STAR no longer local
paper but global news source: guv
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday congratulated the Visayan DAILY STAR on its 30th anniversary for having grown from a local newspaper into a global source of news.

Marañon, who delivered his message at the paper’s anniversary celebration at the Planta Centro Hotel in Bacolod City, confessed that when the DAILY STAR first started 30 years ago, he was one of the many skeptics who said it would not last a year.

“But today the DAILY STAR’s growth is synonymous with the growth of our province and Bacolod City, and we should give the people behind it a big hand for a job well done,” he said.

The Manila bureau chief and Asia environment editor of Agence France-Presse yesterday congratulated the Visayan DAILY STAR on its 30th anniversary and called it “a trusted source of local news for more than a generation.”

Karl Malakunas’ speech was read for him by DAILY STAR columnist Modesto Saonoy at the newspaper’s anniversary celebration at Planta Centro Hotel in Bacolod City.

Malakunas apologized for having to cancel his trip to Bacolod at the last minute, explaining that, “with the Philippines' biggest warship locked in a standoff with Chinese surveillance vessels, it is a major global story for AFP and I have to man our ship in Manila to ensure we provide accurate and fast news of the developments.”

Five motorized fishing boats from Negros Occidental bound for Bicol region were asked to return by the Philippine Coast Guard yesterday in anticipation of debris from the rocket to be launched by North Korea that may fall on that area.

PCG-Bacolod head Lt. Commander Dominador Senador said that they are acting on the advisory of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Council declaring “no sailing” in portions of the Bicol region.

Senador said all fishing boats, cargo and passenger vessels passing through the Visayan sea are advised not to sail to Bicol and southern Tagalog areas.