Nietes honored for feat as 4-division boxing champion

BACOLOD CITY — Filipino boxing champion Donnie Nietes was given a hero’s welcome by Bacolodnons for his rare feat of winning world titles in four divisions.

“I never imagined I would achieve four-division titles because I was so small as a young boy,” Nietes said in the local dialect during his homecoming press conference at Northwest Inn here Tuesday.

Donnie Nietes makes a number four sign to signify his world boxing championships in four divisions before the start of his homecoming press conference in Bacolod City on Tuesday, January 8, 2019.
*Photo by Nanette L. Guadalquiver*

The Negrense boxer, who was born in Murcia town and spent some of his growing years in neighboring Bacolod City, was honored by the city government to acknowledge his achievement that brought pride, not only to Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, but also to the Philippines.

After the press conference, Nietes went around the city’s major streets for a motorcade, which ended at the Bacolod City Government Center.

Nietes, 36, is only the third Filipino to become a four-division world champion after Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire.

Last December 31, he defeated Kazuto Ioka of Japan for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) super flyweight title in Macau to win his fourth world title.

“I thank God for helping me deliver a good performance to win in my fourth division. I’m really happy that I made a name and a record for myself,” Nietes said, adding that his success is a result of his dedication and hard work during his training with the Cebu-based ALA Gym, which jumpstarted his professional career in 2003.

During the press conference, Nietes was joined by city officials headed by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, and Rep. Greg Gasataya, as well as Bacolod Amateur Boxing Association (BABA) president Juan Ramon Guanzon. Members of his family, led by his father Josue, were also present.

The forerunner of Guanzon’s group, the Negros Amateur Boxing Association, had served as a training ground for aspiring Negrense boxers like Nietes.

“We join the BABA to honor and congratulate Donnie. This is really something we can all be proud of,” Leonardia said.

Guanzon thanked the city government for organizing the events to honor Nietes, who has remained humble and respectful despite his success.

“This is really a result of Donnie’s hard work,” he added.

Aside from his WBO minimumweight, light flyweight and superflyweight titles and his International Boxing Federation flyweight belt, Nietes is also the longest-reigning Filipino boxing world champion, surpassing in 2014 the record set by Gabriel “Flash” Elorde in 1967. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1058320

NegOcc fishery industry seen to get boost thru USAID partnership

BACOLOD CITY — The fishery industry of Negros Occidental is seen to get a boost through the partnership of the academe and the business sector with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Frank Carbon, chief executive officer of Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), said Monday the possible collaboration will cover the seas in the southern part of the province facing Hinoba-an, Sipalay City, and Cauayan, which are abundant in high-value fish products, such as tuna.

Blue swimming crabs are also found in the Visayan Sea, particularly the areas from Talisay City to Escalante City in Negros Occidental, he added.

Carbon said they expect to complete all the discussions this January and sign the contracts in February.

“The project may take off in March. This is going to have a huge impact on the province economy-wise, poverty reduction, and in ensuring sustainability of marine resources for future generations,” the local business leader said.

Carbon said USAID has tapped the Silliman University in Dumaguete City and the University of the Philippines-Visayas in Iloilo City for a program to develop the Visayan Sea and southern Negros seas, respectively.

“We will convince them that the collaboration, particularly for the Visayan Sea, should focus on the Negros blue swimming crabs as this is a billion-peso industry,” he added.

Citing the data of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the MBCCI noted that the blue crab industry in Negros amounted to PHP8 billion in 2016.

As the fourth largest export industry in the Philippines, 30 percent of the blue crab production comes from the Visayan Sea, particularly the northern part of Negros, it added.

Carbon said Silliman University, which is in charge of the development of the land side, specifically in Negros Occidental, has tapped their group for collaboration.

“The MBCCI understands more the market side, like how the products will be processed, marketed, and how to look for capital. Thus, this is where the business sector will come in,” he added.

Carbon said USAID’s concern is the sea side, or the water side.

They want to improve, rehabilitate, preserve and protect biodiversity mainly through research initiatives with the academe, he added.

“After improving the catch, there should be value-adding process, like cooking, picking and canning,” Carbon said. “The whole idea of this collaboration is improving the catch, adding value to the catch so that we will create more jobs.”

The ultimate outcome of the collaboration is poverty reduction, especially among the shoreline barangays and communities where 60 percent of the population is located, he added. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1058244

New NegOcc top cop warns rogue personnel

BACOLOD CITY — Senior Supt. Romeo Baleros, newly-appointed officer-in-charge of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO), has warned policemen in the province against engaging in illegal activities.

“We have zero tolerance to any member of the Philippine National Police who is found directly or indirectly involved in illicit activity. The full force of the law shall be applied against you,” Baleros said in his speech during the command turnover ceremony held at the Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. here Monday.

Senior Supt. Romeo Baleros, newly-appointed officer-in-charge of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, delivers his acceptance speech during the turnover of command held at the Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019.
*Photo courtesy of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office*

He added that the NOCPPO has “no place for a few members who are still involved in illegal activities”.

“I will not condone anyone who taint the good image of our prestigious organization,” Baleros said.

The new provincial police chief took the helm from Senior Supt. Rodolfo Castil Jr., who also succeeded Baleros in his previous post as chief of the the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 (Western Visayas) Intelligence Division.

The turnover of command was supervised by Senior Supt. Harold Tuzon, chief of PRO-6 Directorial Staff, in the presence of Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Department of the Interior and Local Government Provincial Director Carmelo Orbista, and National Police Commission Provincial Director Mae Diamante.

“As the newly-installed officer-in-charge, I have three lined up programs to be implemented under my watch which are anchored on the President’s priority thrust programs that he used as battlecry during the 2016 campaign period,” Baleros said.

He said these are the government efforts against illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption.

“First, let us conduct continuing legal offensives against illegal drug traffickers and illegal substance abusers and their cohorts under the concept of demand and supply reduction and implementation of Project: Double Barrel…I will be in the frontline in the fight against this menace,” he said.

Baleros said the provincial police will assist and support the members of the anti-drug abuse councils in conducting their drug clearing program, as a support unit of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-6.

“Second, is our extensive and intensive anti-criminality campaign. We have to prevent and suppress all forms of criminality and other forms of threat by conducting deliberate and sustained operations on eight focus crimes,” he pointed out.

Baleros said the campaign will be done alongside their counterparts in the Armed Forces of the Philippines as well as the national support units, and concerned stakeholders.

He urged Negrense policemen to strengthen the campaign against criminals, put them behind bars, and ensure their convictions.

“Third, is our utmost desire to get rid of corruption and cleanse our ranks of misfits and scalawags,” he said.

Baleros stressed that the doctrine of “punishment and reward” will be equally applied among the policemen.

“Those who excel in their performance shall be awarded and given recognition while personnel who are still involved in irregularities and other forms of unlawful activities using his or her position for personal gain will be investigated,” he further said. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1058200

Business confidence in Bacolod City restored: mayor

BACOLOD CITY — An all-time high of 23,187 permits registration in 2018 is an indication that business confidence has been restored in this city, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said.

“This is a solid indicator that we have restored business confidence. Even the business world has taken notice of the business climate we have created in Bacolod,” the mayor said in an interview on Sunday.

Between 2015 and 2018, business permits registration increased by 23.22 percent — from 18,817 to 23,187 by Dec. 31, 2018.

Last year’s registration was 5.33 percent higher than the 22,004 establishments registered in the entire 2017. The 2017 figures are higher by 15.68 percent compared to the 19,021 approved permits in 2016.

Taxpayers queue at the one-stop-shop for renewal of business permit registration at the lobby of Bacolod City Government Center. The operations will run until January 20.
*Photo by Nanette L. Guadalquiver*

Leonardia’s previous term as mayor ended in 2013, and he was succeeded by Monico Puentevella from 2013 to 2016. He won a fresh mandate for a three-year term until 2019.

Leonardia said the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) has recognized the improved business climate in the city and listed Bacolod among the “most business-friendly cities” in the country in 2018.

He added that with the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) recognizing Bacolod as the “most competitive city in the Visayas” in the past year, the city government now intends to attract more investments and sustain the growth momentum.

Leonardia earlier said that part of his vision to make Bacolod very business-friendly is the setting up of the one-stop shop operations to ensure that business confidence is restored and a climate conducive for business and industry to grow and prosper is established.

This year’s business one-stop-shop, which caters to the renewal of business permits aimed at providing convenience and accessibility to taxpayers, started Jan. 3 and will run until Jan. 20 at the Bacolod City Government Center.

Stela Rose Rayos, head of the City Mayor’s Office-Permits and Licensing Division, said that as of Jan. 7, their office has released 138 renewed permits.

She noted that the processing of business permits this year is faster because the system is now fully automated, which makes the procedure easier.

Business taxpayers who pay in full within the period can avail of a 10-percent discount.

If the renewal period is not extended after Jan. 20, the taxpayers will be charged a 25-percent penalty, Rayos added. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1058124

Wage hike pushed for household workers in Region 6

BACOLOD CITY — The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB)-6 (Western Visayas) will hold a series of public consultations and hearings starting this month on the proposed wage increase for domestic workers or “kasambahay”.

Labor representative Wennie Sancho said the board will begin discussing the proposal during its meeting in Iloilo City on January 10.

Sancho noted that the RTWPB-6 decided to review the wage of “kasambahay” motu proprio or on its own.

He added that Wage Order No. 2, which prescribed the new minimum wage rate for domestic workers in the region, including Negros Occidental, at PHP3,500 per month already lapsed last December 8.

The said wage order removed the classification of “kasambahay” and they were allowed to receive the same wage rate, regardless of whether they are working in cities or different classes of municipalities.

Previously, domestic workers in cities and first class municipalities were prescribed to receive PHP2,500 per month while those in other towns were entitled to get PHP2,000.

Based on the current wage order, the salary of domestic workers in cities and first class municipalities increased by PHP1,000 per month while for those in other towns, by PHP1,500.

Sancho earlier said the classification was somehow “confusing and discriminatory.”

“Expenses of ‘kasambahay’ in any locality is almost similar. The gravity of their work is also the same thus, they all deserve to receive higher and common wage,” he added.

The existing wage order applies to all domestic workers, whether on a live-in or live-out arrangement, such as, but not limited to general househelp, “yaya”, cook, gardener, laundry person, and any person who regularly performs work in one household on an occupational basis.

However, it does not cover service providers, family drivers, children under foster family arrangement, and any other person who performs work occasionally or sporadically and not on occupational basis. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1058071

Stronger linkages to sustain growth in NegOcc: ICT exec

BACOLOD CITY — An industry leader has pushed for a stronger collaboration with the government and the academe to sustain the growth of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, as destinations of choice for information and communications technology (ICT)-enabled opportunities.

John Dave Dueñas, president of the Bacolod-Negros Occidental Federation for Information and Communications Technology (BNEFIT), said they aim to further strengthen their linkages with other industry stakeholders this 2019.

Dueñas, who works as chief executive officer of HYBrain Development Corp., said the province’s capital, Bacolod City, aspires to be one of the country’s creative hubs with a growing number of creative workers doing freelance or studio projects in animation, game development, and software development.

“We also have a deep pool of talents for higher value jobs, such as creative services, financial services management, and also in healthcare information management (HIM) because we have so many graduates in health care courses and creative services,” he said.

BNEFIT will focus more on projects that will prepare the current labor market to be more adaptive to the new trends in technology, he added.

In 2018, the ICT industry in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City marked a success.

Bacolod, from its previous 12th place slide in 2017, made a big jump on Tholons Services Globalization Index (TSGI) after placing 89th in the world’s top 100 cities for global services in 2018.

It is eight notches higher from its 97th place ranking in 2017, Tholons’ research report and ranking of the Top 50 Digital Nations and Top 100 Super Cities for 2018 showed.

According to BNEFIT, the business environment in Bacolod is attractive to potential investors and ICT organization locators, which can be attributed to the business-friendliness of the local government unit (LGU), government transparency, incentives for new locators, strong infrastructure for ICT-related companies, and availability of skills and talent in the locality.

The cost of doing business is also lower in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City compared to other locations.

“Quality of life is better, electricity is cheaper than elsewhere, there is live-work-play balance, peace and order is way better, crime rates are low, with high literacy rate, and better English speakers of the manpower are also prevalent,” Dueñas said.

He expressed optimism that the industry would be able to grow tremendously, mainly because of the effective cooperation of the ICT private companies, academe, and LGUs.

“The effort is not single-handed but collaborative in nature and we owe it to the community for creating a positive atmosphere for the investors and locators,” Dueñas added. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1057959

NegOcc gets 160,000 bags of imported rice

BACOLOD CITY — The National Food Authority (NFA) in Negros Occidental received an additional 160,000 bags of imported rice from Vietnam before the end of 2018.

Assistant provincial manager Marianita Gellecanao, who led the inspection of the stocks on board the vessel on Tuesday, said the unloading could start anytime today, Friday, following a 24-hour aeration.

Personnel of National Food Authority-Negros Occidental led by assistant provincial manager Marianita Gellecanao during Tuesday’s (January 1, 2019) inspection on board the vessel which delivered the 160,000 bags of rice from Vietnam to the Bredco port in Bacolod City.
*Photo courtesy of NFA-Negros Occidental*

She said the new buffer stocks, the third import allocation for Negros Occidental for 2018, arrived at the Bredco port here on December 29 via MV Tan BINH 79.

“The additional importation was approved by the NFA Council last year, and was supposed to be shipped by November. However, it arrived only in the later part of December,” Gellecanao said.

In 2018, the first import allocation of 80,000 bags arrived in July followed by 100,000 bags in November. Both stocks came from Thailand.

Gellecanao said without disturbance like bad weather, the unloading of the newly-arrived rice stocks may be completed in at least two weeks.

As of Thursday, the buffer stocks left in the NFA warehouses in the province amounted to about 50,000 bags, which are scheduled for distribution among the local retailers.

With the arrival of 160,000 bags, the total inventory of government rice in Negros Occidental is pegged at about 210,000 bags.

Selling price is PHP25 per kilogram for accredited rice retailers. These can be sold in the market at PHP27 per kilogram.

Gellecanao said that based on Negros Occidental’s average daily consumption requirement of 20,600 bags, the buffer stocks may last up to 80 days.

NFA’s participation in the total rice consumption requirement of the province is only 10 percent, she added.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol earlier said the Philippines will have enough rice supply this year.

Piñol, who also sits as the NFA Council chairman, said the NFA has established a stock inventory of 750,000-metric tons of imported rice in preparation for the lean months.

The volume will ensure an eight-month supply of government subsidized rice at 10 percent market participation, he added. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1057990

Bacolod City’s crimes down 17% in 2018

BACOLOD CITY — The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) reported a decrease of 17.12 percent in its total crime volume from January 1 to December 31 last year.

Records showed that crimes declined by 583 from 3,406 in 2017 to 2,823 in 2018.

Senior Supt. Francisco Ebreo, acting director of Bacolod City Police Office.

Index crimes, or crimes against person and property, dropped by 40.19 percent from 1,132 in 2017 to 677 last year.

These include the eight focus crimes of murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, car and motorcycle theft, which all decreased during the 12-month period.

Non-index crimes, or violations of special laws, decreased by 5.63 percent from 2,274 in 2017 to 2,146 in 2018.

Senior Supt. Francisco Ebreo, acting city police director, said in a press conference on January 3 the average monthly crime rate in Bacolod in 2018 was pegged at only 40.46 incidents compared to 48.82 in the previous year, which is reflected in the 17.12 percent decrease in the total crime volume.

Ebreo said this can be credited to the continuing operations against prevalent crimes, such as theft, physical injury, and robbery, which have a big impact on the community.

In 2018, theft cases decreased to only 261 from 450 in 2017 while incidents of physical injury dropped to 168 cases in 2018 from 253 in the previous year.

“We focused on these incidents, which we discussed weekly during our enhanced management police operations conference,” Ebreo said, adding that repeat offenders have also become the subject of police operations.

From January to December last year, the BCPO conducted 922 police-initiated operations, which were 62.9 percent higher than the 566 operations in 2017.

Ebreo also cited the support and cooperation of the city government and barangay officials in the anti-crime efforts of the police, as well as the increased public awareness of crime prevention. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1057921

Investment uptrend in Negros Occidental seen to continue in 2019

BACOLOD CITY — A local business leader has expressed optimism about the continuing uptrend of investments in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, this 2019.

Frank Carbon, chief executive officer of Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), said the business sector in the province saw the worst and the best of times last year.

He cited the high food prices and fuel costs among the worst part, but also noted the billions of investments poured in as the best part.

Among these investments were those of property giants Ayala Land Inc. and Megaworld Corp. along with Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp.’s opening of its new passenger terminal, SM Prime Holdings Inc.’s hotel development, and the start of economic highway construction in the province.

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. (left) and Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia (2^nd from right) with Jose Emmanuel Jalandoni (2^nd from left), ALI senior vice president and head for Commercial Business Group, and Dodo Ocampo of Makati Development Corp. during the ceremonial merging of heart that marks the opening of the P5.2-billion Ayala Malls Capitol Central in Bacolod City on Dec. 14, 2018.
Photo by Richard Malihan/Negros Occidental Capitol PIO

“All of these mean that in 2018, we created a lot of job and livelihood opportunities for Negrenses,” Carbon said.

He added it has been the investment trend in Negros Occidental for the last eight years and is expected to continue in 2019 and even beyond.

For this year, it is not only the service sector investments that will increase but more developments in the power sector are expected as well.

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines is gearing up for the establishment of its 230-kilovolt Cebu-Negros-Panay Backbone Project targeted to be completed by 2020.

Carbon said that on the generation side, the business sector is hopeful that SMC Global Power Corp. will also start its coal-fired power plant project in San Carlos City.

“This is another investment, a big investment,” he added.

Carbon also said that solar power farms may also venture into biomass energy generation to complement their production.

“Service and power sectors put together, there’s going to be a lot of jobs and livelihood for Negros in 2019,” the business leader said.

The MBCCI itself is upbeat that the government sector, particularly the Department of Public Works and Highways, will continue the development of inter-provincial road networks.

Tourism and information and communications technology are among the major industries in the province seen to further improve this year, the business group added. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1057929

Bacolaodiat Festival set Feb. 1-5

BACOLOD CITY — Preparations for the 14th Bacolaodiat Festival to welcome the Chinese New Year in this city are underway.

This year’s Bacolaodiat, whose name originated from “Baco” for Bacolod and “Lao Diat,” a Fookien word for celebration, will be held on February 1 to 5.

The Lunar New Year will be celebrated on February 5, based on the traditional Chinese calendar, and 2019 will be the year of the Earth Pig.

Bacolod City officials led by Mayor Evelio Leonardia and leaders of the local Filipino-Chinese community cut the ribbon for the opening of the Chopstick Alley and Imperial Village in a past edition of the Bacolaodiat Festival. Photo courtesy of bacolaodiat.com

Among the highlights of the five-day celebration is Bacolaodiat Lantern Dance Competition.

Eight groups have been chosen to participate, including the six that have passed the screening, organizers said.

These are Carlos Hilado Memorial State College-Alijis, Balow Dance Group, Granadianz, Double J Full Force, Choi Force, and Rustylian as well as last year’s champion, BMD, and first runner-up, Jojaju.

Competition judge Rudy Reveche, together with Bacolaodiat Parade coordinator Kim Chauven Villaluna, earlier discussed the guidelines with the representatives of the eight competing groups.

Meanwhile, the celebration kicks off with the traditional Dazzling Grand Parade led by the local Filipino-Chinese community and Chinese schools.

Other events include cultural events, nightly fireworks display, and lantern-making contest.

The Chopsticks Alley features Chinese food stalls and traditional cooking demos while the Imperial Village showcases Asian arts and crafts, such as calligraphy, wishing tree, and palm reading. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1057834