In a press conference, Treñas said it is about time to amend or revise the Philippine Constitution, which was approved in 1987 after the ouster of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.

According to the mayor, economic provisions in the Constitution need to be amended to attract more foreign investors.

“After 37 years, kinanglang na gid man naton ligwaton ang pila ka provisions,” Treñas said.

“Ang economic provisions tam-an gid ka strict. Para sa akon, Isa gid na sa mga dapat ligwaton,” he added.

Treñas is also in favor of extending the terms of office of elected government officials.

“Pabor ko. Ngaa? Bag-o ka nga mayor una mo nga year gatuon ka palang. Second year i-implement mo kag sa third year gakampanya ka na,” he said.

“Para sa akon ang four years is really good enough,” the mayor added.IMT

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“We are also waiting for reports from Iloilo, Negros Occidental, and Antique because they also have rainfall warning, and we also have recorded heavy rainfall,” OCD-6 information officer Cindy Ferrer said in an interview.

Aklan has 620 affected families, while Capiz has 14,844 families.

Ferrer said of the affected families, 260, or 816 individuals were in evacuation centers, while the rest with their relatives or outside of the shelters.

“They are affected in the sense that they experienced flooding or their houses are damaged. We also consider the effect on their rice fields and properties and not necessarily displaced,” she added.

Capiz, Aklan, and portions of northern Iloilo are among the areas affected during the change in weather pattern from southeast monsoon or “habagat” to northeast monsoon or “amihan”, Ferrer said.

As of 8 a.m. on Tuesday, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) listed 129 barangays susceptible to flooding, most of them in Capiz with 92, Aklan with 30, and Antique, seven.

Ferrer said all local disaster risk reduction and management offices in the region were ready with the contingencies, and their quick response teams on alert for deployment.

She also advised those in low-lying areas to remain vigilant and move to evacuation centers when needed. Perla Lena/PNA

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The Police Regional Office (PRO-6) has ordered its unit commanders to aggressively enforce the law against e-sabong (online cockfighting), based on the instruction of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The directive was issued by Brig. Gen. Sidney Villaflor, PRO-6 director, as monitoring continued on the possible e-sabong operation in the region.

Maj. Mary Grace Borio, PRO-6 spokesperson, said the “one-strike policy” on illegal gambling will be implemented on all unit commanders, including provincial directors, city directors, chiefs of police and station commanders, regarding the presence of e-sabong in their respective areas of responsibility.

“After one positive operation of a higher office in the area, the police chief will be relieved,” she added.

PRO-6 covers police units in Negros Occidental, Iloilo Province, Capiz, Aklan, Antique and Guimaras, as well as Bacolod City and Iloilo City.

In a separate statement, Villaflor warned all unit commanders to “take immediate action and full responsibility” against e-sabong as “any neglect and/or involvement thereof shall be dealt with accordingly.”

“In line with [DILG] Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr.’s instruction to rid the country of e-sabong, the Philippine National Police commits to an honest and aggressive law enforcement operation towards its optimal success,” he added.

Last December, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order (EO) 9, directing the continued suspension of the live streaming or broadcasting of live cockfights outside cockpits or cockfighting arenas or premises where cockfights are being held.

EO 9 also suspended online, remote, or off-cockpit wagering and betting on live cockfighting matches, and activities streamed or broadcast live, regardless of the location of the betting platform.PNA

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Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the 15-day festivity would be launched with a countdown at midnight on Oct. 6.

“We want a more spectacular street dance competition,” the mayor said in a press briefing.

He added that from the previous 17 participating barangays, the number would be trimmed down to only 10 to showcase the best performances of the Masskara dancers.

Benitez said the city government intends to provide bigger subsidies to the participating villages this year.

“That is our main attraction, the street dance. We would like to emphasize and give all the support that we can give for them to give an attractive performance,” he added.

In June this year, dancers from the defending champion Barangay Granada performed in New York City for the first time during the 125th Philippine Independence Anniversary Commemoration Parade.

Performers from Barangay Sum-ag, last year’s runner-up, were featured in the 2023 Busan International Dance Festival in Busan Metropolitan City, South Korea, also in June.

Bacolod was recognized for Best Festival Practices and Performances in the Aliw Awards 2022 in December last year, with the return of the Masskara after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.PNA

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PSA Provincial Statistics Officer Nelida B. Losare said the PSA’s latest price statistics showed that rice prices in Guimaras recorded erratic trends for the past 13 months. From the lowest point of 0.6 percent in July 2022, rice value soared to 6.4 percent the following month and slowed to 2.0 percent in September, and back its way up to 5.5 percent in October. After which, the rice price trend slowed until January 2023 at 1.6 percent, however, its value swayed up again to 4.3 percent a month.

“A price drop was seen in March 2023 at 2.4 percent, before it continuously grew until 8.9 percent in May, the fastest rice inflation recorded in 2023. From then, the annual price indices of rice slowed down to 8.5 in June until 3.2 percent in July,” added Losare.

The data further showed that rice shared 45.9 percent of the 4.0 percent food inflation in July 2023, followed by Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses with 9.0 percent inflation, and Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals with -3.1 percent inflation, which also showed a

significant share of 19.4 and 18.1 percent, respectively, to the Guimaras food inflation.

Inflation rates of Fruits and nuts (5.3%); Sugar, confectionery, and desserts (20.0%); Milk, other dairy products, and eggs (9.9%); and Corn (8.6%) were the other food items that pulled down food inflation in July 2023 to a slower rate.

“Only four food items showed faster rate than the previous month’s level, these are Flour, Bread, and Other Bakery Products, Pasta Products, and Other Cereals with 6.1 percent inflation; Fish and other seafood with 1.4 percent inflation; Oils and fats with 16.0 percent inflation; and Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c. with 9.7 percent inflation,” Losare said.

The trends in food groups started at 11.9 percent in July 2022, then rose to 12.1 percent in August, the highest level for 13 months.

There was also a slower movement in the food inflation in September 2022 with 9.2 percent, then it speedily moved in the ensuing months, reaching 11.8 percent in December 2022.

“Food inflation in Guimaras began at a slower pace of 9.2 percent in 2023 and spiked to 12.0 in February. From then, the food inflation in Guimaras decelerated until April, and slightly inched-up to 8.2 percent in May, eased to 6.9 percent in June and 4.0 percent in July 2023,” Losare said.AAL/LAF/PIA6-Iloilo/ PSAGuimaras

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In a small group meeting held earlier this month, the 301st Infantry (Bayanihan) Brigade of the 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division of the Philippine Army (PA), together with the Police Regional Office (PRO-6) and Coast Guard District Western Visayas (CGDWV), convened to coordinate and strategize measures to be carried out in ensuring public’s safety amid the upcoming elections.

During the meeting, the PRO-6 presented the key aspects of the security situation in the region.

This was then supported with the shared insights of Captain Randy Besa of the PA’s 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division pertaining to the Panay Island’s threat and security situation.

Additionally, PCol. Elmer B. Cinco updated the attendees on Election Areas of Concern, while PCol. Gilbert Gorero elaborated on the security preparations particularly tailored for the BSKE 2023.

The unit commanders and staff pooled out their expertise and resources in view of providing a safe environment for the citizens to exercise their right to vote, according to the PA’s news release.

The collaboration of these security forces also intends to ensure a smooth and secure electoral process during the BSKE 2023.

Among the officials present in the meeting were BGen. Michael G. Samson, Commander of the 301st Infantry Brigade; PBGen. Sidney N. Villaflor, PRO 6 Regional Director; Commodore Arnaldo M. Lim, Commander of CGDWV; Col. Manolito F. Montiel, Deputy Brigade Commander of the 301st Infantry Brigade; and PCol. Joriz A Cantoria, Deputy Regional Director for Operations, together with the triad staff officers of PA’s 301st Infantry Brigade, PRO 6, and CGDWV. AAL/AGP/ PIA 6

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Lawyer Dennis Ausan, COMELEC regional director, said that as far as he can remember, Inampulogan — the biggest island village of Sibunag — has never participated in the barangay polls since the creation of the municipality on Feb. 20, 1995.

“It is the only barangay in the country with no elections in the past barangay elections, I can recall (that this is the situation) since the time Sibunag was created by the Local Government Code of 1991,” he said in an interview.

To date, the privately-owned island village has close to 200 eligible voting population.

“There is only one reason why there is no election — no one files their certificates of candidacy. In short, there are no candidates. How I wish this time around our electoral exercises will push through in that island barangay,” he said

Ausan said COMELEC has established voting centers in the area, but residents only exercise their right of suffrage during the national and midterm elections.

He said an electoral board has been created in the area and is even provided with supplies and funds every barangay election, which, in turn, remain unused since there are no polls due to the lack of candidates.

“If they want to run, our office is just there waiting for them to submit their certificate of candidacy. If they want. It is their right guaranteed by our Constitution,” he said.

Meanwhile, COMELEC has gathered BSKE aspirants from the city and the province of Iloilo on Wednesday, Aug. 9, for a forum to raise awareness of the rules and regulations for the upcoming polls.

Ausan said that except for some administrative policies that are more of an internal concern, the same laws govern the conduct of elections at the national and barangay levels.

“What we expect from them is that they will also do their part; they have their obligations and responsibilities to observe as to the prohibited acts,” he said.

From the start of the election period on Aug. 28 until Nov. 29, the gun ban and the prohibition on the transfer and detail of public officials and employees will be in effect.

There will also be regulations to be observed during the campaign period and on the election day.PNA

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Francisco Gentoral, Guimaras Provincial Economic Development (PED) officer, said on Friday, Aug. 4, even if their plantation in the province is small, they would like to produce a world-class quality dragon fruit, the way they emphasized efforts for their mango products.

“The festival is one way to spread awareness about this product. Here in Guimaras, the festival is not only to attract tourists but also to ensure that investors will also be attracted to put in their investments,” Gentoral said in a press conference at the opening of the festival in the municipality of Jordan.

He added that from six hectares when the province staged its first dragon festival in 2022, the area planted has increased to 28 hectares this year.

Provincial agriculturist Alvin Nava said the production of the dragon fruit steadily increased since 2019. From almost eight tons in 2019, the production jumped to around 10 to 12 tons in 2020 and 15 tons this 2023.

“The areas planted with dragon fruit are almost scattered in the province. The good dragon fruit farms are established in slope areas with no stagnant water and exposed to sunlight,” he said.

Aside from the agri-trade fair that opened on Friday, there will be a blended international business forum on dragon fruit farming on Aug. 10 that will gather farmers, members of the Guimaras Dragon Fruit Growers Association (GDFGA), interested participants from outside of the province and abroad, and expert-scientists on dragon fruit.

GDFGA president Bonifacio Tespoer said the forum will focus on three issues, including pests and diseases, general management, and proper selection of planting materials.

The festival, which will end Aug. 13, has other activities like the “Taste the dragon” where various delicacies made of the fruit will be made available to the public for a fee, a dragon fruit classroom, a dragon fruit kitchen where a chef will present innovative recipes, a farm tour, and a bangus and seafood market on various dates.

Guimaras senior tourism operations officer Liberty Ferrer said they targeted weekends for the events because the foot traffic in the province is always heavy towards the end of the week.Perla Lena/PNA

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