P50 WV pay hike bid
filed before RTWPB
BY CARLA GOMEZ

The National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines has filed a petition for a P50 wage increase in Western Visayas, NACUSIP president Zoilo de la Cruz said yesterday.

De la Cruz said they are seeking the wage increase because of the rising costs of living triggered by the hike in gasoline prices.

The price of rice, pandesal and all basic commodities have gone up, he pointed out.

A high school student and a house helper died, and four others sustained burns in a three-hour fire yesterday that razed to the ground three houses and damaged another one in Brgy. 2 poblacion, Victorias City, Negros Occidental.

Killed in the fire, that started at 12:18 a.m. and was put out by responding firefighters at about 3:30 a.m., were Coleen Belgira, 15, a third  year high school student, and Liza Ferrer, 38, the Bureau of Fire and Protection said.

Senior Fire Officer 3 Rolando Guanzon, Victorias BFP chief, yesterday said the fire destroyed the houses of Amado Belgira, Virgilia Belleza and Teresita Santillan, and damaged the residence of Salvador Gustilo.

The Negros Cultural Foundation and the governors of Western Visayas paid tribute to Gov. Joseph Marañon at the awarding of the first Pagdayaw Award for Culture and Arts to him at rites at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City yesterday.

The award was posthumously given to the governor through his wife, Aida, by Lyn Gamboa, and Antique Gov. Sally Perez, chairman of the Regional Development Council of Western Visayas.

Perez said another award will be given by the RDC to the governor on Friday.