Business

Sugar workers face the prospects of drastic work reductions, CONFED president Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr. said *Ronnie Baldonado file photoThe Confederation of Sugar Producers Association (CONFED) is calling on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to implement a government-financed buying program to arrest the problem of plummeting millgate sugar prices.On top of the announced no sugar importation until December 2026, concrete measures are needed to raise domestic sugar and molasses prices, reduce local sugar inventory, and establish a clear and predictable policy environment to restore confidence in the domestic sugar industry as a major economic driver, CONFED president Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr. said in his letter to the president, which was released to the media on Wednesday...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson delivering his New Year’s message.* Richard Malihan photoNegros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson officially opened the 2026 work year by outlining an agenda that prioritizes food safety, disaster logistics, and the full operationalization of the Negros Island Region (NIR).In his New Year message following a Thanksgiving Mass attended by Negros Occidental provincial officials and department heads and employees at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City on Monday, Jan. 5, Lacson said “building on the achievements of the past year, we now look ahead with concrete plans for 2026”.NEW ABATTOIRSThe provincial government will operationalize newly constructed abattoirs in Hinoba-an, Cauayan, Binalbagan, Murcia, Toboso, and San Carlos, training loc...

Sugar milling is in full swing.*Nic Ledesma file photoNegros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Monday, Jan. 5, expressed continued concern over the prevailing sugar crisis, noting that millgate prices have yet to see an upward trend.He said  as of now no sugar order has been issued by the national government toy address the low millgate prices.“I’m still waiting to see if there is indeed a solution to the low prices,” Lacson said. “This week, we will know if there is any improvement in sugar prices.”The governor said there is a growing sense of resignation among local producers, pointing out that “there are even planters who have accepted the fact that we will have to bite the bullet already.”Lacson described the current situation as a “double whammy” for...

Almost all of the country's sugar mills are now operational.* Ronnie Baldonado file photoTwo sugar industry leaders aired mixed views Sunday, Jan. 4, on the prospects of millgate sugar prices in 2026, after no upward movement was seen in December.Manuel Lamata, United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) president, said the prospects will be good as soon as the Department of Agriculture implements the export/import program.That will surely bring up millgate prices for the planters, he said.“My new year advice to the farmers is to continue planting and farming. Ups and downs in the cycle of our sugar industry is nothing new,” Lamata said.Enrique Rojas, National Federation of Sugarcane Planters president, said “NFSP hopes for the best prices for all sugar farmers, but the ...

Preparations are complete for the launch of the Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS) at the lobby of the Bacolod City Government Center on Monday, January 5.The initiative, led by the city government, aims to simplify and speed up business registration and renewal processes for local entrepreneurs, a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office said.The Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO), working with multiple key city departments, will accept applications through the BOSS platform from January 5 to 20.By co-locating all relevant offices in one venue, the program streamlines processing for requirements including Fire Inspection Certificates, Sanitation Inspection Certificates, Building Permits, and Occupancy Permits — eliminating the need for applicants to visit...