Affirming their dominance in providing both landline and wireless services, Philippine Long Distance Co. and its wholly-owned subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. opens today their first joint facility in the Visayas, the PLDT-Smart Business Center at SM City Bacolod.

The one-stop retail outlet, situated at the ground floor of the mall’s South Wing, will provide sales and after sales services for customers of both companies.

At a press conference yesterday, Cesar Enriquez, first vice president for customer services of PLDT, said PLDT covers 72 percent of the landline users in Bacolod City, while nationwide, their subscriber base is 65 percent to 75 percent.

‘RP outlook dims
amid graft scandal’ 

MANILA – Business confidence in the Philippines has suffered a knock due to growing political unrest and an economic slowdown in the United States, according to a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas industry survey released yesterday.

Firms cited "local political noise", concerns over a possible US recession, reduced export competitiveness due to the strong peso, and a relentless surge in oil prices, for their "cautious outlook," the monetary authority said in a statement.

The first quarter survey was made as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo tries to fight off fresh corruption allegations following a robust 2007 that saw economic growth reach a 31-year high 7.3 percent, a 20-year low inflation rate of 2.8 percent and the lowest budget deficit in 10 years.

‘B’ sugar prices climb

Prices of “B” or domestic climbed anew this week, hitting between P1,055 to P1,100.48 per 50-kilo Lkg. following the previous week’s P1,035 to P1,067 range.

At the Feb. 21 bidding, Binalbagan-Isabela Sugar Company disposed its stocks at P1,072.88 (high) and P1,058.68 (low); Central Azucarera de la Carlota, P1,069.94 (high) and P1,050.09 (low);  Hawaiian-Philippine Company, P1,072.02 (high) and P1,069.59 (low);

SONEDCO, P1,055; Victorias Milling Company, P1,064; Lopez Sugar Corp., P1,064; Sagay Central Inc., P1,070; Passi I, P1,100.48; Passi II, P1,075; Capiz, P1,069.50; and Bais, P1,061 (high) and P1,058.85 (low).

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