Banago port dev’t good for
Negrenses, guv says
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday said hesupports the plan to establish a public port in Barangay Banago, Bacolod City, because wherever there is competition there is improved services.

Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. president Simplicio Palancahas asked Transportation and Communication Secretary Manuel Roxas to stop the Philippine Ports Authority from constructing a port for roll on-roll off vessel activities in Barangay Banago.

Bacolod Cityalready has a port that is professionally managed by BREDCO, he said.

The construction by the provincial government of a two-storey classroom building at the Negros Occidental Provincial High School in Bacolod City, and numerous other projects being built by local governments with loans from banks, have been delayed.

This is due to a new Central Bank circular requiring the release of all bank loans to local government units to be subject to review by the monetary board, Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said yesterday.

The construction of the Negros First Cyber Center at the Paglaum Sports Complex in Bacolod City has not been affected by this since the loan for its construction had already been released, the governor said. It is expected to be completed in march next year.

The position for the Grupo Progresso vice mayoral candidate for 2013 is still open, no deal has been made with anybody, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said yesterday.

Leonardia, Bacolod chairman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition and Grupo Progreso, said he has not talked to the three graduating councilors - Al Victor Espino, Homer Bais or Dindo Ramos - yet regarding the matter and he believes it is not a problem.

The names of Espino, Bais and Ramos have been floated as possible vice mayoralty candidates of Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus, who is said to be eyeing the mayoralty post in 2013.