Business

The livelihoods of fishermen, like this one in EB Magalona, will be affected by the ban.*Ronnie Baldonado file photoThe Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (PhilExport) Negros Chapter  on Friday, June 12, said the decision by U.S. authorities to suspend the importation of Philippine crabmeat products threatens the livelihood of thousands of workers and fishing communities across the country, including those in Negros Occidental.PhilExport Negros Chapter, in a statement, called for immediate engagement between Philippine and U.S. authorities to clarify and resolve the issues that led to the suspension.Effective June 11, the United States National Marine Fisheries Service, pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, closed the U.S. market to Philippine blue swimming cr...

Some of the beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment-Special Program for Employment of Students from Silay City, Negros Occidental.*PNA/Nanette L. Guadalquiver photoA total of 181 college students from three local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental received a total of PHP847,248 in salary share from the Department of Labor and Employment-Special Program for Employment of Students (DOLE-SPES) on Friday, June 12.The payout of wages was held during the opening activity of the 2026 Trabaho Agad Job Fair in celebration of the 128th Philippine Independence Day at SM City Bacolod.In her message, DOLE-Negros Occidental Officer-in-Charge Gretchen Pasiolan said the release of the agency's share for the SPES wages is part of its continuing commitment to employment...

Crab meat pickers in Barangay Tomongtong, EB Magalaona.* Ronnie Baldonado file photoThe Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Negros Occidental has issued an urgent call for national government intervention following the closure of the United States market to Philippine blue swimming crab products, Board Member Hope Marey Depasucat  said Thursday, June 11.The provincial board in  a resolution, authored by Depasucat, expressed "deep concern" over the immediate economic fallout threatening thousands of local fishers, crab meat pickers, and processing plant workers.The market closure, enforced by the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service under its Marine Mammal Protection Act, took effect on Thursday, June 11.The SP resolution said  the restriction was not imposed ...

Rep. Julio Ledesma IV (Neg. Occ., 1st District)*Expressing frustration over national funding delays, Rep. Julio Ledesma IV (Neg. Occ., 1st District) on Thursday, June 10, declared his readiness to personally deploy ₱3.5 billion in private equity to construct the 1st district's long-awaited airport in San Calos City if the national government fails to fund it by 2028.Ledesma, who is seeking reelection in  2028,  said  he refuses to leave office without the infrastructure project secured, vowing to replicate the self-reliant "bootstrap" approach that has historically driven the district's major developments."If the President won’t fund our airport, I will do what we've always done — build it ourselves," Ledesma said, adding that he will not end his final term with...

A gasoline station in Bacolod City.*PNA Bacolod file photoThe Department of Energy (DOE) is calling on more liquid fuel retail outlets (LFROs) in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, to participate in the fuel subsidy program (FSP) to allow public utility jeepney and utility vehicle express drivers to claim their fuel benefits.As of June 1, only 48 out of the estimated 500 LFROs or stations in Negros Occidental have registered to participate in the FSP.Engr. Jose Rey Maleza, chief of the DOE-Visayas Energy Industry Management Division, said on Wednesday all registered LFROs nationwide are mandated to take part in the program.“This is mandatory for all, there’s no exemption. The Land Bank of the Philippines has already issued a station code for each retail outlet,” he ...

Bacolod City’s vision of becoming a circular, resilient, and inclusive city by 2030 received a boost as representatives from the European Union (EU) and the European business community met with local leaders to explore partnerships in sustainability, green investments, and economic development.The visiting delegation was led by Dawn Marie Cabigon of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) and Tsvetomir Svilenov, Program Manager of the EU-Philippines Green Economy Partnership under the EU Delegation to the Philippines.Mayor Greg Gasataya welcomed the delegation, together with city officials, national government representatives, business leaders, and members of the academe during an investment and economic dialog at the Bacolod City Government Center.Gasataya e...

NACUSIP‑TUCP National President Roland de la Cruz*The National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines – Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (NACUSIP‑TUCP) announced on Sunday, June 7,  that  ₱3.815 million in initial cash assistance has been released to  typhoon‑affected sugarcane workers in Negros Occidental.The release was a direct result of the union’s formal request through NACUSIP‑TUCP National President Roland de la Cruz who sits as Field Worker Representative of the  Sugar Tripartite Council (STC), a press statement from the unions said.This action is grounded in the mandate of the Social Amelioration Program under Republic Act No. 6982, which ensures that sugar workers receive financial benefits funded by the industry itself. The ...