GIZ to conduct Planning Workshop on Local Flood
Early Warning System in Caraga
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, May 21 (PIA) – To continuously
reduce risks during floodings in Caraga, the German International Cooperation
(GIZ), a non-government organization will be conducting the Stakeholders’
Orientation and Planning Workshop on Local Flood Early Warning System (LFEWS)
in the province of Surigao del Sur on June 6-7, and Surigao del Norte on June
13-14, 2013.
As a jumpstart for the LFEWS project, the
workshop intends to bring together the relevant local stakeholders to have a
common understanding and appreciation about the LFEWS and actively interact
their respective roles in managing the causal factors of disaster by flood and
thereby reduce exposure to the hazard, lessen the vulnerability of people,
rationally manage land and environment, and improve preparedness for adverse
events, said Olaf Neussner, Chief Advisor of GIZ-Disaster Risk Management.
Neusser also bared that the LFEWS Project is
under the 8th Action Plan of European Community under the Directorate General
for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) within the Disaster Preparedness program (DIPECHO)
entitled “Improvement of Disaster Risk Management Integration into Local Development
Initiatives in the Philippines” supported by DIPECHO Plans 5 to 8, and the
German Federal Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ).
“LFEWS is located within the GIZ intervention in
Disaster Risk Management that contributes to the strategic framework of the
Environment and Rural Development (EnRD) Program of Improving the Institutional
performance of government agencies in sustainability managing natural
resources. LFEWS traces its origins from GIZ (then GTZ) cooperation with
various government agencies and programs in the field of DRM since early 2005.
The first generation of GIZ-LFEWS was piloted in the Binahaan Watershed of
Leyte Province in 2008. The system has been replicated to seven other
watersheds in Region 8,” explained Neusser.
Neusser also recalled that in January 2012, the
Office of Civil Defense (OCD) sent a proposalto GIZ through EnRD seeing support
in replicating the good practices in LFEWS in Caraga. GIZ through its DIPECHO
project has officially expanded its intervention in Caraga. “Concretely, the
intended outputs until December 2013 is to establish at least two LFEWS in the
region. The selected project sites are the river basins of Surigao River
stretching from the municipality of Sison down to Surigao City in Surigao del
Norte and the Tago River covering the municipalities of San Miguel and Tago in
Surigao del Sur,” he said.
GIZ offers customized solutions to complex
challenges. An experienced service provider and assist the German Government in
achieving its objectives in the field of international cooperation. It offers
demand-driven, tailor-made and effective services for sustainable development.
(JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Feature: Bring back the brown rice tradition
By Charina A. Javier
Looking back, Filipinos ate only brown rice
until Westerners introduced the modern milling process that produced white,
polished rice which soon dominated the market and eventually changed our
cultural tradition on rice preference.
Bringing back the tradition of eating brown rice
can help achieve the government's goal of rice self-sufficiency in the near
future while addressing the country's nutritional and health problems.
Rice is the major staple food of Filipinos,
contributing about 35.7 percent of the average daily individual food intake,
making it the major source of carbohydrates in the Filipino diet.
White rice is the most-consumed form of rice,
based on the Food Consumption Data of the 7th National Nutrition Survey
conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of
Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST).
Brown rice, however, is the form of rice that
has undergone minimal milling. It is gaining popularity today primarily due to
its nutritional and health benefits. It provides all the necessary carbohydrate
requirements of an individual just like white rice. Its bran layer is a source
of dietary fiber, minerals and B vitamins.
Beyond its nutritional and health benefits,
every Filipino eating brown rice daily may help the country achieve its vision
of rice self-sufficiency.
Production of brown rice reduces the power
demand needed in polishing and whitening by as much 65 percent. More so, with
the bran and the embryo intact and fewer broken grains, whole grain-milling
recovery is as much as 10 percent higher than for white rice. Thus, with higher
recovery of milling and consumption of brown rice, our national rice
importation requirement may be reduced.
The DOST, through the FNRI, is leading the
research and development on brown rice to determine the various aspects of
improving the stability and shelf-life of brown rice. With this, brown rice can
be stored at a longer period with no significant changes in nutrient
composition and sensory qualities. Longer shelf-life provides ample time for
developing value-added products that can provide healthier options for
consumers.
Related to this, the FNRI-DOST has successfully
determined in 2012 the optimum conditions for extending the shelf-life of brown
rice so that it can now be stored from 5-9 months instead of only 1-4 months.
Storage of brown rice is a major problem among
rice millers. But with the S&T solution being offered by the FNRI-DOST, our
rice producers may soon be more confident in supplying brown rice in the market
knowing it can last longer, compete with other types of rice and cost-efficient
to produce.
In terms of nutritional value, initial analysis
shows that a serving of cooked brown rice can provide the daily recommended
energy and nutrient intake (RENI) of an adult 19 years old and above by 10
percent of energy, 7 percent protein, 2 percent calcium, 5 percent iron, and 16
percent zinc. The dietary fiber can also satisfy about 8 percent of the
recommended intake. Underway are efficacy studies to verify the health claims
associated with the consumption of brown rice.
Thus, bringing back the tradition of eating
brown rice not only improves every Filipino's health and nutrition, but also
helps the economy at large by reducing our rice importation requirement on the
agricultural side, and the problems of malnutrition on the health side.
For more information about brown rice and other
information on food and nutrition, you may contact: Dr. Mario V. Capanzana,
Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and
Technology, Bicutan, Taguig City; Trunkline: 837-2071 local 2296 or 2287;
Telephone/Fax No.: 837-3164; e-mail: mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph or mar_v_c@yahoo.com;
Website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph (FNRI-DOST/PIA-Caraga)
Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos revised
By Salvador R. Serrano
The National Nutrition Council (NNC) has come
out with a new Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (NGF).
These include:
1. Eat a variety of foods everyday to get the
nutrients needed by the body.
2. Breastfeed infants exclusively from birth up
to six months, then give appropriate complementary foods while continuing
breastfeeding for two years and beyond for optimum growth and development.
3. Attain normal body weight through proper diet
and moderate physical activity to maintain good health and prevent obesity.
4. Consume fish, lean meat, poultry, egg, dried
beans or nuts daily for growth and repair of body tissues.
5. Eat more vegetables and fruits everyday to
get the essential vitamins, minerals and fiber for regulation of body
processes.
6. Limit intake of salty, fried, fatty and
sugar-rich foods to prevent cardiovascular diseases.
7. Consume milk, milk products, and other
calcium-rich foods, such as small fish and shellfish, everyday for healthy
bones and teeth.
8. Use iodized salt to prevent Iodine Deficiency
Disorders.
9. Consume safe foods and water to prevent
diarrhea and other food- and water-borne diseases.
10. Be physically active, make healthy food
choices, manage stress, avoid alcoholic beverages and do not smoke to help
prevent lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases.
Resembling the 2000 NGF, the 2012 version also
has ten messages but now infuses the nutritional and health justification for
each.
The reformulated guidelines as a whole aims to
improve the nutritional status that enhances productivity and quality of life
of the population, by following desirable dietary practices and healthy
lifestyle, the NNC further said in its website.
In addition, the NGF endeavors in protecting and
promoting the nutrition of Filipinos by providing a solid foundation and
starting point for nutrition workers in developing information, education and
communication materials and in conducting educational and advocacy activities,
the statement elucidates.
For more information on food and nutrition,
contact Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, FNRI Director, DOST Compound, General Santos
Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City; 837-2934 & 839-1839 (direct lines); 837-3164
(fax); 837-2071 local 2287, 837-8113 local 325 (trunklines);
mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph, mar_v_c@yahoo.com (email); www.fnri.dost.gov.ph
(website). (FNRI-DOST/PIA-Caraga)
Cebuano news: Taiwan mohatag og dugang seguridad
aron protektahan ang mga Filipino, matud sa Malakanyang
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Mayo 21 (PIA) – Ang gobyernong
Taiwan gikatakdang mohatag og dugang seguridad aron maproteksyunan ang mga
Filipino didto sa Taiwan taliwala sa mga taho pag-atake ug diskriminasyon batok
sa mga Filipino nasyunal nga nagpuyo didto, sumala sa opisyales sa Palasyo
kagahapon.
Sumala ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson
Abigail Valte nga ang gobyerno sa Pilipinas nagpabiling positibo nga ang
pagpang-atake ug panghasi batok sa mga Filipino didto sa Taiwan mahunong na
human nga misaad si Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou niadtong niaging semana nga
iyang hatagan og proteksyon ang mga Filipino didto.
Samtang organisado na sa Manila Economic and
Cultural Office (MECO) ang usa ka grupo nga maoy mosuta sa gikatahong mga
pagpanghasi ug pag-atake batok sa mga Filipino didto sa Taiwan ug ipaabot kini
didto sa foreign ministry sa Taiwan.
Sumala pa ni Valte nga ang gobyerno miawhag sa
katawhang Taiwanese nga dili unta hasion ang mga Filipino didto tungod kay wala
silay labot sa nahitabong pagpusil patay sa usa ka Taiwanese nga mangingisda
niadtong Mayo 9 sa may Batanes Island.
Ug giseguro sa gobyerno nga andam na ang mga
contingencies pagtabang sa mga Filipini kon ugaling adunay dakong kagubot nga
mahitabo didto sa Taiwan.
Sa laing bahin ang Department of Labor gilantaw
na ang pagpangita og laing merkado sama sa South Korea, Middle East ug Malaysia
nga posibleng modawat sa mga Filipino nga maapektuhan sa kasamtangang sitwasyon
sa Taiwan. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
