Atty. Alain "Len" Gatuslao has been sworn in as one of Negros Occidental’s youngest Board Members. The 40 year old lawyer was elected representing the 5th District comprising of his home city of Himamaylan and the towns of Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Isabela, La Castellana, and Moises Padilla.

Board Member Dr. Melvin Ibañez, Rep. Bebot Mirasol, Board Member-elect Atty. Len Gatuslao and family, Gov. Alfredo Marañon, Mrs. Aming and former Usec. Tony Gatuslao.*

Gatuslao took his oath of office in Himamaylan City before Judge Rolando Balgos in simple rites attended by Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. and Rep. Alejandro "Bebot" Mirasol whom the Gatuslaos supported for re-election, as well as outgoing 5th District Board Member Dr. Melvin Ibañez and former APEC Rep. Rene Silos.

The Liberal Party Himamaylan chapter likewise came in full force with City Councilors-elect Nonoy Javelosa and Julie Ann Vasquez also taking their oaths of office in the presence of former Mayor Luz Bayot and various barangay officials.

The Department of National Defence (DND) plans to acquire anti-aircraft guided missiles, which will be positioned in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) as part of the country’s first-ever missile defence system.

Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang disclosed late Saturday that this proposal had reached Philippine Palace and had been the subject of many discussions among cabinet members.

"It’s (the missile acquisition) that had been talked about but I don’t know if we’ve made a decision (yet)," said Carandang, who regularly attends meetings of the cabinet cluster on national security.

Amid fresh Chinese incursions into Philippine waters, Carandang said that what the Navy needed was "sea vessels." He did not elaborate.

INTERESTS OVERWHELMING. The delay in the turning over of more than two dozen documents upon the order of Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, according to news reports, were not complied with and for the third time, already. To facilitate the turnover, transition teams were organized by both sides to ensure the turn-over and smoothly facilitate the needed documents.

But the Leonardia transition team, headed by Moises de la Cruz, were not able to turn over the specified documents presumably because OIC-City Budget Officer, Jasmin Gallo was not ready to turn over the documents presumably because it has not been readied yet. Both teams agreed that the needed documents could be turned over by the Leonardia transition team by June 20, yet. Both sides agreed because if one comes down to it, there was nothing the Monico transition team can do to hasten its turnover. But of course, we acknowledge the fact that former congressman John Orola was at the top of effective and competent performers then. It is not only Monico’s people who are waiting with bated breath for the documents which are expected to say many things about the Leonardia administration, in its last hurrah.

I received a text from Ombet Rosales informing me that his father Alfredo died three days ago.

I know Alfredo "Fred" Rosales way back in my New York days. "Uncle" Jun Velasco introduced him to me.

Fred is a war veteran who claimed his Americanization by going to America, one of those requirements asked by the U.S. government as reasons to continue the war pension these veterans are receiving. Fred is only one of those veterans I had known who had to live alone on their old days so as to receive their pension. The law is so harsh that it requires a fortune if a veteran wants his family with him. In fact it is even better for those activists who shouted "Down with America" and "Yankee go home" while they were still in the Philippines. Many of them I know became fat with the grease of America. They are young and smarter to enter the U.S.

Fred then became a part of my regular Flushing group made up of Uncle Jun, Tito Varua, Sid de Leon, Al Ibarrola, Jesus Vencer, Erde Dato and later on Jerry Basiao.

Special events are ready for the commemoration of 75th Year of the Signing of the Charter of Bacolod City, June 18, 2013

The Kapamilya Karavan of ABAS-CBN Bacolod, in partnership with Panasiatic Call Centers will start 6:00am at the new government center grounds. This is be graced by popular actor Aaron Villaflor who plays a major role in the highly-popular ABS-CBN Primetime Bida Juan De La Cruz.

The show will be hosted by ABC-CBN MOR For Life Disc Jockeys

where there will be games and prizes on the side. It will end with fireworks display.

In compliance with City Ordinance No. 339 series of 2003, stipulating the need to create a City Code in order to enhance the city’s legal information and resource system, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City has authorized Bacolod Congressman-elect and Mayor Evelio Leonardia to sign the compromise agreement entered into by the Bacolod City Government with CD Technologies Asia, Inc. The said company will digitize, harmonize and codify the ordinances of the city government from 1938 to 2011, towards the creation of an Omnibus Bacolod City Code and Bacolod City Legislative Archive.

Based on the compromise agreement, the total cost of the project is P2,319,452 payable upon completion of phases 1, 2 and 3. Phase 1 will cost P1,275.698.60; phase 2 - P579,863 and phase 3 - P463,890.

The six candidates who ran for congressman and board member in the May 2013 election who failed to submit their Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) within the reglamentary period, or until June 13, will be ordered to pay fines by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), provincial elections supervisor Wil Arceño said.

The six candidates were congressional aspirants Leopoldo Sua of the 1st District and Leonardo Erobas of the 4th District, and board member aspirants Ely Joy Barredo and Leonardo Magbanua Sr. both of the 2nd District, Arturo Alvarez of the 4th District and Francis Gerard Tuvilla of the 5th District, Arceño said.

All six candidates lost in the election, he added.

Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 6,

are being prepared for livelihood and employment opportunities.

According to May Rago-Castillo, Public Information Officer, DSWD 6, in the Beneficiaries Congress of 130 parent leaders from 6,000 beneficiaries in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, they were briefed and oriented on the livelihood and employment opportunities by the resource speakers from various agencies. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Public Employment Services office (PESO), DSWD Sustainable Livelihood Unit, City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).

In an activity called a Beneficiaries Congress, 130 parent leaders from the 6,000 beneficiaries of Cadiz City were gathered for a discussion on different programs on livelihood and employment by DOLE, Public Employment Services Office (PESO), DSWDs Sustainable Livelihood Unit, City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), and Department of Agriculture (DA).

The Taekwondo Academy of Bacolod (TAB) Bravehearts has transfer gym to its new location at Chan Sun King Bldg., along Yakal Street, Barangay Villamonte, Bacolod City, besides Bacolod Print Exclusive, Inc.

TAB is mentored by Joem "Bong" Mercurio and Jan Earl Enerlan and has produced consistent taekwondo players in various competitions.

Recently, they win 11 gold medals and 3silver medals in the 56th Silay City charter Day Taekwondo competition but placed runner up behind Hestia- Silay Dragons since the championship was based on the advance category medal wins.

Many things already happened. Now we cannot do it but think that we missed some important "person" to be part of the team. What I mean here was when the Negros First team was formed for the Philippine National Games (PNG), the athletes were either "picked" by their favorite coach who went with the team and not of their training, rather was based on their previous performance in Palarong Pambansa which turned out, they even seem surprise to be included, abnormal, because they seemed to lack proper training. In this case, I cannot question the wisdom of the coach because he knew what he was doing (be it better or worst), but as an observer, they cannot blame us when we say what we are looking at, based on what we observed.

When the Negros First team was sent to compete in PNG, to include boxers, the provincial government set aside budget for them hoping they will excel. But in athletics, only Maika De Oro performed well with boxing getting 4 silvers, three of them from our women team. I was saying this because they missed a potential gold medal performer in athletics in the person of Mary Anthony Diesto. Diesto was already planning to enroll at Negros Occidental High School, a provincial subsidiary school even before the Palarong Pambansa held in Dumaguete City. She wanted to compete in the PNG but no one has taken her. Maybe, the coaches failed to think of Diesto and failed to include in the lineup of their "favorite protegees", maybe thinking there is an allowance when they were included in the list.