Business

The National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines is alarmed over the statement of Presidential Adviser on Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion that employees may not get their 13th month pay and may end up empty handed if the government doesn’t ease restrictions on businesses, NASCUSIP national president Roland de la Cruz said Wednesday, October 13.“We, in the trade union movement are one with the business sector in calling for government to ease health and safety restrictions provided that there are enough vaccines for the workers to avail in order to have a more secure working environment to protect not only the customers but the workers as well,” he said.“However, floating the idea of employers to deprive workers of their much-awaited 13th Month Pay leaves a ...

Government authorities are fast tracking the release of permits for biomass power plants to begin operating and hastening the completion of submarine cables to increase the power supply for Negros and Panay, and bring down the cost of electricity.The assurance was given at a House Committee on Energy virtual meeting Tuesday, October 12, chaired by Deputy Majority Leader and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, who said it was held at the insistence of Rep. Francisco Benitez (Negros Occidental, 3rd District).Representatives from Negros and Panay through House Resolution 2206 had sought an inquiry into the power rate increases in their areas.“Consumers should not shoulder the cost arising from lack of power supply and congestion due to the damage to the NGCP (National Grid Corporati...

Photo from Ceneco FB pageThere will be a substantial drop in power rates in Negros Occidental this month.The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative rates will drop by P2.50 per kWh and by an estimated P1.30 per kWh at Central Negros Electric Cooperative, Danny Pondevilla, CENECO and NONECO general manager, said Tuesday, October 12.The CENECO rates will be finalized by October 15, he said.The Department of Public Works and Highways accidentally damaged the submarine cable of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines in Amlan town, Negros Oriental, sometime in June that consequently cut off the island’s power supply from Cebu and drove up electricity rates for consumers.The Energy Regulatory Commission has ordered a refund of the congestion charges imposed after the ...

Photo from Ceneco FB pageThe frequent brownouts in the Central Negros Electric Cooperative coverage area are being caused by foul weather, CENECO acting general manager Danny Pondevilla said Tuesday, October 12.Strong winds are causing branches of trees to hit CENECO lines causing power to trip off, he said.There are some residents who refuse to have their trees cut, they only allow pruning, he said.Pondevilla said he will instruct their clearing teams to make sure that branches are cut so they do not hit the power lines.Wennie Sancho, Power Watch Negros Advocates secretary general, said CENECO was questioned about its frequent brownouts at a virtual House Committee on Energy meeting Tuesday.Sancho said CENECO did not provide a sufficient answer to the problem.The b...

The House Committee on Energy is holding a virtual meeting on the increase of electricity rates by electric cooperatives in Negros and Iloilo, Wennie Sancho, secretary-general of Power Watch Advocates, said Monday, October 11.The meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 12, Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, committee chairperson, informed Sancho.The meeting is being held in response to Resolution 2206 filed by Negros Occidental and Iloilo representatives seeking an inquiry in aid of legislation into the increase in electricity rates in their areas.Rep. Francisco Benitez (Negros Occidental, 3rd District) said they want to determine what is causing the increase in electricity rates and what can be done to minimize the cost on consumers.*