Pirate hoax spreading,
more flee in Manapla
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Fears of pirate attacks continue in northern Negros Occidental and have spread from Sagay and Cadiz cities to Manapla town, even as officials continue to assure that there is no such threat.

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday called on the public not to panic as there is no truth to such rumors.

The pirate attack scare was triggered by a radio station in Iloilo and spread through text messages, the governor said.

Ceneco hikes power purchases
BY ADRIAN NEMES III

Central Negros Electric Cooperative is taking steps to purchase more power to address the demand of the growing number of businesses  opening in its coverage area, Ceneco general manager Sulpicio Lagarde  said yesterday.

The Ceneco coverage area is a business location of choice based on low cost of power, he said.

Ceneco is eyeing an agreement with the Green Core Geothermal Inc. in Brgy. Mailum, Bago City, Negros Occidental, to purchase  6  megawatts of electricity from it for  the  next 15 years at P4.6 billion, he said.

Says Leyte damage
causing load interruptions
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Central Negros Electric Cooperative officials yesterday said daily power interruptions brought on by limited generation capacity in the Visayas grid following super typhoon Yolanda’s destruction of power plants in Leyte will, hopefully, end before December 25 when repairs are completed.

Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla has vowed to restore power in the Visayas before Christmas eve, Ceneco president Arnel Lapore said.

Yolanda toppled transmission lines and generation plants in Leyte, Ceneco general manager Sulpicio Lagarde said, a fact known to the entire country.