SM construction
crew start test-piling

Two days ago, I happened to pass by the SM mall site at the reclamation area. And noticed that there was already ongoing test-piling. That according to the construction personnel, was preparatory to their starting full-scale construction work.

And, yes, the construction crew said they were also building the housing for the workers who will handle the task of completing the project before October, this year.

It is evident that many of the construction employees are from Bacolod. The security crew, themselves, were enthusiastic about the project.

A total of P850 million is being invested in the SM mall project of Henry Sy. And, as claimed by Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, the mall may provide employment to as much as 3,000 Bacolodnons later.

Although there was no construction engineer around at the time, I heard later from radio that former Vice Mayor Ramiro Garcia believes that work can be complete by September.

One thing sure, though, even if it is completed in September or October, the fact is that it is a huge investment that will provide employment to many Bacolod folks and will also stimulate the opening of the area to more commercial establishments and offices.

In short, that BREDCO area will soon become the business hub of Bacolod. As a matter of fact, there is now an ongoing debate over who will be entitled to participate in the bidding for stalls in the Vendors' Plaza.

And I heard that BREDCO's Sammy Palanca is contemplating to embark soon on the impressive Esplanade that will rival Manila's Roxas Boulevard. This will extend Bredco to the South Capitol Road.

I'm not privy to Palanca's time-frame. But I also heard other reports of more ambitious projects being contemplated by the "Old man by the sea", including the possibility of a towering condominium building in front of the Bacolod Pavilion. Well, as they say, the park has been lit. It is unstoppable.

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Well, score one for the Bacolod police. The arrest of suspected bag snatcher at his Calong-Calong residence a few hours after a school teacher's handbag was taken by two persons just a few meters away from the Bacolod Police headquarters Wednesday was certainly fast.

The suspect, Sherwin Sayson Ruiz, 30, married, was positively identified by the alleged victim, Susanita Guiljon of Eroreco Subdivision, Barangay Mandalagan.

Sherwin vehemently denied that he was the driver of the yellow multi-cab which stopped in front of her. One of the suspects reportedly grabbed her bag containing two cellular phones, P25,000 in cash, $410, and ATM card and valuables.

Ms. Guiljon, however, positively identified Sherwin, pointed out police chief Pedro Merced.

Police recovered the passenger jeepney at the garage of a certain SJO1 Ruiz at Barangay Singcang-Airport later Wednesday afternoon.

Vice Mayor Renecito Novero came out with pointers on how to avoid getting victimized by criminals elements. This, following the hold-up of four nursing students of the West Negros College Friday, and of the women who lost their cash and jewelry to unidentified bag slashers in different areas of Bacolod.

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Because there have been hardly any word about the incidence of STD, particularly HIV and AIDS, what has developed among Filipinos is the illusion that there is no such thing and that we are impervious to such kinds of infection.

I have heard of some people insisting that Filipinos have genetic resistance to the two STD infections.

Wrong, such a belief in the Filipino invincibility could end up in a major disaster to many.

The problem with HIV is that very few dare subject themselves to blood examination or it even if they know that they had been exposed through sex relations with mostly sex practitioners. Whether shame or simple carelessness may prove disastrous later when one discovers too late that his HIV infection had developed into a full blown AIDS

. Safe sex insists on the use of condom as the best guarantee against HIV/AIDS. Well, the Church has just one formula. Sex within marriage and no cheating. That may sound obscurantist or restrictive. But that's the soundest advice anyone can get.

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The escape of the four Oakwood mutineers has a lot of loopholes. The story can be punctuated by a lot of questions which, we hope the military can answer with clarity and credibility.

For one, that idea that the lawyer of the four had diverted attention from the four is a lot of balls. The guards are supposed to have been trained to maintain a tight watch on their wards regardless of whether their superior officer is engaged in a heated discussion with anybody, especially the lawyer of the defendants.

Then, there is the mode of escape. Four chairs stacked up on one another while the four wiggled themselves through a transom.

Worse, apparently, no alarm had been issued. The four had to walk some one and a half kilometers of Camp Aguinaldo to be able to get out of their containment area.

Per se, that explanation is full of holes. And it is but right that the commander of the jailguards had to be relieved.

But that is after another embarrassing blackmark to the military. Yes, it seems that our jails are like sieves.

Now they are going through the motions of trying to catch the quartet. All the drama is just for public consumption.*

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