Negros likely to deliver
signatures for Cha-cha
People's initiative illegal, Rosales says
BY CARLA GOMEZ

It looks as if the Arroyo administration will get the number of signatures required of Negros Island for a people's initiative on Charter change.

Gov. George Arnaiz yesterday said he is sure that no less than 40 percent of the voting population of Oriental Negros are signing the people's initiative for Charter change, while Gov. Joseph Marañon said initial reports he received show that more than 3 percent of the registered voters in each of Negros Occidental's congressional districts signed to support the move.

The push for a people initiative on Charter change was reported to have been tackled in many barangay assemblies in Negros Island Saturday.

'New Bredco takeover
bid will be killed'
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

There is no need to reintroduce the takeover ordinance involving the Bacolod port because it will still be "killed" by the majority members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Bacolod Councilor Dindo Ramos said yesterday.

Ramos said he is also not attending the executive-legislative caucus being sought by the majority with Mayor Evelio Leonardia to ask him to clarify his two concepts of takeover. For what purpose, when the ordinance proposed by the minority already recommended the takeover of the port operation for purposes of rebidding the same to other investors or contractors? he asked.

LGU role in water management
stressed at world forum: mayor
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

The Philippine delegation to the 4th Word Water Forum in Mexico City will submit a collective report to the League of Cities of the Philippines that will highlight the involvement of local governments in the effective management of the water resource, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said.

Leonardia, who is the deputy secretary-general for the Visayas of the League of Cities of the Philippines, was a member of the country's official four-member delegation to the 4th World Forum from March 16-22, at the Banamex Center in Mexico City. With Leonardia were mayors Abraham Tolentino of Tagaytay City, Julian Resuello of San Carlos, Pangasinan and Mario Rogelio Antalan from the Island Garden City of Samal, Davao.

The forum sought to enable multi-stakeholder participation and dialog to influence water policy-making at a global level, and assure better living standards for people world-wide.