The New Year brought hopes to Negrenses for a brighter future with tourism as the major gainer. This because it was the day when the first international flight from Kazakhstan landed at the Silay Airport with its promise of potential future flights bringing in more foreign visitors to the province.
It was considered historic. Undoubtedly it was no major invasion by visitors. There were only eight “investors” from Kazakhstan aboard a twin-engine Russian airplane which flew directly from Amaty, Kazakhstan and stopped over in Chengdu, China for refueling before proceeding to the Silay-Bacolod airport.
A Negrense businessman Jesus Vargas, coordinated the visit to Silay and Bacolod. He had requested the assistance of Rep. Monico Puentevella for the arrival of the group.
Puentevella requested the assistance of Bureau of Immigration chief Marcelino Libanan to facilitate Vargas’ request.
Airport manager Antonio Alfonso led the group that met the visitors at the Silay airport. “This will be a precedent that the Bacolod-Silay Airport will soon be opened to international flights,” said Alfonso.
Among the top Kazakhastan leaders on board were Pashit, Eldar and Abay Sarsenov, Sofia Sarsenova, Konstantin Sviridov, Grigory Fayefas, Valikhan Koshumbayev and Degos Karavaitsev.
Among the crew of the airplane were Olkhosky, A.; Goran, A.; Giluashop, D.; Bolgov, B.; Smirnof, G.; Dmitrishin, A.; Modashova, Sr. and Abilkhasimova L.
But Boracay had 130 Russian visitors who flew from Russia to visit the world renowned island. Tourism Regional Director Edwin Trompeta hailed the first group as the precursors of more Russian tourists. And they are expected to considerably boost the earnings of the Aklan tourism center.
Well, the Negros visit could be a harbinger of more visitors from the former Soviet Union. And not only that. The visitors had expressed interest in investing in tourism projects especially in Sipalay and other areas of the province.
Well, let’s cross our fingers. Amid the spiraling global financial crisis, there is hope that it could trigger an ancillary boom in the tourism trade.
Floods for New Year
But if local culture is to be considered, what happened on New Year’s Day and later may presage the future course of local events this year. And, unknown to most, typhoon “Auring,” even before it developed into a tropical cyclone, had already brought floods to Capiz, Negros Occidental and more towns of Oriental Negros.
The second district of Capiz Province in Panay Island saw flashfloods and landslides descend on low-lying areas of the district, according to Capiz Gov. Victor Tanco Jr.
Tanco directed Provincial Engineer Edgar Agana to field heavy equipment to Barangay Nagba and Maiminit in Cuartero and Barangay Sta. Rita in Dumalag to clear the national highway. Flashfloods also hit Barangays Takas, Angub, Nagba, Bunlod, Malagabi, Bitoon, Ilaya and Ilawod in Cuartero.
Capiz provincial police chief Jesophus Angan reported that floods reached knee level in the towns of Mambusao, Jamindan, Sigma, Dago and Cuartero, Ripening palay crops in these towns were heavily damaged.
In Negros Occidental, some 300 residents of Barangay Tabigue in E.B. Magalona town were forced to evacuate to higher ground because of flood waters brought about by torrential rains.
The cities of Talisay and Silay also experienced waist deep water in low areas, including in Victorias City. But no evacuation were ordered as of press time.
But the Visayan Daily STAR Dumaguete bureau reported more than 2,000 residents in barangay of Valencia town found themselves skimping on water after heavy rains damaged a major water source in that town.
The floods reportedly damaged P2 million in buster water pipes that also washed out three houses, livestock and cornfields in Maaong-tubig, Dauin town, while eight major flashfloods were reportedly in Vallermoso town.