Caraga’s first meat-cutting plant inaugurated in
Butuan City
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 13 (PIA) - With the goal of
improving the management practices of backyard farmers in Caraga region, the
Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation, Winrock International Institute for
Agrcicultural Development – Philippine Cold Chain Project (PCCP), United States
Department of Agriculture, and Happy Enterprises and Resources Incorporated
established a meat-cutting plant here, which is the first in the region.
Jefferson Abian, assistant vice president of
Pilmico Visayas and Mindanao Feeds Sales said the meat-cutting plant in Butuan
City will help cater Butuanons and nearby provinces and will give local
community access to fresh quality meat and opportunity for local employment.
“With our partnership with Winrock International,
USDA, and other stakeholders in Caraga region, backyard farmers focusing on
swine production can now have a wider opportunities to market their products.
The meat processing plant will provide the local backyard farmers with a market
for their livestock and simultaneously give the local community access to
locally grown, fresh quality meat,” underscored Abian.
Dr. Ivan Rey Porras of Pilmico Butuan also revealed
that with the advent of digitization, the products are designed to be traceable
even it is already at the hands of the consumer - from Farm to Fork. At MPC,
the meat are cut, packed and distributed in a controlled environment to satisfy
the strict standards set by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), a good
manufacturing practice compliance.
“To support further the farmers, we would like also
to solicit support from our partners from the hotel and restaurant industries
here in Caraga to patronize our products because every time you buy meat from
this plant, you have extended a hand to the families of the hog raisers in the
region, to send their children to school or maybe to put something on their
table or continue to have a daily sustenance and livelihood,” Porras stressed.
Also, Tristan Roberto Aboitiz, vice president and
child of the owner of Pilmico Feeds claimed that with the common goal of
improving the management practices of the backyard farmers in Caraga, Pilmico,
Winrock, Happy Enterprises transformed their current swine repopulation project
into a more holistic and sustainable approach to addressing swine production
challenges through the construction of the meat-cutting plant. He also
expressed his optimism that the establishment of said plant will turn folds of
good results.
Meanwhile, Claro Dennis Morante, NMIS Caraga
regional director said the meat-cutting plant facility in Butuan City will
change the whole region in terms of the accessibility of fresh meat and
producing employment to local communities. (JPG/NCLM/PIA-Caraga)
Academe, health providers sign partnership for
Caraga health research
By Gabrielle Espinosa
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 13 - Various stakeholders from
the academe, the Health Centers and the media from all over Caraga signed a
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Science and Technology
(DOST) Caraga and Philippine Council for Health Research and Development
(PCHRD) on February 24, to strengthen the partnership of the Caraga Health
Research and Development Consortium (CHRDC) in the region.
The partnership, which was first developed on May
13, 2008, aimed at addressing health problems in Caraga through boosting the
Health Research and Development. According to Dr. Jose R. LlacuΓ±a, regional
director of the Department of Health Caraga and the newly appointed CHRDC Chair,
there is a need to promote and improve health and quality of life of
Caraganons.
“We have to gain new knowledge, develop new
technologies to help us solve key health issues in Caraga like Schistosomiasis
and Dengue. Also, we have to remember that we have a high incidence rate of
Teenage Pregnancy Rate and HIV/AIDS cases in the region,” says LlacuΓ±a. The
partnership was also forged to collaborate and share resources, expertise and
facilities to speed up the generation of knowledge and technologies from the
consortium.
Sectoral representatives were also reelected and
appointed alongside the MOA Signing. Dr. Llacuna, was elected as the new CHRDC
Chair while DOST Caraga Regional Director Dominga D. Mallonga is Vice-chair.
The members of the Caraga Health Research and
Development Consortium include: Philippine Council for Health Research and
Development, Department of Science and Technology – Caraga, Department of
Health – Caraga, Commission on Higher Education – Caraga, National Economic and
Development Authority – Caraga, Department of Education – Caraga, Philippine
Health Insurance Corporation and Bombo Radyo Philippines.
From the Health Centers and Hospitals (Butuan City
Health Office; Provincial Health Office – Agusan del Norte; Butuan Medical
Center; Manuel J. Santos Hospital; From the Academe; Agusan del Sur State
College of Agriculture and Technology; Butuan Doctor’s College; Caraga State
University; Father Saturnino Urios State University; Saint Joseph Institute of
Technology; Saint Paul University Surigao; Surigao Education Center; Surigao
del Sur State University; Surigao State College of Technology.
Aside from the election and appointment, the
members of the consortium discussed on the upcoming activities like the
Information, Education and Communication Campaign Planning Workshop and the
Regional Consultations and Drafting of the Regional Unified Health Research
Agenda for 2017-2022. (DOST-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Butuan West Central pupils win legal adoption
dance-drama contest
By Abegail R. Alvarez
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 13 - A total of seven teams
composed of elementary pupils actively participated in the dance drama
competition of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Caraga
spearheaded by the Adoption Resource and Referral Section (ARRS).
The said competition, which was held recently is
part of the Culmination of the Adoption Consciousness Celebration held at LJ
Mega Convention, this city, which bears the theme, “Pagmamahal Palaganapin,
Legal na Pag-aampon Ating Gawin (Spread Unconditional Love Through Legal
Adoption).”
Division Chief Ramel Jamen, during his welcome
remarks, emphasized the importance of legal adoption and encourages
partner-stakeholders.
“It is important to inform the public about the
process of legal adoption. In this way, we can protect the best interest of the
child and we can also help couples who wanted to have their own child,” said
Jamen.
“I also encourage our partner-agencies to spread
adoption and advocate it to the community so more parents and families will
engage on the legal process for adoption,” he added.
The following are the schools which participated in
the competition; Butuan Central Elementary School (BCES), Butuan West Central,
J.T. Domingo, Obrebro Elementary School, Ampayon Central Elementary School,
Libertad Central Elementary School, and Couple’s for Christ School of the
Morning Star (CFC-SMS).
Each participating team consisted of five to eight
pupils. The contenders used English or Tagalog as medium of communication, and
were given five minutes to present their original piece, which reflected the
theme about legal adoption.
In the competition, the pupils from Butuan West
Central School got the first place, while CFC-SMS got the 2nd place and the 3rd
place for BCES.
Also, the celebration awarded the internal staff
from the Capability Building Unit (CBU) which won the Deca3x film contest that
highlights legal adoption. While the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th prizes were awarded to
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and Personnel Unit respectively.
Prior the culmination celebration, the Department
set-up an Adoption Help Desk and Photo Exhibit in Robinsons Place for two days
on February 11-12, 2017. The said help desk answered queries from the public
regarding the legal process of adoption.
The Adoption Consciousness Month is celebrated annually
by DSWD together with the partner-agencies every February. (Social Marketing
Unit/DSWD Field Office Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog News: Pinakaunang meat-cutting plant sa
rehiyon ng Caraga pinasinayaan sa lungsod ng Butuan
Ni Jennifer P. Gaitano
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Marso 13 (PIA) - Matapos ang
ilang buwang paghihintay, naipatayo at pinasinayaan na kamakailan ang
pinakaunang meat-cutting plant dito sa lungsod.
Pinangunahan ang nasabing inagurasyon ng Pilmico
Animal Nutrition Corporation, kasama ang Winrock International Institute for
Agricultural Development – Philippine Cold Chain Project (PCCP), United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA), at Happy Enterprises and Resources
Incorporated sa barangay Obrero kung saan makikita ang malaki, malinis at
kompleto sa pasilidad na meat-cutting plant.
Ayon kay Jefferson Abian, assistant vice president
ng Pilmico Feeds Sales sa Visayas at Mindanao, malaking tulong para sa mga
backyard raisers o producers ang meat-cutting plant dahil magkakaroon na sila
ng mas malaking oportunidad na mabilis nilang maipalago ang kanilang negosyo sa
pamamagitan ng pagamit ng teknolohiya.
Ayon sa kanya, tiyak na ang kita ng mga backyard
raisers dahil maaaari na nilang idaan sa Happy Enterprises ang kanilang meat
products nang hindi sila nalulugi sa kita, hindi na rin kailangan bumili sa
labas ng rehiyon upang makapagtinda ng malinis at dekalidad na meat products para
sa local market.
Ipinaliwanang naman ni Dr. Ivan Rey Porras ng
Pilmico Butuan kung bakit kinakailangan ng Caraganons ang meat-cutting plant.
Ang probinsya umano ng Agusan del Norte ay isa sa mga probinsyang may mababang
presyo ng tinitindang karne base na rin sa datus ng Pork Producer’s Federation
of the Philippines. Hindi raw ito nakakapagbigay ng maayos na kita sa mga hog
raisers o producers lalung-lalo na na ang Caraga ang net importer ng live hogs
galing regions 10, 11 at 12. Malaki na umano ang gastos sa pag-import, maliit
pa nag kitang nakukuha nila.
Ito umano ang pangunahing dahilan kung bakit
naipatayo na ang meat-cutting plant sa lungsod ngayon. Inaanyayahan din ni
Porras ang mga lokal na hog raisers na suportahan ang nasabing proyekto.
Samantala, ayon naman kay Dr. Claro Dennis Morante,
ang head ng National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) Caraga na kasama ang lokal
na pamahalaan, sisiguraduhin nilang regular ang pagmomonitor sa nasabing
meat-cutting plant nang mapanatili ang malinis at de kalidad na pagproduce ng
karne sa rehiyon. Positibo rin umano ang kanyang pananaw sa magiging resulta ng
nasabing project. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
