Thursday, March 5, 2020

₱520M rice fund empowers farmers in Caraga Region

BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 5 -- March 5, 2020, marks the first anniversary of the implementation of the Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tarrification Law (RTL).

Over a year, the Department of Agriculture  (DA) – Caraga together with its implementing agencies took the challenge to pursue a more efficient implementation of the four component programs of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

As a result, a total of ₱520 million agri support has been poured to the rice farmers in the region. This includes the provision of farm machinery, quality seeds, credit, and training and extension services.

Today, DA-Caraga Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo together with Engr. Rene Q. Morales lead the turn-over of farm machinery to eligible farmer associations held at DA-Caraga ILD Grounds, Brgy. Taguibo, Butuan City.

"You are now receiving the fruit of the implementation of RTL. The rice tariff revenues are allocated to programs that will make Caraga rice farmers globally competitive. Rest assured that more interventions are coming and sooner will be realized. We just need your support and your cooperation," Monteagudo said.

In support of agricultural modernization, DA-Caraga distributed a total of ₱350 million worth of farm equipment. Around 280 farmer associations and cooperatives received their proposed farm equipment such as mechanical rice transplanters, four-wheel-drive tractors, rice combine harvesters, hand tractors, rice threshers, rice reapers, seed spreader, and pump and engine set.

Robert "Datu Bantiles" Tagalogon, tribal leader of Manobo Farmers Sectoral Tribal Council Inc. in La Paz, Agusan del Sur is very grateful from the five pump and engine set they received.

According to Datu Bantiles around 3,000, Manobo rice farmers will benefit easier access to the water supply.

"We are now ready for the next cropping season through the help of the pump and engine. We are looking forward to an abundant harvest," said Datu Bantiles.

On the other hand, the DA – Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) – Agusan distributed ₱65.5 million worth or an equivalent of 86,243 bags of inbred rice seeds to 34,258 farmers in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur for the November – December 2019 planting season. This corresponds to an estimated planted area of 44,852 hectares.

Another round of seed distribution worth ₱72.96 million will be done this month for the wet cropping season that will benefit more than 40,000 farmers.

In addition to RCEF credit assistance, the DA together with the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, Landbank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines open more windows for financial aids such as loan programs intended to eligible beneficiaries.

Under the Expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance (SURE-Aid) Program, a total of 6,596 rice farmers from the provinces of Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Agusan del Norte including Butuan City received a ₱15,000-loan at zero interest payable in eight years.

Meanwhile, the release of cash grants to 1,210 qualified rice farmers under the Rice Farmer Financial Assistance (RFFA) Program provided unconditional ₱5,000 cash assistance to farmers with one-half to two hectares of rice land. Another 16,000 rice farmers will receive the said assistance not later this month.

For the training and extension component, DA-Agricultural Training Institute – Caraga together with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority – Caraga is closely working to conduct more refresher courses, training, accreditation programs, and scholarships.

The department aims that on the next six years as a result of RCEF, it will effectively reduce the average production cost of palay by ₱4 kg, from the current ₱12 kg, increase the average yield by at least two tons per hectare from the current four metric tons per hectare, and double the income of rice farmers. (DA Caraga/PIA Caraga)

'AGUSAN UPdates' gilunsad sa probinsya

DAKBAYAN SA BUTUAN, Marso 5 -- Gilunsad sa probinsyal nga kagamhanan sa Agusan del Norte niadtong Marso 2 ang AGUSAN UPdates, usa ka basahon nga magsilbing instrumento nga moganoy sa mga Agusanon sa AGUSAN UP!, ang kampanya sa kalambuan ubos sa administrasyon ni Gobernador Dale B. Corvera.

Unod sa AGUSAN UPdates ang mga nag-unang kalihukan, mga serbisyong natunol ug  kalambuan sa mga programang gipatuman ilabina sa 8-point development agenda nga gisumada diha sa AGUSAN UP!

Dugang sa gobernador nga pinaagi sa upat ka palid nga basahon masayran, masabtan, magkabinayloay og hunahuna, naay koordinasyon sa mga lihuk ug maghibaw-anay kung unsa na ang dagan sa gipunting nga mga kondisyon sa kalambuan matag karon ug unya.

Dugang ang maong basahon sa Facebook Page, mga news dispatches ug uban pang materyales pangkasayuran nga ginahimo usab sa probinsya pagseguro nga mapakaylap pag-ayo ang mga kasayuran  kalabot sa AGUSAN UP!

Niini, nanghinaut si Gob. Corvera nga magsilbi unta ang maong basahon nga instrumento alang sa hiniusang paglihok sa mga Agusanon. (Agusan Up, LGU Agusan del Norte/PIA Agusan del Norte)

Pagdiriwang ng Fire Prevention Month sa Caraga, pormal na binuksan sa Bislig City

BISLIG CITY, Surigo del Sur, Marso 5 (PIA) -- Matagumpay na idinaos ang pormal na pagbubukas taunang selebrasyon ng “Fire Prevention Month” na pinangungunahan ng Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) ngayong taon sa rehiyon ng Caraga sa pakikipagtulungan ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Bislig, kung saan dito idinaos sa unang pagkakataon ang nasabing aktibidad, araw ng Martes.

Dinaluhan ito ng mga firefighters na nagmula pa sa limang probinsya sakop ng nasabing rehiyon: ang Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, at ang Dinagat Islands. Kasali rin dito ang iba’t ibang syudad na sakop nito: ang Butuan City; Cabadbaran City; Bayugan City; Surigao City; Tandag City; at ang Bislig City.

Sa unang araw, nasaksihan dito ang iba’t ibang tagisan ng mga talento sa pagguhit at kaalaman ng mga estudyanteng kalahok mula sa iba’t ibang paaralan sa nasabing syudad na idinaos sa Bislig City Cultural and Sports Center. Ito ay ang “Drawing Contest” o pagguhit, “Poster Making”, at “Photo Contest” na nakabase sa tema na, “Matuto Ka, Sunog, Iwasan Na.”

Malugod naman na tinanggap ni Bislig City Mayor Florencio Garay ang mga partisipante na nagmula pa sa iba’t ibang probinsya. Sa kanyang talumpati, taos puso syang nagpapasalamat sa BFP Caraga na pinamumunuan ni Caraga Regional Director FSSupt. Rommel Tradio dahil pinili nito ang kanilang lungsod sa selebrasyon.

Samantala, sa layunin na matugunan ng madaliang pagresponde tuwing may insidente sa sunog, binanggit ni Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Caraga Regional Director FSSupt. Rommel Tradio ang planong paglalagay ng sub-station sa Sentro at sa Barangay Mangagoy sakop ng Bislig City.

Napag-alaman, na ang lungsod ng Bislig ang may pinakamalaking populasyon sa probinsya, na umabot sa 94,535 base sa census noong 2015.

Ibinunyag naman ni Regional Director FSSupt Tradio na ang Caraga ay nakatanggap na ng apat na firetrucks sa unang batch ng modernization program ni President Duterte. Dalawa nito ang napunta sa Surigao del Sur, isa sa bayan ng Cantilan, at isa naman sa bayan ng Barobo. (PIA-Bislig City)