Fears of increased unemployment in Negros Occidental with the return of Overseas Filipino Workers from crisis-hit areas has prompted the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry to urge sugar planters toinvest their current higher profit margins in non-sugar businesses that will create added employment, its president, Frank Carbon, said yesterday.

Returning OFWs from strife-hitLibya and Bahrain, and earthquake-hit New Zealand and Japan,as well as thousands ofnew graduates this Marchare expected to add to theunemployed of the province and the rest of the country, he said.

He said potential jobs for them will be in the call center industry, but withcurrent higher profit margins from sugar, planters are urged to consider investing in non-sugar businesses that could help provide jobs.

The Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan yesterday approved the allocation of P50 million for the construction of the Alfredo Marañon Sr. Hospital in Barangay Rizal, Sagay City, Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez said.

The SP held its regular session in Sagay City yesterday.

The hospital will cost P106 million, with Sagay City and Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (Neg. Occ., 3rd Disttict) allocating the balance of the amount, Alvarez said.

A strong quake rocked Japan again yesterday, Negrenses living in Tokyo said.

“An intensity 6 earthquake shook us again. We are scared.... it seems the risk is getting higher. The earthquakes have not stopped. The nuclear power plant is still a danger,” Negrense Eleanor Alonsagay Fukuda told the DAILY STAR.

“Authorities say that we are safe in Tokyo even if 0.08 miliseivert radiation has been detected. However Dr. Shelly Alonsagay del Campo says radiation is radiation, it may not be harmful now, but it is definitely cumulative, so what that means is, the effect may not show up till 5-10-15 years later,” Fukuda added.