The sugar industry in Negros Occidental is not affected by the reduction of the value of dollar as 90 percent of its produce goes to the domestic market and only 10 percent are exported, Frank Carbon, president of the Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said yesterday.

As of Dec. 7, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas exchange rate bulletin showed that $1 is equivalent to P40.915.

The strengthening of the Philippine Peso is beneficial to the government and to those local investors who buy raw materials from the United States because the dollar value is reduced, Carbon said.

‘Give 13th month pay
on or before Dec. 24’

Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz issued an advisory recently to remind employers to give the 13th month pay of the rank and file employees on or before Dec. 24.

In the advisory posted at the Department of Labor and Employment webpage, Baldoz said the order is provided in Presidential Decree No. 851 and its implementing rules and regulations.

Baldoz said all rank and file employees are entitled to receive the 13th month pay regardless of their designation, position, or employment status, and irrespective of the method by which their wages are paid, provided that they have worked for at least one month during the calendar year.

TLDC posts P43,477 in
organic fest sales

The Technology and Livelihood Development Center in Negros Occidental earned P43,477 in three days of the Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival in Bacolod City recently, its sales report showed.

Menzi Joy Rojo, food sector in-charge, said TLDC is assisting small producers from Negros Occidental and the festival allowed them to sell more products from the local producers.

The best sellers during the festival were Minda’s banana chips and taro chips from Don Salvador Benedicto, Fritzie’s baked peanuts from San Carlos City, Grafil’s turmeric tea from Mabinay, E and J’s bandi from San Carlos City, Bern-Gies’ ginger brew from La Castellana, and Veloria’s squid rings from Sagay City.