Business

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson*Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Friday, Oct. 17, that he will support the proposed joint venture agreement (JVA) between Negros Electric and Power Corp. (NEPC) and the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (NONECO).NONECO General Manager Wilbe Bilbao confirmed on Monday, October 13, that NEPC has officially sent a letter of intent for a JVA with the cooperative.“I've seen how Negros Power works here in Bacolod… it has the capital to introduce projects that will improve the delivery of power”, Lacson said.“That has always been the problem of cooperatives, they need to get approval for CAPEX (capital expenditure) and in most cases it's not approved or no action is taken,” he said.The governor pointed out that Negros Power’s e...

The Negros Electric and Power Corp. electricity rates are down by ₱0.3594 per kilowatt hour this October.The average residential rate for October 2025 is ₱11.9181/kWh, showing a slight decrease of ₱0.3594/kWh compared to September’s ₱12.2775/kWh, Negros Power announced Friday, Oct. 17.Negros Power said the decrease was caused by lower generation cost.The Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) rate dropped from ₱7.6219/kWh to ₱5.1922/kWh after several power plants in the grid returned to normal operations, helping reduce market prices, it said.Transmission charges slightly increased by ₱0.1189/kWh due to higher Ancillary and Reserve Market costs, Negros Power said.The business/franchise tax adjustment is ₱0.0094/kWh covering the 4th quarter of 2025, it added.*...

The sugar industry is still the main driver of Negros Occidental’s economy*Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Friday, Oct. 17, that he will support whatever is needed to bring sugar prices back to a comfortable level.He said the current low price is definitely not good for Negros Occidental, as sugar is still the main driver of its economy.The price of sugar recently plunged to around P2,200 per 50 kilogram bag. This level is nearly P300 below the estimated production cost, a joint resolution issued early this week by Negros Island Region (NIR) congressmen said.The resolution called on the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to immediately act on the matter.Lacson said sugar prices should at least go back to the general average of last milling seas...

The Alliance of Concerned Consumers in Electricity and Social Services (ACCESS) has expressed strong support for the proposed partnership between the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (NONECO) and the Negros Electric and Power Corporation (Negros Power), describing it as “a crucial step toward modernizing power services and improving consumer welfare in Northern Negros”.Wennie Sancho, ACCESS president, said in a press release on Thursday, Oct. 16, that their group has already conducted a series of consumer education and awareness programs with their members in the areas served by NONECO in the past months and listened to their clamor for better electric service and affordable rates.He said that the proposal of Negros Power to NONECO should be viewed as a partnership for progress...

The Department of Agriculture turns over the solar energy-powered greenhouse with hydroponics technology project to the Central Philippines State University.*The Central Philippines State University (CPSU) in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, is poised to earn income from lettuce production using a solar energy-powered greenhouse with hydroponics technology funded by the Department of Agriculture - Western Visayas.The facility was turned over on Monday, Oct. 13 by the DA-6 through the DA - Negros Island Region (NIR) to the CPSU, led by its president Aladino Moraca.It grows five lettuce varieties and has 2,700 heads ready for harvest.“The project aims to promote technology in modern and sustainable agriculture through the use of solar-powered system and hydroponics that e...

SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. (l-r)*Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Sugar Regulatory Administration officials have met with traders to address concerns over the low prices of raw sugar seen during the first bidding in Negros on October 9.Laurel and SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona and Board Member Dave Sanson have held initial discussions with traders, a Department of Agriculture (DA) statement said on Tuesday, Oct. 15.Azcona told DIGICAST NEGROS he has held a series of meetings with the traders since last week.Sugar traders revealed market hesitation, largely influenced by conflicting statements from various sugarcane farmer groups. As a result, major traders refrained from purchasing sugar dur...

The decline in sugar prices threatens rural livelihoods, the NIR representatives said.*Nic Ledesma file photoTen Negros Island Region (NIR) lawmakers, in a joint statement on Tuesday, Oct. 14, called on the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to take immediate measures to address the sharp decline in sugar prices that has left farmers struggling to recover their production costs.The representatives, in their joint statement, said reports that sugarcane farmers are being hit by a sharp decline in sugar prices “well below the cost of production, threatens rural livelihoods, food security, and social stability in the NIR.”Recent reports show that the millgate price for sugar has plunged to around P2,200 per 50-kilogram bag, a level nearly P300 below the estimated production cos...

RJ Ledesma, Ariel Casilao,  Fr. Melvin Fajardo,  Liza Maza and   Jenny Rapiz (l-r) at the press conference on Tuesday .*Members of an International Learning and Solidarity Mission (ILSM) on Tuesday, Oct. 14, condemned alleged rights violations and environmental destruction at the palm oil plantation of Hacienda Asia Plantations Inc. (HAPI) in Candoni, Negros Occidental, and are demanding that it ceases its operations.HAPI operates a reported 6,652.32 hectares of land in barangays Gatuslao and Agboy, Candoni, under an Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA).Its officials could not be reached for comment on the ILSM claims.RJ Ledesma, one of the ILSM members, said that they are gathering complete evidence for the filing of a Writ of Kalikasan against...

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) is holding a public hearing on minimum wage adjustments for private establishments in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental at Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct . 15.The hearing for domestic workers will be from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, at the same venue, the Department of Labor and Employment said.Wennie Sancho, General Alliance of Workers Associations, said they are demanding wage increase of P100 to P200 per day to restore the workers purchasing power.“A wage increase is necessary to ensure that workers can maintain a decent standard of living and contribute to the region's economic growth,” he said.*