one mindanao - august 12, 2014

Sugar Rush: The Linabu Agrarian Multipurpose Cooperative (LAMPCO) Success StoryMiko MorelosNORTHERN MINDANAO

TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2014 Vol. 3 No. 239

Palace expects United Nations to take measures to protect Filipino peacekeepers in Liberia from Ebola

NATIONAL

10

Page 4

NORTHERN MINDANAO

SOUTHERN MINDANAO

CARAGA REGION

WESTERN MINDANAO

Valencia heightens grassroots participatory budgeting implementation to boost poverty reduction efforts

Tagum distributes 1 million bangus fry to fisherfolks

Enviro advocacy lived up by Butuan Sillimanians

DepEd Butuan holds training on K-12 mother tongue based multi-lingual educ

NAPC inspects BUB, GPB projects in Sibugay

Advisory council vows to help PNP in fight against criminality

Dipolog, PAHP’s model city in Mindanao

14

31

20 22

34

15

35

Information to Empower Filipinos

8

Louie Lapat

Venus L. Garcia

Dr. Jonas H. Jomonong

Emmanuel D. Taghoy

11

12

Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

Ana Celeste W. Felisilda

Mary May A. Abellon

Sugar Rush: The Linabu Agrarian Multipurpose Cooperative (LAMPCO) Success Story


For the people of a remote village in Misamis Oriental, every coconut tree that still stands and bears fruit is an assurance that they

will have food on the table and a roof over their heads.

Thisisapromisefulfilledbytheinternationalmarket’s demand for aspecialkindofsugarthatfarmersinbarangayLinabuinBalingasaghavebeenproducingatsuchexceptionalstandardssince2009. Theirtickettosuccessiscalledcocosugar,asweetenermadefromthesapofcoconuttrees.Cocosugarhas been making waves amonghealth advocates all over theworldbecause it has the lowest glycemicindex among sweeteners. Thegylcemicindexmeasuresthespeedbywhichbloodsugarlevelsriseaftereatingaparticularfood.

InMetroManila,health-conscious

peoplepayatleastP300,ormorethanfourtimesthecostofregularrefined

by Miko Morelos

COVER STORY

5


sugar, for a kilo of thishealthy sweetener recommendedevenfordiabetics. ButnobodyinbarangayLinabuknewthisfouryearsago. Back then, the villagers likeRicardoLabadanandEricSumandatookonfarmworkthatcouldnotcoverthe basic needs of their families.ToilingthelandforP120perday,theyworked three to five days a week,dependingon thedemand forextrafarmhand. The uncertainty of workremainedadaily sourceof concernforthem,likeanyotherfarmworkerinthebarangay. Coconut is one of the threemajorcropsinMisamisOrientalandits average provincial yield ranksfifthnationwide.Beforecocosugar,farmerswereonlyfamiliarwithcopraasthemainby-productofcoconut,whichgavethemseasonalincome. In2005,thePhilippineCoconutAuthorityselectedbarangayLinabuasoneofthenurserysitesfordwarf

coconut propagation. The PCA, inan effort to expand the businesspossibilities for coconut farmers,introduced other by-products of thecoconuttree,suchascocosugar. Unfortunately, when this initialprojectmanagedthenbytheLinabuCoconutPlantersAssociationended,coco sugar production was notsustained.Thefarmersbecamemeresupplierofthecocosaptoaprivatetraderinthetowncenter,leavingthemwiththesamefinanciallyunstablelifetheyhadbeforetheproject. MORE WORK, MORE PAY Four years later, anothergovernmentagencysoughttorevivethecocosugarpotentialofLinabu.

The Department ofAgrarianReform launched itsAgribusinessEnterprisesDevelopmentProgramand selected Linabu as a sitefor the coco sugar processingfacility. The management of theproject was given to the LinabuAgrarianMultipurposeCooperative(LAMPCO). LAMPCO was established in1997 with 172 members who aremostlyagrarianreformbeneficiaries.The fledgling operation of thecooperativegotanewleaseonlifewith the DAR’s pilot production ofcocosugar. “Shifting to coco sugar wasnot an easy decision for farmers,”LAMPCO general manager MariaVirgeniaPejorosaid inan interviewwith the Mindanao DevelopmentAuthority(MinDA). She explained that workersused to harvest mature coconutseveryfourmonths,whichmeanttheyhada lotof timeon theirhands,asagainstsapharvestingwhichhadtobedonethreeorfourtimesaday. For seasoned farmhands likeLabadan andSumanda,moreworkwasbetterthanwork. Labadan now works six daysinstead of his usual three. He stillearnsP120perday,buthesaidhisloadislighterthanwhenhetilledtheland.LabadanisLAMPCO’s“dryman”ortheonetaskedtodryoutthecoco

sugaron formica tables andmake sure itattains just the right texture beforepackaging. The coco sugar project hasbrought the cooperative back tolife through the injection of capitaland technology from the DAR, theDepartment of Trade and Industry,and the localgovernment.Butwhathe’s most grateful for, Labadansaid,wasthetraininggiventothembecausetheyweretaughttobecome“realentrepreneurs.” Sumanda isasapgatherer forfarmownerReynoMolo,whodividestheproceedsfromthesaleofthesapat60:40.Thefarmhandgetsthebulkoftheearnings–aboutP18forevery

7

gallonofsapwhich thecooperativebuys forP30pergallon–while therestgotoMolo,thelandowner. SWEET AFFAIR Under this arrangement,Sumanda managed to more thandouble his monthly income, fromP4,000 to P10,000. Gathering sapfrom40treesinMolo’sfarm,Sumandaaverages26gallonsofsapperday. HesaidheishappythatLinabuwas chosen to be the pilot site ofthe DAR’s coco sugar productionbecausehedoesnothave to leavehisfamilytofindworkelsewhere. “Whatmakesmehappy is thatIcanbetterprovide for theneedsofmyfamily,”Sumandasaid. Moloisnotdoingbadly,either.Inthepastthreemonthsofproduction,hehasmadeP42,000fromcocosapof 80 of his 300 coconut trees. Hesavestherestforpropagation–andasretirementinsurance. Frombeingahumdrumvillage,Linabuhasevolvedintoawell-oiledmachine churning out tons of cocosugar. LAMPCO’s members andtheir families work hand in hand,from gathering the rawmaterials topackaging the finished product andbringingittotheshippingpoint. To ensure that everyonebenefits from thecocosugarboom,familiesagreedtoworkintwo-weekshifts.Theset-uphassustainedthe

momentum forLAMPCO,accordingtoPejoro. What started as a projectchurning three kilos of coco sugarperday isnowaworld-classfacilityproducing600kgofcocosugardaily,or10tonspermonth.LAMPCO’scocosugarhasanorganiccertificationfromECOCERTSA,iscarbon-neutralandis approved by the Food and DrugAdministration. Today, the product of thisvillage in Balingasag, about 52 kmfromCagayandeOro,has reachedJapan and some parts of Europe.Negotiations for direct export toBritainforfivetonsofcocosugarpermonthhavealsobeenfinalized. “We are confident that cocosugar will soon make a name forMindanao in the global market,”Pejorosaid. “Lookingback, itwasadifficultstartthatrequiredalotofhardwork.But seeing the sweetest results, Icansayitwasworththetryandthesacrifices,”sheadded.

8AUGUST 2014 | PAGE

President Aquino swears in Armed Forces Chief Catapang, other military officersPresident Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday swore in newly

appointed Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., and other military officers during simple rites at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang Palace.

Catapang, who was appointed as the 45th Chief of Staff of the AFP, assumed his post last July, replacing General Emmanuel Bautista.

With him during the ceremony was his family.Following Catapang’s oath-taking,

President Aquino administered the

Across the Nation

9 AUGUST | PAGE

Across the Nation

oaths of office to newly promoted generals and flag officers of the AFP.

Inducted into office were Lieutenant General Felicito Virgilio Trinidad Jr., Major General Donato San Juan, Major General Victor Bayani, Major General Salvador Melchor Mison Jr., Major General Mayoralgo dela Cruz, Rear Admiral Reynaldo Yoma, Major General Glorioso Miranda, Brigadier General Medardo Geslani, and Brigadier General Arthur Ang.

Also promoted were Brigadier General

Vicente Yordan, Commodore Allan Rosal, Brigadier General Arnold Mancita, Brigadier General Enrique Reyes, Brigadier General Armando Bañez, Brigadier General Edgar Gonzales, Brigadier General Irma Almoneda, Brigadier General Johnny Macanas, Brigadier General John Oliviamor Estabillo, Brigadier General Manolito Orense, and Brigadier General Job Yucoco.

President Aquino was joined by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin during the event. PND

10AUGUST 2014 | PAGE

Palace expects United Nations to take measures to protect Filipino peacekeepers in Liberia from Ebola

The Palace expects the United Nations (UN) to keep the 113 Filipino peacekeepers in the West African nation of Liberia safe

from the threat of the Ebola virus. “The peacekeeping force is under

the UN. We would expect the UN to ensure that the peacekeeping forces under its jurisdiction are amply protected,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told reporters during a press briefing on Monday.

He said it is not known how far the peacekeepers are from areas hit by the epidemic.

“But I would expect measures taken by the United Nations to ensure the safety of its peacekeeping forces,” he reiterated.

Liberia, along with Sierra Leone

and Guinea, is at the center of the Ebola outbreak, which has already claimed some 1,000 lives.

According to reports, the Filipino peacekeepers are expected to return from their tour of duty in Liberia in September or October this year.

United Nations peacekeepers are monitoring the ceasefire agreement in Liberia, following the end of a civil war in 2003.

Lacierda said the Department of Health will attend to the soldiers upon their return from Africa. PND

11AUGUST 2014 | www.pia.gov.ph PAGE |

Eastern Mindanao Command joins in IHL Month celebrationsThe Davao City-based Eastern Mindanao Command announced

that it is one with the nation in the celebration of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) this August.

This was stressed in a statement forwarded by Capt. Alberto Caber, the command spokesperson, Tuesday.

He added that their observation of IHL Month formally took off at Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao parade ground, Panacan, Davao City Monday morning.

Eastern Mindanao Command deputy chief Brig. Gen. Alexander F. Balutan led the pledge of reaffirmation of commitment and support for the IHL, foremost of which is to

strictly adhere to and abide by the provisions of the IHL in the discharge of their duties and functions.

Under the pledge, soldiers have to observe the fundamental principles of IHL on distinction; proportionality of force; military necessity; humane treatment; recognize, respect, defend; and fulfill the dignity and rights of every person.

Executive Order 134 formally declares August as International Law Month.


Lanao Norte schools receive STARBOOKS kioskby Vincent N. Labial

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte - Two public schools at the secondary level in Lanao del Norte are the recipients of the Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosk Station (STARBOOKS) program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).


Under this program, the Lala National High School (LNHS) and Lanao Norte National Comprehensive High School (LNNCHS) received one kiosk each for installation in their respective campuses. “STARBOOKS aims to entice our local students to enroll in Science and Technology related courses and enhance their entrepreneurship capability,” said DOST Provincial Director Ferdinand Soliven. The identified academicinstitutions through their principals each received on August 11 their STARBOOKS kiosk during a simple turn-over rites held at the Provincial Capitol building lobby after the regular flagceremony. “We are very fortunate to be given these two kiosks by DOST. These are powerful tools that our students can use for their research and other school-related works. These pods will

provide our children access to science and technology information right at their fingertips,”said provincial a d m i n i s t r a t o r Joselito Quibranza, who represented governor Khalid Q. Dimaporo. S T A R B O O K S contains thousands of digitized science and technology resources in various formats (text and audio/video) placed in specially

designed “pods” set in a user-friendly interface. The kiosk is very timely especially now that we shall be piloting our Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum next year. Rest assured that we shall be maximizing the use of the STARBOOKS pod for research of students, said LNHS principal Carolina Clarito. While LNNCHS Principal Letecia Lagura said she is thankful to the provincial government led by Governor Khalid Dimaporo and DOST-Lanao del Norte for making their school as one of the recipients of the STARBOOKS program. The STARBOOKS program of DOSTisdubbedasthefirstPhilippineScience Digital Library. Other organizations that can avail of the STARBOOKS program are Local Government Units and non-government groups.


City mayor Azucena P. Huervas said the GPBP, previously known as Bottom-Up-Budgeting (BuB), originates from the actual needs of the people, thus insuring that funds are spent wisely for priority projects. She said Valencia City was a recipient of more than P37 million grants from various national agencies to fund implementation of 26 poverty reduction projects identified by Civil SocietyOrganizations (CSOs) in 2013. Another P46 million grant was approved for release in 2014, which is intended to fund the approved additional 31 priority projects focused on livelihood, skills training for out-of-school youths and persons with disabilities, water supply improvement, health and social services delivery enhancement, and other similar projects aimed to curb poverty incidence in the city of Valencia, Huervas said. To ensure full implementation

of P46-million projects, Valencia local government unit (LGU) allocated P18 million as minimum required equity.Positive results of GPBP funded projects are gradually showing and felt by grassroots beneficiaries.These shall be more evident in the coming years when all of the 2013 and 2014 projects are fully implemented, the mayor said. Meanwhile, the Local Poverty Reduction Action Team (LPRAT), created thru an executive order, shall oversee the implementation and monitoring of all GPBP projects to ensure prompt and accurate delivery of services to target beneficiaries. As an effective approach to attain the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger from which the Philippine Development Plan is anchored, GPBP also encourages LGUs to improve performance in the fields of governance,

Valencia heightens grassroots participatory budgeting implementation to boost poverty reduction effortsby Ana Celeste W. FelisildaVALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon - In pursuit of attaining the government’s goal of poverty reduction and inclusive growth, Valencia city government pushed for speedy implementation of the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting Process (GPBP) projects, describing the new budget strategy as the most effective way to cut red tape to prevent wastage of public funds.


Valencia heightens grassroots participatory budgeting implementation to boost poverty reduction efforts

financial housekeeping, peaceand order, disaster preparedness, environmental protection and all other performance areas in order to qualify as beneficiaries/recipientsof the GPBP grants. More importantly, the additional funding support provided by this poverty reduction program is a big help especially among Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) dependent local government units like the city of Valencia, which is now striving to implement more projects for

the deprived and poorest of the poor among the disadvantaged communities. “Hence, officials along withthe CSOs in the city of Valencia sincerely hope that the GPBP shall be sustained in the coming years. This is a genuine call to all national officials to continue supportingbottom-up planning and budgeting programs such as GPBP to attain the shared goal of eliminating poverty in the country,” the mayor said.

Advisory council vows to help PNP in fight against criminalityby Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental - The City Advisory Council (CAC) for the Philippine National Police Performance and Governance System (PNP-PGS) of the Ozamiz City Police Station (CPS) has vowed to cooperate and help prevent crimes in the city.

“There is no better cure against criminality than preventing it from happening and so we need to help and cooperate with the CPS in the fight against crime,” saidRolandoP.Neri, City Director of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), who was elected Chairperson of the CAC, recently. Neri’s comment was in response to the appeal of P/Supt. Micahel Cadiogan Bawayan, Jr., CPS Chief, who said the CPS needs the help and cooperation of the community in the

fightagainstcriminalityinthecity. “As it is, given the present population of the city, the ratio of police personnel is one policeman for every 2,600 (1:2,600) residents, when it was only one policeman for every 500 residents (1:500), decades ago,” Bawayan said. Meanwhile, oathtaking of the CAC took place at the City Session Hall right after the election with Prosecutor Genes Beduya, Vice Chairperson and the following members: Rizalina O. Francisco, President


of the Liga nga mga Barangay, represented by Susan Bundaco, P/Supt Cayetano Ferrer Albarico, Former Chief of Provincial Operation Branch, Misamis Occidental Provincial PoliceOffice(MOPPO),Rev.Fr.MarvinOsmena, Parish Priest, Immaculate Conception Cathedral Parish ang Ellen Pelare, Production Head, Lumad Misamisnon Channel. Dr. Mercy O. Cabaong, Dean, College of Criminology, Misamis

University, Audie S. Elcarte, Provincial Chairman, Karancho Inc., Pershing Tanqueto, President, Ozamiz Filipino Chamber of Commerce, represented by Rogelio Mayol and Revinda Bation, Leader, Indigenous People. Also present during the oath-taking were members of the Ozamiz CPS- Technical Working Group for the PNP-PATROL (Peace and order Agenda for Transformation and upholding of the Rule Of Law) Plan 2030.


Gov’t agencies converge for ‘Yes for Peace’ campaign By Jennifer P. Gaitano


Representatives from DepEd, Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Commission on Higher Ed-ucation(CHED),OfficeofthePres-idential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP), and Philippine Informa-tion Agency (PIA) will serve as pan-elists of the set Kapihan. This activ-ity will also be held simultaneously in all the regions of the country. “It is high time for the Filipi-no people to assert their collective and individual right to peace on Au-gust 12, 2014 which is also in time with the International Humanitar-ian Law Day,” emphasized PIA Car-aga regional director Abner Caga. In this campaign, it was

BUTUAN CITY –In line with the simultaneous conduct of the press conference or Kapihan on “Yes for Peace - Bayanihan para sa Kapayapaan, Kaunlaran, Kasaganahan (KKK)” Campaign on August 12, 2014 at the Teacher’s Development Center of the Department of Education (DepEd) Caraga regional office here, several government agencies converged its efforts to facilitate discussion on the salient features of the campaign with the local media partners.


agreed that the PIA regional direc-tors nationwide shall schedule and organize ‘Kapihan sa PIA’ on Au-gust 12, 2014, and to coordinate with the local and national media. The OPAPP shall discuss the current government current policy, particularly the three principles on peace and the six paths to peace with emphasis on the importance ofpeople’sparticipationindefiningthe comprehensive peace process. Also, the Yes for Peace re-gional representatives shall pres-ent the background objectives and status of the Yes for Peace – Baya-nihan para sa KKK campaign. The DepEd regional directors shall con-solidate reports from its School Division Superintendents on par-ticipation to the Yes for Peace cam-paign and announce summary results, while CHED regional di-

rectors shall consolidate reports from higher education institutions on participation of said campaign and announce summary results. Meanwhile, it was also agreed that the regional representatives of the CHR or the Presidential Com-mittee on Human Rights shall dis-cuss the relevance the campaign in claiming and asserting the Filipino people’s right to peace. The Yes for Peace campaign started as a student-led initiative (Di-YES for Peace – Bayanihan para sa Kapayapaan) in University of the Philippines System to advance the peace process pursuant to the Unit-ed Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and as a move to estab-lish democratic basis for the decla-ration of Zones of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) in 1988.


Enviro advocacy lived up by Butuan Sillimanians By Venus L. Garcia

BUTUAN CITY - The Silliman University Alumni Association, Inc. (SUAAI) Butuan Chapter, under its green and clean advocacy, has once again brought members together for a tree planting activity at the Macapagal Highway in Butuan City on Saturday. Dwarf golden coconut seed-lingswere planted this year as a component of its organization’s commitment and participation in the city’s vision of making Bu-tuan as a ‘Premier Forest City’ by 2020. The undertaking is mainly part of the university’s 13th Pre-Founding Anniversary Celebration which is anchored on the theme, “Submitting to the Refiner’s Fire.” Silliman University Alumni As-sociation, Inc. Butuan Chapter pub-

lic information officer and ButuanHabitat for Humanity, Inc. (BHHI) president Nora Rama bared the rel-evance to its theme “that just the samewiththeprocessofpurificationofpreciousmetalbyfire,ithastodo with the perception of removing impurities and resigning ourselves fromour own selfishmotivesandpettyambitionsandabletorefineourmoralfiberintomoreconcernedcitizens guided by divine wisdom.” She cited for instance the advan-


tages when environmental protec-tion concern be earnestly upheld. In the previous year, the SUAAI Butuan Chapter has also planted and maintained more than 100 dwarf yellow golden coco trees along Tiniwisan road in support to the National Greening Program of the government which aims to promote

Butuan into a green city. “We are in a mission to protect, preserve and save our natural envi-ronment. This simple contribution of growing trees will provide better and beneficial ecosys-tem essential for all life forms to thrive and is es-sentially a global warm-ing solution,” said Rama. Meanwhile, SUAAI president Atty. Rene

Burdeos was thankful for the usual support of its active mem-bers. He encourages them to “be more involved in taking actions for development such like this to help restore the natural beauty of the city and to help mitigate the impacts of climate change.”


The said training is divided into three phases, namely: Phase I on August 11-12, which focuses on the training-workshop; Phase II will be on August 14-16 which focuses on writing and editing and lastly, Phase III will be on August 26-28 which fo-cusesonfinaleditingandlay-outing. The training-workshop aims to help the Grades-I-III teach-ers in the making of instructional materials in teaching the Mother Tongue and other learning areas

taught in Sinugbuanong Binisaya and Butuanon such as “Big Books” (Short Stories), songs, poems, and other related materials, train po-tential writers/illustrators on the mechanics and rudiments of short-story writing and digital illustrating and develop reading/instructional materials in Butuanon and Sinug-buanong Binisaya based on the K-12 MTB-MLE quarterly learning competencies from Grades-I-III. Furthermore, the training

DepEd Butuan holds training on K-12 mother tongue based multi-lingual educ By Dr. Jonas H. Jomonong

BUTUAN CITY - An eight-day Division Training-Workshop on Mother Tongue Based Multi-Lingual Education or MTB-MLE Instructional Material Development for Grades-I-III will be conducted starting Monday, August 11 at the Division Training Center, Butuan City Division here.


DepEd Butuan holds training on K-12 mother tongue based multi-lingual educ

also aims to have these materi-als checked, edited and validated by experts for reproduction, have these materials printed, reproduced and be given to all Grades-I to III teachers and lastly, organize a pool of division writers and illustrators. Butuan City council-or and Committee on Education chairman Ramon P. Carampata-na stressed that Butuanon dialect must be included in the instruc-tional materials and it must be localized in order to preserve the culture and heritage of Butuan. On the other hand, Butuan City Schools Division Superinten-dent Josita Carmen posed a great challenge to the participants that quality and relevant instructional materials across all learning areas

must be produced as training out-puts and used in the teaching-learn-ing process. She also emphasized that teachers’ works must tran-scend to mortality in order to leave a lasting legacy to the students. “These instructional materi-als must contribute significantlyto the students’ performance es-pecially on their reading ability which is the gateway in learning all genres of learning,” said Carmen. The training is being par-ticipated by 120 participants to in-clude 55 members of the division’s technical working group in the ma-terial editing and validating, 39 grades I-III story-writers or mas-ter teachers, 13 illustrators and 13 district reading coordinators.

Dominga MallongaDOST-Caraga Regional Director

for more details visit us DOST National Website: http://www.dost.gov.phDOST Caraga Website: http://caraga.dost.gov.ph


City to advise public on traffic situation during kadayawan

DAVAO CITY- With major repairs on the city’s thoroughfares, the city will be updating the public on traffic situation particularly on road closures during the holding of the Kadayawan. The main activities of the Ka-dayawan particularly Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan (street dancing) and Pamulak (Floral Float Parade) will be held on August 16 and 17. Lisette Marquez, City Tourism Officesaidtheyhaveforeseenthebig problem and will be informing the public on road closures, traf-ficsituationsandalternateroutes

during the festivities. TheTrafficManagementCoun-cil of Davao will be deploying 128 personnel to man the roads during the festivities. Bankerohan Bridge II is cur-rently closed to vehicular trafficas it is undergoing major repairs. While parts of Quezon Boulevard is also undergoing major upgrading whichwillimpactthetrafficsitua-tion during the festival. Already in the internet partic-ularly on social media are detailed trafficmapswhich provides infor-mation on road closures, possible trafficbuildupareasandalternateroutes. Marquez said that they are ex-pecting a more crowded Kadayawan as they are estimating 180,000 tourists for August most will con-verge during the festival, 14% in-crease from ther 150,000 tourist arrivals registered in August last year. (PIA/RG Alama)


Tagum distributes 1 million bangus fry to fisherfolksTAGUM CITY—One million bangus fry were formally turned-over to 175 brackish water fishpond own-ers and caretakers who are grow-ing bangus in three coastal baran-gays in the city, following the City Government of Tagum’s vision of reviving the bangus industry in the city which was devastated by the brunt of Typhoon Agaton earlier this year. Under the Bangus Fry Dispersal Program of the City Government of Tagum through the City Agriculture Office, the 175 farmers receivedthe said government assistance last August 12, 2014 spearheaded by Mayor Allan L. Rellon and Vice Mayor Geterito T. Gementiza. “This is an initiative of the local governmenttohelpourfisherfolkswhosufferedduringthefloodinginthe recent calamities that hit the city,” Mayor Rellon said. The local chief executive noted that this is the biggest assistance rolled out by the local government for the fisherfolks in BarangayBusaon, Bincungan and Liboganon to the tune of 700,000 pesos utilized under the 5% calamity fund of the local government. Another 560,000 pesos is intended for the rehabilitation of agricultural areas, which puts

the total rehabilitation fund to 1, 260,000 pesos. “This would greatly alleviate theplightoffarmersandfisherfolkswhose losses in expected income were greatly jeopardized,” City Agriculturist Harold S. Dawa said. Dawa further stressed on the importance of helping the bangus industry of the city since its demand is high. Currently, the city is host to 1, 118 hectares of brackish water fishponds growing bangus, allof which are located in the three coastal barangays of Tagum. Throughout the roll-out of the program, technical assistance will be provided by the City Agriculture Office. The aim of reviving the bangus industry in Tagum will soon be given a boost once the construction of the Multi-Species Hatchery in Liboganonwillbefinishedsometimethis year. Built in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the hatchery is expected tosustainthesupplyoffingerlingsfor mariculture projects not only in Tagum but for the entire Davao Region. | Louie Lapat of CIO Tagum


PAHP launched in DipologBy Alfonso T. Ruda

DIPOLOG CITY - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) together with Food and Agriculture Administration (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) have launched recently the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) at the Top Plaza Hotel this city.


PAHP launched in Dipolog

Attending the PAHP launching, which was organized by DAR-Zamboanga del Norte were Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Mohammad Dassan AdjuDipolog Mayor Evelyn T. UY, ARCP II National Project Coordinator Director Herman Z. Ongkiko, National PAHP Coordinator Lawrence Cruz, DSWD- Protective Services Bureau Director Margarita V. Sampang, Ms Natassaia Quijano of DSWD–OSEC, DSWD Nutritionist Richel de la Cruz, DSWD-9 Regional Director Zenaida Arevalo, DAR-9 Assistant Regional Director Agnes Maata, and other personnel from the line agencies, provincial government as well city government personnel. Ongkiko said Dipolog City was chosen as the pilot city of PAHP in

recognition of its support to the various programs implemented by the national government in the city, citing among others the P58-million rehabilitation project of Dipolog Communal Irrigation System, now supplying water to 750 hectares of ricefields in Dipolog City andPolanco. The program is a colaborrative effort of DAR, DSWD and DA with technical assistance from FAO and WFP, and with the active cooperation and participation of the local government units (LGUs) to address hunger and poverty in the country. Mayor Uy was grateful to the program implementers for choosing Dipolog City as its pilot area and assured all the stakeholders of a successful implementation of said


NAPC inspects BUB, GPB projects in SibugayBy Emmanuel D. TaghoyROSELLER T. LIM, Zamboanga Sibugay – The provincial focal person of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) was here yesterday to monitor and evaluate the implementation of Bottoms-Up Budgeting (BUB) projects with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), one of the implementing agencies. Four farmers’ associations and one cooperative, all recipients of seedlings distributed by DENR-Sibugay from the BUB funds, were initially inspected and evaluated. “The evaluation and monitoring seekstofindoutwhethertheprojectsimplemented by the participating agencies have addressed the real needs and concerns of the people in the community, thus, reducing poverty incidence in the area,” said NAPC Provincial Focal Person Edgar N. Alegre. “About P15 million was allotted for each municipality every year from the BUB, which has been changed into Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (GPB), for projects in the year 2014 onwards intended for the populace in the grassroots level,” explained

Alegre. Alegre pointed out that it is important for implementing agencies of the BUB projects to be transparent in their financial accountabilities andcandid in their delivery of services. Meanwhile, interviewed farmers’ associations expressed gratitude to the DENR for the assorted seedlings distributed to them. They said they were satisfiedwith the project sincefarming is their main source of living. About266hectaresidentifiedforthe DENR’s National Greening Program (NGP) in R.T. Lim town were covered by the BUB project for the year 2013. According to Alegre, the evaluation and monitoring for the other implementing agencies will also commence this month.

program in the city. Representatives from the different line agencies present also expressed their commitment of support to the program. FAO Consultant Flavio Luis Mazzaro de Freitas cited the value of the Food Acquisition Program in the successful implementation of “Zero Hunger Strategy,” which was adopted by Brazil to address its hunger and poverty problem. Ongkiko said the program was

initially tested in region 5, after a team from DAR, DSWD and DA went to Brazil in June 2013 to study the implementation of the program. Under the program, the farmers with support from DA through updated farm technology and other farm inputs will be provide rice and vegetables needed for the supplemental feeding program of DSWD, specifically tothe beneficiairies of the PantawidPamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).


NAPC inspects BUB, GPB projects in Sibugay

PAHP is a holistic approach to alleviate the poor households from hunger and poverty, bringing together the programs of the government to provide essential services to the poorer sectors in the community. With this holistic approach, Cruz said, poverty and hunger incidence would be fully addressed through the technical assistance from the government and consistent project implementation. ARCP II National Project Coordinator Director Herman Z. Ongkiko said that Dipolog City has an edge over the rest in the implementation of the program since “the local government unit itself promotes organic farming to its farmers.” He added that all infrastructure projects of the government in rural areas will be linked with agri-enterprise. Meanwhile, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Consultant Flavio Luis Mazzaro De Freitas stressed that this program is patterned after his country, Brazil, which was then replicated in Africa and now in Asia particularly the Philippines. “This program will increase the

income of small farmers, improve access to food, promote local economies, increase food varieties to be produced by small farmers, and boost the importance of organic products,” de Freitas said. He further emphasized that with the convergence program, “PAHP initiative will reduce the chances of failure.” RepresentativefromtheOfficeof the Secretary of DSWD, Natassia Quijano, said “this convergence wherein government concurrent efforts are linked is very important in achieving inclusive growth aimed by the Aquino administration,” as she thanked the LGUs and other agencies that are open to this initiative. Dipolog Mayor Evelyn T. Uy also expressed her gratitude because the program coincides with the city’s thrust of reducing hunger and poverty by helping the farmers in particular and the community in general. The lady mayor is optimistic that this program will succeed because Dipolog serves as the trading center for fruits and vegetables in the province.

Dipolog, PAHP’s model city in MindanaoDIPOLOG CITY - “Dipolog City will become the model city in Mindanao for the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty’s (PAHP) initiative in food procurement from famiy farmers for school feeding program,” said National Program Coordinator Lawrence Cruz during the convergence meeting of DAR-DSWD-DA-FAO-WFP held here last week.

By Mary May A. Abellon

one mindanao - august 12, 2014

Documents

abellonsugar rush

coconut tree

coconut farmers

ebola national

gpb projects

criminality dipolog

sibugayadvisory council

multilingual educnapc