CEBU CITY, Philippines — Around 1,000 councilors in the Visayas region will gather in Cebu for a conference on May 9 to 10 at the Cebu International Convention Center. Bayawan City Councilor Victoriano Alabastro, Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Vice President for Visayas, visited the Capitol to invite Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to keynote the event.

Alabastro said the national officers of PCL, led by their president Parañaque City Councilor Alma Moreno, will attend the activity, which, he said is intended to empower the councilors in the region. He said the PCL island chapters meet once every three years and the meeting is open to all councilors whether they are from Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao. (Mars W. Mosqueda Jr.)

Dumaguete grant

DUMAGUETE CITY (PNA) — Dumaguete City has received another grant from the Department of Agriculture worth P550,000 which will be used for the cold storage facility at the Dumaguete Slaughterhouse.

According to Dumaguete Market Enterprises head Engr. Jose Ronnie Fortin, the advice for the financial grant was received last December but they are still complying with the documents required by the Department of Agriculture.

Fortin said once the financial grant is downloaded, they can immediately start the bidding for the purchase of a cold storage machine for the slaughterhouse.

Water reform

CEBU CITY (PNA) — The Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) management and the employees’ union are opposing a Senate bill aimed at instituting reforms in the water sector. Earlier, the MCWD Employees’ Union (MEU) issued statements and staged a protest rally against the reported $400 million Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan agreement with the water utility firm.

MCWD management through general manager Armando Paredes, denied there was such an agreement. He earlier explained, though, that the ADB has financed a free study on the feasibility of additional surface water sources, sanitation, requirements, to expand pipelines and addressing non-revenue water.

Escalante projects

BACOLOD CITY(PNA) — Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo G. Marañon Jr. and Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez Jr. turned over P2.1 million check to the city government of Escalante for the various projects of its 21 barangays.

The amount, which will be equally distributed to the barangays, was turned over in a ceremony held at Escalante City Government Center on Thursday.

The 21 barangays will receive P100,000 each for its projects. Marañon said that more projects such as concreting of roads, some of which have already been started, are being implemented in the city.

Cash aid

ILOILO CITY (PNA) — Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog welcomed the financial assistance extended by the provincial government for the victims of the fire that struck three barangays here on Jan. 22. He thanked Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. for continually showing concern to the plight of city residents.

“This just shows that the city and province of Iloilo are always helping and supporting each other in all aspects,” the mayor said. The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council led by Defensor approved the amount during their emergency meeting held on Thursday.