Training on for police crime probers

THE Police Regional Office (PRO) in Iloilo City is conducting a 30-day crime investigation training for 35 investigators from selected police stations in Western Visayas.

PRO-Western Visayas Director Cipriano Querol Jr. said that 77 of the 451 police investigators in the region have no formal trainings and 374 needed related seminars.

Drivers happy with P1 fare hike

MORE than 5,000 jeepney drivers in Iloilo are happy with the P1 fare increase to the existing P6.50 for the first five-kilometer distance.

Iloilo City Alliance of Drivers Associations (Icada) president Nick Dalisay said that at last, the government listened to their clamor for fare hike considering that the old fare rate is not anymore an answer to the basic needs of drivers.

City raises alert on tropical cyclone

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has raised the level of alert as preparation for the tropical cyclones reported to hit Western Visayas and the city in the next 24 hours.

“We are prepared and everything is in place as our disaster risk management teams ready everything to meet the challenges of this tropical cyclone,” Mabilog said in a meeting with all city agencies and volunteers on Monday.

Mayor lauds social welfare office

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog lauded the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for marking its 60th year anniversary as the lead government agency committed to public service.

Mabilog gave the inspirational message to the DSWD regional employees headed by regional director Minda Brigoli on Monday as a gesture of appreciation and recognition of the DSWD efforts and cooperation with city development.

Convergence sites in Western Visayas to be identified

REPRESENTATIVES of three government agencies and participants from other provinces in Western Visayas recently met to identify other proposed convergence sites in the region and discuss a Joint Memorandum Circular.

Antique was the first site of the convergence initiative (CI) launched last year in five towns, namely Barbaza, Laua-an, Valderrama, Bugasong and Patnongon.

Ports authority acts on sunken vessels

THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) will finally start the clean-up drive at the mouth of Iloilo River with sunken vessels following a complaint raised by Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.

Mabilog received a letter-notice from PPA Port Manager Fernando Claveria stating that the National Government agency will immediately act on the complaint of sunken vessels in the mouth of the Iloilo River.

Vandals are back in Iloilo

VANDALS, mostly students, are back in Iloilo City and are now adding to the headaches of the local police.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said vandals recently destroyed some properties at the Molo cemetery and at the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

Medtech law needs revision: lawmaker

THE country's law that regulates the practice of medical technologists is not responsive anymore to the needs of the profession and needs to be revisited and revised, a lawmaker said.

Representative Janette L. Garin (first district, Iloilo) pointed out that majority of the sections of Republic Act (RA) 5527 or the Medical Technology Act no longer apply to present conditions since it was originally created to regulate the practice of laboratory professionals in the clinical laboratory settings.

Resto owner faces 5 criminal raps

A RIVERBANK restaurant owner is now facing five criminal charges before the Iloilo City Prosecutor's Office (CPO) for violating various environmental laws.

The Iloilo City Government, through the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro), filed the charges at the CPO on January 27 against Rogelio Fanuñal of Ryans Seafoods located along the Iloilo River and diversion road.

Iloilo sympathizes with Makati

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog will send a letter to Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay Jr. to express his deepest sympathy and solidarity with the people against terrorism.

Mabilog said Makati is a sister city of Iloilo. The sisterhood was cemented in 2003 with a pact that ensures intercity exchange of development ideas and technology, friendship and solidarity with each people.

Rehab preparations of Fort San Pedro underway

A STRONG public and private partnership (PPP) that will focus mostly on the livelihood component of Fort San Pedro will be implemented for the rehabilitation of the historic area.

Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog announced this, as preparations are underway for the restoration and rehabilitation of Fort San Pedro. A P100 million budget was allotted for it.

Journalists condemn attack on publisher

LOCAL journalists in Iloilo City condemned the attack on a publisher-editor of a daily newspaper last January 26.

Carabao center opens new impact zones

THE Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) in Western Visayas has identified 29 villages in the municipalities of Calinog and Lambunao, Iloilo, as PCC new impact zones for carabao development in the region.

Arn G. Granada, OIC-center director of PCC, said the 29 barangays have a benchmark carabao population of 1,339 heads, of which 301 heads are breedable female Philippine carabao and 25 F1 breedable females.

Iloilo Chinese community readies for New Year celebration

THE local Fil-Chinese community in Iloilo City is preparing for their annual weeklong Chinese New Year celebration, to be highlighted with a grand parade and cultural show on February 4, 2011, at Plazoleta Gay area.

Charlie Ho of the Phil-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry said they have invited the Chinese Ambassador to grace the grandest 5th year celebration in the city considered as the first city in the Visayas to celebrate the event.

City to file charges vs riverbank resto operator

THE City Government and environment officials will be filing criminal and administrative charges against a restaurant owner for violation of city ordinances and environment laws, including damage to mangrove trees.

The City Legal Office is preparing the charges against Rogelio Fanuñal, owner of Ryans Restaurant along the diversion road for illegal reclamation, encroachment and backfilling activities within the area just beside the Iloilo River.

24/7 police checkpoints ordered

MAYOR Jed Patrick Mabilog has ordered local police to be on full alert and implement a 24/7 checkpoints starting January 26 in several entry points to Iloilo City.

Mabilog told City Police Chief Marietto Valerio that there is a need to safeguard and protect the city from criminal elements by setting up police checkpoints particularly in entry areas from the municipalities and provinces in Panay Island.

City to sell housing project in Pavia

MAYOR Jed Patrick Mabilog wants to sell the abandoned housing project in Pavia and use the proceeds to develop either For San Pedro, or rehabilitate the slaughterhouse in Jaro, Iloilo.

A new design of the city slaughterhouse complete with cattleline, hogline and waste water treatment is already complete and is expected to upgrade the slaughterhouse into full Double A abattoir. It will cost some P40 million, the mayor said.

2012 Dinagyang fest to focus more on religiosity

THE Dinagyang Festival in 2012 will not just give pomp, pageantry and colors but also emphasis on religiosity, particularly on the Ilonggos' veneration of the patron saint Sr. Sto Niño.

Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, who met with Agustinian priests of Arevalo and San Jose parishes, said major changes will be made on the religious events of the festival. The Sto. Niño in Arevalo church will be given more focus, he added.

Aquino urged to act decisively on RH

REPRODUCTIVE health advocates in Iloilo City have asked President Benigno Aquino III to act immediately and decisively on the proposed reproductive health (RH) bill pending in Congress for 16 years.

Dinagyang tribe to perform in New York

THE grand winner of the Dinagyang Ati-atihan competition will go to New York, USA, to perform and showcase the world-famous Dinagyang Festival in time for the Philippine Independence Day celebration there.

Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog announced this upon receiving information from Arnel Sevillo of the Philippine Independence Day Celebration Inc., co-coordinator of the celebration in New York.

City gives additional cash prize to ati-atihan winners

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog gave P2 million worth of additional cash prize to winners of the Dinagyang ati-atihan competition.

City names presidential sis as adopted daughter

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has named presidential eldest sister Ballsy Aquino-Cruz as the city's most esteemed adopted daughter whose devotion to public service is unmistakable.

Aquino-Cruz was the main guest of honor during the Dinagyang Festival highlights on Sunday, January 23, 2011, where she saw for the first time the world-class Ati-atihan performance of the different dancing Ati-atihan groups in the city.

Lawmaker positive about redistricting bill

ILOILO Congressman Jerry Treñas is hopeful his bill will be passed by June 2011 in the absence of legal obstacles to the move to divide the city into two legislative districts.

Power firm seeks rate increases

CONSUMERS will feel the brunt of power rate increases within this year, with the Panay Electric Company (Peco) seeking an increase in its distribution charge for its five-year regulatory period.

Randy Pastolero of Peco said the power firm filed the petition with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) by seeking approval for the increase in its distribution charge from October 2011 to 2015, in compliance with the regulatory body's performance based regulation (PBR).

Mayor eyes bigger venue for Dinagyang 2012

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog is eyeing a bigger venue for the major events of Dinagyang next year.

Amendments to local government code sought

ILOILO Congressman Jerry Treñas is seeking amendments to some provisions of Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991 in a move to strengthen autonomy of local government units (LGUs).

House Bill 3957 recently filed by Treñas specifically called on amending Section 150 (b), (c) and (d) of the code to read as follows: "For manufacturers, assemblers, contractors, producers and exporters with factories and project offices, plants and plantations in the pursuit of their business, 100 percent of all sales recorded in the principal office shall be taxable by the city or municipality where the factory, project office, plant or plantation is located."

Movie producer eyes Iloilo as next filming site

SEVERAL independent movie producers, who are currently here for the Sineng Pambansa Iloilo Film Festival, have expressed interest in shooting their next films in Iloilo.

Senator gives P2M for market rehab

SENATOR Franklin Drilon, a son of this city's Molo district, has given P2 million for the rehabilitation of the Molo public market and cultural center.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog announced that Drilon informed him through a letter dated January 18, 2011, of the P2 million financial assistance through the senator's priority development assistance fund (PDAF), which is chargeable against the 2010 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Smoke-free, litter-free Dinagyang Festival

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has ordered the distribution of pamphlets depicting a smoke-free and litter-free Dinagyang Festival to violators, especially to visitors.

This move is in line with the three-day temporary suspension of apprehensions intended to give revelers, locals and tourists alike, to enjoy the festival.

Lawmaker files bill creating development council

ILOILO City lone district Congressman Jerry P. Treñas here recently filed House Bill 3956 for the creation of the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC) through a law.