SurSur gets P145M for road to Andap Valley
concreting project
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Oct. 1 (PIA) – The
province of Surigao del Sur has received the “first tranche payment of the
‘Road Opening and Concreting from Janipaan to Andap Valley FMR’ under the
PAMANA Project in the amount of Php 145,000,000.00” on September 28, 2015.
The occasion took place at the municipal gym of
San Francisco, Agusan del Sur during the visit of Agriculture Secretary Proceso
Alcala who was the honored guest for the Farmers’ Forum and inauguration of the
Rice Processing Center III (RPC III) in Barangay Pisaan.
Efren Rivas, provincial administrator here,
attended the event in lieu of Governor Johnny Pimentel.
The said farm-to-market road would pass through
the hinterlands of both San Agustin and Marihatag towns, the administrator
bared.
Alcala also went to Trento town in the same
province for the inauguration of RPC II and the Regional Crop Protection Center
(RCPC) on that day. (Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
SurSur all set for Coop Month celebration
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Oct. 1 (PIA) – The
province of Surigao del Sur is all geared up for the Cooperative Month
celebration this October 2015.
With the theme “Kooperatiba: Ika-100 Taong
Pagpupugay, Tulay sa Maunlad na Buhay,” various activities would be carried out
in all two cities and 17 municipalities, this province, according to Angeles
“Nik-Nik” Canda, provincial cooperative officer-designate.
For the first day of the month, hanging of
streamers would signal the opening of the month-long celebration province-wide,
the provincial coop chief said.
Meanwhile, Lorna Novo, Tandag City cooperative
officer, had already sent a letter of invitation to all concerned for the
scheduled City Cooperative Development Council (CCDC) quarterly meeting at the
Season’s Park Apartelle here at 2:00 p.m. on October 6, 2015.
“Election of CCDC 2016 Officers; Last quarter
planning; and Stategic Planning for 2016” were the agenda cited.
In addition, she likewise encouraged fellow coop
enthusiasts to attend the culmination rites of Cooperative Centennial
Celebration and Cooperative Expo at the Philippine Trade Center in Pasay City
on October 20-23, 2015 as well as the 5th Philippine Cooperative Teamshop at La
Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel and Convention Center in Malaya, Aklan on
November 12-14, 2015. (Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
DA chief turns over P317 Million worth aggie
projects in Caraga
By Fretcher Magatao
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 1 (PIA) - Agriculture Secretary
Proceso J. Alcala turns over a total of P317 Million worth of agriculture projects
in Caraga Region last Monday, September 28, in the province of Agusan del Sur.
This is during the inauguration of the two
AgriPinoy Rice Processing Centers (RPC) situated in the municipalities of San
Francisco and Trento in Agusan del Sur.
The AgriPinoy RPC III in Pisaan, San Francisco
amounting to PhP 37,292,410 was finally turned over to Agus Pinoy Producers
Cooperative (APCO). Led by the Sec.
Alcala, the inauguration displays a fulfillment of the farmers’ vision of
having a processing center in the locality.
“This has been a dream and now a reality. We are
glad that we could partner with the Department of Agriculture (DA) in serving
the farmers of Agusan del Sur and Caraga as a whole,” said Agus Pinoy chairman
Jimmy Geronimo.
RPC III covers all areas in Caraga that produce
rice but specifically concentrated in the municipalities of Agusan del Sur such
as San Francisco, Rosario, Prosperidad, Talacogon, La Paz, San Luis, Esperanza,
Bunawan and Bayugan City.
“The governor’s support for agriculture is 100
percent. The Provincial LGU is grateful that the rice produced in the province
will now be processed in Agusan del Sur,” said Provincial Agriculturist Jessica
Unson.
A farmers’ forum, turnover of farm equipment and
provision of seeds to farmer cooperatives and individuals succeeded after the
inauguration. The forum gave an avenue to answer queries and personally ask the
secretary of the plans and programs of the department for the farmers in the
province. Raffle of livestock products
highlighted the occasion.
Another Agri Pinoy RPC was also inaugurated and
turned over to First Trento Community Multi-Purpose Cooperative (FTCMPC) in
Trento, Agusan del Sur. The establishment of RPC II amounting to PhP 17,000,000
will cover 10,000 hectares of rice and corn areas in the municipalities of
Trento, Sta. Josefa, Veruela, Bunawan and Loreto.
The rice processing center is intended to reduce
quality deterioration and post-harvest losses by providing access to efficient
drying and milling facilities in currently underserved rice production areas.
Like that of San Francisco, farmers’ forum and
turnover of farm equipment to farmer cooperatives and individuals happened
after the turnover of RPC. Each farmer received a sack of upland rice seeds.
Various agriculture goodies were also raffled and brought home by lucky
farmers.
“We will never get tired to be of service to our
dear farmers. I am confident that the next time I visit your province, I will
see the more of the farmers’ lives improved,” said Alcala.
The establishment of rice processing centers was
made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Philippine Center for
Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), National Food Authority,
DA, and the local government units.
In addition, Alcala also inaugurated the newly
established Regional Crop Protection Center (RCPC) in the DA’s Trento Research
and Experiment Station amounting to PhP 4.250 Million. RCPC serves as a
diagnostic clinic for pests and diseases and shall provide recommendation for
its control and management.
“The establishment of the facility will surely
help us farmers in knowing the safety measures in pest management” said Alcala
to the farmers who attended. “Here we foresee a reduction of pesticide usage,
but still achieve optimum crop production,” he added.
RCPC is a hub for surveillance and early warning
system for existing and emerging crop pests and diseases as well as promote the
usage of biocontrol agents in optimizing production of the region’s major
commodities. The center also provides
technical assistance to target clienteles.
“The facilities established in our locality truly
demonstrate the support of the DA to the farmers,” said Stanly Perocho,
President of Humayan Irrigators Association.
Other projects and interventions turned over
during Alcala’s visit are Farm Machineries amounting to P27.880 Million, Payapa
at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) and Bottom-Up Budgeting (BuB) totaling to
P228.879 Million, various raffled agri support amounting to P1.109 Million.
(FEA/DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
News Feature: P166.5 Million FMR: A path to
lasting peace
By Aurelius P. Arais
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 1 (PIA) - Rural infrastructure
sparks economic opportunities and will redound to lasting peace and
development.
This is how Assistant Secretary Edilberto De Luna
of the Department of Agriculture (DA) described the effort of DA in
implementing farm to market roads (FMR) especially in conflict affected areas.
Asec. De Luna visited and led the turnover of
three multi-million FMR projects implemented by DA Caraga through the Payapa at
Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) last September 29 in Surigao del Sur.
The said projects totaling P166.5 Million includes
the concreting of 2.41 kilometers San Roque, Cadanglasan FMR in Sitio Mabog,
San Roque, Bislig City connecting boundary of Bunawan amounting P33.3 million;
concreting of 5.42 kms. Diatagon Km. 16 (Lianga) connecting Sitio Lagangan,
Caras-an - Tago FMR amounting to P66.6 million and road opening and concreting
of 5.29 kms. Brgy. Lubo, Cantilan - Brgy. Panikian, Carrascal FMR amounting to
P66.6 million.
De Luna said that DA is supporting the point of
governance to the five point agenda of the Aquino administration particularly
the economic development, justice and lasting peace.
“Solving the problem on peace matters is not
merely using firearms but by giving economic opportunities,” said Asec. De
Luna.
The completion of the said FMR’s could boost the
community’s livelihood within the service areas who are cultivating various
agricultural crops such as banana, corn, rice, and rootcrops due to
accessibility of transport to the main highways leading to the nearest market.
De Luna pointed out that DA is now ensuring that
FMR’s could withstand various weather conditions to last for longer periods for
the benefit of the people.
On the other hand, DA Caraga regional director
Edna Mabeza urged the residents to avail various DA interventions particularly
under the banner programs such as rice, corn, high value crops and organic
agriculture to further boost the agricultural sector in the area.
“DA has various projects and services that you can
avail by coordinating with your city or municipal agriculture officer so we can
extend our services such as planting materials. By the time you have enough
produce we can probably put up a processing center,” Mabeza said.
Engr. Merlinda Baure, Surigao del Sur PAMANA focal
person representing Governor Johnny Pimentel expressed grateful recognition of
the contribution of the Department of Agriculture for the development of the
province.
PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn or PAMANA is the
national government’s convergence program that extends development
interventions to isolated, hard-to-reach and conflict-affected communities,
ensuring that they are not left behind. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
