SurSur Human Resource office bares 2015 in-house
training plan
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Oct. 21 (PIA) – The
Human Resource (HR) office in Surigao del Sur bared on Monday its plan to
implement “in-house training” for 2015.
Theresa Burgos, HR chief here, said the “Human
Resource Development Program” has already been “included in the Annual
Investment Plan (AIP) of this year but is still unfunded.”
With the plan still hanging in the balance, she
appealed to Governor Johnny Pimentel for “financial support,” citing the need
for a complete set of training equipment such as LCD projector, laptop, and
sound system for acquisition.”
In addition, Burgos also requested for a training
room where HR activities can be held.
However, she claimed that concerned employees of
the provincial government have sufficient live-out training in human resource
development, indicating a joint undertaking, especially with the Civil Service
Commission (CSC), or purely as participant/s. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan
Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
News Feature: The truth behind 'Angelica' rice
By Ginalyn V. Arbutante
As the country’s leading institution for rice
research, Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) develops technologies
that will make rice farming truly reviving and rewarding. With its goal of
achieving rice self-sufficiency through research and development in rice
industry, the Institute keeps on studying and discovering new technologies and
breeding new rice varieties that would cater farmers’ needs with concern to
climate change. One of the excellent varieties discovered and approved is the
gorgeous NSIC Rc122.
NSIC Rc122, popularly known as 'Angelica' rice
whom was named after the stunning beauty of the governor of Agusan del Norte,
Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba
was finally approved in 2003 by the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) from
the line designation IR61979-138-1-3-2-3.
In terms of agronomic characteristics, “Angelica”
rice has an average yield of 4.7t/ha and a maximum yield of 8.9t/ha. It matures within 121 days after seeding
(DAS), can attain a height of 106 cm, and can produce up to 14 tillers.
NSIC Rc122 “Angelica” rice is resistant to the
attacks of blast and stem borer and has an intermediate reaction to bacterial
leaf blight (BLB), tungro, brown plant
hopper (BPH) and to green leafhopper (GLH). This variety has long grain and has
a milling recovery of up to 65.4%.
When it comes to eating quality it rates medium
that means quite good or even excellent that passed the standards considering
the Filipino taste and other criteria before it became a variety.
It started to attract attention in the field after
it was released in the year 2003.
Seeds of these varieties, along with other
cultivars, were requested by and distributed in the dry season of 2005 to
members of the Rice Seed Production Network (SeedNet) situated in the provinces
of at least ten different regions.
For NSIC Rc122 alone, more than 800 kilos of
breeder seeds were disposed by PhilRice-CES between January and September of
2004.
The National Seed Quality Control Services (NSQCS), released the status of NSIC Rc122
(Angelica) rice seed production in the year 2013 dry season covering the whole
Caraga region. As of March 26, 2014 data
shows that in terms of area there were 0.08ha planted with NSIC Rc122 breeder seeds, 6.5ha planted with foundatio and 8ha planted with registered seeds.
In previous year’s first cropping season, it is
noted that there are seven hectares of land planted with NSIC Rc122 (Angelica)
registered seeds and it doubled to 14 hectares in the cropping season in that
same year 2013.
Meanwhile, the beauty and popularity of “Angelica”
rice still linger in the heart, mind and field of the rice farmers especially
in Caraga because to them it’s not an ordinary rice variety as it is but the
persona behind is worthy to be named and remembered as such. (PhilRice
Agusan/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
CAO-Bislig promotes vermi-culture for sustainable
agriculture
By Rhea C. Abao
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 21 (PIA) - The Department of
Agriculture (DA) 13 through its organic agriculture (OA) Program poured in P30
million fund allocation for this year in which P9.6 million is allocated for
extension support, education and training services, to equip practitioners with
sufficient tools to firm up stakeholders’ knowledge and skills on OA.
“We made sure that we are funding the eligible
partners with qualified project proposals to further promote, propagate,
develop and implement the program,” regional organic griculture Focal Person
Rebecca R. Atega said.
Bislig City, as one of the local government units
(LGUs) who participated in the program to encourage the farmers discover for
themselves the benefits of organic farming, has initiated the establishment of
Vermi-culture Center with OA funding of P221,776 from the DA, with labor and
land as LGU's counterpart.
The funding was used to construct for additional
vermi beds to expand their existing vermiculture area which also include
bio-fertilizer processing.
Bislig City OA Focal Person Lolit P. Sayman said
that the project has twin goals for sustainability. “First is to contribute in
attaining sustainable farming locally and serve as a techno-demo for farmers
who want to emulate the organic technology; Second, is that vermi- composting
and bio-fertilizer production should sustain itself as an income generating
activity,” Sayman said.
To attain these goals, City Agriculturist Office
(CAO) Bislig conducted hands-on trainings to 300 organic farmer practitioners
who were receptive of the said change for their farming endeavor. To emphasize
the importance of organic farming, farmers were encouraged to engage in
vermi-culture and produce their own organic fertilizers from identified
leguminous plants rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium like madre the
agua, madre de cacao, ipil-ipil, flamengia and the like. Vermi-compost and NFTS
concoctions made by individual farmers are then used for fruit trees, cereal
crops and vegetables. Such endeavors eventually produces positive results.
“Despite of heavy nutrient extraction by repeated
harvests, I have been able to sustain my production of cucumber (pipino) since
last year. In fact, I can harvest 360 kilos of organically grown pipino every
month and can sell my produce at P15 per kilo in the local market. As I have observed, the fertility of the soil
was gradually improving because of the continuous application of vermicompost
and organic fertilizers,” Vicente Macapili, one of the famers, said.
Vermi-composting and bio-fertilizer processing of
CAO Bislig has become an income-generating activity for the past two years.
Presently, the total vermin-cast production has
increased to 3000 kg/cycle compared to the 300 kg/cycle in 2012.
On the other hand, the bio-fertilizer processing
also produces 5,000 kg/cycle and they were able to sell it at P500/sack of 50
kilos. Proceeds from the sale of the bio-fertilizer will be deposited in the
LGU Organic Agriculture Trust Fund. As of June 2014, they were able to save up
an amount of P122,745.
City Agriculturist Primacar Subibi said that the
trust fund will be used for the next in line project and activities for the
organic agriculture program. They will be also training youths, housewives and
other stakeholders on organic farming technologies, for those who are willing
to learn and be an advocate of organic agriculture practices, she added. (DA-13/PIA-Caraga)
DSWD Caraga chief commends PNP for partnership in
children protection
By Noel B. Najarro
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 21 (PIA) - Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga regional director Minda Brigoli commended
the regional Philippine National Police (PNP) for the partnership in promoting
children’s welfare and protection.
Brigoli was the guest of honor and speaker during
the Monday flag raising-rites at Camp Rafael C. Rodriguez, Brgy. Libertad, this
city.
According to Brigoli, as the country celebrates
October being the “Children’s Month,” it is also timely that she was given the
chance to be invited for the occasion, as her agency was among those which were
tasked to promote and implement children welfare and protection.
Brigoli was greatful that they have strong allies
such as the PNP in the implementation of their mandated task. She then called
the PNP as “one of the greatest pillars and duty bearers in the promotion of
children’s welfare and the protector of children’s rights.”
“I’m sure that the Philippine National Police is
not doing this only in October because it is the month for the children. Our
police are doing it all the days of every year as part of their mandated duty,”
Brigoli added.
This year's theme is “Bata, Kasali Ka, Ikaw Ay
Mahalaga.” She pointed out that the program of the police on helping build or
repair school buildings and classrooms, feeding programs, medical and dental
outreach programs aside from children protection are part of the tangible
expressions of the theme.
Brigoli also pointed out during her message that
though children poverty remains to be among the top problems of the region, the
various government poverty alleviation programs and interventions however, were
properly implemented and in place. She also said that the crime against
children such as child-trafficking, child-abuse, child-labor, bullying and
others were appropriately addressed and prevented by the law enforcement and
concerned government agencies. (PNA/PIA-Caraga)
Police Officers 1 in PRO 13 to receive new guns
By Noel B. Najarro
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 21 (PIA) - Police Regional
Office 13 may soon achieve the “one-firearm-per-police-personnel” ratio as far
as their Police Officers 1 will be concerned.
Sources from the PRO 13 regional headquarters said
that the regional police leadership here will prioritize the new police
personnel in the issuance of service firearms, as most of them were assigned at
the Regional Public Safety Battalion, the Regional Public Safety Companies and
on combat or patrol assignments.
Recently, some 338 Glock 17 Generation 4, 9mm
pistols were ceremonially turned-over to the regional headquarters personnel,
Regional Public Safety Battalion, 131st ,132nd and 133rd Regional Public Safety
Companies during the first week of this month.
On Saturday, the chief PNP police director-general
Alan LM Purisima was supposed to turned over more than a thousand similar
firearms to regional director CSupt. Dominador E. Aquino, Jr. but due to some
developments in Zamboanga, the Chief PNP’s visit was deferred to some future
date.
The same source said that this is in line with the
program of the Philippine National Police to attain the 1:1 police to pistol
ratio in every police units here in the region. (PNA/PIA-Caraga)
