VISITING. Peter, Cathy and Maina Gomez of Massachusetts, USA, at the Balay ni Tana Dicang in Talisay  City  with artist Dennis Ascalon and Ana Abaya (l-r) in front of one of Ascalon’s paintings.*

SM, BDO foundations
turn over health center

The newly renovated San Juan Health Center in Barangay 12, Bacolod City was turned over by SM and the Banco de Oro Foundations to the Bacolod City Government and eight other barangays yesterday after its blessing and inauguration.

The renovation of the health center, including the equipment and upgraded facilities, were made possible through the partnership of SM and BDO Foundations under the Felicitas Sy Wellness Program.

The project, that cost about P2 million, was turned over to the city and Barangays 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 17, 18 and 21, after the signing of a memorandum of agreement yesterday in Brgy. 12.

SM Foundation, Inc. executive director for Health and Wellness Programs Connie Angeles, said the San Juan Health Center is the 72nd Felicitas Sy Wellness Center, and the first partnership of the SM and BDO foundations in the Visayas under their health programs.

She said SM adheres to the maxim, "People helping People," and asked the beneficiaries to enjoy its usefulness. “We hope the center will be a healing and therapeutic center for everyone,” she said.

MULTI-CENTER

Angeles also said they have established a multi-center which has an area for children, the elderly, a dental clinic, and consultation area, among others, and the facility will be for use of the residents of the eight barangays in the city.

Angeles said SM-Bacolod mall manager George Jardiolin recommended this project to the foundations as he saw the need to rehabilitate the health center.

BDO Foundation, Inc. president Maureen Abelardo said that aside from health centers, BDO also builds micro finance centers, housing and others.

Angeles said this multi-purpose center was also made possible through the inspiration and magnanimity of Felicidad Sy, the wife of Philippine retail king and SM Prime Holdings, Inc. chairman Henry Sy, Sr.

MAYOR THANKFUL

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia told the donors, “The people here truly appreciates what you have done for us. We are honored and consider ourselves fortunate to be the first to avail of this generosity from SM and BDO in the Visayas, especially from the richest man in the Philippines.”

He said they are thankful to be beneficiaries of a very laudable program of Sy and his empire. The least they can do is take care of the facility, he said.

The two foundations will take care of the health center’s maintenance and upkeep but the city will operate it.

Also present during the occasion were Councilors Em Legaspi-Ang, Sonya Verdeflor, Mona Dia Jardin and Catalino Alisbo, SM Bacolod mall manager Jardiolin, the barangay captains of Brgys. 8, 9, 11, 12, 17, 18 and 21 and residents of the host barangay.*CGS

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Police nab 2
‘highway robbers’

Two armed suspects in the series of highway robbery incidents in central Negros, were arrested Wednesday in Himamaylan City and Binalbagan, when they attempted to rob another delivery van, Supt. Antonietto Canete said.

Canete, who is the Himamaylan police chief, yesterday said the arrest of the two identified as Rolly Emejas and Ronel Arcangel, yielded a .45 caliber pistol with a magazine containing ammunition and a 357 magnum revolver, as well as a black Kawasaki Fury motorcycle without plate number.

Investigations by the police showed that Emejas and Arcangel, who were armed with guns and riding a motorcycle in tandem, tried to waylay at gunpoint a delivery van of CGM Corp. driven by Angel Valencia in Brgy. Suay, Himamaylan City, at about 2 pm Wednesday.

Valencia, who managed to drive the van away, was however, fired at by one of the suspects, who hit his vehicle twice, But he and his companion identified as Edgardo Siray, were not hit.

Emejas, who was driving the motorcycle, that also figured in an accident, was left at the crime scene. He was later arrested by Himamaylan policemen, who brought him to the Valeriano Gatuslao District Hospital in Himamaylan City for treatment.

The van, one of the tires of which was hit by a bullet, also sideswiped the chasing motorcycle,which also hit a bike driven by a certain Danilo Hilado, police investigations also showed.

Pursuit operations, jointly conducted by the Himamaylan and Binalbagan police, as well as troopers of the 5th Maneuver Platoon, led to the arrest of Arcangel in Brgy. Santo Rosario, Binalbagan.

Canete said a .45 caliber pistol and 357 magnum revolver were recovered from Arcangel.

Police investigations also showed that Emejas and Arcangel were also tagged as suspects in the hold-up of a salesman of Island Merchants Corporation, a distributor of Nestle products, on Aug. 15 in Brgy. Robles, La Castellana.

In a statement it issued, the IMC, said the bandits, who were riding a Kawasaki motorcycle, overtook the vehicle of its salesman, and divested him of his P480,000 collections, a cellular phone, and a laptop.

Canete said the two suspects were also identified as the suspects in the hold-up of a businesswoman on Aug. 3 in Brgy. Talubangi, Kabankalan City, who was divested of her digital camera, ATM and credit cards, as well as a check book.

Investigations by the Himamaylan police further showed that two other members of highway robbery hold-up group, who acted as their look-outs, used to be ex-military men. * GPB

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