Business

PVO photosThe municipality of Ilog, being one of the active and supportive agency in the livestock development program of Negros Occidental, has received, through its Municipal Agriculture Office, 97 heads of genetically improved free-range chicken (FRC) breeder stocks from the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO).The dispersal of quality genetics of FRC extended by the Provincial Government through the PVO to various LGUs and farmer associations is also a part of COVID measures in easing economic recovery among Negrense families by increasing their income through egg and meat production which will ensure food security and poverty reduction.Engaging in free-range chicken (FRC) production has become an alternative source of daily income among Negrense as it does not require big fi...

The Central Negros Electric Cooperative Inc. announced Wednesday, April 28, that its residential rates this April dropped by 37 centavos.Ceneco acting general manager Danny Pondevilla said the rate for this billing month was at P11.1353 per kilowatt hour from P11.5038/kWh in March, posting a decrease of P0.3685/kWh.The P0.3685/kWh rate decrease can be attributed to the reduction in generation, transmission, system loss charges and other pass-through charges such as the Generation Rate Adjustment Mechanism (GRAM), Incremental Currency Exchange Rate Adjustment (ICERA) and value-added tax, he said.He said the pass-through charges equivalent to P9.9487/kWh of the total power rate include the generation and transmission charges, Energy Regulatory Commission-approved adjustments, gov...

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Western Visayas is expected to tackle the proposed Pandemic Emergency Relief Allowance (PERA) for workers in their next meeting in May.In the regular meeting of the Board on Friday, April 23, they passed a unanimous resolution for the Board to take action on wage determination by motu proprio, Wennie Sancho, secretary-general of the General Alliance of Workers Associations and RTWPB labor representative, said.Two management representatives to the Board manifested their disapproval of the proposed P20 to P25 per day pandemic emergency relief allowance as an immediate economic relief amid the pandemic in their April 8 meeting.The proposal was submitted by the labor leaders in October 2020, and was referred to the Nat...

Capitol photoNegros Occidental Gov. Bong Lacson and Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) president, Atty. Jovy Bernabe signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the additional fund transfer of P19,239,880 by the province to the PCIC for the implementation of the crop insurance project for crop year 2021 onward.The MOA signing was held at the Governor’s Office, Provincial Capitol, earlier today, and witnessed by PCIC VI Regional Manager Eva Ulie Laud and Negros Occidental Provincial Agriculturist Atty. Japhet Masculino.Masculino said that it is a big help to farmers in mitigating the harmful effects of climate change and other natural calamities such as typhoons, floods, drought, earthquake and volcanic eruption, as well as plant diseases and pest infestations.The Negros ...

The secretary-general of the General Alliance of Workers Associations expressed labor’s dismay after business establishments in Western Visayas rejected their proposed P25-30 per day Pandemic Emergency Relief Allowance for workers.During the meeting with the Regional Wage Board Wednesday, April 7, Eduardo Estrella and Reynaldo Ambao, who represent management in the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) Region 6, manifested their opposition on the proposal of the labor sector.Wennie Sancho, GAWA secretary-general and labor representative to the RTWPB-6, said the management representatives claimed “it is not the time to extend additional allowance because the employers are also suffering from the economic recession, business closures and can hardly keep their busin...

PVO photoWith its ardent vision of becoming the center of cattle production in the Visayas, the Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office is once again encouraging all private cattle raisers in the province to avail of its Bull Loan under the Abanse Negrense, Provincial Animal Genetic Improvement Program (PAGIP) for cattle in line with its Animal Livelihood and Food Security programs.With the recent increasing trend of cattle population in the province from 49,306 heads in 2016 to 55,000 heads in 2020 amidst the pandemic, it can be said that it is attributed to natural breeding through the Bull houses and AI Centers established by the provincial government with the joint efforts of supportive LGUs and the United Cattle Raisers Association in Negros Occidental and Visayas (UCRA...

PVO photoThe Kapatiran Farm Workers Association or KAFAWA received livelihood assistance - 100 heads of free-range chicken - from the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental through the Provincial Veterinary Office.KAFAWA is composed of 40 members who were former RPMP/RPA-ABB members who were given orientation and seminar by PVO technical personnel on the free-range chicken production management and marketing to make the venture profitable as an alternative source of daily income to the association members to support their organization and their respective families.The group also had a chance to visit one of the provincial farms at the Provincial Livestock Breeding Center and Dairy Farm, La Carlota City, to personally get basic trainings on the different aspect of free-range...