Church, military and police officials yesterday welcomed moves by Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon and priest-turned-rebel Frank Fernandez to hold talks aimed at bringing development to the countryside.

Msgr. Victorino Rivas, vicar general of the Diocese of Bacolod, said "this is a welcome event for Negros Occidental because the armed conflict between the rebel and government forces has caused massive destabilization of the livelihood of the people".

The suffering of the people has been worsened by the armed conflict, that is why we welcome this turn of events, he said.

4 cities top list of
most new voters
BY CARLA GOMEZ

In the last quarter of 2006, Commission on Elections records showed that the largest number of new voters registered were in Bacolod, Silay, San Carlos and Kabankalan cities.

A total of 71,381 new voters were registered in the last quarter of 2006, or a 4.80 percent increase from the total registered voters in 2004 that was 1,485,900.

The Comelec is still computing the total number of new voters in Negros Occidental from the time registration started in July 2005.

CLO: Port titling
not an obstruction
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

City Legal Officer Allan Zamora said the transfer of the title of the BREDCO port to Bacolod City is not an obstruction, and that it is the Philippine Reclamation Authority that will facilitate the titling of the share of BREDCO, PEA and the city.

Zamora was reacting to the statement of Councilor Lyndon Caña that he believes that the titles should be transferred first before the takeover ordinance could be acted upon.

Caña said the Philippine Ports Authority finds it difficult to assist the city in the takeover of the port management and operation of the port at the Reclamation Area unless the titles have been transferred in the name of the City of Bacolod.