Bobit Avila: Stop those photos giving Sinulog a bad image; husband accuses Mandaue City Hospital of killing wife by giving wrong medication

The Freeman columnist Bobit Avila called us out today and asked for people to stop the photos that are giving Sinulog a bad image (more about it and our response below). Meanwhile, an overseas Filipino worker accused doctors and nurses of the Mandaue City Hospital of causing his wife’s death by giving her wrong medication.

Meanwhile, are you still reading this on a laptop or desktop, we invite you to read MyCebu.ph on your phone. We made sure the site looks good and functions well on mobile devices. You can then start your day by browsing the top Cebu news stories on the phone while taking your morning coffee.

Here are the top Cebu news stories for January 23, 2015:

The Freeman columnist Bobit Avila calls out: Stop those photos giving Sinulog a bad image

Bobit Avila said in his column today that the photos of drunks lying around are giving a “a huge negative impact on our well-loved Sinulog Festival.”

What has gone viral in the social media networks being spread by MyCebu.Ph in the aftermath of the Sinulog Festival, which was never heard of in previous Sinulog events are the photographs of dead drunk revelers lying on the pavement asleep. Those photos were taken from the Baseline Residences and in Century Plaza Complex and I’m sure there were many other poor stoned drunks lying around elsewhere.

I suggested that the police round up all the drunks after the Sinulog Festival so photos like what we saw on Facebook wouldn’t give the Sinulog Festival a bad image. I’m all ears on what solutions the Sinulog Foundation can cough up. But one thing is sure, we cannot allow the status quo to remain.

Sinulog after party — RAISING CONCERNS. People sleeping on pavements after a night of heavy after-Sinulog partying has raised concerns among local residents over the safety of the revelers. The Freeman columnist Bobit Avila, however, said the photos are giving a bad image to Sinulog and should be stopped. (Photo by Dr. Kristina Dosdos, reprinted with permission)

This writer’s note: We have reached out to Bobit and invited him to read the actual post, what is being spread (albeit admittedly along with the photos that come with the article) is the call for people to pitch in with ideas, suggestions and feedback on how we can make next year’s Sinulog even better.

We are compiling the suggestions and have reached out to Mayor Michael Rama’s office. We will be printing it out and submitting it to him. We will then check, once in a while, what the City intends to do next year.

Read Bobit’s full column: Stop those photos giving Sinulog a bad image!
Read the actual MyCebu.ph call for suggestions and the listing of what has been sent so far. You can still pitch in: MyView: Did we party too hard during Sinulog? What should City Hall do in Sinulog 2016?

Cebu City Treasurer: Impossible to meet P5 billion tax target

Cebu City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas said it is impossible for them to meet the P5-billion revenue target set by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama for this month. Cuevas said that as of January 21, 2015, they were able to collect only P500 million at the one-stop shop in SM City Cebu. Cuevas said she reported it to the mayor and he was okay with it.

The Freeman: Cebu City treasurer admits P5B target impossible
Sun.Star Cebu: Cebu City falls short of revenue targets

MPTC to help rehabilitate whole stretch of Guadalupe River as part of preparation for 3rd Mactan bridge

The Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) has agreeed to help undertake the rehabilitation and beautification of the Guadalupe river in preparation for the building of a 3rd bridge to connect mainland Cebu to Mactan Island.

MPTC will build the bridge after its proposal was approved by Mayor Michael Rama. Officials, led by president and chief executive officer Ramoncito Fernandez, met with Rama at City Hall yesterday.

Fernandez said they will take charge of the master plan for the river development. He also said they will start the project as soon as possible.

Sun.Star Cebu: MPTC to help City with rehabilitation

Overseas worker blames Mandaue City Hospital for wife’s death

Cesar Coliflores, who works as a driver in Saudi Arabia, accused the Mandaue City Hospital of giving wrong medication to his wife, Jocelyn, and causing her death last January 2. He said he will file charges against the hospital’s doctors and nurses.

Jocelyn had sought treatment for recurring fever. She later died from, “probable ruptured cerebral aneurysm,” according to the hospital’s death certificate.

But the autopsy report, according to the Sun.Star Cebu story, said Jocelyn died of “sudden cardiac arrest” and “left ventricular hypertrophy.” Coliflores got the report from the Philippine National Police Regional Crime Laboratory Office-Central Visayas.

The hospital chief said they are investigating the case but said the hospital did not commit mistakes.

“There’s nothing to complain and worry about because, on our part, we did our best. We did the right thing on the patient.” — Dr. Ma. Lourdes Espinoza, Mandaue City Hospital chief

Sun.Star Cebu: Husband goes after hospital for wife’s death