WB deferment of loan
won't stop Negros road
WORK IN HINOBAAN
WILL CONTINUE – ALVAREZ
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Rep. Genaro Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6 th district) yesterday said the construction of the 23-kilometer road from Hinobaan proper to Barangay Sangke will continue even if the World Bank has put on hold a $232 million soft loan for Philippine roads because of alleged bid rigging.

Jim Adams, World Bank vice president for East Asia and the Pacific Region, was quoted by reports from Manila as saying that signs of procurement problems in the first phase of the loan program cropped up starting 2003.

He cited strong signs of collusion and excessive pricing.

BANAGO RESIDENTS TO PICKET
Flood problem
turns into ‘class war'
BY NIDA BUENAFE & CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

The flood problem in Bacolod City has developed into a “class war” with residents of Purok Riverside and Purok Mahimulaton, Barangay Banago now claiming that they are being blamed for the problem that has inconvenienced the rich and privileged homeowners in several subdivisions.

They said they are being made a scapegoat by the city government after homeowners in Sta. Clara, Villa Valderrama, and Mountainview subdivisions organized a caravan to express their dissatisfaction with handling of the flood problem by government agencies concerned.

While our pleas then fell on deaf ears, the local officials seem to be eager to address the problem when the complaints came from the homeowners in subdivisions, the residents said in a press conference organized yesterday by KADAMAY-Negros and KAISAHAN

DOH charges Vega, 3 officials
BY NIDA BUENAFE

The Department of Health has formally charged Dr. Domingo Vega, former chief of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital , and three other hospital officials in a case involving oxygen procurement transactions.

DOH lawyer Adonis Meñez yesterday said Vega is facing charges of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, while chief of clinics Dr. Benito Bionat, administrative officer Brian Baylon and supply officer Loreto Abaño are facing separate charges.

Meñez said the four CLMMRH officials are given five days to submit their answer to the charges.