SISTER CITY BOON
Binay offering medical help,
scholarships to Bacoleños
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay yesterday said that, with their sisterhood partnership with Bacolod City, his city is now opening its facilities to the people of Bacolod.

Binay said Bacoleños can now avail of hospitalization and scholarship grants from Makati, in the speech he delivered after the signing of the sister-city agreement yesterday at the Bacolod City Government Center during the 74th Charter Anniversary celebration of Bacolod City.

The agreement was signed by Binay and Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, in the presence of the city officials of Makati and Bacolod.

The Bacolod City Government awarded its outstanding taxpayers and employees and gave Mayor’s Special Citation to 20 individuals during the 74th Charter day anniversary celebration yesterday at the Bacolod City Government Center.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson and members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod were joined by Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay in giving out the awards.

The top five corporate business taxpayers for 2011 were Coca Cola Bottlers Philippines, Neo Food Corp. (Jollibee), GLP Food Corp. (Jollibee), Golden Arches Development. Corp. (Mc Donalds) and Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco, Co. Inc.

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Home Development Mutual Fund officer-in-charge Emma Linda Faria to jointly undertake programs to provide affordable housing for government employees provincewide.

It is very important that government provides socialized housing to improve the dignity and self confidence of its recipients, the governor said.

The governor thanked Vice President Jejomar Binay, who was unable to attend the MOU signing at the Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay for making Negros Occidental a top priority area for housing. Binay had been asked by the President to go to Jeddah to convey the country's condolences to King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud on the passing of Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia.