PSA to conduct April 2016 consumer expectations
survey
BUTUAN CITY, Apr. 6 (PIA) - The Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP) in order to collect a comprehensive information on the business
conditions of the country in the household sector, has partnered with the
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to conduct a Consumer Expectations Survey
(CES).
The CES is a nationwide quarterly survey of
households to gather data on the demographic and economic characteristics of
the consumer/respondent; economic and financial outlook; economic indicators
such as unemployment, changes in prices and inflation rate, interest rate,
exchange rate and income; buying conditions; and savings outlook.
This is a complementary survey to BSP’s Business
Expectations Survey (BES). This is administered on a sample basis at the
household level drawn through a stratified multi-stage random sampling. The
survey has a total sample of about 5,000 households throughout the country and
around 98 sample households for Caraga.
The April 2016 CES will be conducted from April 4
to April 16, 2016. PSA Field Staff will do a comprehensive door-to-door
interview to the sample households during the enumeration period. The
information collected shall be kept strictly confidential and shall not be used
for purposes of taxation, investigation or regulation as provided under Article
55 of RA 10625. (PSA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
DAR launches newest agrarian reform community in
SurSur town
SURIGAO DEL SUR, April 6 (PIA) -
Farmer-beneficiaries can now expect the influx of agrarian support services
following the recent launching of the VILOSMA Agrarian Reform Community (ARC)
in Tagbina town.
According to Myra Yu, DAR-Surigao del Sur
Provincial Office Information Officer, VILOSMA ARC is composed of three
barangays namely, Villaverde, Osmena and Magsaysay with a total of 1,680
agrarian reform beneficiaries who are residents of the said locality.
During the launching, Municipal Mayor Generoso
Naraiso bared that he personally made a follow-up to the National ARC Task
Force for an immediate approval of VILOSMA ARC. He also said that he wanted all
the barangays in Tagbina will have an access to various support services just
like the other existing ARCs not only on livelihood but alsoin the
infrastructure such as farm to market road projects including bridge
construction, potable water system, communal irrigation and solar system. He
also added that it is an advantage to create an ARC for faster intervention from
the different national agencies, foreign funding institutions and NGOs.
On the same occasion, the signing of Memorandum of
Agreement and Unveiling of Priority Projects of the three barangays were also
conducted led by Mayor Naraiso witnessed by Provincial Agrarian Reform Program
Officer (PARO) Benjamin M. Mataksil, DAR officials, local government unit and
barangay officials, academe and representatives from the national government
offices. (NGBT/with a report from Myra Yu, DAR/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Feature: Mitigating Climate Change through waste
management
By Fretcher D. Magatao
The evident change in temperature is one of the
signs of climate change. Human activities such as cutting and burning of trees
contribute to increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases (GHG).
Most of the people would give seemingly acceptable
reasons since energy is needed for survival. Many businesses need much of this
and the demand has been increasing over time. There is a need to reduce
non-renewable energy application and convert the use of fossil fuels to
renewable energy for cooking and lighting.
To help mitigate its impact among farmers,
particularly in the livestock sector, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has
introduced the utilization of wastes through the use of biogas technology using
the polyethylene digester.
Biogas helps improve environmental condition by
reducing application of chemical fertilizers, promoting efficient waste
management and it is used as clean energy by utilizing the commonly-abandoned
farming wastes.
Practicing the use of biogas not only mitigate
climate change but also a means for livelihood. Targeting primarily the farming
families, the practice promotes biogas not just as domestic energy but also as
new income or cost reduction source.
There is Money in Waste Management
Swine raiser Romana Suan of Barobo, Surigao del
Sur has proven the many benefits of biogas by utilizing the animal dung taken
from her piggery.
Suan is an active member and treasurer of Barobo
Swine Raisers Association and has been raising swine for more than seven years.
“When I started raising pigs, many of my neighbors and passers of our vicinity
complained because of the unpleasant smell from my backyard; but since I
started using biogas, stinkiness subsides,” said Suan.
After learning the technology through the lectures
and trainings conducted by the DA-13 and Municipal Agriculture Office of
Barobo, Suan decided to build the system with the provision of facilities such
as the polyethylene digester and technical assistance from the Department and
the Bureau of Animal Industry.
“Ms. Suan has been an example to other swine
raisers in the municipality, her adaptation from all the things she learned has
been an encouragement to us,” said Agricultural Technician Cherry Diaz.
Not just in a business of selling pigs, Suan also
has a cafeteria where she largely benefits the use of produced flammable gas
(mostly methane) for cooking. “I do not need to buy two tanks of gas per month
for my business which is equivalent to around P 1,600. This amount that I can
save would allow me to buy other things for my business,” she said.
The biogas discharge or its by-product has also
been utilized as organic fertilizer in her five hectares of various high value
crops. These benefits from the use of biogas make her save money and gain more
profit.
“I am thankful that I have personally experienced
the many benefits of biogas. God has blessed me in such a way that my children
are working with me for the progress of the business and they have decided to
follow my footsteps; something that a mother could be proud of,” Suan said. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
