Neg. Occ. officials okay
P240M health care plan 
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Negros Occidental officials yesterday agreed to create a foundation to run a provincial health insurance program, primarily to help the poor, with an initial funding estimated at P240 million, Gov. Isidro Zayco said.

Zayco said that, along with Vice Gov. Emilio Yulo III, he met with the provincial board members, congressmen, mayors and vice mayors of Negros Occidental at Nature’s Village in Talisay to come up with a consensus.

He said Representatives Alfredo Marañon III (2nd District), Jose Carlos Lacson (3rd District), Jeffrey Ferrer (4th District), and Genaro Alvarez (6th District) have committed their support.

The Sugar Regulatory Administration will ask the National Food Authority to allow sugar planters associations to buy NFA-priced rice for their farm workers, SRA chief Rafael Coscolluela said yesterday.

“We’re hoping we can get NFA rice for laborers and the associations can finance the carrying costs. We’re working this out for Negros Occidental,” he said at the Sugar Forum at the L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City attended by industry stakeholders.

The meeting, moderated by Sugar Board member Rafael Golez, was also attended by Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Golez. ,

Senior Deputy Minority House Leader Roilo Golez (Parañaque City, 2nd District) yesterday said Malacañang should stop sending mixed signals on the country’s rice situation, and review its biofuels program in the light of a worldwide food crisis.

“When people go hungry you can not postpone it... We must make sure we do not jeopardize our food security,” said Golez, who was in Bacolod for a wedding of a relative.

“Malacañang is sending mixed signals on the rice situation,” he said.