Vol. XXVIII No.

A monthly publication of the Department of Agriculture

May 2013

Agri grows by 3.3% in 1st Qtr 2013

The countrys agriculture industry grew by 3.3 percent (%) in the first three months of 2013, as all four subsectors crops, fishery, poultry and livestock posted respective increases, grossing a total of P352.5 billion (B) at current prices. Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said the crops subsector increased by 3.6%, bannered by palay and corn, which grew by 4.45% and 11.43%, respectively. The crops subsector accounted for more than one-half (54.1%) of total agricultural production in the 1st quarter of 2013, according to the Department of Agricultures Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS). Palay production reached 4.17 million metric tons (MMT), while corn harvest totaled 2.25 MMT of corn, valued at P66 B and P27.8 B, respectively. The DA chief said the increased harvests of palay and corn were mainly due to early plantings, adequate supply of irrigation water, higher average yields as a result of increased usage of hybrid and certified rice seeds, hybrid and OPV corn seeds, and additional areas planted to both rice and corn. Our efforts are paying off, and we hope to attain our sufficiency targets by year-end, said Secretary Alcala. For these achievements, we thank our countrys farmers and fishers for their continuous hard work and perseverance, and strong cooperation of local government units and the private sector, he added. The DA targets to produce 20 MMT of palay and 8.4 MMT of
(Pls turn to p2)

Phl exports fancy, black rice to Dubai

With rice sufficiency in sight, the Philippines after 40 years has once again exported rice, initially to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, comprising of 35 metric tons (MT) of aromatic, long-grain and organic black rice. Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, who led the ceremonial send-off at the Manila Harbor Center, May 6, 2013, said the event is historic as it ushers in a new era in the countrys rice industry and the agriculture sector, in general. Ang okasyong ito ay makasaysayan at patunay lamang na kayang-kaya ng ating mga magsasaka na maka-ani at maka-export ng kalidad na bigas patungong ibang bansa, Secretary Alcala said. (Pls turn to p11)

Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (6th from left) leads a ceremonial sendoff of rice export to Dubai, comprising of 15 MT of organic black rice (above) and 20 MT of Jasponica aromatic, long-grain white rice, at the Manila Harbor Center, May 6, 2013. Also shown (from left) are: Leah Cruz, president of vegetable importers, exporters and vendors association; DA assistant secretary and national rice program coordinator Dante Delima; DBMPC director Maria Helenita Gamela; DBMPC general manager Romano Laurelia; DA Region 12 director Amalia Datukan; Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Miguel Varela; and Bureau of Plant Industry director Clarito Barron.

DA pays tribute to farmers, fishers conquering world market

The country pays tribute to the hardworking labor force and stakeholders of Philippine agriculture and fishery sector as the Department of Agriculture leads the nationwide celebration of Farmers and Fisherfolks Month, with the theme: Magsasakat Mangingisdang Pilipino, Kaya nang Makipagsabayan sa Mundo. We recognize and commend the contribution of small farmers, fishers, ruralfolk, and other stakeholders of the countrys agriculture and fishery industry who continue to heed the Aquino governments call to attain food sufficiency and sustainability, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said. As part of the opening program
(Pls turn to p5)

DA allots P28.8M for agri-tourism

The Department of Agriculture is allotting an initial P28.8 million (M) to help develop and promote agri-tourism sites under a multi-sectoral collaboration, aptly called Green Initiative, involving other concerned government agencies, academe and private institutions. (Pls turn to p12)

DA, DOLE offer P2-B agri loans for returning OFWs.

The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Labor and Employment recently launched a P2-billion financing program to attract returning overseas Filipino workers and their families engage in agribusiness enterprises. Secretary Alcala and Labor Secretary Rosalinda Demapilis-Baldoz proudly show their agreement during simple ceremonies, May 7, 2013, at the DOLE office, in Intramuros, Manila. Also shown (from left) are: DA Undersecretary Antonio Fleta, and DOLE Undersecretary Danilo Cruz.

Editorial
Magsasaka at mangingisdang Pilipino, kaya nang makipagsabayan sa mundo!
Makalipas ang ilang dekada, nagsimula nang magexport muli ng mga produktong agrikultura ang ating mga maliliit na magsasaka. Bagamat mayroon nang nailuluwas noong nakaraang mga taon ng produktong kagaya ng niyog, pinya, saging, asukal, abaka, at iba pa -- ngayon lamang tayo magluluwas ng bigas at mais, na ani mismo ng mga maliliit na magsasaka. Itoy bunga ng patuloy na pagsisikap ng Department of Agriculture na suportahan at hikayatin ang mga magsasaka na magtanim at iugnay sila sa pamilihan sa ibang bansa. Halimbawa, noon Marso, nagkaroon ng trial shipment ng yellow granex na sibuyas sa Japan ang mga magsasaka ng Bongabon, Nueva Ecija. Bagamat 20 metrikong tonelada lamang ang sibuyas na nailuwas, itoy makabuluhan dahil hudyat ito na handa na ang bansa na makipagsabayan sa mundo. Wala pang dalawang buwan ang nakalipas, nag-export muli ang bansa ng 166 metrikong toneladang sibuyas tagalog na kilala ring shallot o lasona. Kasabay nito ang pag-export din ng 35 metrikong toneladang premium white at organic black rice na siya namang ipinadala sa Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Ang naturang mga produkto ay inaasahang madaragdagan pa sa mga susunod na buwan at taon. Sa mga sunod-sunod na pag-eexport ng mga magsasaka at kooperatiba, unti-unti na nating nasisilip ang maaari pang mangyari sa patuloy na pagtatagumpay ng Food Staples Sufficiency Program (FSSP) ng Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka. Sa kanyang mga talumpati, parating sinasabi ni Kalihim Proceso J. Alcala na datiy walang naniniwala sa kanyang adhikain at pangarap. Ngunit, ngayon nakikita na ang bunga ng FSSP ay hindi lamang sapat na pagkain para sa bansa, kundi ang pagkakataon ng mga magsasaka na kumita ng mas malaki sa pamamagitan ng pag-eexport ng kanilang mga produkto. Inaabangan din natin ang pag-export ng ibat-ibang produktong karneng baboy at manok, dahil ang bansa ay nanatiling ligtas sa FMD o footand-mouth disease at bird flu. Dagdag pa rito ang mga organikong gulay at prutas. Paalam Ka Pecs Sa kabila ng kasayahang dala ng ating lumalakas na potensiyal sa pandaigdigang pamilihan, nagdadalamhati ang Kagawaran ng Agrikultura, sa pangunguna ni Sec Procy, sa pagpanaw ng isang mahalagang haligi ng bansa sa larangan ng agrikultura, partikular sa organikong pagasasaka. Nakikiramay ang buong Kagawaran sa mga naulila ng ating minamahal na kaibigan, Perfecto Ruiz Vicente, o mas kilalang Ka Pecs. Siya ang isa sa mga nagsilbing inspirasyon ni Sec. sa pagbabalangkas ng Republic Act 10068 o mas kilalang Organic Agriculture Act of 2010. Dahil sa paggamit ng mga nalinang na katutubong binhi ng palay ni Ka Pecs, ang ating ang mga magsasaka ay matagumpay na nakakapagparami ng organikong bigas na iniluwas at iluluwas pa sa ibat-ibang bansa. Ang mga bagong bayani kagaya ni Ka Pecs ang mahalaga at matibay na katuwang ng Kagawaran upang mabilis na mapaunlad ang industriya ng sakahan at pangisdaan sa bansa. Saludo kami sa inyo!

Agri grows by ...

(from p 1)
aquaculture species like milkfish (bangus) and tilapia has increased. Larger catch of marine species like roundscad (galunggong) and tuna were also recorded, as a result of the conservation measures imposed in Zamboanga and Visayan Seas, and lifting of the tuna ban in the Pacific Ocean. Total value of fishery production amounted to P59.5 B. The poultry subsector, accounting for 14.4% to total agricultural production, posted a 2.8% growth, with total value of production at P45.8B at current prices. The subsector was led by chicken, whose output grew by 3.3%, worth P34.6B. The livestock subsector, which contributed 15.3% barely grew, at 0.3%, with total production value of P54.3B at current prices. The hog industry grew by 0.36%, valued at P44.87B at current prices.

corn by end of 2013, making the Philippines sufficient in both staples. Last years output totaled 18 MMT of palay and 7.4 MMT of corn. Just recently, the country started exporting 35 MT of aromatic and organic black rice to Dubai. Another batch of 80 MT of premium and organic, colored rice varieties is being readied for shipment to other countries. The DA in partnership with the private sector also exported 24 metric tons (MT) of corn feed silage for cattle to South Korea. It is part of a total 15,000 MT of corn silage to be shipped to that country this year. Several crops also posted gains, which included pineapple (5.8%), mango (4.5%), tobacco (4%), sugarcane (2.5%), and onions (8.5%), among others. The fisheries subsector, which shared 16.3% to total agricultural production, rebounded with a 5.6% growth, as production of

DA chief honors farmer-scientist. Secretary Alcala is shown

with 80-year old Perfecto Ka Pecs Ruiz Vicente, one of the countrys leading farmer-scientists, who passed away May 27, 2013, at Sto. Nio, South Cotabato. An agriculture graduate from UP Los Baos who later joined MASIPAG (Magsasaka at Siyentipiko Para sa Pag-Unlad ng Agrikultura), Ka Pecs pioneered in collecting, breeding and propagating hundreds of traditional rice varieties from all over the country. He transformed his farm in South Cotabato into a techno-demo site and a community rice seed bank, where throughout his life has trained thousands of farmers on organic farming, and propagating traditional rice varieties. The mother seeds of organic black rice exported recently to Dubai by Don Bosco farmers cooperative came from his seed bank. Secretary Alcala considers Ka Pecs not only as a father and an inspiration, but also as a national treasure.

To establish a baseline data and further improve its services to fisherfolk, the DA through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) launched a National Program for Municipal Fisherfolk Registration or FishR, May 22, 2013, in Manila. It aims to register all fishers and their families, using a simple and standard registration system, as required by the The Philippines is bent on developing Benham Rise as its newest fishing hub, after the United Nations recently ruled that the 13-million-hectare shallow expanse of sea off the provinces of Aurora and Isabela is

Fishers need to register

Fisheries Code of 1998 (Republic Act). Through FishR, BFAR would be able to provide better, efficient and effective services to fishers and their communities. It is undertaken as part of the DA-BFARs Ecosystems Improved for Sustainable Fisheries (ECOFISH) Project, and will initially cover eight areas. These include Lingayen Gulf, Verde Island Passage, Calamianes Group of Islands, Ticao-Lagonoy-San Bernardino Strait, Danajon Bank, South Negros, Surigao del Norte and Sulu Archipelago. Photo shows BFAR Director Asis G. Perez (3rd from left) during the FishR launch, along with DA undersecretary Emerson

Palad (2nd from right), and other officials (from left): Budget and Management Undersecretary Richard E. Moya, USAID Office of Energy and Environment Chief Rolf Anderson, USAID Mission Director Ms. Gloria Steele, National Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Joel Rocamora, and national fisherfolk Director Servando P. Toledo.

DA-BFAR eyes Benham Rise as fishing hub

part of the countrys territory. It is an area where fish species such as bluefin tuna, black or white marlin and galunggong (round scad) abound, said Director Asis Perez of the DAs Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). He said at least seven commercial vessels are keen to operate in Benham Rise, since studies show that they could catch 70 metric tons (MT) of fish per operation. At the least, Benham Rise e a c h is shown at right r i n g of Luzon. netter could conduct at least two fishing operations p e r month. Moreo v e r , each ring netter could provide employment to at least 30 fishermen, the BFAR chief added. To encourage fishing expeditions in Benham Rise, Perez said the DA-BFAR would put up postharvest facilities and equipment like blast freezers and reefer vans in Quezon and Aurora. Carrier vessels will also be deployed to transport the catch to the mainland to enable fishing vessels to stay longer in the area. The DA-BFAR will also install 66 payaos in the area, in addition to the 49 already in Quezon. The deployment of payaos will provide fishermen with marked spots where prime-class fish species congregate. This will

Achuete production is profitable! Secretary Procy Alcala

(left) samples achuete seeds exhibited by the Vegetable Importers, Exporters and Vendors Association (VIEVA), at the International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines 2013, at SMX Convention Center, in Pasay City. The DA is encouraging more farmers to plant and produce achuete, which is mainly used as a food colorant and additive by food processors, restaurants and the general public. Domestic production of less than 1,000 metric tons (MT), mostly in Davao region, is barely enough to supply the rising demand prompting yearly imports of up to 10,000 MT of achuete seeds and powder, according to VIEVA president Leah Cruz (right). Also shown is Director Leandro Gazmin, of the DA Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS), which co-organized IFEX, along with the DTI-CITEM. May 2013

help them avoid wasting fuel while waiting for a good catch, Perez said. A payao is a layered device that can grow mussels and lure squids and other fish species, since algae grows in the woven buri tied to the ropes that hold the device, which are put in place by sinkers at the sea bottom.
(Pls turn to p5)

DA, DND partner to transform camps into farms

The Department of Agriculture and the Department of National Defense (DND) have launched a joint-project to transform idle or reserved areas in military camps into farms, and enable military personnel to produce their own rice, corn, rootcrops, vegetables, fruits, fish and other food requirements. Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala and National Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin launched the project dubbed as DA-DND agricultural livelihood development program in selected military reservation areas on May 2, 2013, at Fort Magsaysay, in Nueva Ecija. For the joint initiative, the DA has allotted an initial P5.78 million in the form of farm machinery, irrigation system, inputs, and technical assistance. The DND, on the other hand, will provide personnel to develop appropriate idle military areas into farmlands, and oversee the food production ventures. Initially, the DA Region 3 (Central Luzon) office, led by Dir. Andrew Villacorta, has identified 25 hectares of land in Fort Magsaysay, of which 10 hectares will be planted to cassava, five hectares each to rice and

Secretary Alcala (3rd from right) and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin (4th from left) are flanked by DA and DND officials at the project launch, in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, May 2, 2013. Also shown (from left) are Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Noel Coballes, AFP vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Alan Luga, DA-Region 3 Director Andrew Villacorta, Major Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr., and DA Assistant Secretary and national rice program coordinator Dante Delima.
corn, and the remaining five hectares for future expansion. The DA through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will provide tilapia fingerlings and other freshwater species to be stocked in Pahingahan Dam, within Fort Magsaysay, as source of fresh fish. The DA through its livestock agencies will also provide military personnel with AngloNubian and Boer bucks for goat production, and 50 head of chicken for broiler and layer production. Secretary Alcala said seedlings of fruit-bearing trees such as mangoes, tamarind, and coffee will also be planted around the camp as added sources of income and serve as perimeter barriers to prevent informal settlers to encroach into the camps reserved area. He said the DA will also help Fort Magsaysay personnel sell their excess farm produce during harvest season. He and Secretary Gazmin have also agreed to expand the DA-DND program in other military camps where there are idle areas that could be transformed into productive farms as source of food and additional income. The DA chief even suggested that retired military personnel should be given priority to oversee and manage the food production ventures. Secretary Gazmin expressed his gratitude to Secretary Alcala and the DA family for the joint venture and strong support, and said he looks forward to expanding the project in other military camps and reservations in Visayas and Mindanao. (Cath
Nanta, DA-AFIS)

DA-BPI issues import permits to stabilize food supply, prices

The Department of Agriculture through the Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) issues appropriate import permits technically known as SPS or sanitary and phyto-sanitary import clearance when warranted or needed mainly to stabilize supply and prices of particular agricultural commodities. BPI Director Clarito Barron said his agency continues to issue import permits, particularly for onions and garlic, and it has been and remains fair in the issuance of import clearances. He made the clarification to disprove the claim of the Philippine Federation of Food Industry, Inc. (PFFII) that the DA-BPI has not issued permits for onions and garlic since 2010. The claim of PFFII is untrue and baseless because the BPI has issued several import clearances for garlic in 2010 and for onions since 2011. And we remain fair in the issuance of import clearances, Barron said. He said the DA-BPI, upon consultation with farmers and industry leaders, issues appropriate permits to import particular agricultural commodities when there is inadequate supply and when prices begin to surge. If the supply of a particular commodity is inadequate and its price surges upwards, government intervenes by issuing permits to import said particular commodity, said Director Barron. Barron said the claim of PFFII that prices of onions and garlic in 2010 have reached P210 and
(Pls turn to p11)

DA cites top UPRIIS Irrigators Associations. The DA re-

cently cited outstanding irrigators associations (IAs) as 2012 AgriPinoy Rice Achievers for their contribution in attaining a national record harvest of 18 million metric tons of palay last year. Among them are the Gloria sa Bagong Milenyo (GBM) and Ubbog Ti Biag IAs, being served by the DA-National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System (UPRIIS). Photo shows DA Undersecretary Antonio Fleta (3rd from right) and NIA Administrator Antonio Nangel (2nd from left) handing over a P1-million check as prize to GBM IA chairman Arturo Villa (3rd from left) and vice-chairman Felix Venancio Melegrito (2ndfrom right), during an IA and farmers congress, at UPRIIS, in Nueva Ecija, May 29, 2013, as part of the 50th NIA anniversary celebration. Also shown are UPRIIS manager Josephine Salazar (left) and Cabanatuan City Mayor Julius Caesar Vergara (right).

DA pays tribute ...

(from p 1)

on May 20, 2013, at the DA retary Alcala central office in Quezon City, said. Secretary Alcala represented The Farmby Undersecretaries Joel ers and Rudinas and Antonio Fleta, who F i s h e r f o l k s co-chair this years farmers and month celebrafisherfolks month celebration tion at the DA conferred a plaque of recogni- central office in tion to farmers groups and the Quezon City private sector for being a part of also featured a a milestone in Philippine agricul- w e e k - l o n g ture as their respective products tiangge or were exported to other countries farm and food from March to May, this year. products for Last March 16, 20 metric tons sale, and cookof yellow granex onions from ing demonstraNueva Ecija were shipped to tions of various Osaka, Japan, as part of a part- menus using nership of DA, farmers groups brown rice, DA Undersecretaries Antonio Fleta (left) and Joel Rudinas (3rd from right) co-chaired and the National Onion Growers white corn, this years celebration of Farmers and Fisherfolks Month, with the theme: Cooperative Marketing Associa- c a s s a v a , Magsasakat Mangingisdang Pilipino, Kaya nang Makipagsabayan sa Mundo. tion (NOGROCOMA). tanglad, stevia, Joining them during the simple opening ceremonies at the DA lobby (from left) are: Forty days later, a shipment of and asitava, DA high value crops development program national coordinator Dir. Jennifer 166 MT small red onions or among others Remoquillo; Susan Magallo of Vegetable Importers, Exporters and Vendors Assn. lasona from Ilocos and farm and fish- (VIEVA); Jun Diazon, chairman of Don Bosco Multi-Purpose Cooperative (DBMPC) Cagayan Valley regions was de- ery commodi- in Cotabato; Donnabel Lim of SL Agritech Corp.; DBMPC manager Romano Laurilla; livered to Indonesia, courtesy of ties. Tom Park, buyer of corn feed silage; and Butch Umengan, director of national corn the Vegetables Importers, ExThe month of board and CEO of Ploughshares, Inc. porters and Vendors Association May is cel(VIEVA). ebrated every On April 29, an initial 24 MT of year as Farmers and DA-BFAR eyes Benham Rise ... (from p 3) corn feed silage for cattle was Fisherfolks Month under PresiFish hooks laden with baits catch fish in Panatag Shoal shipped to Busan, South Korea dential Proclamation No. 33 to through the initiative of give due recognition to the in- also attract a variety of fish, from (Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Ploughshares, Inc., National valuable contribution of farmers, tuna and black marlin to other Masinloc), which China claims to be part of its territory. Corn Board and the DA corn pro- fishers, and other agri-fishery in- pelagic fish. Hundreds of payao have been Payaos were also placed in gram. The corn silage was dustry stakeholders to nations sourced from farmers in sustained economic and inclu- placed in Zambales and Ilocos Davao Oriental and other areas Pangasinan. sive growth. (Adora D. Rodriguez, Region to augment the income in Mindanao. of fishermen who could no longer Perez said this year DA-BFAR On May 6, the DA rice program DA-AFIS) will install 600 payaos nationin collaboration wide. with farmermembers of Linked to the Philippines Don Bosco On April 12, 2012, the UNs Multi-P urpose Commission on the Limits of the Cooperative Continental Shelf ruled that (DBMPC) in Benham Rise is morphologically Cotabato, SL and geologically linked to the Agritech Corp., Philippine continental shelf. and VIEVA, has It noted that the rocky and exported an inicraggy plateau is not related at tial 35 MT of orall to the oceans surface, with ganic black rice all the 226 points encompassing (15MT) aromatic Benham Rise showing characJasponica rice teristics consistent with the (20MT) to Dubai. Luzon land mass. Last May 15, The lowest point of Benham another batch of Rise is only 35 meters, with 15MT of organic much of the area only 150 black, brown and Phl eyes more veggie, fruit exports to Singapore. The Department of Agriculture in meters deep. Pelagic fish spered rice from partnership with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore is eyeing cies do not venture deeper than DBMPC was de- to increase exports of Philippine vegetables and fruits to the island city-state. Agricul1,000 meters. livered to ture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (middle) discusses with the Singaporean trade delegaNo other country has laid claim HongKong. tion, led by managing director Tay Khiam Back (inset, left) of Hupco Pte Ltd, and to Benham Rise, and UN experts These are chairman of the Singapore fruits and vegetables association, various Philippine farm from Canada and Latin America testaments to products that Singaporeans are interested to buy. These include durian, yellow dragon agreed that the Philippines has the Filipinos fruit, pineapple, pomelo, banana, papaya, mango, baguio beans, red pepper and sweet the right to claim it. competitiveness, potato, among others. Secretary Alcala met with the Singapore trade team at the sideGeologists from the Departshowing to the lines of the four-day International Food Exhibition (IFEX), May 16, 2013, at the SMX ment of Environment and Natuworld that our convention center, in Pasay City. Also shown (from left) are: AVA technology senior ral Resources, led by Rolando small farmers are specialist Lam-Chan Lee Tiang, Philippine commercial counsellor in Singapore Glenn Pea, and experts from the Nanow ready to Pearanda, DA Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Service director Leandro Gazmin, tional Mapping and Resource compete, Sec- and AVA manager for overseas food supply Lim Xiu Qing Joyce.
(Pls turn to p6)

May 2013

Eat rice-corn grits for better health

Mixing white rice and corn grits could be an option for the health- and pocket-conscious. According to a study conducted by the Institute of Human Ecology in the University of the Philippines in Los Baos (UPLB), the mixture of white rice and corn, has acceptable taste similar to white rice alone. If shifting to pure corn is difficult, try rice composite or rice blend, said Dr. Artemio M. Salazar, of the UPLB Institute of Plant Breeding, during a recent seminar at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRIce) in Science City of Muoz, Nueva Ecija. Salazar once served as DA national corn program coordinator. He said IPB had started mixing rice with corn grits about two years ago, experimenting on various ratios of rice-to-corn in cooking. The result was generally good because they used Quality Protein Maize (QPM), an open-pollinated variety of corn that is high in protein and tastes like rice. However, they had two general issues about promoting it: first, the Filipino culture is rice-centric; and second, there is a debate on which is better: white rice alone or white rice with corn. IPB research shows that eating rice mixed with corn grits has two major benefits: it is more nutritional and filling; and it is cheaper. We usually eat rice three times a day. Each meal will take two hours before we digest and turn into glucose. If the glucose did not burn into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), it can heighten ones risk of having diabetes. Eating food items low in glycemic index (GI) like corn, brown rice, and other staples can lessen the risk of diabetes. Moreover, low GI foods help delay hunger pangs and promote weight loss in overweight people, he explained. Mixing rice with corn is also a more affordable choice. In the Visayas, corn is cheaper than rice by P2 a kilo. If rice is mixed with corn using a 50:50 or 70:30 ratio, it is still cheaper than pure rice. Salazar noted that some Filipinos are hesitant to eating white corn because it is regarded as a poor mans food and animal feed. In a cooking demo held during the seminar, Salazar, together with Felicito M. Rodriguez, university researcher at UPLB, sampled various rice-corn blends--such as 50:50, 70:30, 100% corn grits, and 100% rice. Imelda Angat, a mother and leader of the Pantawid Pamilya Program in Brgy. Maligaya, said the taste (of the 70:30

DA-BFAR eyes Benham Rise ... (from p 5)

ricecorn blend) was good like rice. I will surely try this at home because I have learned that it is more nutritious, more affordable, and is good to serve to my family. At present, corn grits is not yet available in public markets but it can be purchased at IPB in UPLB. Salazar said IPB, in partnership with the DA national corn program, will expand its area to be able to supply the needs and demands for corn grits. Decreased consumption of white rice, as a result, can also contribute to the countrys attainment of food security. If the corn-eating communities will increase, importation of rice will be lessened, he said.
(Coxiela L Cabrera, DA-PhilRice)

Information Authority under Dr. Peter Tiangco, worked on the Philippine claim. They revised the documents and maps for the claim, which was subjected to discussions among other countries interested in Benham Rises marine resources. Perez said that, as a result of the UN verdict, the Philippines is authorized to delineate the outer limits of its continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles. New fishing grounds The BFAR has been hunting for new fishing grounds, particularly after tuna catch has been controlled in the Western Pacific, and is looking for areas where round scad, sardines and tuna thrive. Perez said these fish species are present in Benham Rise, adding that BFAR experts have noted that most of the tuna caught in the waters of Quezon and near Aurora are bigger. This is said to be attributed to the presence of sardines, which is consumed by tuna along with phytoplanktons. A problem confronting fisheries in Benham Rise is the rough character of the Pacific Ocean, which would require changes in the construction of fishing vessels that would ply the area. Experts stressed the materials that will be used for fishing vessels in Benham Rise should be sturdy and must be able to withstand 30-meter waves. (Business
Mirror)

Bottled flying fish, anyone?

Womenfolk in Batanes are now selling flying fish (Exocoetidae) in bottles as pasalubong. Thanks to experts from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), members of Ivatan Rural Improvement Club (RIC) were trained to process and bottle flying fish, locally known as Libang. BFAR Cagayan regional director Jovita Ayson said flying fish is sold at only P35 a kilo during peak season, from March to April. Fishers and their families could earn more if they bottle Libang, said Ayson. An eight-ounce bottled flying fish sells for P60. The DA-BFAR provides the bottles, while the Ivatan RIC sells them through the Island Souvenir shops in all municipalities in Batanes. The bottled flying fish comes in various flavors: with tomato sauce, paksiw and Spanish style. If bottled Libang is saleable

and becomes a hit among tourists, the Ivatan RIC will sustain its production, with the help of DA-BFAR and Batanes Provincial Fishery Office. The sea between Batanes and Taiwan teems with flying fish year-round. (PNA)

To reach Barangay Dacudac, one has to travel the rough and rugged terrain of Mankayan in Mountain Province. Thus, going to and from the quaint community had been a burden to residents and visitors alike. As such, life was hard, as many were jobless. One-hundred two hectares (has) of the barangays total 1,010 has land area, is devoted to farming, with vegetable production and livestock raising as the main sources of livelihood. However, the distance of the farms to the nearest trading areas discouraged the farmers to transport their goods as they had to board an eight-seater jeepney which plies the route only once every day. Travelling has always been uncomfortable as the drivers had to fill every space availbale to maximize the trip, oftentimes loading 20 passengers, with 15 more people atop the vehicle. This situation disheartened the farmers to plant and improve their production even more.

To top it all, this seemingly dangerous trip costs P60 to P120, depending on the bulk of commodities being trasported. Mahirap ang buhay namin at dahil malayo kami sa bayan, kalimitan mas malaki pa ang gastos namin sa pamasahe kesa sa kita namin sa aming paninda, Mario Padon said. Marlyn Ngan-oy added, Pag walang pera para sa transportation, sulong-sulong pa rin ang aming pagtitinda kahit maglakad kami ng tatlong oras para makarating sa palengke ng Mankayan kung saan namin binebenta ang aming mga ani. With the establishment of the Barangay Food Terminal (BFT) is Sitio Sayapot, food producers now have a regular market for their goods and need not go to towns business district anymore. Residents are thankful that the Department of Agriculture favored them a trading center, which is being managed by the Sayapot Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC). Ngayong may BFT na, hindi ko na kailangang mag-worry kung saan dadalhin ang aming mga ani, lalo na kung mababa ang presyo ng bilihan, Ngan-oy said. Nakakatipid pa ako sa oras na nagagamit ko para sa ibang mga gawaing pambahay at maalagaan kong mabuti ang aking anak, she added. Overall, the BFT made the lives of Sayapot farmfamilies better, encouraging to work diligently on their farms and allowing them to do other household chores. More importantly, it has given them livelihood and helped increase their incomes. Velasco Ablaya said: Kapag sa BFT ko dinadala

ang baboy na alaga, buo kong nakukuha ang kita dahil wala nang bawas na pamasahe at katay. Aside from the financial savings which they invest as additional share in the cooperative, others boast that they save a lot of time and energy now that they need not to travel far. The BFT is open from Monday to Saturday, 6 am to 7 pm. In addition to farm products, it sells basic items like soap, toothpaste, canned goods, noodles, etc. Other lowland fruits, vegetables, fish (tilapia, bangus, maya-maya, hito, etc.), ham, sausages, ice cream, soft drinks are also sold here. Aside from Sayapot folks, the food terminal caters to residents from nearby barangays including Banao, Cadud-anan, Cagubatan, Lunga, and Balili. The BFT has also changed the behavior of the people who have become positive in their outlook and motivated to work. Residents started farming or raising livestock. Even the children were encouraged to grow vegetables. They use their earnings as baon or buy school supplies. In addition, the BFT also helped in easing up hunger incidence as food and other basic items were made available and affordable. Farmers would also barter their produce at BFT in exchange for other commodities like fish, sugar, salt, soap, etc. BFT manager Julie Agsawal comments, Masaya ako nang nagkaroon ng BFT, at nagkaroon ako ng trabaho. Pati mga anak ko masaya rin kasi meron na kaming pera pambili ng tinapay. In times of emergency, the

Sayapot Food Terminal serves as a lending institution. For instance, it lent money to a family when a member fell ill and needed hospitalization. Other loans are also available. Cooperative members can also avail of loans for tuition fees or startup capital for a livelihood enterprise like hog raising, and handicraft making, etc. Joan Balagtas said: Mabilis makakuha ng mga kailangan sa BFT, may patronage refund pa. Pag wala kang pera puede kang mangutang at bayaran mo sa harvest time. Thru the BFT, residents have taken an interest in social work and organized tree planting activities and road maintenance projects. They also extended financial assistance in times of bereavement, as well as in various school activities like sporting events and tokens for deserving students. All in all, Sayapot is a more unified community, all thanks to the BFT. But that is not all, there are other perks too. Agsawal recalls that she was able to go to Malacanang because of a BFT event. Nakapasok ako sa Heroes Hall at nakapag-shake hands kay President Noynoy Aquino dahil sa BFT, she said proudly. With the increasing sales and funds, cooperative members plan to expand their operation, put up a mini-mart, construct a training hall, buy a hauling vehicle, and engage in meat processing. (Lea Deriquito/Oda Rodriguez)

May 2013

AMAS Market Access Program

BFT transforms lives of Sayapot farm-families

DA pilots PRDP projects in Oriental Mindoro

In preparation for the implementation of the DAs Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP), several preliminary activities were undertaken in Oriental Mindoro. The activities--site validation and assessment workshop-were conducted by the PRDP National Program Coordinating Office (NPCO), Regional Program Coordinating Office-IV B (RPCO), and Oriental Mindoro Provincial Program Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU). A proposed six-year P27.5-billion program, PRDP aims to complement current DA initiatives to put up needed infrastructure and livelihood, market-oriented projects, benefitting farmers and fishers groups and local government units. Oriental Mindoro was chosen as a pilot for calamansi production, processing and marketing, for which the DA has alloted an initial P28 million, in addition to the required equity of the province. As an initial activitiy, several NPCO officials and staff, led by PRDP deputy director Arnel de Mesa, and their regional and provincial counterparts met on May 20-24, in Calapan City, to prepare a three-year Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP). The PCIP outlines the needed rural infrastructure and enterprise projects that would be eligible for funding under PRDP. While the PRDP will give priority to provinces that can submit proposals early, PRDP Luzon B Program Coordinator Shandy M. Hubilla said that swiftness is only half of the equation, since proposals must be aligned to the program development objectives of increasing incomes and value of marketed output of householdbeneficiaries and satisfy program requirements. He added that the activities and outputs of the pilot project on calamansi in Oriental Mindoro will be observed closely by other provinces in the process of preparing their own PCIP and subsequent subproject proposals. DA-Region IV-B Director Cipriano Santiago said Oriental Mindoro should look into generating projects that are sustainable to ensure continuous support from stakeholders and other agencies, well beyond the project life. Oriental Mindoro currently produces nearly 60% of the countrys total production of calamansi. While it dominates the market, there is still a big

Shandy Hubilla (right), PRDP Luzon B Program Director, welcomes the participants from the Philippine Rural Development Program-National Program Coordinating Office (PRDP)-NPCO) and regional and provincial counterparts during the opening of a weeklong workshop and field validation for the Calamansi Value Chain Analysis (VCA) and Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) from May 20-24, 2013 in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. Inset shows one of the RPCO staff geo-tags a road along Victoria as part of the field validation for the proposed FMR under the PRDP. Oriental Mindoro is the pilot project site of the PRDP, focusing on calamansi industry, expected to kick-off this year.
room for improvement to make the industry more efficient and profitable for farmers and other industry players. During the workshop, participants were able to identify other critical constraints that impede the industrys inherent potentials. Among them are: high cost of inputs, poor road network, large volume of unsold calamansi come harvest time, and very low farmgate price during peak season, plummeting to P5 per kilo. Under the PCIP, the participants proposed for the construction of farm-to-market roads, and establishment of a consolidation and buying center, which will directly link clustered calamansi farmers groups to buyers and processors in Metro Manila. A consultation was conducted on May 23 at the provincial capitol, in Calapan City, where farmers and other stakeholders have expressed strong interest and support to the program. The PRDP is set to be deliberated and approved by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Board, chaired by President Benigno S. Aquino III, in June or July. (Cath Nanta,
DA-AFIS)

DAMULOG, BukidnonThe Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP), through its Regional Program Advisory Board, has approved a project for the construction of a P6.6million rubber-sheet processing plant here. Of the amount, P5 million will be provided by the MRDP and the rest by the Poblacion-Old

P6.6-M facility to bolster rubber output in Bukidnon

postharvest facility will boost production of the commodity in Bukidnon, since the provinceknown for its corn and livestock productionis slowly becoming known for it. The processing facility is one of the MRDPs big-ticket projects [that] aims to upgrade the quality of rubber produced in the province, and, at the same time, provide value-adding activities to our farmers, said Ramos, also the DA executive director in Northern Mindanao. She also said the facility would process rubber latex into sheets, making it readily available to buyers in need of these for the production of rubber-based household and industrial products. Ramos added that the facility will not only benefit farmers in Damulog, but also those in the towns of Kibawe, Dancagan, Don Carlos, Kitaotao, Quezon and Kadingilan, as well as neighboring Carmen town in North Cotabato province. According to Anecito Tinaco of PODRA, the facility would initially serve 945.68 hectares that are planted with rubber trees. Of the said areas, 412.6 hectares [of these trees] are now ready for tapping, while the rest can be tapped two to three years from now, Tinaco said. Herbert Tan, agricultural officer in Damulog, said the expansion of rubber production in the town is attributed to the plant now, pay later program of the DA-10 and local agricultural offices. (Noel Provido with
Rosie Paasa)

Damulog Farmers Association (PODFA), the projects leading proponent and beneficiary. The MRDP is a special program of the Department of Agriculture (DA), jointly funded by the World Bank and national and local government units. The program implements infrastructure and livelihood Rubber trees in Damulog, Bukidnon province. proj ects (Photo by Noel Provido) in 225 m un i c i palit ie s i n Mindanao. A c c o rd i ng to MRDP Program Director Lealyn R am os, the rubb e r

DA XI gives P41 M rehab assistance to ComVal farmers

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is providing P41-million rehabilitation assistance to highvalue crops farmers in Compostela Valley province. DA-Davao regional director Remelyn Recoter said the assistance is part of the commitment of Secretary Proceso Alcala through the agencys Task Force Alayon and High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) to immediately provide assistance to farmers and their families who were greatly affected by last years Typhoon Pablo. Most of the affected farmers in the province are those tending high-value crops such as cacao, banana, coffee, and rubber. We have to immediately provide them assistance so they can recover from such huge losses, Recoter said. We also need to fast track our rehabilitation efforts to ensure that there will be no shortage in production, she added. During last weeks Bulawan Festival, the DA turned over the funding support to the provincial government. A tripartite memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the DA, the provincial government and private sectors was also forged to fast track various agri-interventions. Under the cacao rehabilitation program, the DA turned over a total of P13.125 million funds to the provincial government for both agencies including the Kennemer Foods Incorporated, a private company, to establish 1,500 hectare-plantation of cacao. Farmers covered by the program can avail themselves of free seedlings, fertilizers, and technical trainings. Another intervention is the cash-for-work scheme of which farmers are now given alternative income while the rehabilitation efforts are on going. We are also considering cacao to replace abandoned banana plantations infected by the Fusarium wilt or Panama disease Recoter said. To ensure a ready market for cacao farmers, DA also forged a marketing agreement between the farmers and Kennemer Foods Inc., one of the major buyers of cacao beans in the region. In addition, DA turned over P3.2 million to the provincial government to cover the rehabilitation of 200 hectares coffee plantation. The DA and provincial government in partnership with Nestle Philippines will also provide seedlings, fertilizer, training, and cash for work incentives to farmers. In February this year, DA has initially released P10 million for the rehabilitation of 4,373 hectares banana plantations. These supported the immediate clear-

DA regional director Remelyn Recoter (2nd from left) turns over a facsimile check amounting to P11.85 million to Compostela Valley officials, led by Governor Arthur Uy (right), Cong. Rommel Amatong of 2nd District and Cong. Maricar Zamora-Apsay of 1st District., . Also shown are provincial agriculturist Rolando Simene (left), and Simon Bakker of Kennemer Foods Inc. (Photo by DA-HVCDP XI)
ing operations for small growers. The second tranche amounting to P11.85 million was also released last week to continue the rehabilitation efforts such as cash-for-work scheme including giving of fertilizer and farm tools. This makes our support to banana rehabilitation in ComVal reach almost P22 million, the biggest thus far considering that the commodity is a maj or dollar earner not only of the region but of the country, Recoter said. The town of Laak, one of the regions largest areas planted to rubber also received P3 million funding support as rubber plantations in this area had been severely affected by Typhoon Pablo. Meanwhile, DA-HVCDP is providing the same interventions to Davao Oriental and Davao del Norte where production areas were also damaged by last years super typhoon. (Noel T. Provido)

DA looks for investors in jackfruit prodn

The Department of Agriculture in Eastern Visayas is inviting businessmen to invest in jackfruit production as it aims to make the fruit the Philippines major export commodity, it was learned on Tuesday. According Regional Executive Director Antonio G. Gerundio, his agency seeks to raise the number of hectares devoted to jackfruit production in the region from 400 to 1,000. Jackfruit plantations have sprung up in Ormoc City and Mahaplag town in Leyte province, as well as in Samar provinces Calbayog City, which only has about 50 hectares. We want to go into largescale, commercial jackfruit production, Gerundio said. He added that the region has established its own jackfruit-production protocol, and that the Eviarcsweet variety of the fruit which is said to be sweeter than others has been registered. This variety was named after its developer, the DAs Eastern Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center. (PNA, Business Mirror)

DA-SELAP opens P45-M road projects in ZamPen and ARMM

Five municipalities in Region 9 and three in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) availed of Farm- to Market- Road (FMR) projects under the Department of Agriculture- Support to Emergency and Livelihood Assistance Project 2 (DA-SELAP 2) worth P45 million. SELAP is a project of the Government of the Philippines (GOP) executed by the Department of Agriculture funded by loan under the United States Public Law (US PL)-480 program. The project aims to contribute to the overall peace and development initiatives of the government in Mindanao. It first started in the year 2006 and ended in the year 2010 covering 44 municipalities in the Zamboanga Peninsula. Demands received
(Pls turn to p11)

DA Chief urges Phl, multinational firms to invest more in agri. Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (left) enjoins the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), whose members include top executives and managers of Filipino and multinational companies, to pour more investments in agriculture, fishery and agribusiness ventures, including the aggressive promotion and marketing of Pinoy farm, fishery and food products to the rest of the world. He made the pitch during a breakfast dialogue with MAP governors, committee officers and members, May 16, 2013, at Philamlife Tower, Makati City, where he also shared the initiatives of the DA to attain sufficiency in rice and other major staples, and exportation of non-traditional products like aromatic and organic colored rice, corn silage, onions and shallots, among others. Also shown are MAP President Melito Salazar, Jr. (middle) and MAP Governor Peter Wallace.

May 2013

Bill Gates visits ICRISAT

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, recently visited India, including the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), which is currently headed by former DA Secretary William Dar on May 30, 2013. He held discussions with the ICRISAT management and several key scientists to gain a better appreciation of his foundations $10-million research development investment in ICRISAT. Gates acknowledged the potential of ICRISATs works on grain legumes and dryland cereals in helping millions of smallholders farmers in the drylands of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa lift themselves out of hunger, malnutrition and poverty. ICRISAT crops are great as they target millions of smallholder farmers globally, said Gates. His visit highlighted the uniqueness and importance of the initiatives of ICRISAT and its partners, particularly in providing modern technologies and best management practices on orphan or neglected crops like grain legumes and dryland cereals. The drylands are home to 644 million poorest of the poor, and highly nutritious, drought-tolerant crops such as grain legumes and dryland cereals which are the best bets for small farmers in marginal environments to survive and improve their livelihoods, said Dr. William Dar, ICRISAT Director General. Chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut are the poor peoples meat crucial for ending global malnutrition, while sorghum and millets provide food security to the poorest people, added Dr David Hoisington, ICRISAT deputy director general for research. ICRISAT scientists demonstrated the different high-end sciences that the institute uses genomics, bioinformatics, phenotyping and genetic engineering all integrated or complementing each other as part of its crop improvement program for smallholder farming. Considered as international public goods, scientists and national partners worldwide can have free access to ICRISATs genotyping and phenotyping data, captured and analyzed

Bill Gates receiving the ICRISAT Ambassador of Goodwill plaque from Dr William Dar, ICRISAT Director General. ( Photo by
Prashant Panjiar, ICRISAT)

through its work on bioinformatics, for their respective molecular breeding processes. That was cool! was how Gates reacted on ICRISATs lysimeter facility for phenotyping, a first of its kind in the world and the largest within the CGIAR system. The facility is now being successfully used for measuring plant responses to water stress related to drought and climate change adaptation. Mr. Gates also engaged in a roundtable discussion with

Gates grant benefitting RPs tropical legumes

The grant of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) for breeding of sorghum and tropical legumes will eventually benefit the Philippines in the critical production climate smart crops. BMGF has adopted ICRISATs HOPE (Harnessing Opportunities for Productivity Enhancement of Sorghum and Millets), extending to it a grant of $10 million. The new varieties that are being developed under HOPE and Tropical Legumes can find application in the Philippines, said ICRISAT Director General William D. Dar. We get about $10 million from Gates Foundation for three projects namely: HOPEsorghum and millets; Tropical Legumes; and Village Dynamics. BMGFs aim is to help reduce global malnutrition and poverty which is achievable by helping small holder farmers produce a higher yield. For sorghum, the goal of HOPE is to raise productivity by 30 percent. As of 2009, its global yield was at 1.4 metric tons (MT) per hectare. A 1,000-hectare area for sweet sorghum, whose seeds were developed by ICRISAT, is currently eyed in Negros Occidental, according to National Sweet Sorghum Program Chief Rex B. Demafelis. It will be a complementary crop to sugarcane as feedstock in ethanol production. Sweet sorghum is multipurpose crop that also gives food, feed, and fodder. Sweet sorghum is also now used by private firm Bapamin Enterprise as raw material for a hand sanitizer (alcogel). Bapamin has a 25-hectare area planted to ICRISATs sweet sorghum SPV 422 variety in Batac, Ilocos Norte. The project, co-funded by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), aims to raise sweet sorghum area 50 percent per annum in light of the production of another sweet sorghum product an antidiabetic sweetener. Other tropical legume crops that Philippines is obtaining from ICRISAT through high yielding varieties are pigeonpea (kadyos which is planted in Ilocos Region) and chickpea (garbanzos) which is currently under study for food processing in a BAR project at Benguet State University. The drylands are home to 644 million poorest of the poor, and highly-nutritious, droughttolerant crops such as grain legumes and dryland cereals. These are the best bets for smallholder farmers in these marginal environments to survive and improve their livelihoods, said Dar.

ICRISAT scientists on the impacts and challenges of applying the science on the ground. Two projects funded by the foundation were highlighted: the HOPE project (Harnessing Opportunities for Productivity Enhancement of Sorghum and Millets) in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia which seeks to increase by 30% the productivity of sorghum and millets in 200,000 farmers fields; and the Tropical Legumes I & II project which aims to enhance productivity of six legume crops (groundnut, cowpea, common bean, chickpea, pigeonpea and soybean) by at least 20% through improved cultivars and management practices and the development of markets and value chains. The poor in the target areas of these two projects are the most malnourished, food-insecure in the world, unable to earn adequate incomes from agriculture which is their only source of food, nutrition and livelihoods. The impacts and achievements of these foundation-funded projects are now changing the lives of the poor, providing millions of smallholder farmers with tools and opportunities to boost their yields, increase their incomes, and build better lives for themselves and their families. Recognizing the consistent and generous support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the institute, ICRISAT honored Mr Bill Gates as their first Ambassador of Goodwill. ICRISAT is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. (ICRISAT)

10

Phl exports rice to Dubai ...

As the country is set to achieve rice sufficiency by end of this year, he said it is prudent to start eyeing the export market, particularly for fancy or aromatic, long-grain white varieties and organic colored and heirloom rice varieties, where Filipino farmers are competitive. Ang pagluluwas natin ng bigas ngayon ay bunga ng maigting na pagtutulungan ng mga samahan ng mga magsasaka, pribadong sektor at mga pinuno at kawani ng Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka sa buong bansa, Secretary Alcala said. He said the initial 35-MT shipment is comprised of 15 MT of organic black rice and 20 MT of Jasponica or long-grain, aromatic white rice variety. The black rice was produced by farmer-members of the Don Bosco Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (DBFMPC), in Mlang, North Cotabato, in partnership with the Don Bosco Foundation for Sustainable Devt., Inc. (DBFSDI). It was milled and packed at a DA-KOICA rice processing center in Matanao, Davao del Sur. The Jasponica aromatic white rice was produced by farmers in Talavera, Nueva Ecija. The DA through its national rice program directorate coordinated the initial rice export with the Vegetable Importers, Exporters and Vendors Assn. (VIEVA). Together with other DA family officials, regional directors, the private sector and farmers groups, Secretary Alcala also led the ceremonial send-off of 166 MT of shallots (or small red onions locally known as lasona) bound for Indonesia.

(from p 1)
Another batch of 80 MT aromatic and heirloom rice varieties are set for export in succeeding months, said DA assistant secretary and national rice program coordinator Dante S. Delima. It is composed of 40 MT of long-grain, aromatic white rice bound for Hong Kong, and 40 MT of Cordillera heirloom rice to the United States, he added. Delima said the DA is also sending a trial shipment of 800 kilograms of black rice to the Netherlands. The DA in partnership with farmers groups and the private sector is finalizing negotiations with other prospective buyers in Singapore, the Middle East and Africa. At the rate we are going, we are confident we could meet our self-imposed target of 100 metric tons of rice exports by the first half of the year, Delima said. Among those present during the send-off ceremonies were: Atty. Miguel Varela, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; SL Agritech president and CEO Henry Lim Bon Liong; VIEVA president Lea Cruz; Romano Laurilla, general manager of DBFMPC; and Maria Helenita Gamela, executive director of DBFSDI. Dozens of DA officials also graced the event, led by assistant secretaries Dante Delima and Salvador Salacup, National Food Authority Administrator Orlan Calayag, Director Eufemio Rasco of the DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute, Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Dir.Clarito Barron, High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) Dir. Jennifer Remoquillo, Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS) Dir. Leandro Gazmin, National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR) President Honesto Baniqued, and all 16 DA regional executive directors.

Phl eyes livestock, poultry exports to UAE. Secretary Procy

Alcala (left) and Assistant Undersecretary Abdelrahim Mohamed Al Hammadi of the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Environment and Water discuss possible trade and investment opportunities, during the latters courtesy call, May 28, 2013, at the DA central office in Quezon City. Secretary Alcala particularly pitched for more exports of livestock and poultry products to Dubai and other parts of UAE, as the Philippines remains free from avian flu virus and foot and mouth disease (FMD). He said the DA is bent on improving and enhancing the capability of small Filipino farmers, livestock raisers, fishers and food processors to promote and export their respective products to the rest of the world. Early this month, the Philippines exported to Dubai an initial 35 metric tons (MT) of aromatic, long-grain and organic black rice.

DA-SELAP ...

(from p 9)

DA-BPI ...

(from p 4)

P120 per kilo, respectively, are also untrue and bloated. Based on BPI market monitoring in 2010, retail prices of onion ranged from P90 to P120 per kilo, while garlic was sold at P40 to P60 per kilo. Barron said harvesting of garlic and onions is ongoing in many parts of the country. Initial field reports indicate that this years production would be better. Last year, total production of garlic amounted to 8,490 metric tons (MT) worth P774.37 million at current prices, while onion harvest totaled 124,830 MT worth P3.89 billion at current prices, according to estimates of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics.
(DA-BPI & AFIS)

from partner local government; supported by Resolutions from the Regional Development Council (RDC) SELAP 2 was conceived in 2012 to continue project implementation to assist the farmers and the fisherfolk. The f our components of SELAP are Rural Infrastructure; Livelihood Assistance; Capability Building and Program Management. Included in the Rural Infrastructure are the construction of FMRs that paves market accessibility to agricultural products such as rice, corn and high value crops. Its project implementation is by contract. It applies the 90:10 cost sharing scheme wherein the 90% of the total cost shall be shoul-

dered by SELAP and the 10% shall be borne from the proponents or the Local Government Unit. ZamPen availed of six road projects worth 30 million; one in Vicenzo Sagun, Zamboanga del Sur ; one each in Sibutad and in Baliguian Zamboanga del Norte, and one each in the municipalities of Payao, Mabuhay and Naga in Zamboanga Sibugay. The ARMM has two FMRs in Sulu and one in Tawitawi worth 15 million pesos. (DA9)

DA allots ...

(from p 1)

is published monthly by the Department of Agriculture Information Service, Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City. Tel. nos. 9288762 loc 2148, 2150, 2155, 2156 or 2184; 9204080 or tel/fax 9280588. This issue is available in PDF file. For copies, please send requests via email: da_afis @yahoo.com.
Editor-In-Chief : Noel O. Reyes Associate Editors: Cheryl C. Suarez & Adora D. Rodriguez Writers: Adora D. Rodriguez, Arlhene S. Carro, Bethzaida N. Bustamante, Catherine N. Nanta, Marshall Louie Asis, Danica Melegrito Contributors: DA-RFU Info Officers, Public Info Officers of DA Bureaus, Attached Agencies & Corporations, MRDP & other ForeignAssisted Projects Photographers: Jose Lucas, Alan Jay Jacalan & Kathrino Resurreccion Lay-out Artist: Bethzaida Bustamante Printing & Circulation: Teresita Abejar & PCES Staff

Secretary Alcala said the DA is privileged to be a part of Green Initiative, which aims to protect the countrys biodiversity, create livelihood opportunities and eradicate poverty in agritourism communities. It is spearheaded by the ABSCBN Corporation and ABS-CBN Foundation, in partnership with the DA, department of tourism (DOT), environment and natural resources (DENR), and Ateneo de Manila University School of Science and Engineering (ADMUSSE). Secretary Alcala joined the re spective head of the five agencies and institutions during a memorandum of agreement
(Pls turn to p12)

May 2013

11

President Benigno S. Aquino III signed on May 29, 2013, Republic Act 10593 that amends certain provisions of Republic Act 8048 (Coconut Preservation Act of 1995). The new law also called an Act Providing for the Regulation of the Cutting of Coconut Trees, Its Replenishment, and Providing Penalties Therefore states that no coconut tree shall be cut except in the following cases and only after a permit has been issued: When it is 60 years old in the case of tall varieties, and at least 40 years old for dwarf varieties; When it is no longer economically productive, severely disease-infested and beyond rehabilitation, and severely damaged by typhoon or lightning; When a farm devoted to coconut production is legally converted into residential, commercial, industrial, other agricultural uses or agriculture-related activities, duly approved by proper authorities. No conversion should be allowed by the PCA until after it has verified and certified that for a period of at least three years the majority of the coconut trees have become senescent and economically unproductive or where the coconut farm is not adaptable to sound management practices on account of geographical location, topography, drainage and other conditions rendering the farm unproductive; and when the tree would cause hazard to life and property. No coconut tree or trees shall be cut unless the owner applies and secures a permit from the PCA, which has the power to approve it. Applicants should pay PCA a fee of P100 for every tree to be cut. The law also provides that the collected fee be divided as: P40 each for the PCA and municipal

P-Noy signs law regulating cutting of coco trees

or city government concerned, Search and seize vehicles fective implementation of RA and P20 for the barangay, where with illegally-cut, gathered, col- 10593. the coconut tree to be is located. lected or removed coconut lumIn coordination with the local RA 10593 states that the PCA ber; government unit concerned, the used the collected fees for its re Stop the transport/shipment PCA will require the registration planting program, while the town of coconut lumber without author- of all sawmills, lumberyards, coor city for the repair and rehabili- ity or legal documents; conut wood dealers and other tation of roads, particularly those Confiscate and forfeit in fa- persons or entities dealing in the damaged by the continuous pas- vor of the government the ille- processing and sawing of cocosage of heavy vehicles used for gally-cut, gathered, collected, re- nut trees. transporting coconut lumber. moved, possessed or abanViolators will be penalized with The new law also states that doned coconut lumber, as well as imprisonment of not less than two no permit to cut shall be granted the machinery, equipment, impleyears but not more than six years, unless the applicant has secured ments and tools illegally-used, from the barangay captain a cer- and to dispose of the same in or a fine of not less than tification that he/she has already accordance with pertinent laws, P100,000, but not more than P500,000, or both, at the discreplanted the equivalent number of regulations or policies; and trees to be cut. The PCA should Seek the assistance of the tion of the court. If the offender verify if a replanting was done. PNP and other law enforcement is a government employee, he/ Such replanting, however, shall agencies for the efficient and ef- she will be dismissed from office. not apply to areas legally converted into industrial, commercial or residential sites or other agricultural purposes. The PCA is also tasked to regulate and oversee the fertilization and care of the newlyplanted coconut trees, and conduct regular on-thespot inspections of the replanted sites. The law also Secretary Alcala joins hands with other Green Initiative movers at a launch, gives the PCA 'poMay 6, 2013, at ABS-CBN complex in Quezon City. Also shown are (from left): lice powers' to efTourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, ABS-CBN President Charo Santos-Concio, fectively perform ABS-CBN Foundation managing director Gina Lopez, Environment Secretary its functions and Ramon Paje, and Ateneo de Manila Univ. Dean Evangeline Bautista. duties, to wit:: Inve st ig a t e DA allots ... (from p 11) suspected violators; Arrest and apprehend any signing, May 6, 2013, at the ABS- pick-and-harvest fresh organic vegetables. person actually committing or at- CBN complex in Quezon City. For its part, the DENR through The DAs P28.8-M counterpart tempting to cut a tree without a permit, and possessor of coco- will be used initially to develop its Protected Areas and Wildlife nut lumber without the necessary agri-tourism sites in Regions IV- Bureau will provide needed infrastructure, inputs and personB (MiMaRoPa) and V (Bicol). permit; Of the total amount, P20 M is nel to preserve and protect the allotted for the construction of forests and watersheds in sefarm-to-market roads, and the lected agri-tourism sites. The DA through The DOT will encourage the rest for irrigation systems PhilRice has also crafted private sector to invest in putting (P1.2M), and implementation of 'Panatang Makapalay agricultural production and live- up tourism infrastructure and for farmers, as part of lihood proj ects for livestock complementary facilities in agrithe National Year of Rice (P3.9M), organic vegetables tourism sites. It will also take the national advocacy cam(P1.15 M), fisheries and lead in promoting the agri-tourpaign. The DA regional seaweeds (P740, 000), high ism sites to attract as many Filifield units are enjoined value crops (P630, 000), rice pino and foreign visitors as posto translate it into respec(P610, 000), and coconut (P333, sible. Both the ABS-CBN Corporative dialects, and trans000). The DA chief is particularly tion and Foundation will manage form the 'Panata' into keen on putting up commercial- and facilitate media exposures of appropriate advocacy scale organic vegetable produc- the Green Initiative projects to and promotional paration gardens, and livestock pens create awareness among the phernalia, and distribute where native pigs and chicken general public and tourists. these to farmers groups Finally, the ADMUSSE is are raised. These should be esand irrigators' associatasked to mainstream the agritablished near existing or tions through local govtourism projects as part of its planned agri-tourism sites. ernment agriculture ofHe said the vegetable gar- curriculum, as well as monitor ficers, technicians and dens, and native pig and chicken and evaluate the progress of the extension workers. farms would serve as additional Green Initiative. (Cath Nanta. attraction, where tourists could DA-AFIS)