The Development Bank of the Philippines is open to providing the Negros Occidental and Silay City governments with P530 million in loans, DBP president Francisco del Rosario said yesterday.

DBP is also open to financing power, water, tourism, health and other infrastructure programs in Negros Occidental in keeping with its mandate for countryside development, del Rosario added.

Del Rosario, who along with other DBP officials joined Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. at the opening of the First Negros Food Fair, and Ranch and Animal Show at the Panaad Park and Stadium, said “We came here because we wanted to show our commitment to Negros Occidental, we know that there is a lot of potential here, a lot of projects are in the pipeline.”

The ongoing purging by the New People’s Army in Negros Occidental of suspected government informants within its ranks, called “Oplan Panghilamon” has led to the summary execution of two rebels, while another one died of torture Monday and Tuesday in the hinterlands of Escalante City and Calatrava, Col. Jonas Sumagaysay, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said yesterday.

Sumagaysay said one of the five suspected government informants, who is a member of the NPA Motorola platoon in northern Negros, was shot dead by his comrades Tuesday in Sitio Icogan, Brgy. Minapasok, Calatrava, while another one died of torture in Brgy. Binagyuhan, Escalante City.

“Negros Occidental is not only sweet, it is delicious,” Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said at the launching of the First Negros Food Fair, and Ranch and Animal Show at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City yesterday.

The three-day activities are geared at showcasing Negros Occidental’s thrust toward food security, through delicacies made using Negros products.

Marañon said the target to make Negros the organic food bowl, not only of the Philippines but of Asia, is progressing by leaps and bounds.