changing people's lifestyles by reducing carbon footprints and planting more trees and demolishing illegal structures, the group said.It also means the commitment of the government to be decisive by taking drastic measures in carbon emission reduction for long-term effects, they added.Moreover, Goes underscored that the Climate Adaptation/Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) reflects on building resilient communities as a means to strengthen the foundation of safety in our society.By learning how to respond to the hydro-meteorological hazards caused by climate change and human-induced hazards, a call for a unified National Adaptation Plan for Action (Napa) and Strategic National Action Program (Snap) is preferred, it said.The core is to take action to strengthen systems and structures to be prepared for any danger coupled with appropriate prevention and mitigation measures at the community level."We are calling to proactively uphold consistent empowerment to the human rights as a whole to build a foundation of safety," it said, adding that "we heed at providing adequate basic services addressing the basic needs of individuals who are mostly at risk and building hazard-specific knowledge, attitude, and skills for survivability and enhancing the livelihood and well-being of the people towards resilience."For Goes, enhancing and protecting the ecosystem lead toward sustainable usage and benefits for all."As a species with other lifeforms, we will be evolving through time and find ways to survive and bounce back from any misfortunes," it said."Our action points lead to a true shift by focusing on changing the mindset from economic cost-benefit analysis toward a strong sense of moral obligation not only to cut carbon emissions but also to address the root causes of disaster risks," it added. (With PR)
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