Business

Nov172021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

GCash strengthens commitment to employee excellence, leadership development

In celebration of its sixth anniversary, the country’s number one fintech app GCash, strengthened its commitment towards employee excellence and leadership development through its G Nation - For The Nation program. The leading fintech company highlights the importance of a passionate employee working together with like-minded and like-hearted individuals to change the world for the better. With a supportive and collaborative workplace culture, the program aims to provide current and potential GCash employees increased opportunities and skills to advance their careers in the company."We believe that nurturing talent, along with a company's healthy working environment, should be highly promoted, especially as we recover from these uncertain times. Aside from our mission of financial incl...

Nov162021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Lacson inks MOA with OISCA for Japanese language training

Business

Capitol photoNegros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson signed a Memorandum of Agreement with OISCA International, Japan and OISCA Bago Training Center (OBTC) for a three-month Japanese Language and Culture Training of nine scholars bound for Japan in a virtual meeting at the Governor’s Office, on Monday, November 15.OISCA International, Japan was represented by its Secretary-General Yasuaki Nagaishi while OISCA Bago Training Center was represented by its director, Shigemi Watanabe.This program is a pioneering collaboration between the provincial government of Negros Occidental and OISCA International Japan on education and employment for highly-skilled young Negrense professionals, a press release from the Capitol said.This scholarship program is aimed at providing and...

Nov152021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Zubiri: Subsidies, other solutions to mitigate soaring fertilizer prices

Business, Top Stories

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri with sugar leaders Saturday, November 13.*Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said he has asked the Department of Agriculture (DA) to submit a comprehensive action plan to address the soaring prices of fertilizer, and to provide farmers with subsidies to mitigate its effects.“A few days ago, I talked with Agriculture Sec. William Dar. I approved the DA’s budget for 2022, with a colatilla that the DA should submit to the Senate a plan on how to address the problem on high fertilizer prices, and what concrete steps they would take to lower the prices of fertilizer,” the senator said in a meeting with sugar industry leaders at Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, on Saturday, November 13.Prices of urea were at P800 to 9...

Nov152021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Megaworld to continue making Bacolod ‘shine’ with developments

Business, Top Stories

Property giant Megaworld Corp. will continue to make Bacolod City “shine” with its developments, its senior assistant vice president and public relations and media affairs head, Harold Geronimo, said.Geronimo led the unveiling of the firm’s Christmas Village and the parol lighting program at Forbes Hill, its first upscale village outside Metro Manila, located at the boundary of the cities of Bacolod and Talisay in Negros Occidental, on Saturday, November 13.“I hope that this pandemic will not stop us from celebrating the true spirit of Christmas,” he said.Geronimo, a Negrense himself, said that he has been working closely with his friends and colleagues in Manila to make their township an exciting place to visit.“We hope that as we celebrate the Christmas Season – as part o...

Nov132021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

NFSP urges price cap, fertilizer importation

Business, Top Stories

Amid the uncontrolled increases in fertilizer prices, the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP) is calling on the government to impose a price cap or import fertilizer directly and sell them at lower cost to the farmers.“In coordination with Department of Trade and Industry, perhaps the DA can impose a price cap or Suggested Retail Price for fertilizers,” said NFSP president Enrique D. Rojas in his follow-up letter sent Wednesday, November 10, to Agriculture Secretary William Dar.The DA can also propose the direct government importation of fertilizers to be sold at break-even or subsidized prices, so that farmers can avail of fertilizers at a lower cost, he added.Sugar Regulatory Administrator Hermenegildo Serafica, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Sen. Cynthia Vil...

Nov112021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Soaring fertilizer prices, imports threaten food security: Confed

Business

“Farmers need help from the government to address soaring costs of production.”The call was issued by Raymond Montinola, Confederation of Sugarcane Planters’ Associations national president, following a CONFED board meeting in Bacolod City on Thursday, November 11..“The cost of Urea and other fertilizers have gone beyond affordable levels, especially for our small farmers,” Montinola explained, adding that “with urea at Php2,000 per bag, our farmers will most likely reduce their inputs, leading to sudden drops in production.”“We are not talking only about sugarcane growers, but also about rice and other farmers who depend on fertilizers to maintain their production,” Montinola said in a press release.This development would constitute a serious threat to the country’s quest for ...

Nov112021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

P168M agricultural machinery distributed to Negros farmers

Business

Capitol photoA total of P168 million in rice farm machinery and equipment under the Department of Agriculture’s Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program, were distributed to various rice farmer cooperatives and associations in Negros Occidental, Thursday, November 11.Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Philmech Director Baldwin Jallorina led the distribution of the projects at the Panaad Park in Bacolod City.Distributed were 36 four-wheel tractors, 24 rice combine harvesters, 13 riding type transplanters, and 5 walk-behind transplanters.This project aims to reduce the cost of rice production and reduce postharvest losses, that will eventually help the farmers increase their productivity and income, a press release from the Capitol said.The impleme...

Nov112021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Cebu-based coop extends loans to Bacolod, Murcia farmers, drivers

Business

City PIO photoA total of P990,000 in loan assistance was extended by the Cebu People’s Multi-Purpose Cooperative to 63 farmers and jeepney drivers in Bacolod and Murcia on Wednesday, November 10, at the Barangay Villamonte Gym in Bacolod City.The Agri-Negosyo Loan Program or ANYO, was launched by the cooperative in partnership with the Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Credit Policy Council to help strengthen the food supply chain, small farmers and other grassroots stakeholders, a press release from the Bacolod City Public Information Office said.Thirty-three farmers, mostly from Barangays Alangilan and Mandalagan and Murcia town, received their loans alongside 30 jeepney drivers and operators plying the Central Market, Fortune Towne and Eroreco routes.The ANYO Loan...

Nov102021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Benitez distributes toolkits for Metro 3rd TESDA scholars

Business, Community

Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Negros Occidental, 3rd District) led the distribution of starter toolkits to 88 scholars of the 2020 Special Training for Employment Program of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) at separate programs in E.B. Magalona and Murcia on Tuesday, November 9.The office of Benitez partnered with TESDA to facilitate the conduct of community-based specialty training programs to promote livelihood and employment opportunities for the underprivileged and displaced workers in the barangays, a press release said.Acting Provincial TESDA Director Romelia Nuezca thanked Benitez for the support and participation of all cities and municipalities of the Third District, enabling them to teach and provide skills to many beneficiaries, especiall...

Nov92021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Bello: Covid jabs not mandatory, but required in three businesses

Business, Top Stories

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III reiterated on Tuesday, November 9, that vaccination against COVID-19 cannot be made mandatory."Persons cannot be forced to be vaccinated because we live under a democratic society,” Bello stressed at a press conference at the Negros Residences in Bacolod City.There is no law that requires everybody, including workers, to get vaccinated, he said.However, a national Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) resolution requires that workers at restaurants, hotels and personal care establishments must be fully vaccinated, he said.Meanwhile, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the Negros Occidental provincial government will abide by the guidelines of the NIATF on when minors can be allowed to go out of their homes.We are being guided by NIATF rules, and ...