MANILA - The real estate arm of Philippine conglomerate Ayala Corp. said yesterday it planned to create another major business district in Manila after casting the highest bid for a government property.

Ayala Land offered 24.33 billion pesos ($579 million), more than two other real estate firms, for the Food Terminal industrial estate, the company and government officials said.

The 74-hectare (183-acre) property is located near major government highways and will become "the southern gateway" to Manila, Ayala Land said.

4P’s beneficiaries trained
on food production: TLDC

About 125 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program will be trained in food production this month by the Technology and Livelihood Development Center of Negros Occidental, Menzi Joy Rojo, TLDC food sector in-charge, said yesterday.

The beneficiaries are from the towns of EB Magalona and Murcia and the cities of Talisay, Silay, and Victorias and the training is funded by Sen. Pia Cayetano, Rojo said.

Pie making and meat and shellfish processing will be taught to the participants. Rojo also said each local government unit will have 25 participants identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Region VI.

ONOPRA general assembly
slated in Bacolod City today

The Organic na Negros! Organic Producers and Retailers Association is holding a general assembly from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at the Technological and Livelihood Development Center of the Provincial Capitol, a press release from ONOPRA said.

ONOPRA is an offshoot of the first organic festival in the province, with the participation of organic farmers, NGOs, people’s organizations, cooperatives, advocates and private companies involved in organic farming, the press release said.

It has since then become one of the successful private and public partnerships between the provincial government of Negros and the association, it also said, adding that it now operates a daily organic market and restaurant, where organic farmers directly sell their products to get better prices.