Day: August 27, 2025

Zamboanga city: Thirty highly skilled personnel from 16 electric cooperatives across Mindanao arrived here Wednesday to support the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Zamcelco) in its intensified campaign against power theft and system loss reduction. The group consists of linemen, metering personnel, and engineers, who form part of the Task Force Metro Zamboanga, a unit created by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to assist Zamcelco in tackling illegal power connections, unmetered households, and unauthorized reconnections by disconnected users. According to Philippines News Agency, the mere presence of these linemen serves as an inspiration for Zamcelco to push forward with its

Pangasinan: Around PHP21 billion is still needed for flood mitigation structures along major river systems in central Pangasinan, according to the DPWH Ilocos Regional Office on Wednesday. According to Philippines News Agency, DPWH Ilocos regional director Ronnel Tan stated that out of the total proposed budget of PHP24 billion for flood mitigation structures covering Sinucalan and Cayanga-Angalacan river systems, PHP3 billion had already been funded as of 2025. The project includes flood control structures and facilities such as diversion channels, flood gates, pumping stations, and detention ponds. It extends to Calasiao and San Fabian towns, as well as Dagupan City,

Negros occidental: The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is conducting tests on the sugar content of harvestable sugarcanes in Negros Occidental to determine loss due to the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation. Data from the SRA showed tests on harvested canes, aged at least nine to 10 months, started last week in Cadiz City and Manapla in northern Negros. According to Philippines News Agency, a statement from the office of SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona indicated that production data will be collected. This directive aims to guide the SRA in projecting production figures for the coming crop year. RSSI could

Candoni: The cease-and-desist order (CDO) issued to Hacienda Asia Plantations Inc. (HAPI) in June for the construction of a five-hectare oil palm plantation in Candoni, Negros Occidental, remains in effect, as confirmed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau in the Negros Island Region (DENR-EMB NIR). According to Philippines News Agency, OIC-Regional Director Vicente Losba±es communicated this decision in letters dated August 15 and 18 to HAPI’s resident manager Felix Occe±a Jr., rejecting HAPI’s request to lift the CDO. The civil society organization, Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE), obtained copies of these letters. The

Manila: After experiencing declines in recent days, the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) showed signs of recovery, stabilizing on Wednesday. However, the peso continued its downward trend against the US dollar. According to Philippines News Agency, the main equities index increased by 2.08 percent, reaching 6,273.34 points, while the broader All Shares index rose by 1.26 percent to 3,731.07 points. In terms of sectoral performance, Services recorded the largest growth at 3.97 percent, followed by Financials at 3.53 percent, Property at 2.71 percent, Mining and Oil at 2.41 percent, and Industrial at 0.33 percent. Conversely, the Holding Firms sector was