Category Archives: Articles

The freedom to chart your own future is like a beautiful ray of sunlight over a land long covered in darkness. That must have been the sentiment of our Negros forefathers 121 years ago when the document evidencing the surrender of Spanish forces in Negros Occidental was signed in the then town of Bacolod onContinue reading “Capitulación Firmada el Seis de Noviembre: Bacolod As the Birthplace of Freedom”

Twelve remarkable Filipino women are hailed as The Outstanding Women in Nation’s Service (TOWNS) by TOWNS Foundation, Inc. on October 29, 2019. TOWNS is a national awards program given to outstanding Filipino women ages 21 to 50 years old who have contributed positively to strengthening national capability and shaping the nation’s future and served asContinue reading “The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) Awardees for 2019”

Published in SunStar Bacolod under my column – DISRUPTIVE MODE on October 2, 2019 Sixteen-year old climate activist Greta Thunberg has become an overnight name for saying what other environmental activists failed to strongly say to our leaders – shut up and show it. For decades, our leaders have designed all sorts of policies, treatisesContinue reading “Responding to Greta”

The dignity of earning a living comes with a price. Its amount is equivalent to how much are we willing to value ourselves as citizens of our community alongside our economic needs. Our street vendors live each day precariously with that question in mind – balancing whether they must earn or must follow the law.Continue reading “A Peddler of Hope”

Part 2 of 10: Days 11 to 20 – Rolling Our Sleeves For the Real Work – Identifying Newer, More Cost-Effective and Efficient Solutions to Address Solid Waste Management The word CHANGE has become a cliche these days. It has become an overused and misunderstood political slogan for decades. A political challenger uses the wordContinue reading “CHANGE: First 100 Days (2) – A Focus on Solid Waste Management”

Part 1 of 10: My proposed first 10 Days – Visioning and Onboarding, Strenghtening Stakeholders to Ensure Good and Results-Centric Govenance Change is inevitable. Apparently in Bacolod, the current administration repeatedly insists “We don’t need change.” A repetitive campaign slogan that many swallowed hook, line and sinker. From the side of the public, the dangerousContinue reading “CHANGE: First 100 Days (1) – Organizational Development”

A Post-Election Reflection of Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue When I decided to run for office last October 7, 2018, I already knew that decision will be another life-changer for me. It was a decision I need to make because I believed in the vision of creating positive change for Bacolod. I already knew it will beContinue reading “The Journey Towards Change Starts Within”

OneBacolod Vision: A Stronger, Smarter and Inclusive City of the Future where every Bacolodnon is a partner towards creating clear, relevant and effective solutions to directly address the challenges of modern times OneBacolod Mission: To ensure that every Bacolodnon is a partner towards creating clear, relevant and effective solutions to directly address the challenges ofContinue reading “OneBacolod Vision: The CHANGE Bacolod Needs”

Speech at the Opening Salvo of OneBacolod last April 1, 2019 By Atty. Jocelle Batapa Sigue, Mayoralty Candidate of Bacolod City It is not a question of what Bacolod is today but what Bacolod could become in the future. For what Bacolod is today is not the work of one but of each one ofContinue reading “Pagbag-o: The Journey to OneBacolod”