Hundreds of travelers
stranded by Sendong
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Hundreds of sea travelers, including about 200 headed for Iloilo for the nursing board examinations on Sunday and Monday, were stranded in various ports in Negros Occidental yesterday, after the Coast Guard cancelled all sea travel with storm signal number one hoisted over northern Negros and signal number two over southern Negros.

But as of 11 p.m. yesterday, the storm signal had been reduced to one over southern Negros Occidental, and the warning over the northern part of the province had been lifted, PAGASA said.

Storm signal number one remained over Negros Oriental.

For the first time Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia has cancelled his trip to General Santos City for the birthday celebration of World Kboxing champ Manny Pacquiao and this is because of the expected typhoon Sendong.

Leonardia yesterday said he has learned from what happened in the past, when he was in Los Angeles, and typhoon Frank hit Bacolod although it was not expected to happen.

But because of that, he said, Manny came to Bacolod after the fight and gave P1 million as relief assistance to the typhoon victims in Bacolod City.

Vehicles in several areas in Bacolod City were stalled last night drawing complaints from stranded motorists.

Numerous complaints through text and calls from stranded residents received by the DAILY STAR last night said that traffic enforcers in some area abandoned their posts when it rained while another enforcer just left when he could no longer resolve the traffic gridlock.

City Police Traffic Management Unit head, Chief Insp. Luisito Acebuche, said some traffic enforcers needed to seek shelter when it rained hard yesterday but added that they returned later.