More Koreans
arrive in Bacolod

The arrival yesterday of 120 more Korean visitors abroad a Zest Air passengers plane serves to pressure Bacolod City officials to normalize the city’s garbage collection.

Imagine the impact on the visitors of garbage strewn all over the Circumferential Road and the National Highway from Talisay to Bacolod as well as those along the principal streets of the city.

In short, we should also impress upon our traffic authorities to enforce traffic rules and regulations.

I had already pointed out that my own son, Rolando Junior, had criticized lack of discipline among local drivers, especially those handling public utility vehicles. If our own native-born Bacoleños from abroad can be critical about our discipline drivers, how much more foreign drivers?

In short, we just don’t focus out attention on bringing in more foreign visitors, but we can ensure that their entry into Bacolod and the province will become routine if we can impress upon our foreign callers that it is truly fun to be in our midst.

***

The release by the national government of P415-million to the 12 cities and 19 town of the province is certainly a welcome shot in the arm for local government units that had been alarmed by the cuts in their IRA share. That is only 50 percent of the massive cut in their IRA.

Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. must have been relieved at the lifting of 50 percent of his headache on what to spend for infrastructure project in the province.

But not every LGU received a reduction of their IRA. Those who qualified for the 50 percent in their IRA were those who had received Seals of Good Housekeeping from the DILG.

In short that’s an incentive for husbanding their resources for vital project instead of just spending their funds on non-essential expenditures. An incentive for good budgeting and spending.

***

Reports said the Bacolod police Tuesday arrested the alleged mastermind in the robbery and brutal killing of two teenage house helpers in March last year in Bacolod.

Inspector Julius Caesar Colado, Manapla police chief, reportedly identified the suspect as Ruben Evangelista, 43. He is facing crimes of robbery and multiple homicide.

National Regional Trial Court Judge Anita Guanzon-Chua denied bail for Evangelista, the reports also said.

The other suspects, Jestoni Carlo del Prado and Jesus Niepes, have been in police custody since last year.

Del Prado claimed that Evangelista, who had worked as a cook of the victims employ Aleph Esparagoza, had commissioned him and Niepes to enter the Esparagoza residence on March 18, last year, the reports added.

It took the Bacolod police almost year to be able to pin the robbery and the rape of one of the household helpers on Evangelista.

But, at least, now the case will have to be tried by the court.

***

Which reminds me. What happened to the many killings in Barangay Canlusong of E.B. Magalona and the killing of four barangay officials of Kapitan San Ramon Barangay of Silay City.

And the other killings in Sagay City?

The suspects have reportedly been identified but remain free. Police are supposed to have searched for them relentlessly. But so far, nothing has been heard about these cases, so what’s happening?

***

I must acknowledge the imperative need for more blood donations to the Philippine Red Cross local chapter.

Dr. Charles Buyco, PRC medical officer, reportedly said Tuesday they are still in need of mere donors to prevent the depletion of their buffer stocks being readied for emergencies.

With the holidays over, I suppose most of us must have built up our body sufficiently to allow us to donate blood to the PRC. A steady supply of blood is important to cope with emergencies, especially for dialysis patients and those involved in accidents.

We can put a stop to blood-buying by assuring that the PRC has enough blood for those who urgently need them.*

back to top