Some 150 youngsters ranging from 7 to 18 years of age reported at the opening of Basketball Coaches Association of Negros summer clinic at St. John’s Institute Activity Center last Monday in Bacolod City.

As excited as their accompanying parents, the neophytes enjoyed their pre-numbered t shirt and balls as registration takes place. Late entries are likewise promised theirs up to Wednesday by BCAN president Bobby Tee as basketball balls are ordered from Manila.

Tee, formerly of Bacolod Tay Tung High School, was surprised of the turnout expecting only some 100 participants for this first ever project of local coaches. In his opening remarks, Tee reiterates the value of discipline and respect among the trainees. "You have to respect your teammates, your coaches and most important your parents in order to gain success in everything you do", he stressed.

Emceed by Jake Azucena of SJI, the kids received instructions of do’s and don’t s in the orientation and emphasized the value of cooperation.

This summer, the University of St. La Salle invites basketball players of elementary, middle, secondary and college levels to CP EDGE Basketball, a high level players and coaches clinic from April 8-12, 2013.

The five-day basketball program will be held at the USLS College Covered Court, 6:00-8:30 AM for college players, and at the USLS High School Covered Court, 1:00-3:00 pm for 12 under players and 4:00-6:30 PM for aspirants, juniors and above 12 players.

A member of the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) and a civilian asset were killed while a civilian was reportedly wounded when alleged New People’s Army (NPA) hitmen attacked them early last night in Escalante proper.

Escalante City Police Office (ESPO) director Supt. Jefferson Descallar, in interviews with newsmen, identified the fatalities as PO1 Bejen "Dodong" Tanguan and former CAFGU member Joseph Lotrago.

Descallar said Tanguan is an intelligence officer of the RPSB based in Barangay Libertad, Escalante where Lotrago also belongs.

The identity of the wounded civilian was not yet known as of press time last night.

Pamilya MKK standard bearer Monico Puentevella last night renewed his call for change and pushed for a new leadership as the Negros Occidental capital is already lagging behind neighboring cities in the Visayas.

MKK lead by iys mayoralty candidate Monico Puentevella speaks at their opening salvo at Barangay Villamonte yesterday.*

"It’s time for change. Time for new faces. Time for renewal. And this is the moment," Puentevella, a three-term Bacolod cong-ressman, echoed before a cheering crowd of 5,000 at the Barangay Villamonte square, where the Pamilya MKK or the Magbinuligay Kita sa Kauswagan, held its opening salvo.

Three political groups have saturated Bacolod City as they launched the opening salvo of their respective political campaign.

The Nationalist People’s Coalition—Grupo Progreso, lead by Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, present their platform of government to the media yesterday in Business Inn.*

The Grupo Progreso under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) led by Mayor Evelio Leonardia for congressman, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson for mayor and former City Councilor Greg Gasataya for Vice Mayor; Pamilya MKK candidates led by former Cong. Monico Puentevella for Mayor, in tandem with businessman Vladimir Gonzalez for Vice Mayor; and the Magnificent 7 led by Atty. Renecito Novero for Vice Mayor with 4 incumbent councilors and two neophytes.

A Bacoleño, Chief Superintendent Noel Gicano Constantino will assume the position of Director of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) based in Silang, Cavite next week. He is presently the Deputy Director of the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM). The PNPA, the training school for the police force and future police officers, is the PNP’s equivalent of the Armed Forces of Philippines’ Philippine Military Academy (PMA). Constantino was personally asked by the Chief PNP Director General Alan Purisima to take on the position. The Chief PNP has the highest confidence in Constantino and hopes that he will be able to institute the much needed reforms, increase the standards of training and improve the quality of PNPA graduates.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. will be conferred a Doctorate Degree in Public Administration, honoris causa, by the Northern Negros College of Science and Technology (NONESCOST) during its 14th Commencement Exercises at its main campus in Sagay City at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.

Marañon, whose four-decade public service career highlights include the establishment of NONESCOST as a barangay high school, saw through the elevation of the secondary institution into a municipal to city school, and as an extension campus of the Iloilo School of Fisheries (ISCOF) prior to its conversion as a state college, a press release from the Office of the Governor said.

In all his years as mayor of Sagay, Marañon had pushed for the growth of NONES-COST that when he became congressman representing the Second District, he authored a bill granting state college status to the school.

NONESCOST was established through Republic Act No. 8448, which was signed into law in 1998.

Instead of the March 8, 2013 case hearing of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. vs Negros Occidental Provincial officials at the sala of Judge Estefanio Libutan of the Regional Trial Court Branch 50, it was reset to May 2, 2013, due to the judges’ conference.

According to Atty. Mary Ann Manayon Lamis of the Provincial Legal Office, SM Prime Holdings is scheduled to present its rebuttal after the provincial government has already finished presenting its witnesses.

"That would depend if SM will still present its rebuttal. If they do, then we would also present our rebuttal," Lamis said.

After the rebuttal, she said, both parties will submit its final memorandum for the resolution of the case.

Thousands of supporters riding in different forms of transportation donning orange and green printed with big bold letters "CHANGE" stormed full force in the whole City of San Carlos yesterday morning.

The caravan was spearheaded by UNA 1st District Congressional candidate Nehemias "Tatay Nene" De La Cruz, Provincial Board Member and former Mayor of Don Salvador Benedicto. He was with Provincial Board Member candidates Jomari Valmayor and Dick Decatoria.