WV gets P10 wage hike
BY CARLA GOMEZ

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board yesterday approved unanimously a P10 wage increase for the Western Visayas, Ponciano Ligutom, RTWPB chairman and labor regional director, said.

Along with the new Wage Order No. 21, the RTWPB will also issue a corresponding advisory on the second tier, or the performance-based pay that will provide guidelines for private establishments on the range of productivity bonuses and incentives that an enterprise may provide, based on agreements between workers and employers, Ligutom said.

The advisory on the second tier will be based on consultations with management and labor, he also said.

Guv for abolition
of brgy elections
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said yesterday that he is in favor of abolishing the election of barangay officials because it is divisive, expensive and counter-productive.

Barangay officials should instead be appointed by the president, the Department of Interior and Local Government, or a committee, he said.

While a national campaign could cost P10 billion, Marañon said his conservative estimate is that barangay election candidates nationwide spend about P50 billion.

If there are 142,000 barangay captain seats nationwide times three candidates per barangay that would be about 426,000 bets, he said..

‘Love Negros keeps promise'
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental was able to come up with many legislative measures that support plans and programs of Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. because he and other members of the Love Negros Team are fulfilling his promise that they will not be obstructionists.

Eight elected board members, excluding Lacson, are affiliated with the Love Negros Team, and outnumber the four from the United Negros Alliance. Three sectoral representatives are also identified with the Love Negros Team of then gubernatorial candidate Genaro Alvarez Jr.

Lacson, who delivered a speech on his first 100 days as vice governor and presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan before the start of the session, said the SP approved 301 resolutions, four appropriation and two regular ordinances, including hard and soft projects towards the development of Negros Occidental and its people.