SP asks PhilHealth:
Stop premium hikes
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental unanimously approved a resolution yesterday that will request PhilHealth for a moratorium on the increase of its premium contributions, starting this year.

Board Member Melvin Ibañez, chairman of the SP committee on Health, yesterday said the implementation of an increase in payment of PhilHealth premiums is “untimely” and will result in non-renewal by thousands of local government units- enrolled indigents.

Local government chief executives in Negros Occidental are up in arms against the 100 percent increase in the amount of PhilHealth premiums, saying they can no longer afford to pay it, as they have to cope up with the reduction in their Internal Revenue Allotment and the effects of recent floods.

Provincial Budget Officer Joy Percival Salado Jr., head of the Negros Occidental Provincial Bids and Awards Committee, yesterday said that if anyone can show proof that there was collusion among contractors in the bidding for the construction of the Negros Cyber Center at the Paglaum Sports Complex in Bacolod City, he will recommend cancellation of bidding and hold another one.

Only the joint venture of E.M. Cuerpo Inc. and Dynamic Builders and Construction Inc. submitted a bid of P449,873,520.2 during the bidding last month, he said.

The bid will be subjected to post qualification review before it can be awarded, Salado said.

Seventeen houses were gutted by fire believed caused by unattended lighted candles in the cities of Bacolod and San Carlos, Negros Occidental, Tuesday night that left about P1.1 million in damage to properties.

San Carlos City fire marshal Senior Fire Officer 4 Jonathan Badel Jr. said they were informed through two-way radio at about 7:15 p.m. that fire had broken out at Sitio Talave in Brgy. Punaw.

He said they immediately sent their fire trucks to the area and were assisted by those from Candoni town and the Guihulngan City fire station. Six houses were already on fire when they arrived. They also had difficulty penetrating the area due to narrow pathways, he said.