DOST, Winrock hold TOT on food safety awareness
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Dec. 8 (PIA) - The Department of Science
and Technology (DOST) Caraga, together with the Winrock International -
Philippine Cold Chain Project (PCCP) conducted on Thursday the Food Safety
Awareness Training of Trainers held at Almont Hotel's Inland Resort, this city.
In her message, DOST Caraga regional director
Dominga Mallonga emphasized that food safety is not only the responsibility of
one agency, but a shared responsibility of all sectors. She added that through
this training, participants are equipped with right knowledge on food safety
and will be able to train others in their respective community.
Mallonga also recognized the Winrock International
– PCCP thru chief of party Dan Gudahl for its sincere concern for the
Caraganons in terms of food safety and for establishing programs that directly
address the needs of the vulnerable sectors in the region.
“We are very lucky that the Winrock is here working
with us for this campaign that will address food safety concerns not only here
in Butuan City and Agusan del Norte, but for the whole provinces of Caraga
region. Let us all do our share for us to achieve our goal for a healthier
Caraganons,” underlined Mallonga.
Gudahl enumerated examples/situations where people
missed to observe food safety that may cause various diseases. He also stressed
that Winrock wanted to improve food safety practices in Caraga region, and
conducting the Food Safety Awareness Training of Trainers is just one of their
initiatives with DOST.
“The Food Safe Caraga Campaign is aimed to
contribute to the PCCP’s overarching goals by implementing an information
campaign on food safety, and a training program on meat handling for meat shop
operators and workers, meat vendors and the general public,” reiterated Gudahl.
Gudahl further challenged all the participants to
take said training seriously and share their learnings to other people.
Republic Act (RA) No. 10611, also known as the Food
Safety Act of 2013 is an act to strengthen the food safety regulatory system in
the country to protect consumer health and facilitate market access of local
foods and food products. Apart from consumer health protection, implementation
of RA 10611 also pushes for better food regulatory system to ensure a high
level of food safety, and linked to this, the promotion of fair trade practice
and sound regulatory foundation for domestic and international trade.
(JPG/PIA-Caraga)
DOST, Winrock, PIA maximize platforms in
communicating Caraga Food Safe Campaign
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Dec. 8 (PIA) – With the intent to
intensify the Caraga Food Safe Campaign in the region, the Department of
Science and Technology (DOST), Winrock International – Philippine Cold Chain
Project (PCCP) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) have joined efforts
and were able to maximize the use of its existing platforms to effectively
communicate food safety to all Caraganons.
The DOST, Winrock and PIA Caraga had recently
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Caraga Food Safe Campaign.
DOST Caraga regional director Dominga Mallonga
reiterated that the said campaign is aimed to advocate food safety among
processing and food service enterprises, and among consumers; and to develop or
improve the food safety practices and behavior of food handlers and consumers.
Mallonga bared that relevant information on food
safety will be coming from their office, in collaboration with the Caraga Food
Safety Team, and other concerned agencies. She emphasized that PIA is the lead
agency in the dissemination and promotion of information to the general public
through its known platforms.
“We believe that PIA is best in communicating this
campaign to the different provinces through its Information Center Managers.
PIA also works well and harmoniously with the media in the region and we want
this strengthened. We are optimistic that PIA and media can effectively help us
bring our campaign on food safety to its listeners, viewers that will also
effect change in the people’s daily routine of preparing food,” Mallonga
underlined.
PIA Caraga regional director Abner Caga will lead
the crafting of the one-year communication plan indicating significant
activities to be conducted in line with the implementation of the Caraga Food
Safe Campaign.
“We have been innovating and discovering other
means on how we can reach more people in the grassroots. Also, we have been
maximizing our existing platforms in communicating the Caraga Food Safe
Campaign since the day it was launched in the region – from our textblast, press
and photo releases, national and regional websites, Caraga in Focus electronic
news magazine, and our online streaming Advance Forward Emergency Broadcasting
System (AFEBS) Network, and constant collaboration with our media partners,”
elaborated Caga.
Also, Dan Gudahl, chief of party of Winrock
International assured that they will fully support PIA and its partners in the
implementation of this campaign. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
DSWD Caraga chief to report 2016 accomplishments
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Dec. 8 (PIA) – The Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga thru regional director Minda
Brigoli will be reporting to the public its accomplishments in the
implementation of the programs and services for the poor, vulnerable, and
disadvantaged sectors dubbed “Ulat ng DSWD sa Taong 2016” on December 14, 2016
at the city’s Guingona Park.
According to Dir. Brigoli, as DSWD adheres to the
principles of transparency and recognizes the great contribution of its
partners, the department also sees the opportunity of reporting to the
stakeholders about the gains of its program/service delivery.
“This shall be conducted to celebrate the triumphs
and gains of the strong synergy, to communicate the status of the sectors whom
the agency have committed to serve in the region, and to share wonderful
positive/success stories of change,” underscored Brigoli. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
DENR identifies CarCanMadCarlan as self-sustaining
‘model area’
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Dec. 8 (PIA) - The
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has identified the
CarCanMadCarlan as one of the 29 priority areas in the country that to be
transformed into an income generation sites and make those identified areas
self-sustaining in a well-protected environment through the agency’s Area
Management Program.
The word “CarCanMadCarLan” stands for Carrascal,
Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, and Lanuza, all were interconnected towns in northern
part of this province.
According to DENR-PENRO Surigao del Sur information
officer Johnny Natad, this cluster area plays a significant role in the lives
of Surigaonons since marine resources along the marine and aquatic ecosystem
are the primary source of food and income of the local people.
“These municipalities were connected across five
watersheds proclaimed on March 23, 2009 as watershed forest reserve which are
the Alamio, Buyaan, Carac-an, Panikian, and Sipangpang that drain to the Lanuza
Bay,” Natad said.
Natad further said, these areas are also part of
the proposed expansion of the Mt. Hilong-hilong Range Protected Landscape
wherein the presence of mangkono (Xanthostemonverdugonianus) and insect bat
(Hipposideroscoronatus) found endemic in the area.
Meanwhile, PENRO Surigao del Sur Planning Officer
Glendel Adlawon said the project is the result of the series of
multi-stakeholders consultation-workshop in CanCarMadCarlan last November,
adding that it will be implemented in partnership with other government agencies
who have the expertise and needed support.
The project is expected to facilitate promotion of
both environmental and economic condition of CanCarMadCarlan, it was learned.
The DENR has directed the environmental offices to
promote the agency’s developmental program in pursuing convergence among
national government agencies and other relevant stakeholders through the
Sustainable Development Framework to address poverty and to deliver social
justice to marginalized communities throughout the country dubbed as “model
communities.” (PENRO-SDS/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Tagalog News: Mahigit 80 na farmers nagtapos sa
farmers field training sa Agusan del Sur
Ni Jennifer P. Gaitano
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur, Dis. 8 (PIA) -
Kasabay sa ginanap na harvest festival nitong bayan, mahigit sa 80 na farmers
na naka-focus sa vegetable production ang pumasa at nagtapos sa farmers’ field
training na pinangunahan ng Winrock International – Philippine Cold Chain
Project at East West Seeds Incorporated.
Ayon kay forticulture specialist Lowel Sareno ng
Winrock, layon ng nasabing farmers’ training ang dagdagan ang kaalaman at
hasain ang mga vegetable producers na maging mas produktibo pa gamit ang
makabagong teknolohiya at maturuan sila kung papaano i-market sa mga investors
ang kanilang produkto.
Ibinahagi rin ni vice mayor Solomon Rufila na buo
ang kanilang suporta sa mga farmer associations sa ibat-ibang barangay sa
kanilang bayan at tutugunan nito ang kanilang mga pangangailangang teknikal at
pinansyal. Nagpapasalamat din ang lokal na pamahalaan ng San Francisco sa
Winrock sa kanilang assistance at patuloy na pagtulong sa mga farmers
lalung-lalo na ang mga vegetable producers na sila’y makapag-expand at mapalago
ang kanilang pangkabuhayan.
Ipinahayag naman ni Elena Espina, isa sa mga
vegetable producers sa barangay Alegria, ng nasabing bayan na nakabanipesyo rin
sa programa ng Winrock at East West Seeds ang kanyang kaligayan na sila’y
nabigyan ng pagkakataong matoto ng makabagong teknolohiya sa pagpapalago ng
produksyon ng mga gulay at makakita ng mga investors hindi lamang sa bansa pati
na sa mga dayuhang investors. Hinikayat rin niya ang lahat na tangkilikin ang
mga lokal na produkto na makakatulong sa paglago rin ng bansa.
“Ang laking bagay para sa aming mga vegetable
producers ang naibigay’ng tulong teknikal at pinansyal ng Winrock International
at East West Seeds sa aming pangkabuhayan. Mas porsigido kaming pagbutihin pa
ang aming mga pananim upang mas mapalago pa naming ito at makapag-expand sa
aming negosyo,” dagdag ni Espina.
Kasama ang mga opisyal ng Winrock at East West
Seeds, pinuntahan ng mga partisipante ang farm ng barangay Pisaan at Tagapuwa
at ginawa ang harvest festival. (JPG/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
