Region 6 wage hike
may not exceed P10
Labor slams DOLE reg’l head for statement
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Labor Regional Director Ponciano Ligutom yesterday said a   wage increase in Western Visayas in not likely to go beyond P10 a day.

However, he said that that is his personal opinion and the matter will still have to be decided by the WV Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board that is set to hold one more public hearing before coming up with a decision.

Ligutom said he is saying that it is not likely to go beyond P10 because by tradition, increases in Western Visayas do not go higher than what is granted in Metro Manila.

Trillion peso mega
bridges need gov’t ok
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Foreign contractors have arrived in Negros Occidental reportedly to back a trillion peso bridge project being initiated by a group called New Negros Integrated North and South Realty Development Corp.

The group reportedly plans to build a bridge that will connect Negros Occidental from Valladolid town to Guimaras, and another to link Guimaras to Iloilo. Another bridge is also being planned to connect Negros Occidental from San Carlos City to Toledo in Cebu.

Officials yesterday said they welcome investors, but proper coordination and approval of such projects by government must be obtained for them to be undertaken.

Rebels send surrender
 feelers: Aying
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

Col Jon Aying, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, yesterday said they have received surrender feelers from several members of the New People’s Army who also want to lay down their guns, after the recent encounter at the boundary of Sagay City and Toboso in northern Negros.

Military records show that the 89 rebels who surrendered to the 303rd Infantry Brigade since 2011, have availed of assistance from the provincial government of Negros Occidental, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process.

While he did not elaborate on the details of the surrender feelers they got, Aying said the two recent encounters believed to have caused the wounding of several rebels and even deaths of some, have stung the entire NPA organization in northern Negros.