Invest in Negros — GMA

Sometimes, even the President must spell out what her programs can do for a province. And she did just last week when she invited investors to come to Negros Occidental where there will be enough power and infrastructure soon.

Usually, investment potentials are not clearly appreciated by the public, including its tremendous potential for job generation. The President articulated that during her one-day visit here to inaugurate the P18-million provincial hospital in Lantad, Silay City.

Apparently, President Arroyo must have realized that her visit here would trigger talks about political polarization and discussions on who will run against whom. Thus, the purpose of her visit must be emphasized.

For example, the Northern Negros Geothermal plant in Mailum, Bago City must be tied up with the future operation of the Bio-ethanol plant (San Carlos Biothanol Corp.) in San Carlos City.

The two projects will make Negros Occidental independent in energy and even contribute to defusing global warming.

But amid the glitter of a Presidential visit and competition among politicos for the President’s attention, the implications of the government programs can be lost.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla pointed out that the geothermal plant’s inauguration Friday and the impending operation of the bio-ethanol plant in San Carlos City will contribute to Negros Occidental’s energy independence.

There is also the new airport in Silay City that will be operational soon. Of course, that means the roads leading to Silay and Talisay, as well as Bacolod, will open up new grounds for transportation, subdivisions, and exports as well as growth centers.

As a matter of fact, affluent families here have already jacked up prices in areas where the road network from the Silay airport is passing through.

Mailum is an area that can attract more foreign investors. The PNOC plant there will guarantee 24-hour power for industries and businesses. Even this early, there were already stirrings of potentials business investments, including, of course, the proposed establishment of another bio-ethanol distillery in nearby Murcia town by the Chinese government.

That could mean increased employment opportunities for local labor as well as additional earnings for agrarian reform beneficiaries and sugar farmers. Another bio-ethanol plant is reportedly being eyed in the Dacongcong area in Kabankalan City in the South. That is something that could really solve the problem of sugar over production since the Southern Negros area lacks mills.

This will not only benefit the province but will also help boost the power supply of Panay, particularly Iloilo City and the province.

Another major breakthrough was the P5 million pledged by Tele-Tech Holdings Inc. to support the English Proficiency Program of the President.

This was announced during the grand opening of Tele-Tech’s new customer management center at the Robinson’s Place in front of the Bacolod domestic at airport Friday.

Vice president and general manager Maulik Prehk said the grant will spread over a period of three years to boost the number of students in the country who will be more proficient in English and possibly land jobs in the industry.

Incidentally, as many as 1,200 workers of the Tele-Tech in Bacolod come from other provinces.

Ethanol, however, could save the country some P30 billion a year once the distillers become fully operational, according to Bukidnon Rep. Miguel Zubiri, author of the House Bio-Ethanol bill, which was later expanded to become national bio-fuel measure by the Senate.

Not only will ethanol mean savings in dollars, it will also contribute to helping minimize global warming and prevent the production of carbon dioxide that leads to poisoning, Zubiri added during a television interview here later.

Aside from inaugurating the Teresita Jalandoni provincial hospital, President Arroyo also lauded Gov. Joseph Maranon for initiating talks with Ka Frank Fernandez of the National Democratic Front.

Maranon explained that he wants the provincial government and the NDF to discuss ways to work together to hasten development in the countryside.

Lawyer Jose Ma. Valencia, a former classmate of Fernandez at the Sacred Heart Seminary, was tasked by Maranon to be the main negotiator with the NDF leader.

Political developments

As I had previously mentioned, politics has become the main topic of conversation here and elsewhere in the country with the approaching deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy.

In Negros Occidental, the news on the day of the President’s visit was the reported order by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division declaring petitioner Jose "Oli" Montelibano as the winner over Mayor Carlo Gamban.

But Gamban Saturday filed a motion for reconsideration before the Comelec. His lawyers asked the poll body to declare him instead as the winner in the May 2004 elections.

That, of course, means that Silaynons will just to have wait a little while for the Comelec to issue its ruling on Gamban’s appeal.

Meanwhile, the impasse in Bacolod City appears to have been resolved insofar as the mayoralty bid of Assistant Secretary for Transportation Ricardo "Cano" Tan is concerned.

Tan had reportedly gotten a new assignment from the President. But there was no clarification as to the nature of the assignment, although Bacolod City Rep. Monico Puentevella had reportedly convinced the President to dissuade Tan from pushing through with his plan to run for mayor against incumbent mayor Evelio Leonardia.

Tan himself made the announcement, but refrained from stating his new position.

With Puentevella running for reelection, the choice now of who will run against Leonardia is narrowed down to former mayor Luzviminda Valdez, better known among Bacooloenos as "Joy." She actually ran as Lakas-NUCD bet against Leonardia, who then sided with the late Fernando Poe Jr.

Leonardia is rumored to be running with Vice Mayor Renecito Novero who is gunning for the congressional seat of the city. Who his running mate would be remains the subject of speculation. Among those prominently mentioned included Thaddeus Sayson, Al Viktor Espino, and Ann Mariae Paerlomo, currently the SP Majority leader.

But the more important development was the challenger to Rep. Jose Carlos Lacson of the Third District. Lacson, who recently lost the support of four mayors of his district and who joined the administration coalition Kampi, said he is not fazed by whoever will come up against him.

He hinted that it could possibly be former governor Rafael Coscolluela. Lito, now presidential Adviser for Western Visayas, however, denied any interest in running for an elective post.

The mayors who reportedly deserted Lacson are E.B. Magalona’s Alfonso Gamboa, Silay Mayor Carlo Gamban, Talisay City’s Eric Saratan and Murcia Mayor Sonny Coscoluela.

But that seems to be just speculation on the part of Lacson. He pointed out that Coscolluela was credited for wooing the mayors to the Kampi fold.

But it is a fact that Lacson is reportedly backing several personalities to run against some of the mayors. He is reportedly backing Ramon Lacson (Monet) to run against Saratan, Oti Montelibano against Gamban,and another Lacson against Gamboa. But no one has been named yet to oppose Coscolluela.