The Koreans are coming

After the unprecedented return of more than a hundred Kabankalanons from around the world this week, the Koreans are coming. This time, according to Mecine Reyes, the new officer-in-charge of the Bacolod-Silay Airport, the group arriving today will consist of 170 tourists from South Korea. Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. told Ms. Reyes to keep the airport safe and clean. He emphasized the need to make the comfort rooms clean and the airport employees smiling and welcoming the arrivals.

The fight will be the first Zest Air Philippine direct chartered flight from Inchon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea.

The group could be the vanguard of farm tourists from that country who may be enticed to come to Bacolod and Silay City.

Marañon hopes that the first chartered flight of Zest Air Philippines will just be the first batch of Korean tourist who may consider Negros Occidental as a potential tourist destination.

This is the reason why Silay City Mayor Jose “Oti” Montelibano is readying an impressive welcome for the first batch of Korean tourists.

Marañon said several chartered flights are scheduled to arrive Wednesdays and Fridays until the end of February.

We hope that this is the beginning of a the tourism boom for Negros Occidental. If the Korean businessmen and tourists find the province and Silay City worth the visit, they may increasingly become more aware that the province also has a lot more scenic spots to offer them and tourism spots which they can invest in for development.

Salute to Meeme Reyes and her staff.

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City Mayor Evelio Leonardia has issued an executive order creating a joint committee inspection team to monitor compliance with the rules and regulations governing the sale of petroleum products in Bacolod City.

It is to be headed by Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson as chairman of the inspection team and coordinating council.

But I should just like to remind the mayor and vice Mayor Sayson that the more important first step is to secure from the DOE the list of the gasoline stations that were found to have violated the calibration of their products underselling the fuel the were selling in the past.

The DOE had earlier boasted of having found several fuel stations having committed violations. But they failed to have their names published.

Between the time they first discovered these anomalies and violations of calibration, it is presumed that these gas stations must have gone ahead with their violations since they were not inspected and there is no record of their having complied with the new rules of a selling petroleum products.

As a matter of fact, I have several times challenged the DTI and the DOE to also make public the selling price of LPG in the city after a series of upward rise in the price of LPG.

That, I think, is most important as the first step in the implementation of how the join monitoring team can operate efficiently. Then they will have the standard to follow.

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Finally, the Sipalay City government has suspended five officials for three months without pay in compliant with the Ombudsman order.

It must be painful for Silay City Mayor Oscar Montilla to suspend his trusted officials who had been cited for the overpriced medicine purchases ranging from 10 percent to as much as 600 percent over the prevailing market price in that city.

The suspended officials are Accountant Eva Subusap, Budget officer Fernando Bal City Health officer Noel Villanueva and treasurer Renato Manila and Revenue Collection officer Evangeline Seneres, reports said.

Mayor Montilla was exonerated of the charges, invoking the Aguinaldo Doctrine.

In Silay City, meanwhile, Mayor Montelibano scotched reports that the 17 officials suspended for eight months and one day are actually continuing their duties at the city government.

The suspended officials are Silay administrator Ignacio Salmingo, OIC treasurer El Jimenea, OIC accountant Emmanuel Arsenal. Bid and wards committee their and city legal officer Kara Aimee Quevenco and other members of the BAC.

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But I also rejoice with the gala night affair hosted by the New York, Jersey City Chicago, Kabankalanons tonight. It will be a festive and affair with pomp and pageantry.

But the more memorable will be the honor to be accorded to returning balikbayan of the Esteban Abada Memorial School and the graduates of the Kabankalan Catholic College.

But there is something more that caught my attention. This was the scheduled medical mission and Jollibee feeding program for the elementary schoolchildren of Cabugao Elementary School. This was organized by Toti Quizan of Kabankalanons Canada and involved the entire Quizan clan.

The schoolchildren from Cabugao, according to Toti, have hardly been to the city paper and should enjoy eating their Jollibee lunch packs. They will also advantage of free medical consultations and free medicines, said Quizan.

Already, as of yesterday, some 200 patients have listed up for the medical mission and enthusiastically waiting for their Jollibee luncheon.

Showed you, the Kabankalanons have at returned to Kabankalan simply to enjoy the Sinulog 2012, but also to bring hope to the people in their home city.*

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