Business

Oct242021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Gatchalian reiterates appeal for Pantawid Pasada subsidy

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian reiterated his call for government to reactivate the Pantawid Pasada fuel subsidy to provide relief to the public transport sector amid the rising prices of fuel.Gatchalian, who was in Valladolid, Negros Occidental, Saturday, October 23, said while the increase in fuel prices is expected to be temporary drivers of public transport need assistance during this period.He expects the fuel price increases to last for one or two months more.Unioil Petroleum Philippines on Saturday said it expects fuel price hikes in the coming week, which could be the ninth straight round of increases.Gatchalian said if subsidies are granted, drivers already have Pantawid Pasada cards.*

Oct222021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

OTOP showroom opens

Business

The OTOP Negros Occidental Showroom at Ayala Malls Capitol Central in Bacolod City.* Ronnie Baldonado photoThe OTOP (One Town, One Province) Negros Occidental Showroom at Ayala Malls Capitol Central in Bacolod City is open and will run until March 2022.Ayala Malls Capitol Central is elated to bring the One Town, One Province Negros Occidental to the mall in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry, its press release said.The showroom features crafts and delicacies that are truly the “best of Negros”, it said.These include furniture, accessories, and tasty delicacies from the community.Since the pandemic affected many Negrenses’ livelihood, the OTOP hopes to make the locally produced crafts and delicacies accessible to the market to help the producers bounce...

Oct222021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Guv leads inauguration of P87M farm-to-market road, bridge

Business

Manapla Mayor Manuel Escalante, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Department of Agriculture VI Regional Executive Director Remelyn Recoter (l-r) cut the ribbon at the inauguration of the P P48 million farm-to-market road*Richard Malihan photoA P48 million farm-to-market road in Manapla and a P39 million bridge in Toboso, Negros Occidental, were inaugurated Thursday, October 21.The farm-to-market road was turned over by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Department of Agriculture (DA) VI Regional Executive Director Remelyn Recoter to Manapla Mayor Manuel Escalante III.The DA- Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) road project that starts from Brgy. 1A to Punta Salong registers 10,565 households as direct beneficiaries, a press release from the Capitol said Friday, October 22.La...

Oct212021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

North, south Negros power rates drop, too

Business, Top Stories

The power rates in northern and southern Negros Occidental have dropped by P2.8376 and P3.8983, respectively, this October.The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (NONECO) announced Wednesday, October 20, that its power rate for October is P11.1328 per kWh or a decrease of P2.8376 from last month.The decrease is because of the low cost of electricity purchased from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) with an average price of P3.5585 per kWh, and the deferment in the collection of congestion cost and line rental until the restoration of the damaged National Grid Corporation of the Philippines Cebu-Negros submarine cable, a NONECO advisory said.It is also caused by the refund of congestion and other applicable charges, it added.The Negros Occidental Electric Coopera...

Oct202021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

P153M Sagay feeder port to boost local economy

Business, Top Stories

Sagay Mayor Alfredo Marañon III, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Department of Agriculture regional director Remelyn Recoter led the blessing and turnover of the Sagay Feeder Port/Fish Landing Wednesday, October 20.*Richard Malihan photoThe P153,516,648 Sagay Feeder Port /Fish Landing in Barangay Old Sagay, Sagay City, Negros Occidental, was inaugurated Wednesday, October 20.The feeder port has allowed roll-on-roll-off vessels from Iloilo and Cebu to dock in Sagay and will boost the export of produce from the city and neighboring areas to other parts of the country, Sagay Mayor Alfredo Marañon III said.It will also be an added attraction to locators at the Sagay City economic zone, he said.Marañon was joined by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Department of Agriculture regional d...

Oct202021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Power rates down P2.0814 per kWh

Business, Top Stories

The Central Negros Electric Cooperative average residential rate for October is P10.1788/kWh, a decrease of P2.0814/kWh, from last month’s rate of P12.2602/kWh, its acting general manager Danny Pondevilla said Tuesday, October 19.He attributed the P2.0814/kWh rate drop to the reduction in generation charges with the decrease in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM ) price, transmission, system loss charges, implementation of PCPC adjustment, and other pass through charges such as Lifeline and Senior Citizens Discount and Value Added Tax.In monitoring the monthly electricity usage, consumers are advised to look at their kilowatt-hour consumption and not the amount, Pondevilla said.The amount may vary depending on the pass-through charges, he explained.*

Oct192021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

BPI, Ford Philippines team up to offer flexible auto loans, exclusive discounts to customers

Business

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) and Ford Philippines have forged a partnership to offer customers an easier way to own their dream Ford vehicles through flexible auto loans and exclusive discounts.BPI Retail Lending Group Head Dennis Fronda said the partnership of BPI with Ford Philippines opens up a way for its clients to own a Ford as more and more people look for a safer way to travel amid the pandemic.“With this partnership, we also see the opportunity to work even more closely with the Ford dealer network nationwide, so we can better service their customers in the dealerships. We see opportunities to add value to each of our institutions and grow sustainably in spite of the pandemic,” said Fronda.He added that Ford Philippines continues to deliver strong retail pe...

Oct192021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Zubiri to DA: Act on rising fertilizer prices

Business, Top Stories

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri is calling on the Department of Agriculture (DA) to take action amidst the skyrocketing fertilizer prices in the country, which has put farmers on the back foot as they struggle to balance rising production costs and low farmgate prices.Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority Executive Director Wilfredo Roldan has cited global demand as the primary reason for rising fertilizer prices."Urea used to go for just around P800 to P900 per 50 kilograms, but now it is at P1,500 to P1,800. That's an astronomical jump, especially in the middle of a pandemic," Zubiri, who has roots in Negros Occidental, said Monday, October 18."The best way to address this is for the DA to lead the efforts in really developing our local fertilizer industry. How is it t...

Oct182021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Farmers’ assistance center launched to assist organic rice farmers, Uy says

Business

Ramon Uy Sr. and the farmers at the launching of the Farmers Assistance Center on Saturday, October 16.*The Ecological and Agricultural Development Foundation Inc. formally launched its Farmers Assistance Center to assist farmers in the production of organic rice and vegetables at the RU Foundry headquarters in Barangay Pahanocoy, Bacolod City, on Saturday, October 16.Ramon Uy Sr., the foundation’s president, said they have allocated P10 million donated by good-hearted friends to uplift the lives of farmers by assuring them that all of their produce will be purchased at a guaranteed price.Aladino Moraca, executive director of the foundation, said 21 farmers from Candoni, Bago City and San Carlos City joined the launching of the assistance center that encourages them to produce ...

Oct152021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Pre-inspection underway for repair of damaged Negros submarine cable

Business

NGCP file photoThe National Grid Corp. of the Philippines is continuing to implement the necessary actions prior to the actual repair of its 138kV high voltage submarine cable in Amlan, Negros Oriental, a press release from the firm said.“The unique underwater nature of the facility necessitates a pre-inspection of the extent of the damage prior to actual repair. The cable’s manufacturer and service provider is currently conducting a ’cut and inspection’ of the submarine cable to determine this,” it said.The cable was damaged on June 15 during the dredging and re-channeling activities undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) along Bio-os River.The two circuits of the 138kV submarine cable have a total capacity of 180MW. With the loss of one circuit d...