News Updates

Update July 2, 2007 (12 noon) - - -Bais City remains to be one of the few areas were there are yet unproclaimed winners in the May 14 2007 elections.
Tomorrow, canvassing will resume at the Bais City hall in order to determine the winners of the May elections for mayor, vice mayor, and city councilors.
Former Bais City Mayor Hector "Tata" Villanueva, who ran for re-election said he will act as caretaker of the Bais government while awaiting the appointment of officials in charge.
Tata Villanueva stressed that the city government has to continue to function and deliver the basic services to its people, and there might be chaos if no one is in charge.
He said that it is his moral obligation to act as caretaker, even in the absence of any formal appointment as officer in charge.

July 3, 2007 12:45 a.m. ----Congressman George Arnaiz wants to propose amendments to the local government code so that the 75% share of the barangay from proceeds from fees collected in protected areas such as the Apo preserved marine areas should go directly to the locals without remitting the same to the national treasury. Arnaiz said under the present set up the release of funds for local government units takes months even years and would defeat its purpose.
Second, it would promote corruption and over pricing because the local share is first remitted to Manila.
Rep. Arnaiz also proposes to amend the local government code in that the royalty coming form indigenous power sources such as geothermal be allowed to be used by the locals in other specific purposes, not just to lower the cost of electricity.
Right now, 5 geothermal barangays from palinpinon to puhagan have over 80 million pesos in restricted funds coming form lthe PNOC royalties. These cannot be used except for lowering power costs.
Valencia geothermal town has now subsidized the power bills of all town residents for P600 per month per consumer .
Finally, the neophyte solon wants to amend thelocal government code so that vice governors and vice mayors be allowed to choose and appoint their own staff no longer the governor nor mayor.
Vice governors and vice mayors should have a hand in choosing whom to appoint as their staff members.

Dumaguete City July 3, 2007 12:45 p.m. --- For maintaining a good effective administration especially during the last elections, the NegrosOriental PNP command was cited as the top in region 7 in maintaining the peace during the may 14 elections.
Although there were killings and ambushcades, the conduct of the may elections was generally peaceful, and the had the least number of violent electioin related incidents on and about election day.
The violence that marred the pre-election season was the ambush in La Libertad town which resulted in the killing of a barangay captain and several others.
The killing was suspected to be politically motivated.

Name names, Paras urging Meniong Teves

Former Rep. Jing Paras has challenged a former colleague in the 13th Congress to be man enough in making accusations.

Paras was referring to Rep. Herminio "Meniong" Teves who accused some members of the Commission on Appointments of extortion, in exchange for the confirmation of his son Margarito "Gary" Teves as finance secretary.

Paras challenged Congressman Teves to name names so the public will believe in him and restore his credibility.

Meanwhile, Paras, the main author of Republic Act 9409, which lapsed into law on March 24, confirmed that the charter of the City of Guihulngan will be put to vote in a plebiscite which is scheduled on July 14.

The plebiscite was originally set last June but the Comelec had to attend to post-election activities, Paras pointed out.

As the father of the cityhood of Guihulngan, Paras said he expects an economic activity and improvement of the peoples' lives in what is considered as the biggest municipality in Oriental Negros.

From an internal revenue allotment of P72 million, Paras expects a big leap of the IRA to P300 million as soon as the cityhood becomes final. Paras said he is hoping the newly elected officials of Guihulngan whom he sworn into office last Sunday, will do justice to Guihulngan and improve the living condition of the people