Dinagyang to visit US cities
Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 08:51 p.m.THE Dinagyang Festival will perform in New York City and Los Angeles, California to thousands of Filipino and American audience.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) Promotions Board will shoulder the travel expenses of 23 dancers and drummers from the city on May 31 to perform at the Madison Avenue in Manhattan New York on June 2 and in Los Angeles on June 8 to usher in the 115th anniversary of Philippine Independence Day celebration in the US.
City engineers fast-track drainage projects
Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 08:50 p.m.The City Engineer's Office (CEO) is fast tracking the completion of at least five drainage projects of more than 25 drainage projects in the city costing more than P20 million.
City engineer Bobby Divinagracia said the projects are funded from the annual development fund of 2012 and part of 2013 and from the local disaster risk reduction management (LDRRM) fund.
Comelec, DFA asked to explain low voter turnout abroad
Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 08:50 p.m.SENATOR Franklin Drilon wanted the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Department of Foreign Affairs to explain the poor participation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) despite an increased budget allocation to the government agencies.
With 737,739 registered Filipino voters abroad, only 113,209 participated and voted in the midterm elections with a dismal turnout of only 15.35 percent. This shows that the cost of each absentee vote is now P1,310 per vote.
BEIs complain of delay in release of teachers’ honoraria
Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 04:11 p.m.PUBLIC school teachers who served as board of election inspectors (BEIs) in the May 13 polls complain of delay in the release of their honoraria.
According to the Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC), 10 days after the elections, several BEIs and their support staff are still waiting for their honorarium despite the assurance of Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes that their pay will be released immediately.
Iloilo City ready for Apec Summit bid
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 07:35 p.m.ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog announced that a team from the City Government will present a bid to host the Asia Pacific Ministerial Meeting (Apec) in 2015 here.
Mabilog said the presentation will be held at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in Makati City on Tuesday, May 28, 2013, and city lone district congressman Jerry P. Treñas will do the presentation to a panel composed of representatives of the Apec to cement the city’s bid to host about nine ministerial meetings.
Comelec: High voter turnout in Iloilo
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 07:34 p.m.THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has noted a high voter turnout in Iloilo City in the May 13, 2013 midterm elections.
The city has more than 247,000 registered voters with assigned 350 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines to serve the voting needs of voters.
24 new classrooms in Iloilo City completed
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 07:33 p.m.THE city engineers’ office of Iloilo City has completed at least 24 new classrooms in different public elementary schools in preparation for the school opening in June 2013.
City engineer Bobby Divinagracia reported that the new classrooms are on top of those being repaired and upgraded with funding taken from the Iloilo City School Board fund.
No collection of school fees upon enrollment
Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 05:20 p.m.THERE is absolutely no collection of school fees upon enrollment of school children in the public elementary and high schools and the Department of Education (DepEd) is strictly implementing this no collection policy to encourage parents to enroll their children.
This was stressed by Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog upon being informed by school’s division superintendent Nelly Valerio of the existing DepEd policy.
CCTV council exempts UPV financing organization
Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 05:19 p.m.THE CCTV Camera Council has exempted a financing establishment which caters to urban poor women inside the University of the Philippines Visayas campus from compliance of the close circuit television (CCTV) ordinance imposing CCTV cameras in the establishment.
Board president Ma. Elisa Baliao of the Toktorook Development Foundation Inc. earlier requested Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog for an exemption of the financial establishment which do not qualify as a high-risk establishment as defined in the CCTV ordinance.
City dad off to Germany for leadership training
Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 05:18 p.m.The number one councilor will represent the Philippines as the country's lone representative to participate in an international leadership training seminar on May 25 until June 7 sponsored by the German government and FNF Neuman Foundation.
Councilor Nielex Tupas garnered more than 122,000 votes last May 13 elections and considered as the highest vote getter among winning 12 city councilor candidates.
Capitol rehab nears completion
Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 05:15 p.m.PROVINCIAL Engineer Gracianito Lucero said Tuesday that the first phase of the Old Capitol restoration project is already nearing completion.
Lucero said the contractor already reached a completion rate of 82 percent.
Parola ferry terminal project on the go
Monday, May 20, 2013 - 08:32 p.m.THE much delayed Parola ferry terminal project at the Parola area will soon be a reality after all hitches and legal setbacks were straightened out between the City Government and a private partner under a public-private partnership scheme.
Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said the P135-million project, which aims to ferry sea commuters between Guimaras and Iloilo, was delayed for almost a year pending the completion of a new building of the Philippine Coast Guard beside the ferry terminal.
79 families set to transfer to reloc site
Monday, May 20, 2013 - 08:31 p.m.A TOTAL of 79 river dwelling families at Barangay North San Jose, Molo are all set to transfer residence at the city-owned relocation site in Barangay Lanit, Jaro after their housing units were already assigned to them.
Wilfredo Jurilla, chief of Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (ICUPAO), said the families are waiting the signal from Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog to occupy their assigned units.
Iloilo media undergoes entrepreneurial training
Monday, May 20, 2013 - 08:31 p.m.CORE members of the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps and Capitol Press Corps recently underwent a one morning session on "Media Entrepreneurial Skills Training on Cassava Delicacies" held at the Department of Agriculture (DA) Iloilo.
DA-Iloilo Director Larry Nacionales said the skills training will enable media participants to embark on a small scale business and enhance livelihood opportunities.
DA adopts intervention to hike rice production
Friday, May 17, 2013 - 09:51 p.m.WITH the advent of the rainy season, the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas has adopted several intervention schemes aimed to increase rice production and establish once again the region's supremacy as the top rice producing area in the country.
DA Regional Director Larry Nacionales said the scheme involves the cooperation of other government agencies and institutions to increase production as the country is celebrating the Year of the Rice.
Iloilo sets Santacruzan 2013
Friday, May 17, 2013 - 09:50 p.m.THE Iloilo City Government and the City Tourism Council will jointly implement a yearly Santacruzan sa Flores de Mayo with a procession of the sagalas on May 24.
The procession will start at 4 p.m. from Museo Iloilo passing through JM Basa St., until the San Jose parish church at Plaza Libertad in a one-kilometer stretch depicting the many facets of the Santacruzan and the sagalas.
Councilor posts highest votes in 3 elections
Friday, May 17, 2013 - 09:50 p.m.REELECTED for the third and final term, Councilor Nielex Tupas is creating a history by being a candidate that have the highest number of votes and remaining number one in the elections for the past three years for a seat in the City Council.
In the May 13 elections, Tupas was able to garner more than 122,000 votes with a wide margin of over 17,000 votes compared to the second place teammate Love-love Baronda of Team PNoy.
Mabilog breaks own record of voters preference
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 - 09:25 p.m.REELECTED Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has broken his personal record as the top voter's preference in this city since he entered politics in 2003.
With a record of 131,933 votes in the May 13 midterm elections, Mabilog said he was catapulted as a city councilor in 2003 with more than 103,000 votes, as vice mayor in 2007 with more than 120,000 votes, as city mayor in 2010 with with more than 100,000 and the last 2013 record of almost 132,000 votes.
Mabilog vows to partner with City council
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 - 09:24 p.m.REELECTED Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog vows to partner with the City Council for cooperation and development of the city.
Although the City Council is composed of all newly elected candidates under Team PNoy, Mabilog said the City Council will not become a rubber stamp of the city chief executive, adding he does not control members of the legislative body as each is independent.
Team PNoy sweeps Iloilo polls
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - 08:21 p.m.LOCAL administration candidates belonging to Team PNoy completely sweep the polls' 15-0 win on midterm elections.
The poll results is considered as the first time in the city going for all administration bets that cemented the foothold of President Benigno Aquino III's vision of Tuwid na Daan.
Iloilo goes 10-2 for senatorial bets
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - 08:21 p.m.IT IS 10-2 in favor of the Team PNoy senatorial candidates in Iloilo City of more than 247,000 registered voters.
It is only Miguel Zubiri and Nancy Binay of the opposition UNA who made it in the winning 12 circle while Grace Poe zoomed as the number one to win the hearts of the people.
Comelec assures no fear of blackout
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - 01:07 a.m.THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) assured voters that all their votes will be counted by the Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machines even if there is a power failure in their respective areas.
Similarly, Panay Electric Company, the power distributor of two power generating power plants based in this city also assured steady power supply especially on May 13 midterm elections.
Peaceful elections in Iloilo
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - 01:06 a.m.THE May 13 midterm elections in Iloilo City is generally peaceful and orderly with no untoward incident to mar the election proper, said the city police office and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Senior Superintendent Ruperto Floro, city police chief, said the city electorates are intelligent people and there is no need for candidates to harass or pay for their votes.
15 local posts at stake in Iloilo
Sunday, May 12, 2013 - 09:29 p.m.A TOTAL of 15 elective positions are at stake in Iloilo City by Monday, May 13 midterm elections.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) supervisor Joemar Betita said that more than 247,000 registered voters will troop to 350 clustered voting precincts located in several public buildings and schools to participate and choose their local officials to lead them in three years or until 2016.
Comelec ups alert vs betting on poll outcome
Friday, May 10, 2013 - 11:21 p.m.THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has raised the warning against betting on who will win among political candidates in the May 13 midterm elections.
Betting is a form of gambling and a criminal offense against the law and violators could be imprisoned for six months, the Comelec here said.
Police: Grenade blast an isolated case
Thursday, May 9, 2013 - 06:50 p.m.THE Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) has tagged as an isolated case the recent grenade blast that happened outside the residence of congressional bet Raul Gonzales Jr. and former Justice secretary Raul Gonzales Sr.
The blast happened Thursday, May 9, around 1 a.m. outside Gonzales’ residence in Barangay Quintin Salas, Jaro district. The incident was reported to the Jaro police station around 8 a.m. No one was hurt in the explosion.
Mabilog sees 15-0 for admin-backed local bets
Thursday, May 9, 2013 - 06:49 p.m.ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog issued a 15-0 win forecast for their group, which is under Team PNoy, against their opponents from the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
Mabilog said the latest credible survey showed his margin of 60 percent or translated to more than 80,000 votes over his opponent which only has less than 40 percent.
Kris wants Mabilog as mentor in good governance
Wednesday, May 8, 2013 - 10:53 p.m.TELEVISION personality and presidential sister Kris Aquino wants Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog to be her mentor in good governance if she decides to enter politics in 2016.
Kris and actor Dingdong Dantes visited the City Hall Wednesday to endorse senatorial candidate Bam Aquino to the Ilonggo voters.
Senate bet sees intelligent voters in Iloilo
Wednesday, May 8, 2013 - 10:53 p.m.CANDIDATES with questionable integrity have no place in the city and the province of Iloilo with intelligent voters not easily swayed by vote buying, said Team PNoy senatorial candidate Bam Aquino.
With May 8 as the last stretch of political campaign in Western Visayas, Aquino, endorsed by celebrities Dingdong Dantes and first cousin Kris Aquino, told voters to choose candidates well with unsullied track record of performance.
Mabilog completes social program in 3 years
Tuesday, May 7, 2013 - 08:22 p.m.MAYOR Jed Patrick Mabilog has successfully completed the city’s various health and social programs on top of millions of pesos worth of infrastructures for the populace for three years in an unprecedented "womb to tomb" social program.
Mabilog, elected for the first time as city mayor in 2010, was able to put in place various programs in the city including city health centers in all seven districts and barangay health centers in the barangays serving as catchment area for clustered villages.
