DA Sec. Alcala turns over P8M farm materials, pledge 55M agri support to AgSur
By: David M. Suyao
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 22 (PIA) - Department of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala yesterday turned over some P8M worth of farm materials to Agusan del Sur Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza, and pledged some P55M to fund various agricultural programs in the province during a luncheon meeting with the local chief executives of the province at the Provincial Training Center in Patin-ay, Prosperidad.
According to Sec. Alcala, since the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) funds are underutilized, local government units can take advantage of the funds in order to address the needs of the municipalities. He also encouraged other non-MRDP municipalities to participate in the program.
“The only thing you should do is to put up your 10 percent counterpart in order to cope up with the sharing scheme set by the MRDP in order that you can avail of the financing program,” Sec. Alcala said.
Among those agricultural materials that Sec. Alcala turned over to Agusan del Sur are: Two farm tractors with an estimated cost of P4,800,000, four green houses worth P549,260, three computer with accessories worth P285,000, five pump engine sets worth P389,750, two open source pump worth P170,000, two power sprayers worth P80,000, 12 heads imported boer goats worth P936,000, 50 heads upgraded goats worth P400,000, 100 bags certified seeds worth P120,000, and 15 family drip irrigation worth P270,000.
Sec. Alcala also considered more than P800,000 for the soil survey and classification and land use assessment study for the agri-investment project in Agusan del Sur. Said amount will be subject for consideration also of DA-13 regional director Reinerio Belarmino.
Sec. Alcala also nodded when presented with issue for funding support to the implementation of high value vegetables production worth P1M. Another P6M counterpart from DA for the establishment of liquid nitrogen plant under the United artificial insemination program was confirmed.
As member of the Board of the National Business Corporation, Sec. Alcala promised to sit during the next NABCOR meeting in order that the requested P10M from DA will be considered for the additional fund of NABCOR in Bayugan for the Corn Post Harvest Processing and Training Center at the pagkain ng bayan.
Another P31M fund will be subject for referral by the Secretary to the National Irrigation Administration administrator upon submission of NIA Agusan del Sur the estimates of the items for the completion of Laminga Communal Irrigation project in San Luis.
Secretary Alcala also approved the funding assistance for the proposed establishment of Agrometeorological station in Patin-ay provided the specs of the basic agromet instruments be referred first to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for standards and costing.
Sec. Alcala also told Gov. Plaza to check with Dir. Belarmino the P5,678,062 worth of planting materials to be distributed to farmers for the rehabilitation of their farms.
Local chief executives were also given the chance to discuss their concerns, and were consolidated by the Provincial Agriculture Office to be sent to Sec. Alcala for his consideration. (PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Cebuano News: Seminar Workshop gipahigayon sa City Nutrition
Ni: Amandalyn R. Guitierrez
Ang City Nutrition Office og Barangay Nutrition Scholar Project nagpahigayon ug usa {1} ka Barangay Nutrition Planning Management Seminar/ Workshop kagahapong adlawa Enero 19, 2011 kini nagalangkob sa duha (2) ka Barangay nga mao ang Brgy. Villa Kananga og Barangay Taguibo diin nahimong mamumulong sila Mrs. Nena P. Loquias, Nutrition officer IV og si Mrs. Nineta C. Rofanan, Nutrition Officer I.
Tumong og tinguha niini nga Seminar/ Workshop nga maka-angkon sa maayong panglawas ang mga kabataan pinaagi sa paghatag ug maayo, masustansya, ug puno sa mga bitamina ug mineralis nga mga pagkaon uban ang makugihong pag-amoma sa mga ginikanan.
Padayon nga magmugna og Seminar/ Workshop ang City Nutrition Office sa uban pang mga kabarangayan ubos sa kamandoan ug hugot nga pagsuporta sa atong Halandong Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante, Jr. (PIO/PIA-Caraga)
Cebuano News: Search for Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar 2011, ipahigayon
Ni: Amandalyn R. Guitierrez
Magpahigayon og Search for Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar 2011 ang City Nutrition Office karong adlawa, Janaury 20, 2011, didto sa Brgy Golden Ribbon ning dakbayan.
Sa katuyuan aron mas mapalambu ang mga kalihokan kabahin sa kahimtang sa panglawas sa katawhan, uban sa pagtutok sa mga aktibidades ug proyekto sa mga kabarangayan pinaagi sa hugot nga ayuda sa atong Halangdong Mayor Dr. Jun Amante ug sa suporta sa mga maabtik nga mga Barangay Nutrition Scholar.
Ang pagpili pangunahan nila Ms. Nenita C. Rafanan, Nutrition Officer I, Maam Leah A. Mendoza, City Administrator og ang atong Pinanggang Mayor Dr. Ferdinand M. Amante Jr. (PIO/PIA-Caraga)
NFA shutdown eyed
Chiz to Abad: Don’t Shoot the Messenger
Senator Chiz Escudero disagreed with plans to abolish the National Food Authority (NFA) as a way of addressing anomalies in the agency stemming from the excessive rice importation by the previous administration.
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said they were weighing the possibility of shutting down the NFA and transfer three of its key functions after the agency disclosed that it was saddled with P177 billion debt due to the excessive rice importation.
“That the present administrators of the NFA found malfeasance in rice importation from the previous does not deserve a knee-jerk reaction,” Escudero said. “The NFA still serves a purpose and should not be abolished although I agree that its mandate and processes should be reviewed at the very least.”
While the senator believes that the NFA’s system has long been plagued with inefficiency and corruption, he explained that this was not yet the proper time to abolish it.
“The NFA needs a policy overhaul and it must be made more relevant and in tune with the times and its flaws and shortcomings corrected,” Escudero explained.
To address the flaws in the system, Escudero proposed to economic managers to prioritize this, tap resources that could help stabilize market prices and aid the agricultural sector to make it self-sufficient.
“Every people’s need right now is food on their table. The poorest of the Filipino families belong to the agricultural sector. Forty percent of our labor force is directly dependent on agriculture. Boosting agricultural sufficiency will lower the cost of doing business in the country and will create a more stable business climate,” he said. (Office of Senator Chiz Escudero/PIA-Caraga)
Chiz Dares Police, DILG to name Execs cuddling kidnap gangs
“Come out with names and file cases if you have the evidence.”
This was the challenge of Senator Chiz Escudero to the police chief of Cotobato City and the Department of the Interior and Local Government after it was reported that they had arrested the suspects responsible for the spate of kidnappings in the area.
Police Senior Superintendent Willie Dangane said the other day the kidnap suspects had admitted in their sworn statements that their group was being run and protected by men in government. Dangane, however, declined to identify the officials.
Escudero, chairman of the Senate national defense and security committee, said such announcement was useless unless the police would take the appropriate action and intervention amid the unabated incidents of kidnapping in the city and nearby towns.
“They should name names and not simply pass the buck to a nameless and faceless category of people usually used as a ‘whipping boy’ even in movies. I challenge the PNP and the DILG to file cases against those that they have evidence against,” Escudero said.
Last week, Escudero sought the relief of the Cotabato police and Army chiefs for their failure to stop kidnappings in the city. He also urged them to look into allegations that some of its personnel were involved in kidnapping activities.
“Now that they claim to have the names of these officials, the security force has to present it in full package. Unmask these hooligans who hide under the cloak of government and let the arms of the law reach them. There should be no sacred cow in this arena as everyone's security is at stake,” Escudero said. “It’s time to show that we indeed have a force there that these criminals have to reckon with.” (Office of Senator Chiz Escudero/PA-Caraga)
