‘10-hour Visayas blackout
shows Negros vulnerable’
BY CARLA GOMEZ

The 10-hour blackout that hit the Visayas Saturday is a glaring reminder of the urgent need for Negros Occidental to generate more of its own power, Roberto Montelibano, president of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said yesterday.

The impact of the blackout on business was very bad, power is very critical to ensuring investor confidence and the economic growth of the province, said Montelibano, who is also a director of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative.

Negros needs to invest in its own power generation, Cebu and Panay are already building more plants to meet their needs, he pointed out.

Bago City and the Municipality of Murcia bagged the Best Tourism Destination Pavilion awards during the 16th Panaad Sa Negros Festival that drew to close Saturday amid a crowd of thousands at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City.

Cadiz City and Hinigaran romped off with the People’s Choice awards.

The Cleanest Pavilion awards went to Silay City and Moises Padilla.

SAN JOSE, Antique — Datu Gilbert and Dayang Gwen in 2010?

Speculations over a possible tandem between Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia as president and vice president, respectively, in the 2010 elections grew yesterday after the two officials attended the Binirayan Festival here and were practically endorsed by their host, Antique Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez.

Teodoro who has confirmed his plan to run for president if he will be endorsed by the administration coalition was referred to by Perez as the “Datu Sumakwel” and “Mr. President.”