April showers fail
to dampen Panaad

One must agree that an ordinary drizzle is not going to discourage Negrenses from flocking the Panaad festival. And it did yesterday where a record turnout attended the opening rites of the one-week festival.

Panaad, of course, is just fun. There were a lot of other activities that made it worth watching and studying, especially the organic food fair that showcased many organic products of the province.

But there were also a lot of interesting sidelights to the festivities, including, of course, the selection of Lin-ay Sang Negros 2008.

Negros Occidental Governor Isidro Zayco stressed that Panaad was also held to honor the memory of the late Governor Joseph Marañon.

A most interesting sidelight to the week-long festivities was the arrival here of the PBA stars. Basketball stars, among them the popular son of Escalante, James Yap. Yap was the center of attraction at the Robinsons Saturday.

Young Negrenses crowded the basketball star asking for his autograph or asking for a chance to pause for a picture.

Senator Miguel Zubiri was also guest speaker of the Panaad.

Well, the only thing we can say is happy enjoyment of the weeklong festivities. You deserve the respite from the daily doldrums.

* * *

The Supreme Court dismissed a court stenographer of the Silay RTC for gross negligence of duty. Ruby Hechanova not only was dismissed from the service, she also forfeited all benefits and privileges except accrued leave credits with prejudice to employment in any branch or agency of the government, including government owned or controlled corporations.

That should serve as a warning to all court personnel that they must apply themselves to their work with dedication and not give excuses on why they cannot comply with their obligations.

* * *

The most serious incident was the discovery of the body of a cab driver who was found with 23 stab wounds in a canal Thursday at Hacienda Panaogao, Barangay 4, Silay City.

All indications show that the driver may have been robbed and his body dumped into the barangay only.

Police identified the driver as Ivan Saludar.

This is a murder that the police should try to solve as fast as possible. First, because the victim was just a cab driver and must have left nothing for his family members. Second, those who slew him did so without compunction. Indications are that he may have been the victim of drug-crazed killers.

It is a heinous crime because it was a poor cab driver who was victimized. He was only trying to earn an honest day’s living, and the police should not lose sight of that fact. He may have been poor, the more reason why the cops should work double time to bag the culprits.

* * *

Kudos to Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri for setting side P1-million for poor patients of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital. It should be a welcome addition to the amount set aside by Rep. Monico Puentevella for the same purpose to aid poor and indigents patients of the Hospital, especially those in need of medicines.

Also credit must be given to Rep. Genaro Alvarez of the Sixth District who also set aside several millions more to complete the construction of several urgently needed buildings of the regional hospital.

The most important thing to consider – when solons actually turnover their countryside development funds to ease the plight of the poor, especially those wishing for hospital care then the pork barrel, as it  usually is called, becomes a beneficial  thing rather than those of solons who pocket them for their own selfish ends.*

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