Dumaguete mayor invites PPA GM to discuss port issues
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 2 (PIA) -- Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria invited Philippine Port Authority (PPA) General Manager Juan Sta. Ana to visit the city to discuss the proposed construction of berthing dolphins at the city port.
The mayor said he has invited the PPA official in his last visit to Manila.
“I expect him to come to Dumaguete on the first week of June,” said Sagarbarria.
The PPA here is proposing the construction of berthing dolphins, structures that assist in the berthing of vessels to protect the pier from collision with ships, at the Dumaguete City port.
The port’s Pier 1 sustained major damage and is at the risk of collapsing anytime.
“If this happens, it will practically cripple the whole province of Negros Oriental,” the mayor said.
He said that if the pier collapses, big vessels carrying major goods for the city and the province will not be able to dock at the port.
“Shipments will have to come from Cebu, Northern Mindanao or Negros Occidental and this will cost a lot of money,” Sagarbarria said, adding that this will lead to artificial inflation since the cost of basic goods will go up due to the increased transport costs.
PPA’s plan to put up berthing dolphins were earlier met with strong opposition from local fishermen and environmental advocates groups due to the possible damage on the coral reefs in the area.
Although the mayor said the pier needs to be repaired, he said there is a need to come up with alternative solutions to PPA’s proposal.
“We cannot just disregard our environment. We have to come up with an alternative,” he said.
The mayor noted the possibility of placing artificial reefs in the area to make up for the coral reefs that will be damaged by the construction of berthing dolphins.
Sagarbarria is hopeful that a more environment-friendly solution will come up after GM Sta. Ana’s visit in the city.
“The most important thing is that our environment will not be destroyed,” the mayor stressed. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)
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Sibulan slates activities for June 13 fiesta
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 2 (PIA) -- The municipality of Sibulan, known as a “pilgrim town” in Negros Oriental, will mark its fiesta this year with a series of activities for an almost-month long celebration.
The celebration is highlighted by the Miss Sibulan 2012 Beauty Pageant which kicked off on May 19 with a presentation of the candidates at the Municipal Covered Auditorium Stage.
Eight ladies, each representing barangays in Sibulan, are competing for the Miss Sibulan 2012 title with the winner poised to win a crown and a P5,000 cash prize, said Fiesta Directorate Director Concepcion Rosales.
Vying for the crown are Fionah Dia Sy of Ajong and Maningcao; Rochelle Diputado of Magatas and Tubtubon; Giel Ozoa Estrellado of Cangmating and Balugo; Karyn Jell G. Monencillo of Maslog; Keziah Marie U. Montebon of Bolocboloc and Calabnugan; Marissa Catan of Looc; Jamela Noahn Balimbingan of Agan-an and Tubigon; and Lyle Rose Chua of Enrique Villanueva.
“The pageant is a major attraction during the traditional fiesta celebration apart from the fluvial procession that will be spearheaded by the church on the 12th of June 2012,” said Rosales.
The candidates will appear onstage again on June 11 at 8:00 pm for the talent, pageant, and coronation night.
The fiesta day on June 13 will be marked by an early concelebrated holy mass by the Roman Catholic Church.
Early and subsequent events include: First Ballotting of Little Miss Sibulan on May 25; Minus One Singing Competition, May 30; Ballroom Dancing, May 31; Opening Basketball Invitational Tournament, June 1; 8 Basketball Invitational Tournament, June 2; 3rd Ballotting Little Miss Sibulan 2012, June 7; Frisbee Day and SMB Night, June 9; Frisbee Day 2, Disco, June 10; Parade of the Beauties and Coronation Night Little Miss Sibulan, Disco, June 11; Fluvial Parade & Independence Day, June 12; Fiesta Day, June 13; Globe Welcome Balikbayans and the Community, June 15; and Banca Racing, June 24.
Sibulan Mayor Marcela Bartoces said she expects this year’s fiesta to have the customary liveliness, meaningfulness.
“It will be a time to pay homage to Sr. San Antonio de Padua, the town’s patron saint, and to thank the Lord Almighty for the year-round blissfulness that subsists the town’s atmosphere,” she said.
For this year, the fiesta theme is: “Sibulan Gears Up Towards Sustainable Ecosystem Through Environmental Protection and Preservation”.
The theme is one way of building disaster preparedness and for people to be conscious of their roles to protect and preserve the environment, Rosales said. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)