A roaring prelude to a historic welcome

Thursday evening, hundreds of members of Lions International of Negros Occidental and Iloilo filled the cavernous Bacolod Convention Plaza and Hotel. The affair was the common induction of officers and new members of four of the leading Lions clubs of Bacolod.

Although long-prepared, the affair also served as a dry run for the biggest Lions meet of the Visayas scheduled Tuesday. That’s the visit here by Lions Club International president Dr. Tae Sup "TS" Lee and spouse, Haing-Ja.

It will be the major event for Lions of the Visayas, and hotels are girding for another solid booking as members of the international service organization from around the Visayas start to make a beeline to Bacolod by the weekend and the start of next week.

Certainly a boost to the tourism industry of Bacolod. Even now, the city government and the Masskara Foundation have been rushing final preparations for what former Rep. John Orola calls "Masskaroar."

President Lee and his entourage will be feted at a luncheon reception at the L’Fisher Hotel where now clubs will be presented their charter. The luncheon, tendered by City Mayor Joy Valdez and Vice Mayor Ramiro Garcia, will also be attended by Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Maranon and Vice Governor Isidro Zayco, both Lions members, themselves, according to District 301-Governor Legaspi-Ang.

President Lee will be accompanied by a large group of Lions officials including immediate past international director. Pedro Balbanero, past international vice directors Cheng Yong, and Enrique Lim. Also with them will be members of the Philippines Lions Council of State Governors.

It will be a slam bang affair. The Lee couple will visit the Lions Sight First Foundation Eyecamp at the provincial multipurpose center. A total of 1,000 prospective beneficiaries will avail of the priority Lions program.

Quadruple Affair

Thursday’s induction affair involving four clubs somehow overshadowed the national meet of members of the Philippine swine industry.

Surprisingly, major hotels were filled with visitors from other parts of the country. Most were interested not only on what Agriculture Secretary Cito Lorenzo had to report on the CanCun meet which collapsed when 21 developing societies presented a solid front against the protectionist policies of developed societies.

Lorenzo outlined to hog-raisers the potentials of the local swine industry and provided them pointers on pork marketing that could undercut the economic advantage of imported pork.

Gov. Maranon, who attended the meet, expressed hopes that the local swine industry may pick up and even race toward becoming the No. 1 swine producer of the country. It was a joke, but it also projected the enthusiasm of hog-raisers when they termed the province as the future "baboyan ng bayan".

Anyway, the Thursday program involved the Bacolod City Integrated Lions, the Mt. Kanlandog, Sampaguita (all ladies members), and the fourth estate.

For Mayor Luzviminda Valdez, her keynote address touched many of the city’s leading professionals and intellectuals. With all the hours she had to spend through the protocol-laden rites.

For lady Gov. Ang, it was also a tribute to her leadership of the Visayas Lions.

What further sweetened the pie were the presence of former State Council of Governor chairman Rene Mabilog and past district governor Jun Jacala, both of Iloilo. Of course, Vice Governor Felipe Lim was also present.

There were also past district governors Pompeyo Querubin, Nene Geroso, Reynold Ilo and Alfonso Garcia.

Bacolod Integrated’s news president is Merlinda M. Jover. The secretary is Corazon Auditor with Norma Veniegas as treasurer.

Alexander Diamante took over the helm of the Mt. Kanlandog Lions Club Vice Myrna F. Castillo. Dulce Ruben Katague remains the club secretary with Norma Veniegas as treasurer.

Barangay chairman Brigette Tan heads the Fourth Estate as its new president.

The all-women Sampaguita Lions Club has Teresita Gensoli as the new president. She took over the club from Immediate past President Vilma Laurente. She will be assisted by Myrna D. Servando as secretary and Glo Gensoli as treasurer.

Besides the induction of the new officers, new members were also sworn in so with Leo members.

In short, it was an affair to remember. And also a test run on hot to cope with the Hordes of Visayas Lions on Tuesday.

Rotary Affair

There was also a separate event — The Rotary International Governor Benjamin Boy Jarantilla Jr. of RI District 3850 addressed members of the Council of presidents of zones V, VI and VII.

The key officers are Secretary Romel Crisostomo of RC Bacolod Central, Rogelio Diaz of RC Kabankalan, and treasurer Mary Lucias of the Bacolod West.

Other members include Nelson P. Lo, Bacolod RC; Ricardo Albayda, Bacolod East; Federico Locsin III, Bacolod Marapara; Simon Bitanga, Jr., Metro Bacolod Fritz Lauron, Bacolod North; Butch Longco, Bacolod South, Gerardo Llavore, Escalante; David Arevalo Himamaylan South; Patricia Marieta Nolido, La Castellana Midtown; Jose Carlos Villantes Metro San Carlos, Rudy Nunez, RC of Tax Cagay, and Felix Dumangas of Silay and Vicente Ledezma of Victoria.

Past president Nanette T. Garcia is the district-governor elect. The deputy governors are Rafael Jocson, Lorenzo Kilayko and Percy Comia.

Celebration Amid Storm

These affairs to a certain extent served to defuse the warning issued by the local. Integrated Bar of the Philippines to the Peace and Order Council of the recent upsurge of killings, including salvagings.

The Human Rights Commission and other groups has also weighed in with their clamor for official crackdown on the police to stir themselves from the perceived sans of apathy and silence in the face of a series of mysterious killings here.

Mayor Valdez took up the issue, insisting that Bacolod remains one of the most livable cities in the country. But the series of murders and killings belie such a position. Worse, if the situation continues, it could undercut the bid to invite more outsiders to attend this year’s Masskara celebration.

In fairness, all these alarums failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the more than 500 participants from various parts of the country who joined last week’s Philippines Airlines Intersports meet.

But there remains the unresolved disappearance of former Barangay Captain Dodong Salabe of Pahanoycoy whose two companions were found to have been killed with bullet wounds in the head in Pulupandan and Bago City.