Stakeholders to join ‘Lakbay-Palay sa PhilRice
Agusan’ on April 28
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, April 25 (PIA) – The Philippine Rice
(PhilRice) Research Institute in Agusan del Norte will be convening
stakeholders from various sectors during the ‘Lakbay-Palay sa PhilRice Agusan’
on April 28, 2016 at their experiment station in Basilisa, RTR, Agusan del
Norte.
According to PhilRice Agusan branch director Abner
Montecalvo, said event highlights the recognition of the important role of
Filipino farm families in nation-building and spurring inclusive growth in
their communities.
“We will showcase various sources of income and
enterprises from the rice environment and multi-media presentations that will
help boost the appreciation of our youths towards agriculture. We have invited
600 participants from Caraga region,” disclosed Montecalvo.
Said event is anchored on the theme “Bayaning
Mag-uuma, Pasidunggan Ta!” (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Voting for 2016 GIST Tech-1 PH finalists open
until May 1
BUTUAN CITY, April 25 (PIA) – Public voting in support
for the two Filipino innovators selected as semi-finalists in the 2016 U.S.
Department of State’s Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST)
Tech-I pitch competition is still open until May 1, 2016.
As announced recently by the U.S. Embassy Manila,
Mary Christine Ong-Reyes and Corina Lisa Cruz are among the 102 semi-finalists
who pitched their ideas and competed with the 1,075 innovators from 104
emerging economies. Out of the semi-finalist, they will be narrowed down to 30
finalists by expert panels, and will receive a trip to the Global
Entrepreneurship Summit in Silicon Valley to showcase their ventures and to
receive intensive one-on-one mentorship and training.
Mary Christine's idea, ‘ParentUp’, is a mobile app
that helps parents with newborns obtain information and emotional support for
their health and well-being from pregnancy to postpartum. Meanwhile, Corina's
startup, ‘Joomajam’, is an easy-to-use educational activity pack that combines
bilingual music, videos and games to spark multi-domain education and nurture
lifelong learners.
To tell which thirty innovations are worthy of a
global stage, log in, watch and vote for the Filipino semi-finalists every day
until deadline. Mary Christine and Corina’s pitch videos can be viewed at
http://www.gistnetwork.org/content/tech-i-semi-finalists-voting
The GIST Tech-I Competition is an annual
competition for science and technology entrepreneurs from emerging economies
worldwide. Aspiring innovators submit their ideas and startups online in an
application consisting of an executive summary and promotional video. Their
applications are then reviewed by experts and voted on by the global voting
public in order to determine the finalists.
Further instructions on how to vote can be seen at
this link, http://www.gistnetwork.org/content/how-vote. For more information on
the U.S. Department of State’s Global Innovation through Science and Technology
(GIST) Tech-I pitch competition, you may visit
http://www.gistnetwork.org/content/about-gist. (U.S. Embassy Manila/VLG,
PIA-Caraga)
Butuan consumer group presents 2015
accomplishments
BUTUAN CITY, April 25 (PIA) – Konsumador Hong
Butuan, Inc. (KHBI) headed by President Egmedio H. Tidalgo, Jr. conducted their
first meeting for 2016 together with personnel of the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) Agusan del Norte and some media people to discuss their plans,
programs and projects for 2016 and beyond.
Tidalgo presented to the body the accomplishments
of KHBI for 2015 which include the following: a) KHBI already filed a
resolution through city councilor Ryan Culima for the reduction of tricycle and
jeepney fare; b) KHBI filed a resolution through city councilor Virgilio Neri,
requiring subdivision developer to plant trees as part of their CSR; c)
Dialogue with Butuan City Water District (BCWD) regarding water problem of the
city; and d) Conducted Consumer Education Seminar in Barangay Urduja.
For the rest of the year, KHBI will conduct more
CES to barangays, conduct trainer’s training for students, will work on having
a livelihood project and get accreditation from the Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),
civil society organizations and Butuan City local government unit.
Assisted by the DTI-Agusan del Norte Provincial
Office, KHBI has been conducting consumer protection and advocacy activities in
the city since the late 1990s. (DTI-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Caraga)
Butuan City MSEs participate in 2016 Brunei
International Trade and Consumer Exhibition
BUTUAN CITY, April 25 (PIA) – Six Bottom-Up
Budgeting (BUB) Program-assisted micro and small enterprises (MSEs) recently
participated in the Brunei International Trade and Consumer Exhibition (BITCE)
2016, held at the Brines Hall 1-2, Jerudong, Darussalam.
The said enterprises were: 1) Marjeck Food
Products; 2) JIDA Aqua Resources; 3) Lagman-Regis Farm and Agri-Resources, 4)
Bidlisiw Foundation Inc. of the Missionary Sisters of Mary; 5) RTR Federation of
Abaca weavers; and 6) Mercado’s Sudlanan.
DTI Agusan del Nort provincial director Gay A. Tidalgo headed the
delegation.
The participation of these enterprises had greatly
benefited them in terms of gaining of wider market exposure; access to new
markets; generation of additional sales; and learning about product trends in
the BIMP-East Asia Growth Areas.
Through this event the MSEs were able to showcase
some of the best products in the city such as: bottles sardines, turmeric
powder, herbal coffee, abaca bags, abaca hampers, and water hyacinth slippers.
Cash and book order sales amounting to more than
P100 most of which were derived from the food products. Significant amount of negotiated sales were
also done during the event.
The participants gained valuable insights and
lessons which will guide them to future initiatives in leveling up their
respective businesses. They further
understood the importance of Halal certification if they are to gain more
mainstream markets in Muslim-dominated economies in ASEAN countries like
Brunei. They also recognized the huge
opportunities in selling their products abroad given the sizable population of
Filipinos overseas who crave for Philippine made products. (DTI-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
DTI AgNor holds consumer education seminar
BUTUAN CITY, April 25 (PIA) – The Department of
Trade and Industry (DTI) in Agusan del Norte in cooperation with Konsumador
Hong Butuan Inc. and Barangay local government unit of Urduja successfully
conducted the Consumer Education Seminar held recently at Barangay Hall of
Urduja, this city.
The seminar was attended by 34 participants mostly
women and barangay officials headed by Barangay Captain Mario Tiu. Konsumador
Hong Butuan Inc. president Egmedio Tidalgo, Jr. gave a brief introduction and
emphasized the role of Consumer Organization as far as promoting welfare and
interests of consumers in Butuan City/Agusan del Norte.
All participants were satisfied because they
learned and became knowledgeable regarding the eight basic consumer rights and
five responsibilities of a consumer. According to them, the activity increased
their awareness and lots of questions about consumer issues/concerns were
tackled specially on online marketing, foreign consumer products, and
globalization.
After hearing all the inputs they were happy
because consumer protection was the total output of their seminar. DTI also
urged the consumers to be vigilant emphasizing that a well informed and
vigilant consumer is the best protected consumer. (DTI-Agusan del
Norte/PIA-Caraga)
