About P8.6 million in awards and assistance will be turned over to 321 Negrenses, while seven outstanding citizens will be honored at the 117 th Cinco de Noviembre rites at the Negros Occidental Capitol in Bacolod City today.

The seven outstanding Negrenses will be honored at rites to be led by Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall that will start at 4:30 this afternoon.

The Outstanding Negrenses this year are Edith Yotoko Villanueva for public service and health promotion, Ricky and Leo Rey Yanson for youth and sports development, Modesto Palacios Sa-onoy for journalism, Dr. Elsie Martinez Coscolluela – education, and Reynaldo and Ma. Lomer Villan – entrepreneurship.

At rites at the Provincial Capitol driveway that will start at 7:45 this morning, 75 centenarians of the province will receive P7.5 million or P100,000 each from the provincial government.

The oldest recipient will be Francisca Susano of Kabankalan City who is 115 years old followed by Fatima Reterte, 111, of Escalante City, and Antonio Llantino of Murcia and Espiridion Piccio of La Carlota City – 110, a Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office report said.

Four others – Domindado Castro of Murcia, Teotimo Temblor of Sagay City, Dionesa Garfil of La Carlota City and Saturnino Carian of Kabankalan City are all aged 109, the PSWDO report said.

The most number of centenarians are from the third district of Negros Occidental with 18, sixth district – 17, fourth district – 15, fifth district – 13, first district – 9, and second district – 3.

Financial assistance of P5,000 each will also be given to victims of Typhoon Yolanda, and 226 farmers of the Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program farmers will receive P942,585.

Cinco de Noviembre marks the Nov. 5, 1898 Negrense uprising that led to the surrender of the Spanish troops in the province and the establishment of the short-lived Cantonal Government of Negros reuniting Negros Occidental and Oriental.

Negros Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson urged Negrenses not to forget the significance of Al Cinco de Noviembre.

This event should be remembered as the time when Negrenses decided to get their acts together for the common good and the future of the province, he said.

Lacson said that while we are enjoying the fruits of what our forefathers have done, we have the responsibility to take its message seriously into our lives and transmit it to the next generation.

It is not enough to remember this every November 5, but this should serve as lifelong inspiration to the Negrense community, he said.

As presiding officer of the Sanggunian, Lacson also extended his congratulations to the centenarians who will be given benefits, as well as those who will receive special citations from the provincial government today.*CPG

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