Roxas defends president,
cites reform agenda effort
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Former Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas yesterday came to the defense of President Benigno Aquino amid the recent slight decline in his approval ratings, saying what is important is he is continuing to push his reform agenda.

“What is important to the President is that he is able to help the Filipino people, that prices of basic commodities remain good, and that corruption is stopped,” said Roxas, who was the runningmate of Aquino in last year’s polls.

Roxas, who was the guest speaker at the opening of the 18th Panaad sa Negros in Bacolod City, when asked if he would be appointed interior and local government secretary in July, said a position in government is not important.

With costumes and headdresses of participants adorned with tiny sparkling multi-colored lights, La Castellana’s Bailes de Luces bested 23 other contestants yesterday to claim the trophy and P70,000 cash prize in the Panaad 2011 festival dance competition at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City.

La Castellana dancers who performed as second to the last, transformed the festival stage into a sea of lights as they moved around to the beat of the music with their twinkling props trailing them.

La Castellana outperformed Isabela’s Kalag-Kalag Festival, which retained the second place honors and brought home the P50,000 cash prize, and relegated last year’s winner San Carlos City’s Pintaflores to third place this year. The flower dancers received P30,000 cash prize.

Guv reiterates
call to rebels
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., at the opening of the 18th Panaad sa Negros Festival in Bacolod City, yesterday, reiterated his call to Communist rebels in Negros Occidental to unite with the provincial government in the fight against hunger.

The theme of this year’s festival is “Patubas sang Negrosanon, Mangad sang Nasyon (Harvest of Negros, Wealth of the Nation,” which puts emphasis on food security and protection of the environment, he said. 

“To those who are still in the hills sacrificing and suffering from hunger, let us instead join hands,” the governor called.

back to top