A disturbing Cavite incident

Bacolod media men were up in arms yesterday over the report that a bodyguard of Maragondon, Cavite Vice Mayor Nolito Magallanes mauled a Bacolod broadcaster who was reporting a mission by a Bacolod Councilor to rescue four minors.

Serge Santillan, of RMN Bacolod, claimed that he escaped the vice mayor’s wrath by boarding a tricycle going to Manggahan, Gen. Trias. The vice mayor’s bodyguard allegedly told him: "Baka gusto mo siguro di ka makauwi ng buhay."

Based on the report, the rift started when Bacolod Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue went to Cavite to pick up a minor employed at the house of Magallanes who will act as a guide of the government-media team in locating four Negrense minors reportedly working as bar girls in the province.

The vice mayor was apparently irked by the Batapa-Sigue’s team and raised his voice. Levi Trio, of dyEZ Aksyon Radyo, said Batapa-Sigue presented documents to prove they were conducting a legitimate operation. Nevertheless, a heated argument ensued among Magallanes, the lady-councilor from Bacolod and Mylenn Dayo, a researcher of an ABS-CBN program.

The vice mayor then called up the police to round up Batapa-Sigue’s team. Trio said that when he and other reporters returned to Manila, Batapa-Sigue and the rest were still at the police station.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia later intervened for Batapa-Sigue and her team as the vice mayor was reportedly an acquaintance of the Bacolod executive. Trio said Batapa-Sigue informed him later that everything had been settled. The vice mayor also turned over the minor to Batapa-Sigue and even offered dinner to the team.

Batapa-Sigue reportedly went to Magallanes’s house in Maragondon where the girl (Doris, not her real name), the sister of one of the victims, is now working after her March rescue by the CIDG from a bar in Cabuyao, Laguna.

The Batapa-Sigue team included members of the Negros Forum as well as media men.

Northern Manila police superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil reportedly also helped by directing his personnel in Cavite to ensure the safety of the Negros rescue group of Batapa-Sigue.

This event may have been solved but an investigation is still called for on why the vice mayor’s bodyguard mauled a media man who was just doing his job.

Organic products display center

The successful Organic Festival held last week at the provincial capitol prompted Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Maranon to think of holding an organic display center in the Pala-Pala area to encourage more farmers to go into organic farming.

This, he said, will also provide the farmers a permanent outlet for their products and establish a place where the public can go to buy organically grown products.

Negros Oriental Gov. George Arnaiz also attended the July 13 to 15 Organic Festival and cited the enthusiastic reception and cooperation of Negrenses in making the affair a success.

Organically grown produce was gobbled up by customers at the display center in front of the provincial administration center.

The farm products included rice, corn, vegetables and high value crops, all of which were free of chemicals and enriched only by organic fertilizers, and muscovado sugar, which was sold fast.

Most of the rice varieties were upland rice and the fancy varieties such as black, red, and umor produced by the beneficiaries of BIND.

There were also high value crops like radish, carrots, cauliflower, green and red lettuce produced by farmers under the supervision of the provincial agriculturist.

Also sold were medicinal herbs of Mamabel’s as well as some spices and vegetables like yellow squash, papaya, celery and lopa and banana. The latter included the lakatan and saba and other native varieties.

There were also native inventions such as the rice hull stove of the Appropriate Indigenous Development Foundation. This stove is said to be easy and economical to use because a sack of rice hull can last for a week.

AIDFI executive director Nonoy Moraca said the rice hull stove is gaining market acceptance because of the rising prices of liquid petroleum gas (LPG), charcoal and firewood. LPG now costs P500 per tank but rice hull can be acquired almost free of charge.

Both Maranon and Arnaiz agreed to saturate the whole island of Negros with organic farm produce in a bid to make Negros as the organic capital of the Philippines.

MAA General Assurance branch inaugurated

The MAA General Assurance Philippines Inc. inaugurated yesterday its Bacolod branch with Ms. Pinky Ortiz-Tupas as branch manager.

City Mayor Evelio Leonardia hailed the move as a sign of the trust and confidence of MAA General Assurance Philippines that "Bacolod and the province is a viable place to engage in commerce."

"Your establishment is a welcome addition to the varied businesses that have decided to make Bacolod their home," stressed Leonardia.

Daniel Go, president and CEO of the firm in the Philippines, said Bacolod’s upbeat economy and unlimited opportunities for trade and investment has made them decide to establish a local branch here "our hub for Western Visayas."