Tuesday, April 01, 2025

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)

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)

DA commits P8-M project to help Talakag coffee farmers

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (May 15) – The Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) has pledged a Coffee Community-Based Development Enterprise worth P8 million to MILALITTRA, Inc. in order to boost the region’s coffee industry.

MILALITTRA, which stands for Miarayon-Lapok-Lirongan-Tinaytayan-Talaandig Tribal Association, is made up of coffee farmers from about 2,500 household members from various villages of Talakag town in Bukidnon province.

“This project is funded under the High-Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) of DA-RFO 10 that aims to provide production and postharvest support services for coffee and cacao farmers,” said the program coordinator Kersten S. Pagalan.

She added that included in the package of interventions is the provision of hauling truck, processing equipment, facility, training, planting materials, and nursery establishment.
MILALITTRA president Joannah P. Dumaquita who represented Datu Dungkuan ‘Rio’ Besto, indicated that DA’s project funding would greatly help them with their more than 11 hectares of coffee plantation, as well as in expanding their business with the slated training.

Dumaquita also reported that the association bagged the award for the 2019 Philippine Coffee Quality Competition for Arabica category.

She asserted that with DA’s assistance they will be able to modernize their equipment and facilities in order to preserve and maintain the quality of coffee beans, particularly green coffee beans that are still raw and have not yet been roasted while stored.

DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga handed over the Certificate of Commitment on behalf of Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado.