Germans plan to build
3 Negros power plants
BY CARLA GOMEZ

German investors are planning to construct three biomass power plants in Negros Occidental that are targeted to generate 85 megawatts of power.

This was disclosed by Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday following the announcement by the Energy Development Corp. that it is dismantling its geothermal power plant in Mailum, Bago City, for failure to generate its targeted 49 megawatts of electricity for lack of steam.

EDC is instead eyeing the construction of a smaller plant in the area to generate six to eight megawatts of geothermal power, which is all that the steam in the area can produce.

Bizman urges: sue fuel firms
BY CARLA GOMEZ

“Let us pray they will be successful.”

That was the reaction of Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday to the call of Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) for the Department of Energy to create an independent oil price watchdog in the Visayas Region to address the mounting complaints against the huge price disparity.

The Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan is also summoning oil firm representatives to the Capitol this morning to explain why prices of fuel in the province are much higher than Metro Manila and Cebu.

“Very good. I hope they can achieve their purpose and bring down fuel cost in Negros Occidental,” the governor said.

Bing files two bills
for nat’l offices

Bacolod Rep. Evelio “Bing” Leonardia is working for the establishment of two national offices in his city.

In two bills he filed last week, Leonardia yesterday said he is calling for the establishment of Bacolod offices for the Professional Regulation Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission.

Leonardia said, a Bacolod SEC office will make it convenient for businessmen to start businesses and expand, and will benefit, not only the city, but the rest of Negros Occidental as well.

A PRC office located in the city, on the other hand, will hasten the processing of licenses for local professionals and ease the work load of the regional office.

House Bill 2361, which seeks the establishment of a Bacolod PRC notes that 40.94 percent of the total population of Western Visayas – 2.9-million out of 7.1-million – comes from Negros Occidental. A PRC Bacolod will help a great number of graduates and licensing applicants. It will also be more convenient and cheaper for people not to travel to Iloilo anymore, it noted.