Landslide-hit roads
extremely dangerous
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Landslides that hit Salvador Benedicto town in Negros Occidental have rendered sections of its roads extremely dangerous, especially for heavy vehicles, Mayor Jose Max Ortiz said yesterday.

Ortiz said he has submitted a report on the damage to the Office of Civil Defense to seek immediate government assistance.

The Department of Public Works and Highways should also address the problem swiftly, he said, as erosion caused by the landslides has rendered some sections of the winding and steep roads hollow beneath.

Negros now under
state of calamity
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

Negros Occidental was declared in a state of calamity by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan during its regular session yesterday.

With this development, the Government Service Insurance System has also approved the granting of emergency loans to cities and municipalities affected by floods in Negros Occidental, that includes the cities of Sipalay, Kabankalan, La Carlota and Himamaylan and the municipalities of San Enrique, Moises Padilla, La Castellana, Isabela, Ilog, Hinobaan, Hinigaran, Candoni and Binalbagan, its president and general manager, Robert Vergara, said.

On motion of Board Member Pedro Zayco, chairperson of the SP committee on Natural Disaster and Calamities, the provincial council unanimously adopted and concurred in resolution of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council placing Negros Occidental under a state of calamity.

Sugar rates drop
amid VAT threat
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Manuel Lamata, president of the United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines, said there were few sugar bidders yesterday and those who did, entered bids P80 lower per Lkg than last week.

This is a disaster, this is being caused by the threat of the Bureau of Internal Revenue to impose Value Added Tax on raw sugar, he said.

Cadiz Regional Trial Court Judge Renato Muñez Tuesday granted a 17-day temporary restraining order extension versus the enforcement of Revenue Regulations No. 13-2013 of the BIR that imposes VAT on what sugar stakeholders consider raw sugar.