The Sentrong Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators-Negros reiterated its call yesterday for the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Region 6 to implement the provisional 50-centavo fare increase they sought last year, in view of a pending diesel price increase this week.

Reports said that there may be an increase in diesel price of about 25 centavos per liter this week, but no movements on the cost of gasoline.

Jesse Ortega, SSTONE secretary general, said it is high time the LTFRB in Region 6 approve their petition.

Ayala Land beefs
up portfolio

Property giant Ayala Land Inc. is scaling up investments in its recurring businesses as it aims to sustain record growth over the next few years.

ALI president and chief executive officer Antonino Aquino said that apart from residential developments, the company will pour more money into its shopping centers, office, hotels, hospitals, department stores, convenience stores and supermarket developments to achieve “balanced growth”.

“I think the pacing is probably anywhere from four to six new establishments in a year. It is almost like maybe mirroring the type of pacing that they are following on the hospital, the department stores and supermarket side. (But) convenience stores are by the hundreds in terms of the new establishments that they are putting up,” he said.

Garments, hard goods makers
told to look for new markets

Filipino exporters of handicrafts and other hard goods are encouraged to look for more sizable export markets, as the country's traditional markets of United States and Europe are shifting purchase preference to cost-competitive countries.

Celestino Mijares, Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines vice president for hard goods, said changes in the costs of producing these products pushed purchase preference to move outside of the country where cost remained competitive.

 Hard goods comprise non fabric/textile-based products such as handicraft, housewares and accents, furniture, footwear and accessories.