Business

There were two additional barangays in Negros Occidental affected by pig deaths from various diseases on Thursday, June 22.The two additional barangays were Barangay Efigenio Lizares in Talisay City and Barangay Salong in Kabankalan City, the Provincial Veterinary reported.The total pig deaths in Negros Occidental are now 14,014 or 9.79 percent of the province’s hog population.Total losses to the hog industry reached P157,658,100 on Thursday, the PVO said.Affected hog raisers are 2,769 in 142 barangays in 17 towns and cities of Negros Occidental, the PVO added.*

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has recorded a decrease in pork prices in Negros Occidental by almost P20 per kilo in June, compared to May.The average price of pork kasim and pork liempo decreased by P20.83/per kilo, from P290.50 to P269.67/kilo and P304 to P283/kilo, respectively, in June, the PSA reported.Meanwhile, pork with bones had a decrease of P6.67/kilo in the average retail prices from P297.50 in May to P290.83 in June, the PSA added.Average retail prices of beef with bones have also decreased by P15 from P374.83 to P359.83, while the dressed chicken is at P193.83/kilo this month, a P2.50 decrease from May’s P196.33.Pure beef and chicken egg (medium-sized) prices have almost remained the same at P378.83/kilo and P8.95/piece, respectively.Meanwhile, ...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Provincial Tourism Officer Cheryl Decena at the 2nd quarter tourism officers meeting at the Capitol in Bacolod City on Thursday, June 22.*Ronnie Baldonado photoThe Negros Occidental tourism industry earned close to P6 billion in 2022, and is now aiming to exceed last year’s gains, Provincial Tourism Officer Cheryl Decena said Thursday, June 22.The number of tourists in the province increased by 63.69 percent with 311,577 overnight tourists in 2021 and 510,022 in 2022, she said.Negros Occidental’s overnight tourists in 2022 exceeded the 350,000 target set by the Department of Tourism, Decena pointed out.The challenge for 2023 is to hit 600,000 overnight tourists, and not to fall below the 2022 number, she said.She said they are putting weight...

The Negros Occidental hog industry losses caused by the rising pig deaths from various diseases have breached the P150 million mark, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Monday, June 19.The pig deaths were 13,572 or 9.48 percent of Negros Occidental’s hog population with losses totaling P152,774, 975 on Monday, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) reported.This has affected 2,653 hog raisers from 140 barangays in 17 of 31 towns and cities in Negros Occidental, the PVO added.Kabankalan City was waiting for test results of pig blood samples sent to the Bureau of Animal Industry amid suspicion by one hog raiser that her pigs died from ASF.Kabanakalan Mayor Benjie Miranda said there was no official confirmation yet that Kabankalan’s pigs had been hit with ASF.A Barangay Linao, K...

Fuel prices are expected to slightly go down on Tuesday, June 20.Diesel prices should go down by P0.05 to P0.15 per liter, and gasoline by P0.30 to P0.40 per liter, Unioil Philippines said Saturday.Fuel firms on June 13 implemented a per liter increase of P1.20 for gasoline, P1.40 for diesel and P1.30 for kerosene.This resulted to a year-to-date net decrease for diesel at P3.95 per liter and kerosene at P6.05 per liter, and a P6.70 per liter increase in gasoline.*

Securities and Exchange Commission Director Vicente Graciano Felizmenio Jr. , Commissioner Kelvin Lester Lee and Director II Annabelle Corral-Respall of the SEC-Bacolod Extension (l-r) at a press conference Friday.*Nanette Guadalquiver photoThe Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has introduced easy and accessible funding options in the capital market for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and start-up companies in Negros Island.At least 150 participants joined the roadshow on capital formation hosted by the SEC-Bacolod Extension Office at the L’ Fisher Chalet in Bacolod City on Friday, June 16.SEC Commissioner Kelvin Lester Lee said there are “multiple other ways to raise capital” for those who want to engage in business or for business expansion.“It’s not ju...

Trade and Industry Sec. Alfredo Pascual*Business leaders are urging the Department of Trade and Industry to create a convergence program with other government agencies to develop the export market in the Visayas.Officials from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Visayas met with Trade and Industry Sec. Alfredo Pascual in Iloilo City on Saturday, June 10, and discussed the concerns of the business sector, Frank Carbon, PCCI Vice President for the Visayas, said Tuesday.Carbon, who is also the chief executive officer of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that export products from the Visayas are having a hard time competing in foreign markets because of higher wages and cost of utilities like electricity, among others.He said that wages in the...

A large increase in fuel prices is expected on Tuesday, June 12, Unioil Petroleum Philippines announced Saturday.Diesel prices will increase by P1.30 to P1.50 per liter, and gasoline by P1.10 to P1.30 per liter.Fuel firms implemented a per liter decrease of P.60 for gasoline and kerosene, and P0.30 per liter for diesel on June 6.There has been a year-to-date net decrease for kerosene of P7.735 per liter and diesel by P5.35, while, the price of gasoline had a net increase of P5.50 per liter, the Department of Energy reported last week.*

Border checkpoint in Barangay Sangke, Hinobaan.*Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Monday, May 29, that Negros Occidental still has no Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) confirmed African swine fever (ASF) cases despite the continued pigs deaths in the province from various ailments.Negros Occidental pig deaths on Monday increased to 7,202 in 118 barangays in 14 local government units, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) reported.The pig deaths have caused P88,265,750 in losses to Negros Occidental’s hog industry, the PVO said.They also represent 6.64 percent of the province’s 108, 528 hog population, and 1,498 raisers are affected, it addedMayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the two pigs in Barangay Taculing, Bacolod, that tested positive for ASF on Friday, May 26, r...

A leader of the business sector in Negros Occidental is seeking the help of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry to push projects on coconut development, aquaculture ventures, and the revival of the Philippine Sugar Corporation.Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Officer Frank Carbon told DIGICAST NEGROS that he brought these concerns to the sectoral committees of PCCI as he hopes to get more developments to the province.Carbon, PCCI Vice President for Visayas, is in Manila for the PCCI executive committee meeting.He joined the sub-committee meetings on agriculture, and power and energy, Carbon said.They discussed how PCCI could assist the provinces in the Visayas in getting ample shares from the Philippine Coconut Authority's P75 billi...