Business

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II during the  online Local Chief Executives’ Briefing with the Department of Energy on Tuesday.* Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on Wednesday, March 18, called on Negrenses not to resort to panic buying, to tighten their belts, and to hold off unnecessary travel as fuel prices continue to soar.“Let’s continue to pray a solution to the Middle East crisis will be found,” Lacson also said.Energy Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella on Tuesday conducted an online briefing with local chief executives on the country's oil supply situation. Fuentebella informed them that the country has more than 30 days of fuel reserves, Lacson said.He also assured that the Philippines is looking for oth...

Many Negrenses drive up to Don Salvador Benedicto on weekends.*Ronnie Baldonado photoNegros Occidental’s tourism industry and the upcoming Panaad sa Negros Festival are expected to be affected by the rising fuel prices, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Wednesday, March 18.Domestic tourism will be affected with less people traveling because of the rise in fuel prices, he said.For example fewer people will be driving up to Don Salvador Benedicto on weekends, he said.Lacson also said there could be a drop in attendees from out of town at the Panaad sa Negros Festival, which is scheduled to run from April 13 to 19.Despite these concerns, the governor expects that Bacolod residents will still flock to the festival in large numbers.*

Jess and Ligaya Marañon (3rd and 2nd from left), the owners of the art house,  with guests.* Robert Harland photos  Bacolod City’s cultural landscape continues to flourish, and the reopening of the J&L Marañon Art House at Osmena Aveñue, adds another distinctive attraction to the growing list of places of interest in the city.Once a popular destination, the house had been closed for several years, but owners Jess and Ligaya Marañon, who are based in London, have now entrusted its management to Bacolod Arts, Cultural and Heritage Inc. (BACHI) under the leadership of Sandy Solinap.Acting Negros Occidental Provincial Tourism Officer Raymond Alunan, Bacolod Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr., ace tour guide Artie Lacson, curator Sandy S. Soli...

Bacolod protestors call for an end of the war in the Middle East.* Romeo Subaldo photoMilitant groups staged a protest in Bacolod City on Tuesday, March 17, following the government’s announcement of a ₱1 fare hike for traditional jeepneys and a ₱2 increase for modern units amid soaring fuel prices. Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chair Vigor Mendoza II said the adjustment raises the minimum fare for traditional jeepneys to ₱14, with a ₱2 charge for every succeeding kilometer. Modern jeepney fares will rise to ₱17, with a ₱2.30 rate for every kilometer beyond the minimum. The Department of Energy reported that diesel prices surged by ₱20.40 to ₱23.90 per liter, while gasoline rose by ₱12.90 to ₱16.60 on Tuesday. Noli Rosales, Bayan Muna Negros secretary gen...

Kanlaon’s moderately explosive eruption on Sunday.* Marvin Escander photoKanlaon Volcano will remain under Alert Level 2 for now despite its recent moderately explosive eruption, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Director Teresito Bacolcol said on Tuesday, March 17.The recent moderately explosive eruptions at Kanlaon are consistent with its Alert Level 2 status, he said.“For now, we are not considering raising it to Alert Level 3… at this point, the assessment remains at Alert Level 2,” Bacolcol said.However, residents living beyond Kanlaon’s 4-kilometer permanent danger zone must be ready at any time should activities at Kanlaon escalate to Alert Level 3, Bacolcol added.Donato Sermeno III, Director of the Office of Civil Defense for the Ne...

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Tuesday, March 17, reminded the private sector of available flexible work arrangements -- such as a four-day/compressed workweek or work-from-home scheme -- that can help ease operational costs while protecting workers’ welfare. Under a compressed workweek arrangement, the standard 40-hour workweek may be distributed across four working days instead of five, with the corresponding hours added from Monday to Thursday if work is suspended on Friday. On the other hand, under a work-from-home arrangement, employees may follow a regular eight-hour onsite schedule from Monday to Thursday with work performed remotely on Friday, depending on the nature of work. DOLE spokesperson Assistant Secretary Lennard Constantine Serrano said such arrangements ...

A motorcycle rider refuels at a pumping station in Dumaguete City on Monday.* PNA/Mary Judaline Flores Partlow photoThe Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in Negros Oriental said inflation in the province rose in February, compared to the previous month.PSA Negros Oriental provincial director and chief statistician officer Ariel Fortuito said on Monday, March 16, that the increase was also slightly higher compared to the same period last year.“The inflation rate in Negros Oriental for February 2026 is pegged at 1.8 percent versus the previous month, which was at 0.8 percent,” Fortuito said.Meanwhile, the inflation rate in February 2025 was 0.2 percent.The main drivers for the acceleration of last month’s inflation were the commodity groups: food and non-alcoholic be...

The fire at Barangay Biak-na-Bato, La Castellana town.*Mj Guardiano photo via PIA Negros Occidental.The moderately explosive eruption at Kanlaon Volcano on Sunday night triggered an estimated 65 hectares of forest and grassland fires, while ash and sulfuric odor hit 92 barangays across Negros.The eruption, which began at 6:07 p.m., lasted only a minute but emitted ash for 3 hours and 49 minutes, Mari Andylene Quintia, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) resident volcanologist stationed in La Carlota City, said.Kanlaon also had moderately explosive eruptions on February 19 and 26, and remains under Alert Level 2.Quintia said the fires on the slopes of the volcano were triggered by ballistic projectiles or pyroclastic density currents from the erupt...

Vehicles formed long lines at Bacolod gasoline stations Monday night ahead of another round of fuel price hikes on Tuesday, March 17.* Richard Caballero Jr. photoDomestic oil prices will rise by as much as P23.90 per liter this week, with five companies implementing increases on a staggered basis starting Tuesday, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said Monday, March 16.For gasoline products, the increase will be PHP12.90 to PHP16.60 per liter; for diesel, PHP20.40 to PHP23.90 per liter; and for kerosene, PHP6.90 to PHP8.90 per liter.This will bring gasoline prices to as much as PHP91.60 per liter, diesel to PHP114.90 per liter, and kerosene to PHP143.79 per liter.Department of Energy (DOE) data show that from March 10 to 16, gasoline prices ranged from PHP63.40 to PHP75 per li...

Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI) announced on Monday, March 16, that it is implementing a fare increase per kilometer across all routes to sustain operations following recent spikes in global oil prices.This adjustment was approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Friday, amid the unstable movement of fuel prices in the world market caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.This has affected the operating costs of public transportation, VTI said.As fuel remains one of the primary expenses in bus operations, the continuous oil price hikes have made it necessary for the company to follow the LTFRB adjustments in fares in order to sustain daily operations, VTI said.The grant of provisional increase was made by virtue of Sec. 16 of CA 146, ...