Negros survivors return
from ferry sinking ordeal
LA CARLOTA TEENER SAYS
HE CAN’T FIND HIS GRANDPA
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Ten passengers from Bacolod City and Negros Occidental who survived the SuperFerry 9 sinking in Zamboanga waters Sunday arrived in Bacolod yesterday, but a 16-year-old survivor from La Carlota City said he could not find his grandfather.

The ten passengers from Negros Occidental and 47 from Iloilo arrived with three cadavers on board the SuperFerry 5.

Nine of the 958 passengers and crew died in the sinking of the SuperFerry 9, while one remained unaccounted up to yesterday. The remains of the  three fatalities that arrived in Bacolod and were brought to the Alisbo Funeral Parlor for embalming before being transported to Manila.

Members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo in Negros Occidental gathered in Bacolod City for a vigil Sunday night and to bid goodbye to their Executive Minister, Erano “Ka Erdy” Manalo during his interment yesterday.

About 500 faithful gathered at the Multi Purpose Hall of the Bacolod City Locale and watched through a wide screen the live feed of the spiritual leader’s interment at noon yesterday at the church tabernacle in Dilliman, Quezon City.

Ka Erdy passed away on Aug. 31, 2009.  He was 84.

Public School teachers yesterday expressed opposition to the plan to remove Dr. Milagros Gonzales from the Department of Education Division of Bacolod City.

On August 26, DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus issued a memorandum to swap Gonzales with Negros Occidental Schools Division Superintendent Rizalino Tortosa effective Sept. 1.

The swapping, however, was temporarily put on hold pending the completion of clearances and paper works, Education OIC Regional Director Mildred Garay, said.