TRIANGULAR BOWLFEST. The 2nd eliminations of the 4th Triangular Bowlfest 2013 for Unity started yesterday at the Negros Super Lanes, Goldenfields Commercial Complex in Bacolod City. Despite minor malfunctions of some pin setters, the games went on smoothly with the assistance of pin boys.* (H. James G. Toga/NDB)

Two outstanding Bacolodnons will be conferred ANG BANWAHANON AWARDees 6:00 pm tonight at the lobby of the Bacolod Government Center.

They are Mrs. Fe Remetio and Atty. Ben Ortega.

The event highlights the 75th Year celebration of the signing of the charter of Bacolod City.

16 individuals and organizations will receive the Mayor’s Special Citations.

Aside from the Ang Banwahanon Awards, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonadia will give special citations to the 16 individuals and organizations for having greatly contributed to the development of Bacolod.

Protesters seemingly fearful of a takeover of BACIWA to create a private water firm, are barking up the wrong tree because, after the water company, a quasi-government agency considered GOCC (Government-Owned and Controlled Corporation) and is further considered in a worsened state and deserves to be taken over by creditors to rehabilitate it to be able to pay its borrowings, the agency tasked to administer and supervise it, are the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) and the National Water Resources Board (NWRB). Thus said Erle Gonzales, claimant of the land in nearby Talisay City where BACIWA gets its spring source, in an interview with "Tungkaron Ta Ini" program over DYRL, over the weekend.

Gonzales stressed during his interview that he is not just talking through his hat, but in fact has filed charges against BACIWA former Chairman Pompeyo Querubin and General Manager Juliana Carbon, whom he says should be the major shoulderer of the blame for the worsened state of the quasi-government company supplying water to half of Bacolod’s residents. She should be held to account for the state BACIWA is in and its inability to rectify its defects, primarily to solve its No Revenue Water (NRW) main problem. Her inability to solve the NRW problem through the years in spite of its more than P500-M loan does not now justify additional borrowings which she and the employees are insisting upon through in-house development with the mobilization of BACIWA engineers as manpower. No additional loan with suggested government banks can push through without LWUAs consent. It now rides hard on BACIWA because of the loan incurred from LWUA.

Newly Elected Officers of the BCPO, Police Retirees Assn Inc., were: President- Col. Roberto Tolentino, 1st Vice-President- Nepthali Grandea, 2nd Vice-President- Edilberto Tonog, Secretary- Felomena Grandea, Treasurer- Rodrigo Arceo, Auditor- Eduardo Rosadia, Bus. Manager- Federico Pillo, P.I.O- Eduardo Jara. Action Officers- Francisco Plomeda, Conrado Bitas, Nerio Regollo. Board of Trustees were Apolonio Martinez, Herman Garcia, Kenneth Pabon and Eduardo De la Peña. Inducting Officer was Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue.

"Be strong and be our partner in our developing City. We need your expertise in the formulation of our entire Security Plan in our bid to hold the forthcoming APEC-Asia "Pacific Economic Cooperation in Bacolod City." Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue-Incoming Sangguniang Panlungsod Member of Bacolod City and inducting officer of the newly elected Bacolod City Police Office, Police Retirees Association at their Annual General Assembly Meeting held at Nena Rose Manokan, Reclamation Area, Barangay 10, Bacolod City yesterday.

SPM Atty. Archie Baribar delivers his message at the Annual General Assembly and Election of Officers of the Bacolod City Police Office, Police Retirees Association Inc., at Nena Rose Manokan, Reclamation Area, Barangay 10, Bacolod City yesterday.* (Jun de los Reyes/NDB photo)

The court has ordered the transfer of the 76 firearms seized from the house of Pulupandan Mayor Magdaleno Peña to the storage room of the Hall of Justice in Bacolod, while it settles the issues surrounding it.

Prior to the transfer, the firearms were stored in two vehicles at the parking lot of the Hall of Justice, where they are guarded by personnel of the Negros Occidental police, Bacolod City police, PNP-Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Group and the elite PNP-Special Action Force (SAF).

Victorias City Mayor Francis Frederick "Wantan" Palanca (left) takes his oath of office before Third District Congressman Alfredo Benitez in simple rites last June 12, 2013 at the Victorias Public Plaza.*

The Top 3 biggest spen-ders in the May 2013 elections in the provincial level (excluding Bacolod) are Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez, Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. and 3rd District Rep. Alfredo "Albee" Benitez, based on their Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) this week.

Alvarez topped the list with campaign spendings of P1,853,919, followed by Marañon with P1,776,601, and Benitez with P811,196.

But despite his bigger spending, Alvarez, who was endorsed by business tycoon and Ambassador Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr., was defeated by Marañon with a lead of about 170,000 votes.

Panatang Makabayan. Negros Occ. Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., 2nd from right, recites the Panatang Makabayan during the 115th Independence Day at the Provincial Capitol Bldg. with Board Member Melvin Ibañez, right, and 303rd Brigade Commander Col. John Aying, 3rd from right and other military officials.*(PIA6-LOL)

Four former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were given cash rewards by the Negros Occidental provincial government in exchange for the four high-powered firearms they surrendered to the military.

The financial remuneration of P210,000 were given during the rites for the 115th Philippine Independence Day celebration at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City last Wednesday.

Balik Baril program. Negros Occ. Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. receives a gun from a rebel returnee availing of a government program that converts surrendered guns for cash. They can use the money received as starting capital to start a new life. Ceremony was held during the 2013 Independence Day program at the Negros Occ. Capitol Social Hall.* (PIA6-LOL)

Col. Jon Aying, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade based in Murcia town, Negros Occidental, said rebel returnees Felizardo Pineda Jr., Evonie Baynosa, Erving Binas, and Eugene Almojero surrendered themselves to the Army, with their three M-16 armalite rifles, and an M-14 assault rifle.

Under the Guns for Peace Program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), an M-16 armalite rifle has a cash equivalent of P50,000 and an M-14 rifle has P60,000.