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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Both government and military top echelons have indicated positive benefits derived from a localized peace drive with the rebels in Negros Oriental through meticulous confidence-building designed to thresh out local irritants with dispatch and thus, possibly hasten the attainment of peace of peace in the communities.

These were some of the highlights of Thursday’s army-call on Governor Agustin “Tuting” Perdices at the Capitol (see page 1 photo). He welcomed the idea but cautioned on the diverse cultural gaps between the two Negros political subdivisions.

Prospects for local peace drive loomed as the civilian and military echelons talk about local truce before Gov Agustin Perdices. They were: Col. Manuel Ochotorena; Lt Col Ramil Bitong; Lt. Col. Erwin Neri; Col. Chris Estella, Major General Vicente Porto, Commander of the 3rd Infantry Division.
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World boxing champ and Congressman Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao last Thursday told the Silliman community that he also wants to be remembered by the nation as a legislator with a passion for servanthood.

Also keynoting the SU college of law 75th Anniversary Assembly was Dr. Rolando del Carmen, ( SU Law 1953) distinguished professor of criminal justice and law of Sam Houston State University in Huntsville Texas U.S.A. He hails from Ozamis city.
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Atty. Nilo Ruperto, Edong Calumpong, Louie Tijing, Mayor Ricky Gonzales, Hon. Herminio Teves, Fr. Marlon Martinez and Jun Sy after the groundbreaking with the landmark lighthouse, El Faro de Tierra Alta, behind them (left). See ad on page 12-13)

MS SILLIMAN 2010 is Ela Luzuriaga- Clavano ( Miss High School) center who reigned over 1st Runner-up[ Ms. Aisha Amigo Villanueva of the Med-tech College; and Ms Maian Maro Vanslambrouck of the College of Nursing as 2nd runner- up in the most prestigious beauty pageant in Dumaguete city and Negros Oriental on Silliman U’s 109th Founders’ Day anniversary yesterday.

The Party List on cooperatives in the House of Representatives Coop-NATCO has taken up the cudgels of electric consumers under Noreco 2 to ask for a congressional inquiry into the various undertakings of Noreco2 which NATCO considers dubious with irregularities. However, no date is yet set for the House probe.
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Dumaguete City Mayor Chiquiting Sagabarria is eyeing on the demolition of the Buildings 8, 9 and 10 of the City Public Market to give way to the construction of a three-storey mall-type edifice that will maximize the use of the city’s prime property just behind famed Cathedral’s Bell tower.

The 3-storey mall that will replace the soon to be demolished Buildings 8, 9, and 10 will feature vegetable and fruit products in the first floor, office spaces for rent for the 2nd floor, while the 3rd floor will house the rooms of the City Livelihood Center.
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Second District Rep. George Arnaiz will confer with his counterparts Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong (1st District) and Rep. Pryde Henry Teves (3rd District) to come up with a concrete and doable plans to address the continuing decline in the services of the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital.
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Governor Agustin “Tuting” Perdices is mulling the possibility of imposing taxes on idle lands to boost agricultural production and food security. However, he would like to first look into the legal implications of the said proposal before actually implementing it.
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