Pacquiao, Erap sweep through Negros Occidental

Life was on standstill in Bacolod and Negros Occidental yesterday. The reason: two of the top figures in Philippine society were around. Former President Joseph Estrada came with Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and former Sen. Ernesto Maceda, accompanied by former Valladolid mayor Richard Presbitero.

Later, Bacolodnons went gaga when boxing champ Manny Pacquiao arrived in Bacolod, bringing with him P1 million in assistance for the victims of typhoon “Frank.” Pacquiao waved to thousands of Bacolodnons who lined up the streets from the Goldenfield Commercial Complex to downtown Bacolod in a four-hour motorcade.

But that thunderous welcome for the Philippines’ top boxing champion was marred earlier when two holdup men held up a delivery van of thousands of pesos and shot the salesman of the Bacolod Columbia Marketing.

What shocked Bacolodnons was the fact that the incident occurred right in front of the gaze of hundreds who have lined up along Araneta street in broad daylight.

Two motorcycle-riding men staged the holdup and fired at the salesman, Edgardo Saravia, who was about to disembark from his vehicle. He was hit in the left hip.

The two allegedly used a blue Honda XRM motorcycle with no license plate. The incident reportedly took only about five to 10 seconds, according to P03 Celito Dullan, case investigator of Precinct 1.

Saravia, 43, of Rodriguez Baybay, was rushed to the Riverside Medical Center.

Pacquiao earlier had visited Iloilo City where he handed over his donation of P1.5 million reportedly to the archdiocese. He was greeted by thousands of Ilonggos, as with the thousands more in Bacolod later.

Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, presented Pacquiao with a small crucifix. Jinky, Paquiao’s wife, and the champ had breakfast with the prelate at the latter’s residence in Jaro.

The Jaro archbishop later gave a rosary to the couple and another to Pacquiao’s mother, Dionisia.

Pacquiao also switched on and inaugurated the sixth traffic light installed in Bacolod at the corner of Hilado and Burgos streets. The administration of City Mayor Bing Leonardia has doubled the number of traffic lights of the city to 12.

Later in the afternoon, Pacquiao and Leonardia presided over the distribution of assistance to typhoon victims in Barangays Tangub and Banago. They also distributed more relief packages at the Bays Center.

Of course, it was bedlam the whole afternoon Wednesday. Later, in the evening, Pacquiao had dinner with the family of former Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco at their farm residence in Hacienda Balbina, Pontevedra. He also slept there. Mrs. Gretchen Cojuangco proved to be the most gracious hostess to the couple, along with her son, Rep. Mark of Pangasinan.

Leonardia presented Pacquiao a resolution naming him an outstanding Bacolodnon who has given honors to the city and the country.

Buffer zone MOA inked

These twin arrivals to a certain extent submerged the importance of the reported inking of a memorandum of agreement between the provincial government and the Energy Development Corp., allowing entry into the buffer zone of the Mt. Kanlaon National Park with conditions set by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

Negros Occidental Gov. Isidro Zayco also issued an executive order creating an oversight monitoring and compliance committee and designating its members.

The signing was done despite the class suit filed against it by the Mt. Kanlaon Coalition, which tried to enlist their children into the legal case. Unfortunately, residents of nearby barangays have stoked the controversy by mobilizing their children behind the SP and provincial government’s position as with those of other local government units.

Formerly known as PNOC-EDC, the EDC and the provincial government committed to address the power requirements of Negros Occidental, stressing that it also aims to preserve and protect the environment and resources of the Mt. Kanlaon National Park.

The MOA also directed the EDC to confine its geothermal development within the 12.5 hectares delineated and established by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in coordination with the park’s board and the oversight committee.

Named members of the oversight committee were the provincial environment officer, the mayors of Bago City and Murcia town, the provincial league officer and representatives of the Negros Forest and Ecological Foundation, and Boy Cristina, vice president of the Negros Press Club.

“We thank Gov. Zayco and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for standing up for what is right and legal,” EDC president and CEO Paul Aquino said in a statement.

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said, “With the signing of the agreement, EDC can now tap additional geothermal power to generate the province’s much-needed power.”

He also pointed out that those still opposed to the MOA should respect the decision of the local government and the desire of the majority of Negrenses to support the project in answer to the power shortfall of the province.

Well, all’s well that ends well.