Talisay City Mayor Lizares: Too young to die

Nothing could have hit Negrenses as hard as the untimely demise on Monday of Talisay City Mayor Anthony Lizares. He died just one day before his 40th birthday. That he was too young to die was the collective sentiment of Talisaynons and Negrenses.

Actually, Anthony was already on his third term when he succumbed to cirrhosis of the liver.

He did a lot of things under his stead. And the most notable was his success in elevating the suburban adjunct of Bacolod City into a city.

Now, Talisay is a bustling commercial and residential center. It boasts of several posh subdivisions. The most impressive are the Ayala Subdivision, Carmela Homes and several others.

Anthony also constructed the impressive City Hall, which was inaugurated only last year. It is the envy even of Bacolod City whose City Hall still remains the same old and aging building which Mayor Evelio Leonardia vowed will be replaced soon by a new one. The site is still being debated. But definitely, as he has promised, that will be a dream that will be realized.

Even Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon joined Talisaynons in mourning Anthony’s demise. He considered him one of the most dynamic local executives of the province.

Last Tuesday, Eric Saratan, Anthony’s vice mayor, took his oath as mayor of Talisay City before Gov. Marañon and members of the provincial board.

Saratan, who like Anthony is still a bachelor, was accompanied by his fiancée, Sheila Yap. Also present was first councilor Neil Lizares III, the incoming vice mayor.

Marañon cited the achievements of Anthony, especially his promises to the Talisaynons in the barangays. He urged Saratan to emulate the impressive achievements of his predecessor.

In turn, Saratan vowed that his goal will be to serve sincerely the people of Talisay City, coordinate the efforts of his office, the Sanggunian and the different departments for the effective delivery of services.

Saratan pointed out that he and the deceased mayor were very good friends. They were members of the Lingkod ng Panginoon, a group of single Catholic businessmen and professionals.

They also organized the Association of Young Professionals of Talisay in 1992.

Senate President Franklin Drilon is expected to visit Anthony’s wake. President Arroyo was expected yesterday to call the Lizares family to condole with them over the loss of Anthony.

His was a tough act to follow. But Mayor Saratan is expected to more than measure up to Anthony’s stewardship of Talisay City.

Crime wave?

The holdup of a La Consolacion College student by an unidentified man in front of the Hall of Justice along Cottage Road on Tuesday impressed city residents that there is a crime wave in the capital city of Negros Occidental.

Then, another woman, Chona Oberio Pez, of Cansilayan, Murcia town, also reported that two persons, one of them a woman, took her P6,000 in cash and cosmetics and other items while she was in the Gaisano Mall last Tuesday afternoon.

Earlier, Senior Superintendent Pedro Merced, Bacolod police chief, considered the recent spate of robberies and holdups in the city as a challenge. He even aired suspicions that a group may be out to embarrass him.

Most of the holdups were carried out by motorcycle-riding gunmen.

So far, Merced’s men have been coping with the baffling series of bold crimes.

Apparently, the criminal elements still have not measured Merced. But they should know that the police chief is not one who takes a challenge sitting down. He is bound to counter them soon.

Prayer Explosion

Prayer Explosion. That was the term adopted by an interfaith group which is launching the program on Jan. 25 at the Paglaum Sports Complex to issue a call for all under the fatherhood of God to help bring about healing and peace in our country.

Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra gave his imprimatur to the project. The Prayer Explosion was hatched through the initiative of Dr. Violeta Gonzaga.

The group calls on Negrenses "to unite in seeking God, and for Filipinos to go back to their heritage as a nation — a people where the Holy God is revered and given a place in national life."

A prayer march will kick off the rally. The marchers will come from two points. Before that, there will be the Parade of Lanterns starting from the West Negros College. The marchers will be preceded by dancers with tambourines and different musical instruments.

Fr. Aniceto Buenafe, social action director of the Bacolod diocese, said every religious leader of a flock will light a big candle, and after praying, pass it on to another until all religious leaders shall have lighted their candles.

He said they are trying to reach out to other religious faithful like Muslims and some Protestant groups.

For Bishop Navarra, since everybody seems to have lost hope, the activity aims to make people realize that they have no one else to turn to but God.

The Bacolod prelate called on all Catholic lay organizations and schools to join the Prayer Explosion. It seems that the renewal movement is also gathering steam in Bacolod. This was borne out by the passage by the Sanggunian Panglunsod of Bacolod of a resolution setting aside the last week of January as National Bible Week.

Vice Mayor Renecito Novero is sponsoring an essay-writing contest among government employees to promote greater awareness of the nationwide celebration and more importantly, the importance of God’s Word in their lives.

Meanwhile, Bishop Navarra also asked Negrenses to say special prayers for the members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines who will be meeting in Manila on Jan. 23 to analyze the country’s situation that could lead to a decision or a statement that will help solve the problems of the country.

NHI joins tribute to Lopez Jaena

For the first time, the National Historical Institute is participating in a tribute to Graciano Lopez Jaena, the Ilonggo national hero who founded La Solidaridad and who was a member of the triumvirate of the Propaganda Movement.

NHI executive director Ildarico Badoy, who attended last year’s commemoration of Lopez Jaena’s birthday in Jaro, Iloilo City, dispatched Dr. Augusto de Viana, chief of research and publications of the NHI, to represent him in today’s commemorative rites of Graciano’s 110th death anniversary.

The Lopez Jaena clan of Negros, which I head as chairman, has joined hands with the Graciano Lopez Jaena Elementary School, the Bacolod City government, the Freemasons of Negros and the Bacolod Capitol Lions Club for the commemorative rites.

School principal Virgie Janiola said the pupils will stage a tableau that will depict the highlights of Lopez Jaena’s career as a crusader for freedom for the Filipino People.

Both Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Rep. Monico Puentevella, who was billed earlier as the principal speaker during the affair, are abroad. They have joined the trek to Las Vegas for Manny Pacquiao’s fight with Erik Morales.

De Viana handed over yesterday to Janiola a brand-new Philippine flag for the school’s flagpole. He also presented me with several copies of the speeches, articles and letters of Graciano Lopez Jaena as compiled by former Commissioner Jaime de Veyra.

The clan members are expected to attend the tribute to Lopez Jaena.

Other than the above-mentioned organizations, other non-government groups have also signified their attendance at the rites, which will be highlighted by the laying of wreaths at the statue of Lopez Jaena. Janiola had the statue painted in gold, and it was blazingly shining yesterday when we visited the mini-park where it stands.

Officials of the Dr. Graciano Lopez Jaena Foundation of Iloilo City will also attend today’s rites, led by author Demy Sonza, who wrote the definitive biography of Lopez Jaena, "Mightier than the Sword," according to Mia Lopez.

Well, after years of neglect, finally Lopez Jaena may find himself restored to his proper niche in the pantheon of heroes.