Atienza to unveil Lopez Jaena statue in Intramuros

I just got word this morning that Manila Mayor Lito Atienza will lead the unveiling of the statue of Ilonggo hero Graciano Lopez Jaena at the National Press Club grounds in Intramuros.

The notice about the unveiling rite was relayed to me by Antique Gov. Sally Zaldivar Perez, chairman of the Western Visayas Development Council and the regional historical and cultural committee.

She asked me as grandnephew of Lopez Jaena to deliver the family response. But the point is that this had long been an overdue affair. Mayor Atienza simply wanted to make up for the seeming neglect by Metro Manila and the city for Lopez Jaena, one of the pillars of the Propaganda Movement.

This is part of the Buhayin ang Maynila Program of the city, was how Mayor Atienza put it.

"The installation of a memorial statue in honor of Graciano Lopez Jaena is a fitting tribute to the patriotic deeds of this great Orator and one of the pillars of the Propaganda Movement that resisted Spanish colonialism in our country," Atienza said in invitation to Gov. Perez and members of the regional committee.

Well, I hope I can make it to the affair. The Lopez Jaena clan of Negros Occidental is in the thick of preparations for the May 26 reunion. This will be hosted by the descendants of Fermin Lopez, brother of Placido, the father of Graciano.

Jess and Virgilio Lopez, grandsons of Fermin, said that Graciano spent almost two years in Silay City at the farm of his brother Pedro after fleeing persecution by a local mayor in Iloilo.

"There, he honed his writing and oratorical skills. And one of his patrons was Eustaquio, son of Fermin, who later helped bankroll his self-exile to Spain," relayed Jess.

Thus, for the descendants of Fermin, Graciano was as much a product of Silay City as he was of Jaro, Iloilo.

Panaad’s colorful start

Thousands from all over Negros Occidental and Bacolod City trooped to the Panaad Park and Sports Complex in Barangay Manalilingan, Saturday to participate and watch the opening of the Panaad Festival.

The dancers and beauties regaled the crowd of around 10,000 at the sports complex.

Former senator Ana Domigue Coseteng attended the opening day rites.

With Maranon and other provincial officials at the opening rites, the Linay sang Negros bets were also presented at the Panaad. Of course, the crowd had been anticipated. But the enthusiasm of the participants and the crowd proved that the provincial festival had become a prime event for Negrenses.

Nine cities and towns showcased their festival dances led by Bacolod Masskara dancers. The crowd cheered for the dance numbers with Asian-inspired dance steps and confetti showers.

Bago City also presented its impressive Babaylan Festival performers. San Carlos City’s Pinta Flores dancers also wowed the crowd with their colorful costumes.

The surprise was the Bulang-Bulang dancers of San Enrique. Dressed in fighting cock costumes, the dancers performed like they were in a cockfight.

Moises Padilla also joined the festival dancers with its Magayad Hinuptan Livestock Festival. Pulupandan, embattled in a political struggle, still managed to present its Salapan Festival.

Sipalay City also presented Pasaway, which projected the town’s mining and fishing industries. Talisay City, meanwhile, showed the struggle of its ancient tribes against the Moros through its Minuluan Festival.

Gov. Joseph Maranon stressed that he will focus on the development of the province’s countryside. He also promised to lead Negros Occidental’s bid to host the International Organic Conference in 2011.

Petron to buy ethanol

A thrill coursed through the investors following the announcement over the weekend that Petron recently signed the purchase agreement of San Carlos Bioenergy Inc. ethanol produce. This will be used to produce ethanol-blended gasoline.

San Carlos is also producing power, the excess power to be sold to power consumers either directly or through the National Power Corp.

San Carlos City, it was pointed out, could be assured of a more efficient and reliable supply of electricity. SCBIA is also licensed to sell its carbon credits. It is already officially registered with the Clean Development Mechanism-Tokyo Protocol, the SCBI said.

That’s the best news so far on the local bioethanol and bio-fuel programs.

ADDENDA. Negrenses were glued to their television sets or radios Sunday as they rooted for and watched Manny Pacquiao beat Mexican fighter Jorge Solis in San Antonio, Texas.

At the Bacolod City Hall, spectators cheered and clapped their hands as Pacquiao landed the last two punches on Solis. Of course, the crowd was thinner compared to the crowd that gathered for the Pacquiao-Erik Morales fight, but they were just as enthusiastic…Commissioner Resurreccion Borra said Sunday that the poll body had cleansed the list of voters by as much as 1.1 million. Cheating, he added, is a perception, not a reality. He added that many candidates who cannot accept defeat make the Comelec their punching bag. Borra, however, said the case of Silay City Mayor Carlos Gamban and Jose "Oti" Montelibano remains pending until a review by the Comelec en banc following an appeal filed by Gamban has been finished…The Supreme Court has declared the 37-year-old retirement plan of Silliman University in Dumaguete City as invalid.

The high court also ordered the university to pay separation pay and eight years of back wages to employee Alpha Jaculbe who had served the university for 35 years. The Supreme Court ruled that the retirement plan shows that that participation was not voluntary at all. Although the retirement plan had been in effect for more than 30 years, it did not come into being or only in 1970 or 12 years after Jaculbe started working for the university. In short, it was not part of the terms of employment to which the petitioner agreed when she started working for the university.