TESDA to further boost
Negros IT-BPO growth
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Joel Villanueva, director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, yesterday said TESDA is more than willing to double its investment in IT-BPO job training in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, and also plans to set up a pilot training center for animation, software or games development in the area.

Villanueva, who spoke at forum of the Bacolod Negros Occidental Federation for ICT at the commencement rites of West Negros University, assured that TESDA is committed to support the growth of the IT-BPO industry in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental and the Visayas.

He noted that Bacolod City is now ranked No. 3 among the top IT-BPO ten next wave cities in the Philippines for 2010-2011.

The City Treasurer’s Office will issue notices of violation to owners of gasoline stations in Bacolod City whose pumping machines were not accurately calibrated, Bacolod Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said yesterday.

A random inspection of six gasoline stations in Bacolod City was conducted Friday by a task force led by Sayson to check the accuracy of the calibration of pumping machines of gasoline stations.

This include the Seaoil, Caltex, Petron, Shell, Pryce Gas, and Getti Oil gasoline stations, all in Barangay Villamonte. The business permits of three gasoline stations were discovered to be defective and the owners were told to rectify them.

Former Ang Kasanga Party-List Rep. Ma. Lourdes Arroyo Lesaca, sister of the late Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo, yesterday announced that she will no longer run for the fifth congressional seat of Negros Occidental in the special election set June 2.

Board Member Emilio Yulo III, on the other hand, said he is determined to run for the post and only Divine Intervention will stop him.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday said the officers and members of the United Negros Alliance in the fifth district will meet before the end of the week to decide on the candidate, who will get the party’s full support.