Business

Nov202025 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

New wage hike takes effect, DOLE urges employers to comply

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is encouraging employers in Western Visayas (WV) and Negros Occidental to comply with the new wage increase that took Wednesday, Nov. 19."We are urging them to comply voluntarily to avoid labor cases," DOLE WV Regional Director Sixto Rodriguez Jr. said on Thursday.Employers who cannot afford the wage hikes need to file a petitition for exemption that will be subject for review prior to approval, he said."There are no automatic exemptions," Rodriquez said.The daily minimum wage increase for Western Visayas, including Negros Occidental and Bacolod City , is P37 to P40 effective Nov. 19, the National Wages and Productivity Commission announced earlier.The monthly minimum wage of kasambahays (domestic workers) for the region als...

Nov182025 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Guv to consult mayors on distribution of P50M aid

Business, Top Stories

A Typhoon "Tino" damaged house in Moises Padilla* Joel de Vera Sr. photoThe Negros Occidental provincial government is determining how to apportion the P50 million allocated by the national government for Negrenses whose houses were destroyed and damaged by Typhoon “Tino”.There were 13,036 destroyed houses and 105, 936 damaged.Lacson said he will consult with the mayors to determine how best to apportion the funds.“What we will do is decide whether to give it to those with totally damaged or partially damaged houses. We will prorate how much will go to each LGU based on the reports that we have,” he said.“It is very difficult to distribute this money because the amount is not enough to cover the actual damages”, Lacson said.As much as possible the funds should be d...

Nov172025 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Greg facilitates dialog with LTFRB, LTO on PUV modernization concerns

Business, Top Stories

Mayor Greg Gasataya meets members of traditional jeepney organizations after the flag-raising ceremony at the Bacolod City Government Center on Monday.*Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya has scheduled a dialog with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and members of the city’s transport sector on Tuesday, November 18, to address concerns surrounding the ongoing implementation of the Department of Transportation’s Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization program.Gasataya met with representatives of the Bacolod Alliance of Commuters, Operators and Drivers (BACOD), the Kabacod Negros Transport Coalition (KNETCO), and the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (UNDOC) on Monday to hear their concerns, a press release fro...

Nov142025 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

‘Tino’ causes P1.2 B in sugar losses, affects more than 16,000 farmers

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A damaged sugarcane field in southern Negros* SRA photo The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) on Friday, Nov. 14, estimated the losses to the sugar industry in the Visayas alone at more than P1.2 billion, based on a partial assessment of the devastating damage caused by Typhoon “Tino”.“Tino” wreaked havoc in over 53,000 hectares covering the mill districts in Negros Island, Capiz, Iloilo, Leyte and Cebu, affecting more than 16,000 sugar farmers, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said.The assessment was conducted “after our research facilities and employees were able to recover from the destruction brought about by Tino”, he said.Azcona said that the SRA has mobilized field personnel to conduct a full assessment of all areas including farmlands that were in the pa...

Nov142025 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

AGI hits 9M profit of P24.8B, up 24%

Business

Alliance Global Group Inc. (AGI), the conglomerate led by tycoon Dr. Andrew L. Tan, saw a robust 24 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth in net income in the first nine months of 2025 to P24.8-billion as consolidated revenue reached P143.4-billion. The Group’s interim performance included one-time gain of P3.4-billion from the deconsolidation of its quick-service restaurants business, Golden Arches Development Corp (GADC), where AGI retains a 49 percent stake. GADC is now treated as an associate. This also brought AGI’s attributable profit during the period to P17.4-billion, up by 34 percent YoY, a press release from AGI said.Even if such one-offs are excluded, AGI’s core net income still reflected a growth of 10 percent YoY to P21.2-billion. This was driven by strong office and ...

Nov142025 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Typhoons damage 323 classrooms in Bacolod, Angara’s help sought

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City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office personnel clearing fallen trees at the Andres Bonifacio Elementary School 1.*CDRRMO photo Mayor Greg Gasataya said the recent typhoons inflicted major damage on 134 classrooms and minor damage on 189 others in Bacolod City.The data is based on a Rapid Damage Analysis and Needs Assessment (RDANA), he said.The city has sought the assistance of Education Secretary Sonny Angara for the urgent repair and rehabilitation of the affected classrooms, Gasataya said."We also met with the local DepEd to discuss and implement alternative learning arrangements to minimize the effects of the damage and (power) outages on education in Bacolod City," he said.City Administrator Mark Mayo said on Thursday, Nov. 1...

Nov142025 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Negros agri damage increases to P207.8M

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Typhoon "Tino" damage in La Castellana, Negros Occidental.* Richard Malihan photo Typhoon Tino’s damage to agriculture in Negros Island has hit P207.8 million, a Department of Agriculture (DA) official said on Thursday, Nov. 13. Jose Albert Barrogo, DA Negros Island Region executive director, said in Negros Occidental the damage to rice was P81 million, corn – P4 million, high value crops – P62 million and livestock and poultry – P830,000. Damage to rice in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, was P60 million, he added. DA Deputy Spokesperson Joycel Panlilio said rice crops were most affected by “Tino” in Iloilo and Negros Occidental. Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has placed the damage to fisheries at P39,828,142 and l...

Nov142025 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

City gov’t entertaining possibility of permanent co-working space

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The temporary co-working space at the BCGC lobby.* Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya is entertaining the possibility of creating a permanent co-working space for virtual assistants and online professionals in the future, City Administrator Mark Mayo said on Thursday, Nov. 13.However, the venue would not be at the lobby of the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC), they would have to look for another space, he said.In response to widespread power outages and intermittent internet connections, Gasataya has opened the BCGC lobby as a co-working space for virtual assistants and online professionals to continue their work uninterrupted from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. until electricity is fully restored in the city.“The BCGC lobby has been transformed into a free co-working spa...

Nov132025 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

‘The Blueprint by Globe’ lights up holidays

Business

Globe leaders respond to questions from media attendees during The Blueprint by Globe event, sharing insights on innovation, purposeful connectivity, and inclusive digital transformation. From left to right: Jonathan Cristobal, Marketing Head of Globe Business; KD Dizon, Vice President of Globe Business; Paula Rivera-Castillo, Head of International Business; Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer; Roche Vandenberge, Chief Marketing Officer; Chelo Flores, Director of Marketing Strategic Partnerships; Beverly Robles, Senior Director of Digital Strategy and Channels Activation of Broadband Business; and Anna Aranas-Baldos, Director of Portfolio Management of Globe Prepaid.*Globe marked the season of giving and togetherness with the second installment of T...

Nov122025 by Nanette GuadalquiverNo Comments

Bacolod opens night co-working space amid power outage

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The Bacolod City government has set up a free nighttime co-working space for online workers affected by the continued power outage in several parts of the city since the devastation of Typhoon “Tino”.Mayor Greg Gasataya said starting Wednesday night, the extended co-working space at the Government Center will accommodate users from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. daily until power is reasonably restored.“We know these past days have been incredibly challenging, especially for virtual assistants and online workers. Here, you can continue your work comfortably and securely amid the ongoing challenges brought by the recent typhoons,” Gasataya said.The co-working space can accommodate up to 100 users, including 40 voice workers and 60 non-voice workers.During the day, some online workers u...