Victorias City celebrates World Aids Day

Symbolic Candle Lighting
In photo: Vice Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca,
SP Rene Imperial, SP Audie Malaga and Barangay Health Workers

Job Fair 2011

Switch-on Ceremony Invitation


“Adopt A Tree,
Light A Tree Program”
Switch on Ceremony
6:00 P.M. – Nov. 22, 2011 - City Public Plaza

PROGRAM

Invocation

Philippine National Anthem

Victorias Hymn

Welcome Remarks
HON. FRANCIS FREDERICK P. PALANCA
Vice Mayor

Acknowledgement of  Participating Sponsors

Intermission Dance Number
BRGY. 6 DANCE SELECTION

Special  Message
HON. ALFREDO ABELARDO B. BENITEZ
Congressman, 3rd District

Christmas Song Number
RONEL BELLEZA, NSCA Student
Intermission Dance Number
VNHS DANCERS

Christmas  Message
HON. SEVERO A. PALANCA
City Mayor


COUNTDOWN TO SWITCH ON

Closing Remarks
MR. RAMON KO
City Administrator

City Promotes Children’s Rrights, Celebrates National Children’s Congress 2011

             The City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) Office of Victorias celebrated the National Children’s Congress 2011 with the theme “Para sa Bright Child: Pakilusin, Palakasin, Pagtulungan Natin!” last Oct. 27.
            The event was participated by 1,939 pre-school children along with their parents and families from the 43 day care centers of the City.
           CSWD Officer Nenita Juplo cited in her special message, the significance of the celebration which is for everyone to be united and be advocates in promoting the rights of each child as she focused on the four major categories which are the survival, developmental, protection and participation rights.
Juplo also thanked the leadership and support of Mayor Severo Palanca which enabled significant activities of the City, such as this, a success.
           Relevant activities included the contest for the Best Float which paraded along the City streets followed by a talent show of the kids representing their day care centers, where they showcased their talents in oration, singing and dancing at the Don Alejandro Acuna Yap Quina Arts and Cultural Center.
          A playground demonstration by the different day care centers culminated the program in the afternoon.
Vice Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca along with councilors Teresita Bartolome, Rene Imperial and Audie Malaga graced the celebration.
Below are the results of the different competition during the Children’s Congress:

Best Fantasy Float contest

Brgy. XVII Day Care Center - Champion
Brgy. IX, Daan Banwa Day Care Center - 1st runner-up
Brgy. XVI, Millsite Day Care Center - 2nd runner-up

Kiddie Talent

Oratorical
Brgy. XIII, Hda.Yaweh Day Care Center
Brgy. XIV, Hda. Syding Day Care Center

Singing
Brgy. XIX Day Care Center

Dance
Brgy. XIII, Hda. Ideal Day Care Center
Brgy. VI, Salvacion Day Care Center


By: Jemaimah N. Taladico

Victoriahanon OFW Reunited with Family

Vice Mayor Palanca with rescued OFW Ninfa MItra-Torres and her father

Ninfa Mitra Torres, a Victoriahanon OFW in Salmia Kuwait, safely returned to the Philippines after she has stopped working as a domestic helper under Al Dhaknan Agency Manpower and upon the request of her father who was very concerned of her welfare.
Vice Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca with the help of Cong. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez and Vice President Jejomar Binay were the ones who facilitated the request for repatriation and rescue of Torres.
                Torres is a resident of Hda. Basa, Brgy. XIII, Victorias City and is the daughter of Abelardo Mitra, a city employee of Victorias City.
                She went to Kuwait last May 2011 and has worked for Mohammad Zaid Mubrer but stopped after three months because she was not already capable of handling loads of household work and her employer returned her to their agency in Kuwait.
                For almost two months, Mitra was held at the accommodation or holding place of the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait.
                She wished to return home because staying there was very difficult and she also longed for her family in the Philippines but then the immediate repatriation could only be granted after paying a certain amount for the processing of her papers.
                With initiative of Vice Mayor Palanca, Torres’ request was granted and she came back to the Philippines this October.
                Mitra and Torres expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Vice Mayor Palanca, Cong. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez, Vice President Jejomar Binay and to everyone who helped them.
                If it wasn’t for the generous and concerned people who gave them the assistance that they needed, Torres could have not been reunited with her family, her husband, and her four kids in Victorias City.
 By: Jemaimah N. Taladico

Ginebra Kings Defeats Powerade Tigers in Victorias City

Barangay Ginebra Team

Ginebra Kings won against Powerade Tigers by a one point advantage, 73-72 during the PBA road game at the Victorias City Sports and Amusement Center last Oct. 22.
This game 19 of the 37th Philippine Cup of the PBA Philippine Cup was considered as another powerful match-up and a second time treat for Negrenses this year held in Victorias City, home of the PBA in Negros.

The thrill elevated as both teams’ scores were trailing close in the first three quarters, 22-21, 35-32, and 57-54 in favor of Ginebra Kings.
The crowd went wild in the remaining five seconds of the fourth quarter as the score reached, 71-72 in favor of Powerade, when Ginebra’s Jayjay Helterbrand missed a lay-up but Mark Caguioa quickly took over and made the winning follow-up shot for the Kings.
The King’s second win has enabled it to forge a three-way tie at fourth place among Ginebra, Powerade and Meralco at 2-2.
Mayor Severo Palanca, Vice Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca, the City councilors of Victorias City and Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia witnessed the unstoppable live action along with the crowd from different places in and outside of the province.
Powerade Team

Scores:
Ginebra 73; Caguioa 11, Villanueva 9, Wilson W. 9, De Ocampo 8, Cortez 8, Intal 7, Canaleta 6, Helterbrand 6, Tubid 5, Wilson J. 4, Labagala 0, Aquino 0.
Powerade 72; Lassiter 21, David 17, Cruz 14, Antonio 6, Casio 3, Vanlandingham 3, Lingganay 2, Kramer 2, Calimag 2, Crisano 2, Adducul 0, Anthony 0.

By: Jemaimah Taladico

Victorias hosts DOE Downstream Oil Industry IEC

    
In line with the simultaneous and massive focused inspection of LPG and liquid petroleum products of the Department of Energy (DOE), an Information Education Campaign (EIC) was conducted at the Victorias City Livelihood Development and Training Center last Oct. 5.
                The activities aim to ensure compliance both in quality and quantity standards as these also pave the way for stakeholders to air their concerns and consider their recommendations to the problems they also encountered in the retailing business.
DOE Assistant Director Rodela Romero and Supervising Science Research Specialist of DOE – Visayas Field Office in Cebu City Jose Rey Maleza conducted presentations on the Retail Rules of Liquid Petroleum Products and DOE Rules and Regulations on LPGs, respectively.
Officers from the Bureau of Fire Protection also presented topics such as the Safety on Handling Petroleum Products and Actions that Must be Done During Fire Emergency by Cadiz City Acting Fire Marshall SInsp. Nelson De La Cruz ; Fire Code Fees Collection by OIC Victorias City Fire Marshall SFO2 Eduardo De La Paz;  and the Conveyance Clearance Fees of Petroleum Products by Cadiz City Fire Code Fees Assessor FO2 Rainer Parcon.
Barangay captains and representatives, LPG and gasoline dealers, Bureau of Fire and LGU representatives attended the forum.
Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Councilor Joseph Andrei Garcia and Councilor Teresita Bartolome were also present.
An open forum took place after the presentations of the resource speakers.
By: Jemaimah N. Taladico

MAYOR REMEDIOS BANTUG, you will always be remembered


“For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die to the Lord. 
So then whether we live or we die, we are the Lord’s.” Romans 14:8
       Former Mayor Remedios Palanca – Bantug was a loving mother, grand mother, sister, friend and a woman whose presence touched lives, born on May 26, 1919 and reunited with our Creator last September 11, 2011. Then Mayor “Idiong”, as she was fondly called, was always known as a soft-spoken, kind-hearted and hard working Mayor of Victorias. At the age of 92, Mayor Idiong has lived a life of grandeur that has blessed so many and her positive influence will always remain with the people she lived with and encountered.
           On September 14, family, friends, loved ones and Victoriahanons came together to bid goodbye to Mayor Idiong as they recall her life and reminisce her good and resounding works and efforts in her different roles as their beloved mother, grand mother, sister, friend and mayor. Three masses have been offered for        Mayor Idiong and a necrological service was done at the Our Lady of Victory Parish Church in Victorias City.
         The tribute to former Mayor Bantug was given by Mrs. Eliza Dela Cruz in behalf of the Ikaayong Lawas Foundation, Inc.; Asst. Sister Superior Marie Ann Rosoeamandimby of Holy Trinity Sisters; Mrs. Pilar Mendezona in behalf of her close friend Mrs. Violeta de Luzuriaga; and former Cong. Edith Villanueva. The DepEd family in Victorias City and Jemaimah Taladico in behalf of the City employees also offered hymns during the necrological service. While the 3rd District Cong. and grandson Hon. Alfredo Abelardo Bantug Benitez gave the expression of gratitude in behalf of the family. Mayor Bantug’s interment took place around 5pm at the Bacolod Memorial Park.
         With her faith, genuine love to her family and fiends, generosity and service to the Victoriahanons, Mayor Bantug will always have a place in our hearts and will always be remembered.

PHO Confers Award To Victorias CHO Nurse


            The Provincial Health Office (PHO) awarded Victorias City Health Office Nurse I and Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI)  Coordinator Mary Ann Salar for being a top performer in the implementation of the EPI activities of the province at the Governor’s Hall, Bacolod City last Sept. 12.
         The awarding of EPI Coordinators and Midwives was done to recognize the commitment and dedication of the health workers in uplifting the lives of Negrense children through the implementation of good practices in the EPI.
         The recognition was spearheaded by Medical Officer IV Jessica Fama, M.D. and Provincial Health Officer II Ernell Tuminbang, M.D. of the PHO.
      Salar was among the other nine awardees from the different cities and municipalities of Negros Occidental.
     Other awards were Best TCL (Murcia); Clean and Organized REF (Murcia, Escalante City, Calatrava, Isabela) ; Most Innovative (Bago City); Always on Time in Submission of Report (Toboso); Gives Feedback Regularly to Midwives (Cadiz City) and Best Recording and Updated Vaccine Stock Card (Kabankalan City).

By: Jemaimah N. Taladico

City Strictly Imposes Smoking Ban in Public Areas


Victorias City imposes smoking ban as stated in the City Ordinance, prohibiting any person to smoke cigars, cigarettes, tobacco and all other smoke emitting paraphernalias in public areas of the City which was also stipulated in Section 5 of Republic Act 9211 known as the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003.

The City’s areas of jurisdiction where smoking is banned are inside the public buildings; public utility vehicles and other means of transportation; enclosed public places such as movie houses or cinema theatres, hospitals, clinics, schools, etc. and other enclosed areas outside of one’s private places of work or any duly designated smoking area.

Violators of this ordinance shall be penalized with a fine of P100 for first offense, P200 for second offense and P500 or an imprisonment of five days or both fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the Court for third offense.

The City has ordered those people in-charge of operation and administration of a movie house, cinema, theatre, hospital, clinic, schools, colleges and other educational institutions, other public places or government offices, to be responsible in putting up a “NO SMOKING AREA” sign in their particular designated places.

The City currently conducts an extensive information drive on this activity to increase awareness of the people of Victorias regarding the smoking ban and its adverse effects on the health of a person. by: Jemaimah Taladico

City Health Office Conducts Voluntary Blood Letting 2011

In compliance with Republic Act 7719 or the National Blood Services Act, the City Health Office (CHO) of Victorias is conducting the Voluntary Blood Letting Activity on all of its barangays from February to November.

The blood letting activity is spearheaded by the CHO of Victorias in collaboration with Provincial Health Office and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City.

This has been an ongoing service and has even awarded four barangays as Sandugo Awardees and acclaimed Brgy. XIII as Hall of Famer in the blood letting campaign.

National Voluntary Blood Services Program Medical Coordinator Dr. Jerry Pahamtang along with Medical Technologist Coordinator Florence Bravo, Nurse I Jasmine Sudario, and Administrative Officer II/HEPO Designate April Golda Acuña are the persons in-charge of the activity in the CHO.

The activity targets blood donors to reach at least one percent of the City’s total population composed of healthy male and female whose ages are 16 – 65 and weighs at least 50 kilos.

Blood donors are being screened by the doctors, nurses, midwives and other health personnel before conducting the actual blood extraction, making sure that they are qualified.

Here are the remaining schedules of the blood letting activity for 2011:
Date Barangay
June 9......................XIII
July 8.......................V
August 23................X & XV
September 27..........VIII
October 25...............XII, XX & IX
Nov. 9.......................XXI
Nov. 29.....................VI – A and VMC Area

23 Indigent Senior Citizens Avail Social Pension from CSWD in Victorias City


Twenty three indigent senior citizens were granted social pension by the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) in Victorias City in August.
These seniors are all 77 years old and above; are not receiving any pension from SSS, GSIS and etc., or any monthly allowances/allotment from the family; and are living alone and sickly.
Social Pension for Indigent Filipino senior citizens is in-line with the fulfillment of the obligation of the government to protect the most vulnerable sector through social protection, and for the full implementation of the Republic Act No. 9994.
Republic Act No. 9994 or the “Expanded Senior Citizen Act of 2010” amended the previous RA9257 “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003”, institutionalizes social protection by providing monthly stipend to indigent senior citizens and supports family to provide care to their sick and disabled senior citizens.
The program intends to improve the living condition of eligible indigent senior citizens through the release of stipend @ P500.00/month; to augment capacity of indigent senior citizens to meet their daily subsistence and medical requirements; to reduce incidence of hunger among indigent senior citizens; and to protect indigent citizens from neglect, abuse or deprivation.
Regular cash transfers also increase poor older people’s access to services, particularly health care. As older people live and share resources with younger family members, social pensions have a substantial impact on child well-being and the achievement of Millennium Development Goals 1-6 social pensions contribute to increased school attendance and better nutrition among children. They can play an important role in breaking intergenerational poverty cycles (Help age 2009).
This is designed in such a way that the poorest senior citizens are covered and protected from loss of income and underemployment as a result of illness, injury, disability, harvest failure, etc. (ADB 2006).
                There are estimated 6.3 million elderly Filipinos aged 60 years old and above as of CY 2010 based on the National Statistical Coordinating Board (NSCB) Medium Assumption Population Projection.
Older persons comprise a little over six percent of the total population, but this proportion is expected to higher than 10 percent by 2020 as the number of older person’s doubles by that time (NEDA, Philippines Population projection 1980 – 2030).
Based on the National Statistical Coordinating Board (NSCB 2006) poverty estimates the basic sectors, the magnitude of the poor senior citizen is 1,297,159 and it posted the second largest percentage points of 1.9% increase next to the children sector.
The Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao posted the highest poverty incidence of senior citizen which is at 46.6% and the most number of poor senior citizens are from Regions V, VI and VII (NCSB 2006).
The Philippines has made great strides in promoting the welfare of its people and has ensured the continued participation in development by legislating national policies in response to the emerging needs of the Filipino senior citizens. By: Gari Policarpio/DSWD