DAILY STAR: Negros Oriental

The church and the city government of Dumaguete have agreed to merge tourism-related and religious activities with plans to revive the Santacruzan celebration in May.

Woodrow Maquiling Jr., Dumaguete City tourism officer, said kinks had been ironed out on the concerns of the church about too much commercialization in celebrating Santacruzan, and this had prompted the city to call the festival “Kabulakan” instead of “Santacruzan” in 2007.

Residents and tourists, however, questioned the name of the festival since does abound iumaguete with flowers.

Maquiling said reviving the Santacruzan as a joint effort of the church and the government was reached in a meeting between Msgr. Julius Heruela and Catalina Amasula, officer-in-charge of the City Tourism Council.

Siquijor LP reorganizing
BY ALEX PAL

The Liberal Party of Siquijor Province is reorganizing after the resignation of its top two officials, former Siquijor Gov. Ben Aquino as LP provincial vice chairman, and provincial party chairman Adam Duhaylungsod in January.

In Duhaylungsod's letter addressed to LP President Mar Roxas, he said he decided to resign as provincial chairman and member of the Liberal Party "to share and devote much time for attention and bonding with my children and to concentrate on my vocation as a practicing lawyer."

Aquino told the DAILY STAR that he and Duhaylungsod actually resigned because of "newcomers” who are dominating local party affairs.

12,000 bags of rice released
for calamity victims – NFA
BY JUANCHO GALLARDE

The National Food Authority has so far, disposed of more than 12,000 bags of NFA rice, as assistance to victims of the two calamities that struck Negros Oriental, NFA operations officer Rolando Lazalita said.

Lazalita said 3,236 bags were withdrawn from the warehouse in Pulantubig, Dumaguete, for victims of tropical storm “Sendong”, and 9,503 bags for those hit by the earthquake.

The 3,236 bags of rice were withdrawn by politicians, private organizations, including TV networks, that conducted relief operations, local government units, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, he added.

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