The announcement by Mayor Sagarbarria that a dozen or so tourist police of the PNP special unit from Cebu will be assigned mostly in the boulevard, to help secure the safety and guidance of local and foreign visitors to Dumaguete has never come as timely today when Philippine tourism is at its lowest ebb.

Never has Philippine tourism been affected so much as when eight Hongkong hostages were senselessly murdered by the police during a badly handled hostage taking crisis two weeks ago in Manila.
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The domino effect of the recent hostage crisis has trickled down to the provinces with a marked decrease in tourist arrivals especially from China and Hongkong. Arrivals in Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental , Bohol and Siquijor, are not exempted.

This developed as the on-going travel mart in Manila SM Megamall is vigorously pushing for promotions for the Philippines. Negros Oriental is participating in the current travel mart in Manila.
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by: DEMS REY DEMECILLO

Is there such thing as work-holiday? Yes Virginia, there is at the city hall. The prospective September 23-26 field trip to Boracay of some fifty Dumaguete City officials which will be led by Mayor Chiquiting Sagarbarria, Vice-mayor Alan Gel Cordova, city councilors and department heads is under heavy fire from critics for what they called an extravagant and unnecessary “workholiday” courtesy of P350,000 in taxpayers’ money. Some described the “work conference” as a PR blitz of the new administration for old and new city hallers.
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by: DEMS DEMECILLO AND FLORENCE BAESA

It’s back to the Provincial Capitol for Dumaguete City Councilor Erwin Macias in an apparent political- debt accommodation to the death wish of his late father for support by the three congressmen of Negros Oriental.

The wish was granted, Macias is now President of Philippine Councilors League, the score; 117-82 of the 199 votes cast from over 266 membercouncilors.
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City’s lead councilor Tony Remollo claimed massive political interventions among three congressmen and local mayors in these weeks’ elections for the Philippine Councilors’ League election.

In a statement Remollo said “ I would like to thank the 82 councilors who believe in my cause and courageous enough to cross party by casting their votes for me in the Philippines Councilors League, Negros Oriental Federation election last Wednesday, September 2, 2010 attended by two hundred ten (210) delegates. I am very grateful that inspite of the intense intervention from some Members of Congress to support my rival, the result was close with a margin of only thirty five (35) votes.
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Lest he be suspected of driving away vendors because of his nearby restobar along Escaño beach, Dumaguete City Mayor Chiquiting Sagarbarria clarifies that the decision to clear the beachfront is in response to the residents passionate request and the city’s long-term plan to develop it into a second tourist boulevard similar, if not, better than Rizal.
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Prostitution among female college students in Guihulngan has caught the attention of two lady Councilors after it was learned that some students even as young as 13 years old have acquired Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
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In a fresh bid to cut red tape, the Department of Trade and Industry announced the opening of the Business- One-Stop-Shop or BOSS, which will reduce the application and issuance of business permits to less than an hour.
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