- Regional council, meeting at Carcar City Hall, asks for a power emergency in Cebu and Bohol
- Ceres bus fare from Cebu City to Carcar is now ₱90 on non-aircon buses
- Cebu business groups split on a 25% rise in port cargo-handling charges
- Rain and thunderstorms from Choi-Wan's trough, but the storm stays out of the country
- Cebu graduates take the top two spots in the civil engineering board exam
Regional council, meeting at Carcar City Hall, asks for a power emergency in Cebu and Bohol
The Regional Development Council for Central Visayas, chaired by Governor Pamela Baricuatro, met at Carcar City Hall on 30 September and approved a request for the President to declare a state of power emergency in Cebu and Bohol. The council cites recurring shortages and rotational brownouts from plants that are down or running below capacity, with more than 120 yellow and red grid alerts from January to September. A declaration would let the government fast-track new power plants and transmission and substation projects. Western and Eastern Visayas are expected to make the same request.
A declaration would not add power overnight. The grid is expected to improve only from mid-November, when plants now under maintenance come back. Until then, Carcar homes and shops on CEBECO I should expect more evening alerts: charge phones and lights early, and keep an eye on CEBECO I's notices for scheduled interruptions.
Sources: SunStar, InsiderPH, BusinessMirror
Ceres bus fare from Cebu City to Carcar is now ₱90 on non-aircon buses
New provincial bus fares approved by the LTFRB took effect on 28 September. Ordinary provincial buses now charge ₱12 for the first five kilometres and ₱2.20 for each kilometre after that, and air-conditioned buses ₱2.45 a kilometre. Vallacar Transit, which runs the Ceres buses out of the Cebu South Bus Terminal, has posted its new fares for southern Cebu, including ₱90 to Carcar on a non-aircon bus. Air-conditioned buses cost more. The LTFRB says operators can still petition for further increases.
Daily commuters between Carcar and Cebu City will feel this most. Check the fare guide posted on the bus before you pay, and if a conductor charges more than the posted fare, note the bus number and report it to the LTFRB regional office.
Sources: The Manila Times, Philstar
Cebu business groups split on a 25% rise in port cargo-handling charges
Cargo handlers at the Port of Cebu want a 25% increase in tariffs for domestic cargo at all Cebu ports, citing higher labour, fuel and equipment costs. The last increase, 20%, was in June 2022. The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry backs it if it is staggered, 10% in the last quarter of 2026 and 15% in the first quarter of 2027. The Mandaue Chamber opposes any increase during the fuel crisis and warns it would push up prices for consumers. The Cebu Ports Authority has not decided.
Much of what Carcar's stores sell, from rice to hardware, comes through the Cebu ports. If the increase is approved, expect a small push on shelf prices on top of the inflation already running.
Rain and thunderstorms from Choi-Wan's trough, but the storm stays out of the country
Tropical storm Choi-Wan is far east of Luzon and moving north toward Japan, and the weather bureau does not expect it to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility. Its trough is still bringing cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorms to Central Visayas, Western Visayas, Negros and Mindanao. There is no gale warning, but small boats are told to take care during thunderstorms.
Expect rain on and off around Carcar, mostly in the afternoon and evening. Heavy downpours can cause flash floods in low-lying barangays and along rivers, and fishermen in small boats should watch the sky before going out.
Sources: GMA News, The Manila Times
Cebu graduates take the top two spots in the civil engineering board exam
Graduates of Cebu schools placed first and second in the September civil engineering licensure exam, with ratings of 93.95% and 93.70%. The topnotcher is from the Cebu Institute of Technology-University. Of 17,062 examinees nationwide, 6,337 passed, a passing rate of 37.14%. The exam was held on 26 and 27 September and results came out on 2 October.
Carcar students thinking about engineering can find strong programmes close to home in Cebu. New passers can check their names on the PRC's list of successful examinees.
Sources: SunStar, The Summit Express
