Philippine Sugar Technologists’ convention

"We are not leaving things to chance. We must prepare early. And we cannot be distracted by even talks of war. We are going ahead with preparations."

That’s how convention chairman Ricardo Leon "Leo" Echaus of the Philippine Sugar Technologists, Inc. (Philsutech) put it when he invited chairmen of the various committees to a second meeting this February 7 at the L’ Sea Restaurant on Lacson Street.

Echaus is resident manager of the First Farmers Milling Corp. And he has a tough job ahead. This year’s August 26-29 Philsutech convention is the 50th anniversary of the sugar body and, after several years, the meet will be held again in Bacolod City.

When he called the first organizational meeting two weeks ago, Echaus briefed the committee chairmen on preparations already made. The first was the choice of Bacolod as convention site. But that had been hurdled. The city has enough rooms to accommodate the thousands of sugar producers – millers, planters, and technicians – expected to attend.

And, yes, according to Heide Villanueva, the Philsutech administrative officer, preparations are ongoing for the publication of a Golden Book that will detail the history of the sugar body and will contain old and historic photos as well as the list of past presidents and officers.

This is separate from the program. And, Ms. Villanueva said, the board will have to be consulted on the proposal to have it sold to non-members.

Anyway, first things first. And, Ms. Pilar Mendoza, head of the Victorias Milling Company’s management and administrative services was named chairman of the subcommittee on nostalgia, and the souvenir program as well as the order of the parade and the convention program. Her co-chairman is Johnny Gregorio of the Araneta Group of Companies.

Echaus swiftly showed that he was a no-nonsense convention chairman. He immediately presented the various personalities named to head the various committees plus their members.

Following were some of those named: Entertainment - Marlowe Cortez, with Mario Palma as co-chairman. Reception and Protocol, Danny Villanueva and co-chairman Nilo Florcruz. He also named Ranier de los Reyes and Angel Beini Salva, chair and co-chair of the ways and means committee.

Echaus also designated Dean L. Guevarra and Jose Eusebio Pernas as overall chairman and co-chairman of the finance committee with their regional finance officers.

Transportation, mill and farm tours chairman is Roger Cordova and Raleigh Tonico. Accompanying the tours will be Ms. Donna Echaus with Ms. Jinah Cuenca as co-chairman.

There was also the technology encounter committee to be jointly headed by Orly Pingkian and Primitivo Rivera Jr. Food and beverage will be jointly headed by Aurora Porras and Josephine Debulgado.

Publicity will be headed by yours truly and Henry Streegan of the Negros Daily Bulletin.

Ms. Villanueva will head the secretariat. Advisers are past president Mike Gaspar, Joel Lopa, and Julio Manalo.

One of the novel features of the convention will be the farm and mill tour. This was conceptualized in response to mostly Mindanao sugar farmers and their ladies.

Echaus also informed the exhibit committee to negotiate with the Bacolod Convention Plaza Hotel for the use of its vacant space outside for possible use as additional outdoor exhibit area.

In short, precluding the possibility of an escalation of the projected war in the Middle East, it is now all systems go for the 50th Philsutech anniversary and convention.

Showdown on Tancangco impeachment

Rep. Monico Puentebella (Bacolod City) predicted that today’s afternoon session may prove decisive on the agitation by some members of the Lower House to investigate the charges against Commissioner Luzviminda Tancangco of the Commission on Elections.

The television proceedings elicited a lot of negative comments from the viewers. The justice committee earned denunciations from the public, viciously demanding the resignation of the committee members.

The justice committee, headed by chairman Marcelo Libanan, brought a torrent of questions on how they had decided by a 36-13 vote to throw out the charges against Tancangco as lacking in substance. Libanan lamely tried to justify it as personal discretion.

Puentebella, himself, considers this afternoon’s vote as a litmus test that will determine whether the public can entrust to the solons the delicate task of amending the Constitution through a constituent assembly.

"If we cannot investigate impeachment charges against Commissioner Tancangco, how do we expect the public to trust us with the amendment of the Charter?," was how Puentebella put it.