Friday, May 17, 2024

DA-NorMin confers P3-M farm tractor to Baungon town cooperative

BAUNGON, BUKIDNON – Eyed to boost the land preparation activities of corn and cassava farmers for better crop yield and favorable soil environment, the agriculture department in Northern Mindanao (DA-10) under the management of OIC-RED Carlene C. Collado, turned over recently P3 million worth of corn-funded farm tractor to Phil. Agro Multi-Purpose Cooperative (PAMC) in barangay Imbatug, this town

Held at a PAMC residential area in Mandu, the certificate of turnover was handed over by DA-10 through Corn focal person Richan D. Lacanaria to the Local Government of Bukidnon headed by Mayor Rogelio D. Jaraula and Municipal Agriculturist Janel C. Redondo, and to PAMC manager Deodato V. Galaura, Jr., in the presence of local and coop officials and members, and other regional and municipal agri staff.

According to PAMC manager Galaura, the conferred farm machinery is for priority use of the 56-membered coop engaged in the rotational farming of corn and cassava, covering 94 hectares and a potential area of around 30 hectares.

Likewise, the coop official added that it would enable them to thoroughly conduct their land preparation activities, paving way for more efficiency in the ensuing stages of their corn and cassava production.

“Kung tsada ang pag land prep, mosunod na dayon ang uban operation [in farming]. Dako kaayo kini nga katabang sa pag-abot ani na makinarya,” the manager remarked.

Meanwhile, being at the helm of Baungon town, Mayor Jaraula conveyed his gratitude to the agency, as this is a meaningful addition to PAMC.

“Dako ako pasalamat sa DA-10 sa pagtugyan niini nga tractor kay dako kini’g makatabang satong mga mag-uuma. Since grant mani, wala may nagasto, savings na ninyo ni. Puhon, ipakita ninyo sa DA kung pila ang inyong nakita.” the local chief executive said, posing a challenge to the coop.

Similarly hoping for the advancement of the farmers’ group, Baungon MA Redondo reminded the beneficiaries to set aside funds for the repair and maintenance of the farm machinery at the same time accord special rates for the coop members in its utilization.

For the agency’s part, Corn coordinator Lacanaria extended his congratulations to PAMC for being one of the unit recipients, factoring in the limited funds and overwhelming requests for the availment of a farm tractor.

“As a government investment, hopefully, the value of the project mabalik sa atoang cooperative by using it and engaging it into a business enterprise [through servicing],” he pointed out.

He pinned his hope that the coop will sustain itself in growing corn and cassava, and serve as a ‘big brother’ for other nearby farmers’ cooperatives, associations in their locality, and other adjacent towns, becoming a staunch partner of DA in its bid towards food security and sustainability. (JLO/DA-10)

Agri 10 grants P1.5-M for Baungon demo farm, training center on organic agriculture upgrade

Cagayan de Oro City – To aid in the continuous operations of the ATI-certified organic agriculture (OA) hub, the Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao (DA-10) under the leadership of OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado handed over the P1.5 million worth of check to the Department of Education – Bukidnon District on January 20, 2023, this city

Funded by the agency’s OA program, the amount is for the rehabilitation and enhancement of the demonstration farm and training center on OA in barangay Imbatug, Baungon, Bukidnon purposely to boost the knowledge and skills of the students, and teachers of Baungon National High School (BNHS), farmers and other relevant stakeholders.

The conferred amount is set for the repair of the training center; enhancement of the poultry house, edible landscaping, stock room, and mushroom house; establishment of a greenhouse; construction of a perimeter fence; procurement of assorted vegetable seeds, agri tools, and equipment; and for the conduct of briefings.

The check release was led by Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga, Field Operations Division chief Luz I. Guzman, OA focal person Mark Lagamon and in the presence of other DA-10 officials, to DepEd-Buk thru Henry J. Lood, district in-charge and Nanette D. Soriano, BNHS principal, and also witnessed by Baungon municipal agriculturist Janel C. Redondo and other staff from DepEd-Buk, BNHS, and DA-10. (JLO/DA-10)

Php1.74-B PRDP IBUILD proposals up for technical review

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project 10 (DA-PRDP 10) is up for a Joint Technical Review (JTR) of Php1.74 billion proposed IBUILD subprojects (SPs) on January 16-20, 2023, in this city.

In his message, DA-10 OIC – Regional Executive Director and RPCO 10 Project Director Carlene C. Collado encouraged the participants to maximize the activity in enhancing and refining their project proposals for further review and approval of the Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB).

“For these subprojects, I am urging everyone to fast-track the preparation of the documentary requirements. The approval of your proposals depends on how responsive you are in complying with the needed documents. We are all willing to assist you in polishing your proposals until their approval.”

The subprojects under review are the following:

• 9.7 km Concreting of Sepac-Salimpono-Capundag-Ventura FMR w/ bridge worth Php 232,203,000.00 (Sapanga Dalaga, Mis.Occ)

• 11.16 km Concreting of Tipan-Binuangan-Senote-Clain Settlement FMR worth Php 200,000,000.00 (Oroquieta City, Mis. Occ)

• 3. 9.87 km Concreting of Mohon-Camanucan-San Juan FMR worth Php 197,400,000.00 (Panaon, Mis. Occ)

• 4. 12.32 km Concreting of Panalsalan – Cartagena – Luzaran – Damapalan – Macalibre Alto FMR worth Php 104,820,000.00 (Misamis Occidenta)

• 5. 13.11 km Concreting of Sinara Bajo – Sinara Alto – Dinas – Katipunan FMR worth Php 200,197,154.40 ( Misamis Occidental)

• 6. 12.6 km Concreting of Poblacion-Concepcion-New Eden-Portulin FMR amounting to Php 221M (Pangantucan, Bukidnon)

• 7. 12.08 km Rehabilitation and Concreting of Sumalsag-Comocomo-Mindagat-Lumbatan FMR worth Php 200M (Malitbog, Bukidnon)

• 8. 9.46 km Concreting of Farm-to-Market Road w/ Drainage at Sitio Cacawon, Kulasihan to Purok 2 Kangay, Capitan Juan to Purok 4 to Purok 5 Katiguman to Purok 6 Pinamanguhan, Capitan Juan to Block 2 Kaatuan amounting to Php 191,930,828.00 (Lantapan, Bukidnon)

• 9. 6.516 km Concreting of Farm-to-Market Road with Drainage at Balila Proper to Sitio Gahub to Purok 5 Kaatuan with a length of worth Php 133,327,268.80 (Lantapan, Bukidnon)

• 10. 4.736 km is the Concreting of Mabuhay-San Isidro Upper Pendulonan-Tenazas-Dao FMR amounting to Php 100M (Lala, Lanao del Norte)

• 11. Construction of Warehouse with Multi-Purpose Drying Pavement (MPDP) worth Php 11M (Brgy. Andil, Lala, LDN)

• Construction of Warehouse with Multi-Purpose Drying Pavement (MPDP) worth Php 11M (Brgy. Abaga, Lala, LDN)

• Construction of Warehouse with Multi-Purpose Drying Pavement (MPDP) worth Php 11M (Brgy. Rebe, Lala, LDN)

• Construction of Warehouse with Multi-Purpose Drying Pavement (MPDP) with cold storage worth Php 11M (Brgy. Lala Proper, Lala, LDN)

• Construction of Warehouse and Solar Dryer worth Php 11M (Brgy. Pendulunan, Lala, LDN)

• Construction of Double “A” Slaughterhouse with Cold Storage worth Php 90M (Misamis Occidental)

• Construction of Double “A” Slaughterhouse with Cold Storage worth Php 59M (Don Carlos, Bukidnon)

The technical review is conducted to find out the readiness of the proposals to comply with needed documents and requirements based on the standards set by the World Bank.

Further, to help improve the proposals to qualify for the Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) review and approval.

The full-blown proposals are expected to be reviewed and approved by the RPAB in February 2023 and project implementation to commence in the succeeding months.

The JTR is participated by the proponent LGUs and components/units of RPCO 10 and is virtually assisted by concerned units and components from the National Project Coordinating Office and Project Support Office of Mindanao. (DA RFO-10)

DA-10 stages workshop to bolster coffee industry in Mindanao

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON — In an effort to strengthen support for the coffee farmers and industry in Mindanao, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office (DA RFO-10) headed by OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, in partnership with Nestlé Philippines, Inc., held a workshop on January 16-20, 2023 to finalize the Mindanao Coffee Project (MCP), this city

Through the MCP, the agency aims to establish a globally competitive, sustainable, and product-diversified coffee industry in Mindanao to benefit local farmers, traders, manufacturers, and exporters.

In her welcome message, DA-10 OIC-Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations Cora A. Dumayaca thanked the agency’s partners from the public and private sectors for the support they continuously extend to coffee farmers in Mindanao.

High-Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) and National Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (NUPAP) Director Gerald Glenn F. Panganiban, Ph.D enjoined the participants to actively participate in said event, as the workshop’s inputs contribute to the impactful work the agency does for coffee farmers in the country.

Meanwhile, Nestlé Philippines, Inc. Senior Vice President and Corporate Affairs Head Jose Uy III reaffirmed their company’s commitment to empowering coffee farmers in Mindanao, particularly those from the provinces of Bukidnon and Sultan Kudarat – two of the country’s leading coffee producers.

The five-day workshop highlighted proposed projects by the University of Southern Mindanao and Nestlé Philippines, Inc., which tackled the productivity of Robusta coffee to organic and inorganic fertilizers, fertilizer support for coffee farmers, and the establishment and improvement of integrated coffee centers in Sultan Kudarat and Bukidnon, respectively.

During the said event, representatives from DA regional offices 9 to 13 also presented their plans and upcoming projects for FY 2023 and 2024. They underscored the Philippine Coffee Industry Roadmap 2021-2025 and the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan.

As a showcase of its ‘regenerative’ agricultural farming practices, Nestlé Philippines, led by its SVP Uy, also facilitated a tour of the Bukidnon Integrated Coffee Center (BICC) and its model coffee farms in Maramag town.

Also supporting the activity were DA-10 RTD for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga, Field Operations Division chief Luz I. Guzman, Ph.D., Agribusiness, and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) Supervising Agriculturist Ferdinand F. Caraballe, and HVCDP focal person Kersten S. Pagalan. (GDAndres/DA-10)

LPA leaves 7 dead, P22-M worth of damage in NorMin

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The two-week rains caused by a low-pressure area (LPA) in Northern Mindanao affected 59,000 individuals, left seven dead, and damaged more than PHP22 million worth of properties.

 

In the initial report by the Region 10 Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC-10) on January 15, 15,812 families experienced flooding.

In evacuation centers throughout the region, only 4,432 individuals or 1,227 families have remained as of Sunday out of the 31,353 individuals or 8,621 families who sought shelter within the two weeks period.

The seven dead were from the provinces of Lanao del Norte, four; Misamis Oriental, two; and Misamis Occidental, one.

RDRRMC-10 also recorded five injured and two missing persons.

The initial estimate of damaged houses reached PHP2.1 million, damage to infrastructures PHP20.8 million, and damage to agriculture PHP63.7 million.

Department of Agriculture-10 (DA-10) will provide PHP5,000 in financial assistance to rice farmers in February, to be sourced from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

“We will (also) be distributing the fertilizer discount vouchers for the whole region, which total around PHP192 million. And for the RFFA (Rice Farmers Financial Assistance), we have PHP96 million to be disbursed and the funds are already deposited with the DBP (Development Bank of the Philippines) account,” DA-10 executive director Carlene Collado said during the visit of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Jan. 11.

Marcos directed the Department of Public Works and Highways to review flood control measures.

Gratitude

Heavily affected Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental experienced a repeat of nature’s wrath that submerged parts of the provinces on Christmas Eve last year.

Victims of the twin calamities were relieved to receive government aid.

“I am glad about the help extended to us, especially since we almost had nothing (salvaged from the flood),” Erminia Bernaldes said in the vernacular during the distribution of PHP5,000 in cash assistance and food packs in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental, led by President Marcos.

Rolly Egoc of Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental, said his house in Barangay Talic was washed away on Dec. 26, 2022.

“We don’t have a house anymore, so we went to the barangay for refuge. I am now 55 years old and it is only now that I experienced this flood,” he said.

Given a chance to talk to the President, he said he would request assistance to rebuild his house. (Nef Luczon/PNA)

Agri NorMin research stations break ground for construction of poultry houses

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Two research stations of the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) are now set for the construction of poultry houses with a total worth of P1.875 million in Bukidnon province.

On May 3, a series of the groundbreaking ceremony was held for Malaybalay Stock Farm (P1.25-M) in Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, and the Regional Center for Upland Development (P625,000.00) in Dangcagan town.

DA Undersecretary for Regulations and Infrastructure Engr. Zamzamin L. Ampatuan and DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado led the said events.

As the department is pushing for infrastructure development towards a more industrialized and modernized farming industry, USec Ampatuan relayed, that the construction of these projects will be a huge contribution to poultry farmers’ productivity and profitability.

RED Collado noted, that said units will give a great boost in the supply of poultry stocks, extending more help to farmers regionwide thru production in the centers.

Fund source for said buildings were pooled from the Regional Livestock Program under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) otherwise known as Republic Act 11494, a law created to provide COVID-19 response and recovery interventions.

DA-10, CMU pushes for higher yield, productivity thru hybrid rice technology

MARAMAG, BUKIDNON – The Hybridization Program aims to increase farm efficiency to attain rice sufficiency through hybrid rice; the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10), together with Central Mindanao University (CMU), led a ceremonial planting for the Hybrid Rice Derby.

Representing DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, Audy G. Maagad, officer-in-charge, Field Operations Division, highlighted the benefits of using hybrid rice on Feb. 4 in Musuan, Maramag, Bukidnon.

Maagad shared that hybrid rice is a good option for farmers to increase production, producing as much as 10-12 tons per hectare.

“With hybrid rice and the use of farm mechanization in land preparation, transplanting, and harvesting, the production cost is reduced while the yield increases, thus rice farmers get to earn more,” the DA official added.

CMU provided the 33-hectare farmland for seed companies to plant, where each of them is provided with three hectares to showcase their best varieties, including their respective cultural management practices and other technologies to enhance rice productivity.

This will then be displayed in a technology demonstration, so farmers can determine which variety is best suited for their respective areas.

Meanwhile, CMU President Jesus Antonio G. Derije said their institution welcomes opportunities to achieve rice sufficiency in the country.

“We want to be of help in producing rice to address the shortage and to produce more harvest because rice is a basic commodity that Filipinos need,” Derije said.

He underscored; they are one with the department in achieving the production of quality rice.

Said derby was participated by seed companies, which include Bayer, Dosepco, SL Agritech, Leads Agri, Ramgo, LongPin, Corteva, Syngenta, Bioseed, and Seed works, including DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute.

“With them [seed companies] responding to our call, it shows the strong collaboration of our public-private partnership, especially in this time of the pandemic, where Bayanihan is very much needed,” Maagad said.

Also present in the Rice Derby are DA-10 and CMU officials and staff, representatives from the seed companies, and farmers from the different towns of Bukidnon. # (CSeraspe)