Business

Aug242021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

67th Philsutech convention opens Aug. 25

The 67th Annual National Convention of the Philippine Sugar Technologists Associations Inc. (PHILSUTECH) opens at Park Inn Hotel, SM City in Bacolod, Wednesday, August 25.This is the first time that the convention returns to Bacolod City after 17 years of being held in Cebu, and the first time that the event is held under a pandemic. Unlike in previous conventions, all activities in this year’s event will be conducted virtually, a press release from PHILSUTECH said.Agriculture Secretary William Dar and Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat are the guest speakers during the opening ceremony, while Sugar Regulatory Administrator Hermenegildo Serafica will deliver a report on the sugar supply and demand situation for Crop Year 2020-2021, and the outlook for Crop Year 2021-2022....

Aug232021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

No to A sugar – UNIFED

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Ronnie Baldonado photoThe United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) is urging the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to scrap the A sugar or the US sugar quota for the coming crop year if the supply is just enough for the country’s consumption.UNIFED President Manuel Lamata, in a press release, said “there is no point to allocate A sugar when we will also import the differential to satisfy the local needs.”Lamata said UNIFED is stating its stand in anticipation of Sugar Order No. 1, which is expected to come out by next week and with talks rife that there are sectors who are pushing for a 7-8 percent allocation for the US market.UNIFED agreed to a seven percent allocation of A sugar last year. But the problem was, “the farmers were short-changed because the differential...

Aug212021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Two other Negros coops announce power rate hikes

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The two other electric cooperatives in Negros Occidental announced power rate hikes for August, too.The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (NONECO) in an advisory Friday, August 20, said that its residential rate is up P2.3061 per kWh this month.Its power rate increased from P11.5152 per kWh in July to P13.8212 in August, NONECO announced.The high electricity market prices were due to the critical level of power in Negros and Panay islands caused by the damaged submarine cable line of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) that connects Cebu and Negros, annual preventive maintenance of Palm Concepcion Power Corp. and the derated power generation of Panay Energy Development Corp., the NOCECO advisory said.The Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (NOCECO)...

Aug202021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Big power rate hikes for Negros in August; Damaged submarine cable partly to blame

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Ceneco photoThe three electric cooperatives in Negros Occidental will have large power rates increases this month because of the damaged National Grid Corp. of the Philippines submarine cable connecting the Cebu-Negros transmission line, Danny Pondevilla, Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) acting general manager and project supervisor, said Thursday, August 19.He said the average residential rate of CENECO for August will be P12.3724 per kWh, an increase of P1.8789 per kWh from last month’s rate of P10.4935 per kWH.He attributed this to the hike in generation charges that resulted from the increase in market prices because of the damaged submarine cable and preventive maintenance work at Palm Concepcion Power Corp. in Iloilo, Energy Regulatory Commission approved adju...

Aug202021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Consumers group opposes Ceneco general assembly

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PondevillaA group of power consumers is vehemently opposing the holding of the 43rd Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA) of Central Negros Electric Cooperative on September 26, saying it poses a danger to the health and lives of its consumers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.The Unity Forum of Consumers in the Power Industry (UFC-PI) in its resolution said the AGMA gathering would trigger the spread of the COVID-19 virus, particularly the Delta variant.The holding of the AGMA is unnecessary, impractical and it is not indispensable to the continuous operation of Ceneco, the resolution said.Dan Pondevilla, Ceneco acting general manager and project supervisor, said the AGMA will be held virtually via Zoom, there will be no huge gathering of people.The AGMA will be held for ...

Aug192021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

NFSP opposes molasses importation for bioethanol

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Ronnie Baldonado photoThe National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP) is opposing the request of the Ethanol Producers Association of the Philippines (EPAP) to import molasses as feedstock for the production of bioethanol.“The importation of molasses will adversely affect the prices of domestically produced molasses, which will be disadvantageous to our thousands of sugarcane farmers,” NFSP President Enrique Rojas said Thursday, August 19.Aside from its main product of sugar, the sugar milling process also produces molasses as a by-product, and it is one of the major sources of income of sugarcane farmers. Molasses is mainly used to ferment rum, feedstock for bioethanol, additive for animal feed and as cooking and baking ingredient, a press release from NFSP said.The B...

Aug182021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

UNIFED strongly opposes molasses importation

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Ronnie Baldonado photoThe United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) reiterated its strong opposition to the Ethanol Producers Association of the Philippines’ (EPAP) appeal to import molasses, during the Bioethanol Consultative Board (BCB) virtual meeting Tuesday, August 17.UNIFED President Manuel Lamata said Wednesday, August 18, this move by EPAP has already been thumbed down by members of the BCB last month, yet they found ways to raise the issue up through the House Committee on Energy, chaired by Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo.Lamata said he was glad that the BCB stood pat on their decision to oppose the importation of molasses, especially at this time when milling season is about to start.BCB’s position will be adopted by the Sugar Regulatory Administration and will be submi...

Aug172021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Sagay farmers receive P10M in farm machineries

Business

The Department of Agriculture turned over more than P10 million worth of farm machineries to two farmers’ associations in Sagay City under their Rice Competitiveness Enhancement (RCEF) program, recently.The Manara-Puey Irrigators Association and Colonia Divina Irrigators Association from Brgy. Puey and Colonia Divina were given P5 million worth of machineries, respectively, a press release from the Sagay City government.Sagay City has been introducing new technology through trainings and hands-on farm demonstration of farm machineries. Mayor Alfredo Marañon III said this is part of our thrust on food security which is crucial especially during the pandemic.Farm mechanization increases the level of farm activities, reduces labor costs and farm losses from harvesting to milling r...

Aug122021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

15 barangays get P4.5M

Business

Capitol photoAnother 15 barangays received P4.5 million in financial assistance from the Negros Occidental provincial government for various development projects at the Capitol grounds in Bacolod City Thursday afternoon, August 12.The projects include the repair of street lighting facilities, construction of a perimeter fence, installation of solar streetlights, improvement of water system, construction of drainage canals, rehabilitation of multi-purpose building, procurement of multi-purpose vehicle, renovation of daycare center, and covered court electrical installation, a press release from the Capitol said.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and board members Samson Mirhan, Pal Guanzon, and Miguel Alonso, led the ceremonial distribution of checks to the punong baranagys.The benefi...

Aug122021 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

25 rebel returnees get livelihood assistance

Business

PVO photoAt least 25 former rebels from Salvador Benedicto town, Negros Occidental have received 250 heads of kabir chicks during a dialog at Brgy. Bato, Sagay City recently.The activity was facilitated by the 79th Infantry (Masaligan) Battalion and the 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division of the Philippine Army.The Provincial Veterinary Office has been a partner of the Army and other government agencies in giving livelihood assistance to the former rebels. The program is expected to give the recipients an income to start with through egg and meat production which is a suitable business venture at this time.“The dispersed animals are of high-quality stocks seen to boost backyard free-range production in the province and known to contain high-quality protein and budget-friendly...