Business

May102026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Sugar producers, labor thank Ejercito for Senate moves to aid sugar industry

Sugar producers and labor groups on Sunday, May 10, thanked Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito for his decisive "one-two-three" legislative strike aimed at addressing over-importation and revitalizing the struggling sugar industry.They said in a rare display of legislative speed, Sen. Ejercito filed two resolutions and a landmark bill within just 20 days:• Senate Resolution No. 369 (April 16): Initiating a probe into alleged sugar over-importation;• Senate Resolution No. 380 (May 4): Investigating the underutilization of the Sugar Industry Development Act (SIDA); and• Senate Bill No. 2114 / TUBO Act of 2026 (May 6): Proposing comprehensive reforms to modernize mills, protect farmers, and to hike annual SIDA funding to ₱5 Billion.In a joint statement the Sugar Cou...

May92026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

3-month freeze on power disconnections starts May

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Under the new directive, Negros Power will halt all disconnection activities for unpaid bills specifically covering the May to July 2026 billing cycles.The measure, authorized under Executive Order No. 110, is designed to provide immediate financial relief to consumers struggling under the weight of a prolonged regional energy crisis, Negros Power said.The protections will remain in effect from May 2026 through July 2026.Under the new directive, Negros Power will halt all disconnection activities for unpaid bills specifically covering the May to July 2026 billing cycles.This moratorium applies to both residential households and non-residential establishments, including local businesses.However, the utility firm clarified that this "grace period" is not retroactive.A...

May92026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

UNIFED slams Sugar Council for being ‘adversarial’

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UNIFED Chairman Manuel Lamata*United Sugar Producers Federation Chairman Manuel Lamata on Friday, May 8, slammed the Sugar Council for being “adversarial”.“They are desperate for a change of leadership, hoping they can place their own allies in the Sugar Board”, Lamata said in a press release.Everybody knows the one dictating their so-called council has a personal agenda and will always be in opposition against this government because of their political alliance, Lamata added.He also said it is insulting to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel to be asked that the DA needs to re-affirm his earlier pronouncements that no importation will happen until end of 2026 if there is no need to do in the hope that sugar prices will stabilize.“If they cannot believe a p...

May82026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Guv to seek DILG clarification on return to five-day work week

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DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson.*Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Friday, May 8, that he will seek clarification from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on whether local government units (LGUs) may return to the standard five-day work week.Lacson stated he intends to consult directly with DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla on the matter.The provincial government transitioned to a compressed four-day work week on March 16.The move was designed to align with national mandates, specifically the Office of the President’s Memorandum Circular No. 114 aimed to mitigate the economic impact of rising fuel prices triggered by volatility in the Middle East, Lacson had said.However, some municipalities are already shi...

May82026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Sugar Council: Let us unite behind Tubo Act of 2026

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Ronnie Baldonado file photoThe Sugar Council on Thursday, May 7, rallied industry stakeholders to unite behind House Bill No. 9088, introduced by Rep. Javier Miguel L. Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District).The TUBO Act of 2026 (Tunay na Ugnayan Buhay at Oportunidad sa Asukal), which aims to strengthen the sugar industry by expanding the mandate and composition of the sugar regulatory administration, rationalizing the allocation of the sugar industry development fund, and institutionalizing systems for trade remedies and climate adaptation, is seen as a way forward for the sugarcane industry in the wake of the current injurious crisis, the Sugar Council said in a press statement.“The TUBO Act of 2026 advocates additional safeguards in order to protect the industry from opportu...

May72026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

CHIZ SAYS FILIPINO FAMILIES NEED HELP TO COPE WITH RISING FOOD COSTS; ASKS DOF, BSP TO CRAFT A MORE RESPONSIVE STRATEGY

Business

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has called on the government to strengthen safeguards against rising consumer prices, as headline inflation climbed to 7.2 percent nationwide in April and reached 10.8 percent in Central Visayas and 9.9 percent in Zamboanga Peninsula, among the highest outside Metro Manila.Escudero said Central Visayas’ double-digit spike and Zamboanga’s near double-digit rate highlight the urgency of coordinated action between fiscal and monetary authorities, noting that households and farmers are bearing the brunt of rising food, fuel, and transport costs.“Bukod sa monitoring, kailangan natin ng agarang tugon para hindi tuluyang lamunin ng presyo ang kita ng mga pamilya, lalo na sa Visayas at Mindanao kung saan mayroon tayong pinakamataas na inflation rates,” h...

May62026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Increased security near Sagay university ordered as student sexual harassment reports spark alarm

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Sagay Mayor Leo Rafael Cueva, right, said perpetrators would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.*Mayor Leo Rafael Cueva has ordered immediate security upgrades following reports of sexual harassment of students near the State University of Northern Negros (SUNN) in Sagay City, Negros Occidental.Cueva on Wednesday, May 6, warned all transport drivers and operators that the city will not tolerate any form of exploitation or harassment of students.Any perpetrator found involved in such incidents would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, he said.The concerns were brought to the mayor’s attention by SUNN president Dr. Renante Egcas on Tuesday prompting an urgent meeting with the Peace and Order Committee, the Sagay Philippine National Police, and various Tricy...

May62026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Council: 93 industry leaders saying Sugar Board must go can’t be wrong

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Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers Inc. president: Danilo A. Abelita, National Federation of Sugarcane Planters president Enrique D. Rojas and Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations Inc. president Aurelio J. Valderrama Jr. (l-r) of the Sugar Council.*“The call by 93 leaders from the sugar industry for the Sugar Board to be replaced cannot be wrong,” the Sugar Council said Wednesday, May 6.The Sugar Council, in a press statement, said it was referring to a manifesto signed by 93 industry leaders from all over the country, and published in a national newspaper on Tuesday, May 5.The 93 sugar industry leaders represent stakeholders in various fields, it said.“The Sugar Board’s failure to manage sugar supply and demand, particularly due to its import replenishment p...

May62026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

NACUSIP thanks Javi, JV for sugar industry support

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Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez and NACUSIP president Roland C. de la Cruz (right)*The National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry in the Philippines (NACUSIP) on Wednesday, May 6, thanked Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez and Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito for pushing for an overhaul of the Philippine sugar industry.Ejercito has introduced a series of legislative measures aimed at investigating and revitalizing the nation's struggling sugar sector, focusing on alleged importation irregularities and systemic industry support.Ejercito filed Senate Resolution 369, which directs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform to launch an inquiry into the alleged over-importation of sugar.The resolution seeks to determine the impact of these imports on local producer...

May62026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

35th Visayas Area Business Conference Set to Convene in Bacolod City

Business

Business leaders, entrepreneurs, and industry stakeholders from across the Visayas region are set to gather for the 35th Visayas Area Business Conference (VABC) at its new venue at L’Fisher Hotel, Bacolod City, on May 13 to 15.Hosted by the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), this year’s conference highlights Bacolod’s growing role as a center for commerce, innovation, and collaboration in the Negros Island Region.With just days to go before the highly anticipated event, excitement continues to build as the conference marks another milestone in fostering regional economic growth and partnerships. Now on its 35th year, VABC remains one of the premier business gatherings in the Visayas, bringing together key players from various sectors to discuss pressing economi...