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08/09/2026

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞𝗘𝗧 𝗗𝗜𝗗𝗡’𝗧 𝗘𝗫𝗜𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗡 2017?

𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗢𝗖𝗨𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧?

There is something deeply troubling when an elected official stands before the City Council and declares, as if it were an established fact, that former Mayor Felipe “Ipe” Remollo never had a plan to construct a new public market.

Really? Because an official 2017 document says otherwise. And not merely in some vague, speculative way.

The document shows that during the Remollo administration, there was already a plan to address the condition of the public market—including the possibility of demolition and construction of a new facility. More importantly, the document itself acknowledges that the existing market was suffering from several structural defects serious enough to call for its demolition.

𝗦𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝘄, 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆, 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 “𝗻𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀”?

Was the 2017 document imaginary? Did it disappear from the city's official records? Or is someone simply hoping that people have forgotten?

This is where the issue stops being about political camps and becomes a question of truth, public records, and intellectual honesty.

A councilor is entitled to criticize a former administration. He is entitled to question its decisions. He is entitled to argue that its plans were inadequate, delayed, or poorly executed.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁.

If an official document from 2017 clearly establishes that the condition of the market had already been recognized as a problem—and that the construction of a new market had already been contemplated—then saying that there were no plans at all is not merely a difference in political interpretation.

It is a statement that demands an explanation.

Why say there were no plans when there was a documented plan?

What is the purpose of denying something that is already on record?

Is it to make the previous administration look completely indifferent to the market's condition?

Is it to create the impression that the current administration inherited the problem out of nowhere?

Or is it simply another attempt to rewrite the past so that today's narrative looks cleaner?

Because if that is the strategy, it is insulting to the intelligence of Dumaguetnons.

People may forget speeches. They may forget press conferences. They may even forget political slogans.

But documents don't forget.

And government records have an annoying habit of surviving political narratives.

The public market issue deserves a serious discussion—its structural condition, the need for reconstruction, the consultations with vendors, the cost, the financing, the relocation arrangements, and the impact on thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on it.

What it does not deserve is historical revisionism.

If Mayor Ipe Remollo had already recognized the market's structural deficiencies in 2017 and had already contemplated its demolition and replacement, then give credit where it is due.

If his administration failed to move the project forward, say that.

If the plan was incomplete, say that.

If there were political, financial, technical or administrative reasons why it did not happen, explain those.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.

That is narrative engineering.

And when public officials begin selecting which parts of history the public is allowed to remember, we have every right to ask --

What else are they leaving out?

Dumaguetnons deserve the truth—not a version of history conveniently edited for political consumption.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁.

Via Negros Oriental Express BALITA

08/09/2026

Plan B: The Sandwich Generation's safety net

Raising children. Caring for aging parents. Planning for your own future.

For many Filipino families, these responsibilities don’t come one at a time. They happen together, often leaving working adults to stretch their finances across two generations while trying to prepare for what lies ahead.

This is the reality of the “sandwich generation”—parents who are supporting their children while also helping care for their own aging parents.

Being the family breadwinner already comes with plenty of responsibilities. But when two generations depend on you, an unexpected illness, disability, or loss of income can affect more than your own financial plans. It can put your family’s goals and day-to-day needs at risk.

What the numbers reveal

The recent findings of a Synergy-YouGov study show that securing protection and insurance is increasingly seen not just as a personal financial decision, but as an essential responsibility to one’s family.

Among Filipinos considering insurance, the top motivations reflect both immediate and long-term family needs. Health protection remains the leading concern, while retirement planning also ranks high, highlighting the desire to stay financially independent later in life and avoid becoming a burden to loved ones.

The survey also underscores how deeply family-centered financial planning has become. Nearly equal quantity of respondents cited funding their children's education (35%) and supporting parents or relatives (34%) as key reasons for considering insurance. These findings reflect the reality faced by many working Filipinos who must balance the needs of multiple generations at the same time.

Covered for the future

Beyond managing day-to-day expenses, members of the sandwich generation are burdened with the responsibility of safeguarding their family’s future.

“Many Filipinos today carry the responsibility of supporting both the next and previous generation. Life insurance helps ensure that no matter what happens, their families can continue pursuing their goals and meeting their needs,” shares Renato Vergel De Dios, President and CEO of BDO Life. “Ang pamilya mo ang nangangailangan ng Plan B.”

Ready to give your loved ones the gift of financial security? Talk to a BDO Life Financial Advisor at the branch nearest you, or visit the BDO Life Get a Quote page on the BDO website to explore life insurance solutions that align with your financial goals and budget.

08/09/2026

𝗗𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The proposed ₱1.948-billion Dumaguete City Public Market is financially viable and enjoys strong public support even as the National Institute for Transparency and Accountability (NITA) said the project’s long-term economic and public benefits outweigh concerns raised during its review.

NITA executive director Carlos Ayala said the group conducted its own assessment, including interviews with market vendors, residents and other Dumagueteños, independently of the city government.

The interviews, he said, showed broad support for modernizing the city’s aging public market, with many residents viewing the project as a tangible investment that would directly benefit ordinary consumers, vendors and small businesses.

“For many of the people we interviewed, this is where they can actually see where their taxes go,” Ayala said.

He said residents want better facilities, safer and cleaner surroundings and a public market that matches the needs of a growing city.

“This has been long awaited by many Dumagueteños, and the sentiment we encountered was strongly in favor of finally moving the project forward,” Ayala said.

The proposed market is part of a broader infrastructure program initiated by the Dumaguete City government under Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria.

The proposal underwent the prescribed local development process, including endorsement by the City Development Council, which voted 9-3 in favor of advancing the project.

Ayala said the undertaking should therefore be viewed as an institutional development initiative that has gone through established government processes rather than as a project resting solely on the decision of one official.

The proposed financing likewise underwent review and evaluation involving the Land Bank of the Philippines, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Finance and other relevant government authorities tasked with examining local government borrowing, fiscal capacity and compliance.

NITA said these layers of review provide safeguards before a local government takes on a major long-term financial obligation.

A feasibility study examined the project’s projected revenues, operating expenses, debt-servicing requirements and long-term economic sustainability. An independent body also reviewed the feasibility study and the project’s financial prudence.

While the reviews raised recommendations to refine certain assumptions and strengthen safeguards, NITA said these did not negate the project’s overall viability.

“Independent scrutiny does not mean that every concern discovered should become a reason to stop development,” Ayala said.

“The responsible approach is to identify weaknesses, correct them, strengthen the safeguards and determine whether the project continues to serve the greater public interest.”

In this case, Ayala said, NITA’s assessment is that the benefits outweigh the issues raised and the project remains financially viable.

NITA also said the value of the public market should not be measured solely by direct financial returns.

A modern market could provide better sanitation, safer facilities, improved accessibility, organized vending areas and stronger commercial activity, while giving the city a permanent public asset.

For vendors, the project could provide a more conducive environment for their livelihoods. For consumers, it could mean a cleaner, safer and more efficient marketplace.

For Dumaguete City, NITA said, the investment could help provide a stronger foundation for sustained economic activity.

Ayala also cited other major developments in the city and Negros Oriental, including the Medical City hospital now under construction, as indications of continuing investment in the area.

“What people want to see is development that reaches them directly and improves everyday life,” Ayala said.

He added that the efforts of the Sagarbarrias in their respective roles in the city, province and congressional district reflect a continuing focus on public welfare and development.

For NITA, the message from Dumagueteños was clear: protect public money, maintain transparency, safeguard vendors and allow necessary, lasting development to move forward.

-The Manila Time
Photo courtesy of The Manila Time

08/09/2026

08/09/2026

Look: Negros Oriental’s 3rd District Representative Janice V. Degamo’s reaction to the conviction of the three men who were found guilty of illegally possessing fi****ms in the Pamplona massacre of 2023, which resulted in the deaths of her husband, then Governor Roel Degamo, and others.

Video courtesy of Choy Gallarde

08/09/2026

07/09/2026

Be grateful GOD is fighting battles for you that you know nothing about. Good morning...

07/09/2026

FUEL PRICE INCREASE ON TUE. Sept. 8, 2026
Gas up to - ₱5.00/L 🆙
Diesel up to - ₱6.00/L 🆙
Kerosene up to -₱6.00/L 🆙

07/09/2026

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⏳️𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝘿𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙮:
10:00𝘼𝙈 - 8:00𝙋𝙈

📍𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: https://www.google.com/maps/dir//9.31009,123.3031117/@9.31001,123.3030871,18z/data=!4m2!4m1!3e0?entry=ttu
George Sy Street, Silliman Avenue Extention, Brgy. Taclobo, Dumaguete City (same exit road as Perpetual Help Redemptorist Church)