The National Economic Development Authority is very bullish about the economic growth of Western Visayas, which was, in fact, the fastest growing outside Luzon last year, NEDA Region 6 director Ro-Ann Bacal said yesterday.

Western Visayas was the fourth fastest growing economy in the country and continues to grow, but they are just a bit concerned about its power and water supply and are trying to resolve it, she said.

“We are meeting with the 18 congressmen of Western Visayas to discuss policy and legislative measures so that some of these issues will be resolved,” she said.

The labor representative on the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board yesterday said he is not optimistic that workers in Western Visayas will get an adequate wage increase with the “measly offers” made by management groups in Panay and Negros.

“It is disgusting, just like their counterparts in Panay and Manila, management in Negros Occidental is only confirming the degradation of workers by offering such measly amounts,” Wennie Sancho said after an RTWPB hearing in Bacolod City yesterday morning.

“I am very pessimistic, it looks like the lowest amount will be   approved by the wage board,” Sancho said.

Philippine Ports Authority and  Department of Environment and Natural Resources officials are set to sign a memorandum of agreement to resolve their conflicts regarding the ownership of the Banago port in Bacolod City, Rep. Anthony Golez (Bacolod)  said yesterday.

PPA and DENR contested the ownership and operational jurisdiction of the port after the expiration of the foreshore lease contract agreement entered into by the shipping firm, Negros Navigation Co., with the government, in August 2009.

DENR Undersecretary Manuel Geroche had earlier said that, under the provisions of Commonwealth Act 141, the administration of all public land, except those conclusively transferred to other government agencies, lies with the DENR.