Vol. XXVIII No. 5 A monthly publication of the Department of Agriculture May 2013

The country’s agriculture in-dustry 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 ProcesoJ. Alcala said the cropssubsector increased by 3.6%,bannered by palay and corn,which grew by 4.45% and11.43%, respectively.

The crops subsector ac-counted for more than one-half(54.1%) of total agricultural pro-duction in the 1st quarter of2013, according to the Depart-ment of Agriculture’s Bureau ofAgricultural Statistics (BAS).

Palay production reached 4.17million metric tons (MMT), whilecorn harvest totaled 2.25 MMTof corn, valued at P66 B andP27.8 B, respectively.

The DA chief said the in-creased harvests of palay andcorn were mainly due to earlyplantings, adequate supply of ir-rigation water, higher averageyields as a result of increasedusage of hybrid and certified riceseeds, hybrid and OPV corn

Agri grows by 3.3% in 1st Qtr 2013seeds, and additional areasplanted to both rice and corn.

“Our efforts are paying off, andwe hope to attain our sufficiencytargets by year-end,” said Sec-retary Alcala.

“For these achievements, wethank our country’s farmers andfishers for their continuous hardwork and perseverance, andstrong cooperation of local gov-

ernment units and the privatesector,” he added.

The DA targets to produce 20MMT of palay and 8.4 MMT of

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With rice sufficiency in sight,the Philippines after 40 years hasonce again exported rice, initiallyto Dubai, United Arab Emirates,comprising of 35 metric tons(MT) of aromatic, long-grain andorganic black rice.

Secretary Proceso J. Alcala,who led the ceremonial send-offat the Manila Harbor Center,May 6, 2013, said the event ishistoric as it ushers in a new erain the country’s rice industry andthe agriculture sector, in general.

“Ang okasyong ito aymakasaysayan at patunaylamang na kayang-kaya ng atingmga magsasaka na maka-ani atmaka-export ng kalidad na bigaspatungong ibang bansa,” Secre-tary Alcala said.

Phl exports fancy,black rice to Dubai

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The Department of Agricul-ture is allotting an initial P28.8million (M) to help develop andpromote agri-tourism sites un-der a multi-sectoral collabora-tion, aptly called “Green Initia-tive,” involving other con-cerned government agencies,academe and private institu-tions.

DA pays tribute to farmers, fishersconquering world market

The country pays tribute to thehardworking labor force andstakeholders of Philippine agri-culture and fishery sector as theDepartment of Agriculture leadsthe nationwide celebration ofFarmers’ and Fisherfolk’sMonth, with the theme:“Magsasaka’t MangingisdangPilipino, Kaya nangMakipagsabayan sa Mundo.”

“We recognize and commendthe contribution of small farmers,f ishers, ruralfolk, and otherstakeholders of the country’s ag-riculture and fishery industrywho continue to heed the Aquinogovernment’s call to attain foodsufficiency and sustainability,’’

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J.Alcala said.

As part of the opening program(Pls turn to p5)

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DA allots P28.8Mfor agri-tourism

DA, DOLE offer P2-B agri loans for returning OFWs.The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Labor andEmployment recently launched a P2-billion financing program toattract returning overseas Filipino workers and their families en-gage in agribusiness enterprises. Secretary Alcala and Labor Secre-tary Rosalinda Demapilis-Baldoz proudly show their agreementduring simple ceremonies, May 7, 2013, at the DOLE office, inIntramuros, Manila. Also shown (from left) are: DA UndersecretaryAntonio Fleta, and DOLE Undersecretary Danilo Cruz.

Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (6th from left) leads a ceremonial send-off of rice export to Dubai, comprising of 15 MT of organic blackrice (above) and 20 MT of Jasponica aromatic, long-grain whiterice, at the Manila Harbor Center, May 6, 2013. Also shown (fromleft) are: Leah Cruz, president of vegetable importers, exportersand vendors’ association; DA assistant secretary and national riceprogram coordinator Dante Delima; DBMPC director MariaHelenita Gamela; DBMPC general manager Romano Laurelia;DA Region 12 director Amalia Datukan; Philippine Chamber ofCommerce and Industry president Miguel Varela; and Bureau ofPlant Industry director Clarito Barron.

EditorialMagsasaka at mangingisdang Pilipino, kaya nang makipagsabayan sa mundo!

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Makalipas ang ilangdekada, nagsimula nang mag-export muli ng mgaproduktong agrikultura angating mga maliliit namagsasaka.

Bagamat mayroon nangnailuluwas noong nakaraangmga taon ng produktongkagaya ng niyog, pinya,saging, asukal, abaka, at ibapa -- ngayon lamang tayomagluluwas ng bigas at mais,na ani mismo ng mga maliliitna magsasaka.

Ito’y bunga ng patuloy napagsisikap ng Department ofAgriculture na suportahan athikayatin ang mgamagsasaka na magtanim at i-ugnay sila sa pamilihan saibang bansa.

Halimbawa, noon Marso,nagkaroon ng trial shipmentng “yellow granex” na sibuyassa Japan ang mgamagsasaka ng Bongabon,Nueva Ecija. Bagamat 20metrikong tonelada lamangang sibuyas na nailuwas, ito’y

makabuluhan dahil hudyat itona handa na ang bansa namakipagsabayan sa mundo.

Wala pang dalawang buwanang nakalipas, nag-export muliang bansa ng 166 metrikongtoneladang “sibuyas tagalog”na kilala ring shallot o lasona.

Kasabay nito ang pag-exportdin ng 35 metrikongtoneladang premium white atorganic black rice na siyanamang ipinadala sa Dubai,United Arab Emirates.

Ang naturang mga produktoay inaasahang madaragdaganpa sa mga susunod na buwanat taon.

Sa mga sunod-sunod napag-eexport ng mgamagsasaka at kooperatiba,unti-unti na nating nasisilip angmaaari pang mangyari sapatuloy na pagtatagumpay ngFood Staples SufficiencyProgram (FSSP) ngKagawaran ng Pagsasaka.

Sa kanyang mga talumpati,parating sinasabi ni KalihimProceso J. Alcala na dati’y

walang naniniwala sa kanyangadhikain at pangarap.

Ngunit, ngayon nakikita naang bunga ng FSSP ay hindilamang sapat na pagkain parasa bansa, kundi angpagkakataon ng mgamagsasaka na kumita ng masmalaki sa pamamagitan ngpag-eexport ng kanilang mgaprodukto.

Inaabangan din natin angpag-export ng iba’t-ibangproduktong karneng baboy atmanok, dahil ang bansa aynanatiling ligtas sa FMD o foot-and-mouth disease at bird flu.

Dagdag pa rito ang mgaorganikong gulay at prutas.

Paalam ‘Ka Pecs’Sa kabila ng kasayahang

dala ng ating lumalakas napotensiyal sa pandaigdigangpamilihan, nagdadalamhati angKagawaran ng Agrikultura, sapangunguna ni Sec Procy, sapagpanaw ng isangmahalagang haligi ng bansa salarangan ng agrikultura,

partikular sa organikongpagasasaka.

Nakikiramay ang buongKagawaran sa mga naulila ngating minamahal na kaibigan,Perfecto Ruiz Vicente, o maskilalang ‘Ka Pecs’.

Siya ang isa sa mganagsilbing inspirasyon ni Sec.sa pagbabalangkas ngRepublic Act 10068 o maskilalang Organic AgricultureAct of 2010.

Dahil sa paggamit ng mganalinang na katutubong binhing palay ni Ka Pecs, angating ang mga magsasaka aymatagumpay nanakakapagparami ngorganikong bigas na iniluwasat iluluwas pa sa iba’t-ibangbansa.

Ang mga ‘bagong bayani’kagaya ni Ka Pecs angmahalaga at matibay nakatuwang ng Kagawaranupang mabilis na mapaunladang industriya ng sakahan atpangisdaan sa bansa.

Saludo kami sa inyo!

Agri grows by ... (from p 1)

corn by end of 2013, making thePhilippines sufficient in bothstaples. Last year’s output to-taled 18 MMT of palay and 7.4MMT of corn.

Just recently, the countrystarted exporting 35 MT of aro-matic and organic black rice toDubai. Another batch of 80 MTof premium and organic, coloredrice varieties is being readied forshipment to other countries.

The DA in partnership with theprivate sector also exported 24metric tons (MT) of corn feed si-lage for cattle to South Korea. Itis part of a total 15,000 MT ofcorn silage to be shipped to thatcountry this year.

Several crops also postedgains, which included pineapple(5.8%), mango (4.5%), tobacco(4%), sugarcane (2.5%), andonions (8.5%), among others.

The fisheries subsector, whichshared 16.3% to total agriculturalproduction, rebounded with a5.6% growth, as production of

aquaculture species like milkfish(bangus) and tilapia has in-creased.

Larger catch of marine specieslike roundscad (galunggong) andtuna were also recorded, as aresult of the conservation mea-sures imposed in Zamboangaand Visayan Seas, and lifting ofthe tuna ban in the Pacif icOcean.

Total value of fishery produc-tion amounted to P59.5 B.

The poultry subsector, ac-counting for 14.4% to total agri-cultural production, posted a2.8% growth, with total value ofproduction at P45.8B at currentprices. The subsector was led bychicken, whose output grew by3.3%, worth P34.6B.

The livestock subsector, whichcontributed 15.3% barely grew,at 0.3%, with total productionvalue of P54.3B at current prices.The hog industry grew by 0.36%,valued at P44.87B at currentprices.

DA chief honors farmer-scientist. Secretary Alcala is shownwith 80-year old Perfecto ‘Ka Pecs’ Ruiz Vicente, one of thecountry’s leading farmer-scientists, who passed away May 27, 2013,at Sto. Niño, South Cotabato. An agriculture graduate from UPLos Baños who later joined MASIPAG (Magsasaka at SiyentipikoPara sa Pag-Unlad ng Agrikultura), Ka Pecs pioneered in collect-ing, breeding and propagating hundreds of traditional rice variet-ies from all over the country. He transformed his farm in SouthCotabato into a techno-demo site and a community rice seed bank,where throughout his life has trained thousands of farmers onorganic farming, and propagating traditional rice varieties. Themother seeds of organic black rice exported recently to Dubai byDon Bosco farmers’ cooperative came from his seed bank. Secre-tary Alcala considers Ka Pecs not only as a father and an inspira-tion, but also as a national treasure.

May 2013 3

The Philippines is bent on de-veloping Benham Rise’ as itsnewest fishing hub, after theUnited Nations recently ruledthat the 13-million-hectare shal-low expanse of sea off the prov-inces of Aurora and Isabela is

To establish a baseline dataand further improve its servicesto fisherfolk, the DA through theBureau of Fisheries and AquaticResources (BFAR) launched aNational Program for MunicipalFisherfolk Registration or‘FishR,’ May 22, 2013, in Ma-nila.

It aims to register all fishersand their families, using asimple and standard registra-tion system, as required by the

Fishers need to register

DA-BFAR eyes ‘Benham Rise’ as fishing hubpart of the country’s territory.

“It is an area where fish spe-cies such as bluefin tuna, blackor white marlin and galunggong

(round scad) abound,” said Di-rector Asis Perez of the DA’sBureau of Fisheries and AquaticResources (BFAR).

He said at least seven com-mercial vessels are keen to op-erate in Benham Rise, sincestudies show that they couldcatch 70 metric tons (MT) of fishper operation.

“At thel e a s t ,e a c hr i n gn e t t e rc o u l dconductat leasttwo fish-ing op-erat ionsp e rm o n t h .M o r e -o v e r ,each ringn e t t e rcould provide employment to atleast 30 fishermen,” the BFARchief added.

To encourage fishing expedi-tions in Benham Rise, Perez saidthe DA-BFAR would put uppostharvest facilities and equip-ment like blast freezers andreefer vans in Quezon and Au-rora. Carrier vessels will also bedeployed to transport the catch

to the mainland to enable fish-ing vessels to stay longer in thearea.

The DA-BFAR will also install66 payaos in the area, in addi-tion to the 49 already in Quezon.

“The deployment of payaos willprovide fishermen with markedspots where prime-class fishspecies congregate. This will

help them avoid wasting fuelwhile waiting for a good catch,”Perez said.

A payao is a layered devicethat can grow mussels and luresquids and other fish species,since algae grows in the wovenburi tied to the ropes that holdthe device, which are put in placeby sinkers at the sea bottom.

Achuete production is profitable! Secretary ‘Procy’ Alcala(left) samples achuete seeds exhibited by the Vegetable Importers,Exporters and Vendors Association (VIEVA), at the InternationalFood Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines 2013, at SMX ConventionCenter, in Pasay City. The DA is encouraging more farmers to plantand produce achuete, which is mainly used as a food colorant andadditive by food processors, restaurants and the general public.Domestic production of less than 1,000 metric tons (MT), mostlyin Davao region, is barely enough to supply the rising demandprompting yearly imports of up to 10,000 MT of achuete seeds andpowder, according to VIEVA president Leah Cruz (right). Alsoshown is Director Leandro Gazmin, of the DA Agribusiness andMarketing Assistance Service (AMAS), which co-organized IFEX,along with the DTI-CITEM.

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Benham Riseis shown at rightof Luzon.

Fisheries Code of 1998 (Repub-lic Act).

Through FishR, BFAR wouldbe able to provide better, efficientand effective services to fishersand their communities.

It is undertaken as part of theDA-BFAR’s Ecosystems Im-proved for Sustainable Fisheries(ECOFISH) Project, and will ini-tially cover eight areas.

These include Lingayen Gulf,Verde Island Passage,Calamianes Group of Islands,Ticao-Lagonoy-San BernardinoStrait, Danajon Bank, SouthNegros, Surigao del Norte andSulu Archipelago.

Photo shows BFAR DirectorAsis G. Perez (3rd from left) dur-ing the FishR launch, along withDA undersecretary Emerson

Palad (2nd from right), and otherofficials (from left): Budget andManagement UndersecretaryRichard E. Moya, USAID Officeof Energy and EnvironmentChief Rolf Anderson, USAIDMission Director Ms. GloriaSteele, National Anti-PovertyCommission Secretary JoelRocamora, and nationalfisherfolk Director Servando P.Toledo.

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The Department of Agricultureand the Department of NationalDefense (DND) have launcheda joint-project to transform idleor reserved areas in militarycamps into farms, and enablemilitary personnel to producetheir own rice, corn, rootcrops,vegetables, fruits, fish and otherfood requirements.

Agriculture Secretary ProcesoJ. Alcala and National DefenseSecretary Voltaire T. Gazminlaunched the project — dubbedas “DA-DND agricultural liveli-hood development program inselected military reservation ar-eas” — on May 2, 2013, at FortMagsaysay, in Nueva Ecija.

For the joint initiative, the DAhas allotted an initial P5.78 mil-lion in the form of farm machin-ery, irrigation system, inputs, andtechnical assistance. The DND,on the other hand, will providepersonnel to develop appropriateidle military areas into farmlands,and oversee the food productionventures.

Initially, the DA Region 3 (Cen-tral Luzon) office, led by Dir. An-drew Villacorta, has identified 25hectares of land in FortMagsaysay, of which 10 hect-ares 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 byDA 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. AlanLuga, DA-Region 3 Director Andrew Villacorta, Major Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr., and DA AssistantSecretary and national rice program coordinator Dante Delima.

DA, DND partner to transform camps into farms

corn, and the remaining f ivehectares for future expansion.

The DA through the Bureau ofFisheries and Aquatic Re-sources (BFAR) will provide tila-pia fingerlings and other fresh-water species to be stocked inPahingahan Dam, within FortMagsaysay, as source of freshfish. The DA through its livestockagencies will also provide mili-

The Department of Agriculturethrough the Bureau of Plant In-dustry (DA-BPI) issues appropri-ate import permits — technicallyknown as SPS or sanitary andphyto-sanitary import clearance— when warranted or neededmainly to stabilize supply andprices of particular agriculturalcommodities.

BPI Director Clarito Barron saidhis agency continues to issueimport permits, particularly foronions and garlic, and it has beenand remains fair in the issuanceof import clearances.

He made the clarification todisprove the claim of the Philip-pine Federation of Food Indus-try, Inc. (PFFII) that the DA-BPIhas not issued permits for onionsand garlic since 2010.

“The claim of PFFII is untrue

DA-BPI issues import permitsto stabilize food supply, prices

and baseless because the BPIhas issued several import clear-ances for garlic in 2010 and foronions since 2011. And we re-main fair in the issuance of im-port clearances,” Barron said.

He said the DA-BPI, upon con-sultation with farmers and indus-try leaders, issues appropriatepermits to import particular agri-cultural commodities when thereis inadequate supply and whenprices begin to surge.

“If the supply of a particularcommodity is inadequate and itsprice surges upwards, govern-ment intervenes by issuing per-mits to import said particular com-modity,” said Director Barron.

Barron said the claim of PFFIIthat prices of onions and garlicin 2010 have reached P210 and

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tary personnel with Anglo-Nubian and Boer bucks for goatproduction, and 50 head ofchicken for broiler and layer pro-duction.

Secretary Alcala said seed-lings of fruit-bearing trees suchas mangoes, tamarind, and cof-fee will also be planted aroundthe camp as added sources ofincome and serve as perimeterbarriers to prevent informal set-tlers to encroach into the camp’sreserved area.

He said the DA will also helpFort Magsaysay personnel selltheir excess farm produce dur-ing harvest season.

He and Secretary Gazminhave also agreed to expand the

DA-DND program in other mili-tary camps where there are idleareas that could be transformedinto productive farms as sourceof food and additional income.

The DA chief even suggestedthat retired military personnelshould be given priority to over-see and manage the food pro-duction ventures.

Secretary Gazmin expressedhis gratitude to Secretary Alcalaand the DA family for the jointventure and strong support, andsaid he looks forward to expand-ing the project in other militarycamps and reservations inVisayas and Mindanao. (CathNanta, DA-AFIS)

DA cites top UPRIIS Irrigators’ Associations. The DA re-cently cited outstanding irrigators’ associations (IAs) as ‘2012 Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers’ for their contribution in attaining a nationalrecord harvest of 18 million metric tons of palay last year. Amongthem are the Gloria sa Bagong Milenyo (GBM) and Ubbog Ti BiagIAs, being served by the DA-National Irrigation Administration(NIA) Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System(UPRIIS). Photo shows DA Undersecretary Antonio Fleta (3rd fromright) and NIA Administrator Antonio Nangel (2nd from left) hand-ing over a P1-million check as prize to GBM IA chairman ArturoVilla (3rd from left) and vice-chairman Felix Venancio Melegrito(2ndfrom right), during an IA and farmers’ congress, at UPRIIS, inNueva Ecija, May 29, 2013, as part of the 50th NIA anniversarycelebration. Also shown are UPRIIS manager Josephine Salazar(left) and Cabanatuan City Mayor Julius Caesar Vergara (right).

May 2013 5

on May 20, 2013, at the DAcentral office in Quezon City,Secretary Alcala — representedby Undersecretaries JoelRudinas and Antonio Fleta, whoco-chair this year’s farmers’ andfisherfolk’s month celebration —conferred a plaque of recogni-tion to farmers’ groups and theprivate sector for being a part ofa milestone in Philippine agricul-ture as their respective productswere exported to other countriesfrom March to May, this year.

Last March 16, 20 metric tonsof yellow granex onions fromNueva Ecija were shipped toOsaka, Japan, as part of a part-nership of DA, farmers’ groupsand the National Onion GrowersCooperative Marketing Associa-tion (NOGROCOMA).

Forty days later, a shipment of166 MT small red onions or‘lasona’ f rom Ilocos andCagayan Valley regions was de-livered to Indonesia, courtesy ofthe Vegetables Importers, Ex-porters and Vendors Association(VIEVA).

On April 29, an initial 24 MT ofcorn feed silage for cattle wasshipped to Busan, South Koreathrough the initiative ofPloughshares, Inc., NationalCorn Board and the DA corn pro-gram. The corn silage wassourced from farmers inPangasinan.

On May 6, the DA rice programin collaborationwith farmer-members ofDon BoscoMult i-PurposeC o o p e r a t i v e(DBMPC) inCotabato, SLAgritech Corp.,and VIEVA, hasexported an ini-tial 35 MT of or-ganic black rice(15MT) aromaticJasponica rice(20MT) to Dubai.

Last May 15,another batch of15MT of organicblack, brown andred rice fromDBMPC was de-livered toHongKong.

“These aretestaments tothe Filipinos’competitiveness,showing to theworld that oursmall farmers arenow ready tocompete,’’ Sec-

DA pays tribute ... (from p 1)

retary Alcalasaid.

The Farm-ers’ andF is he r f o l k ’ smonth celebra-tion at the DAcentral office inQuezon Cityalso featured aw e e k - l o n g‘tiangge’ orfarm and foodproducts forsale, and cook-ing demonstra-tions of variousmenus usingbrown rice,white corn,c a s s a v a ,tanglad, stevia,and asitava,among othersfarm and fish-ery commodi-ties.

The month ofMay is cel-ebrated everyyear as “Farmers andFisherfolk’s Month” under Presi-dential Proclamation No. 33 togive due recognition to the in-valuable contribution of farmers,fishers, and other agri-fishery in-dustry stakeholders to nation’ssustained economic and inclu-sive growth. (Adora D. Rodriguez,DA-AFIS)

Fish hooks laden with baitsalso attract a variety of fish, fromtuna and black marlin to otherpelagic fish.

Hundreds of payao have beenplaced in Zambales and IlocosRegion to augment the incomeof fishermen who could no longer

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DA-BFAR eyes Benham Rise ... (from p 3)

DA Undersecretaries Antonio Fleta (left) and Joel Rudinas (3rd from right) co-chairedthis year’s celebration of Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Month, with the theme:‘Magsasaka’t Mangingisdang Pilipino, Kaya nang Makipagsabayan sa Mundo.’Joining them during the simple opening ceremonies at the DA lobby (from left) are:DA high value crops development program national coordinator Dir. JenniferRemoquillo; Susan Magallo of Vegetable Importers, Exporters and Vendors Ass’n.(VIEVA); Jun Diazon, chairman of Don Bosco Multi-Purpose Cooperative (DBMPC)in Cotabato; Donnabel Lim of SL Agritech Corp.; DBMPC manager Romano Laurilla;Tom Park, buyer of corn feed silage; and Butch Umengan, director of national cornboard and CEO of Ploughshares, Inc.

Phl eyes more veggie, fruit exports to Singapore. The Department of Agriculture inpartnership with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore is eyeingto increase exports of Philippine vegetables and fruits to the island city-state. Agricul-ture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (middle) discusses with the Singaporean trade delega-tion, led by managing director Tay Khiam Back (inset, left) of Hupco Pte Ltd, andchairman of the Singapore fruits and vegetables association, various Philippine farmproducts that Singaporeans are interested to buy. These include durian, yellow dragonfruit, pineapple, pomelo, banana, papaya, mango, baguio beans, red pepper and sweetpotato, among others. Secretary Alcala met with the Singapore trade team at the side-lines of the four-day International Food Exhibition (IFEX), May 16, 2013, at the SMXconvention center, in Pasay City. Also shown (from left) are: AVA technology seniorspecialist Lam-Chan Lee Tiang, Philippine commercial counsellor in Singapore GlennPeñaranda, DA Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Service director Leandro Gazmin,and AVA manager for overseas food supply Lim Xiu Qing Joyce.

catch fish in Panatag Shoal(Scarborough Shoal or Bajo deMasinloc), which China claims tobe part of its territory.

Payaos were also placed inDavao Oriental and other areasin Mindanao.

Perez said this year DA-BFARwill install 600 payaos nation-wide.

Linked to the PhilippinesOn April 12, 2012, the UN’s

Commission on the Limits of theContinental Shelf ruled thatBenham Rise is morphologicallyand geologically linked to thePhilippine continental shelf.

It noted that the rocky andcraggy plateau is not related atall to the ocean’s surface, withall the 226 points encompassingBenham Rise showing charac-teristics consistent with theLuzon land mass.

The lowest point of BenhamRise is only 35 meters, withmuch of the area only 150meters deep. Pelagic fish spe-cies do not venture deeper than1,000 meters.

No other country has laid claimto Benham Rise, and UN expertsfrom Canada and Latin Americaagreed that the Philippines hasthe right to claim it.

Geologists from the Depart-ment of Environment and Natu-ral Resources, led by RolandoPeña, and experts from the Na-tional Mapping and Resource

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Mixing white rice and corngrits could be an option for thehealth- and pocket-conscious.

According to a study con-ducted by the Institute ofHuman Ecology in the Univer-sity of the Philippines in LosBaños (UPLB), the mixture ofwhite rice and corn, hasacceptable taste similar towhite rice alone.

If shifting to pure corn isdifficult, try rice composite orrice blend, said Dr. Artemio M.Salazar, of the UPLB Instituteof Plant Breeding, during arecent seminar at the Philip-pine Rice Research Institute(PhilRIce) in Science City ofMuñoz, Nueva Ecija.

Salazar once served as DAnational corn program coordi-nator.

He said IPB had startedmixing rice with corn gritsabout two years ago, experi-menting on various ratios ofrice-to-corn in cooking.

The result was generallygood because they usedQuality Protein Maize (QPM),an open-pollinated variety ofcorn that is high in protein andtastes like rice.

However, they had twogeneral issues about promotingit: first, the Filipino culture is‘rice-centric’; and second, thereis a debate on which is better:white rice alone or white ricewith corn.

IPB research shows thateating rice mixed with corngrits has two major benefits: itis more nutritional and filling;and it is cheaper.

“We usually eat rice threetimes a day. Each meal will

Womenfolk in Batanes arenow selling flying fish(Exocoetidae) in bottles aspasalubong.

Thanks to experts from theBureau of Fisheries andAquatic Resources (BFAR),members of Ivatan RuralImprovement Club (RIC) weretrained to process and bottleflying fish, locally known as“Libang.”

BFAR Cagayan regionaldirector Jovita Ayson saidflying fish is sold at only P35 akilo during peak season, from

Eat rice-corn grits for better healthtake two hours before wedigest and turn into glucose. Ifthe glucose did not burn intoadenosine triphosphate (ATP),it can heighten one’s risk ofhaving diabetes.

Eating food items low inglycemic index (GI) like corn,brown rice, and other staplescan lessen the risk of diabetes.

Moreover, low GI foods helpdelay hunger pangsand promoteweight lossin over-weightpeople,”heex-plained.

Mixingrice withcorn isalso a moreaffordablechoice.

In the Visayas, corn ischeaper than rice by P2 a kilo.If rice is mixed with corn usinga 50:50 or 70:30 ratio, it is stillcheaper than pure rice.

Salazar noted that someFilipinos are hesitant to eatingwhite corn because it isregarded as a poor man’s foodand animal feed.

In a cooking demo heldduring the seminar, Salazar,together with Felicito M.Rodriguez, university re-searcher at UPLB, sampledvarious rice-corn blends--suchas 50:50, 70:30, 100% corngrits, and 100% rice.

Imelda Angat, a mother andleader of the Pantawid PamilyaProgram in Brgy. Maligaya,said “the taste (of the 70:30

rice-corn blend)

was good likerice. I will surely try

this at home because I havelearned that it is more nutri-tious, more affordable, and isgood to serve to my family.”

At present, corn grits is notyet available in public marketsbut it can be purchased at IPBin UPLB.

Salazar said IPB, in partner-ship with the DA national cornprogram, will expand its area tobe able to supply the needsand demands for corn grits.

Decreased consumption ofwhite rice, as a result, can alsocontribute to the country’sattainment of food security.

“If the corn-eating communi-ties will increase, importation ofrice will be lessened,” he said.(Coxiela L Cabrera, DA-PhilRice)

Bottled flying fish, anyone?March to April.

Fishers and their familiescould earn more if they bottle‘Libang,’ said Ayson.

An eight-ounce bottled flyingfish sells for P60.

The DA-BFAR provides thebottles, while the Ivatan RICsells them through the ‘IslandSouvenir’ shops in all munici-palities in Batanes.

The bottled flying fish comesin various flavors: with tomatosauce, paksiw and Spanishstyle.

If bottled ‘Libang’ is saleable

and becomes a hit amongtourists, the Ivatan RIC willsustain its production, with thehelp of DA-BFAR andBatanes Provincial FisheryOffice.

The sea between Batanesand Taiwan teems with flyingfish year-round. (PNA)

DA-BFAR eyes BenhamRise ... (from p 5)Information Authority under Dr.Peter Tiangco, worked on thePhilippine claim.

They revised the documentsand maps for the claim, whichwas subjected to discussionsamong other countries interestedin Benham Rise’s marine re-sources.

Perez said that, as a result ofthe UN verdict, the Philippines isauthorized to delineate the outerlimits of its continental shelf be-yond 200 nautical miles.

New fishing groundsThe BFAR has been hunting

for new fishing grounds, particu-larly after tuna catch has beencontrolled in the Western Pacific,and is looking for areas whereround scad, sardines and tunathrive.

Perez said these fish speciesare present in Benham Rise,adding that BFAR experts havenoted that most of the tunacaught in the waters of Quezonand near Aurora are bigger.

This is said to be attributed tothe presence of sardines, whichis consumed by tuna along withphytoplanktons.

A problem confronting fisher-ies in Benham Rise is the roughcharacter of the Pacific Ocean,which would require changes inthe construction of fishing ves-sels that would ply the area.

Experts stressed the materialsthat will be used for fishing ves-sels in Benham Rise should besturdy and must be able to with-stand 30-meter waves. (BusinessMirror)

May 2013 7

BFT transforms lives ofSayapot farm-families

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To reach Barangay Dacudac,one has to travel the rough andrugged terrain of Mankayan inMountain Province.

Thus, going to and from thequaint community had been aburden to residents and visitorsalike. As such, life was hard, asmany were jobless.

One-hundred two hectares(has) of the barangay’s total1,010 has land area, is devotedto farming, with vegetableproduction and livestock raisingas the main sources of liveli-hood.

However, the distance of thefarms to the nearest tradingareas discouraged the farmersto transport their goods as theyhad to board an eight-seaterjeepney which plies the routeonly once every day.

Travelling has alwaysbeen uncomfortable as thedrivers had to fill everyspace availbale to maximizethe trip, oftentimes loading20 passengers, with 15more people atop thevehicle.

This situation disheartenedthe farmers to plant andimprove their production even

more.

To top it all, this seeminglydangerous trip costs P60 toP120, depending on the bulk ofcommodities being trasported.

“Mahirap ang buhay namin atdahil malayo kami sa bayan,kalimitan mas malaki pa anggastos namin sa pamasahekesa sa kita namin sa amingpaninda,” Mario Padon said.

Marlyn Ngan-oy added, “Pagwalang pera para sa transporta-tion, sulong-sulong pa rin angaming pagtitinda kahitmaglakad kami ng tatlong oraspara makarating sa palengkeng Mankayan kung saan naminbinebenta ang aming mgaani.”

With the establishment of theBarangay Food Terminal (BFT)is Sitio Sayapot, food producersnow have a regular market fortheir goods and need not go totown’s business district any-more.

Residents are thankful thatthe Department of Agriculturefavored them a trading center,which is being managed by theSayapot Multi-Purpose Coop-erative (MPC).

“Ngayong may BFT na, hindiko na kailangang mag-worrykung saan dadalhin ang amingmga ani, lalo na kung mababa

ang presyo ngbilihan,”Ngan-oy said.

“Nakakatipidpa ako sa orasna nagagamitko para saibang mgagawaingpambahay atmaalagaan kongmabuti ang akinganak,” she added.

Overall, the BFTmade the lives ofSayapot farm-families better,encouraging towork diligently ontheir farms andallowing them todo other house-hold chores.

More impor-tantly, it hasgiven themlivelihood andhelped increasetheir incomes.

VelascoAblaya said:“Kapag sa BFTko dinadala

ang baboy na alaga, buo kongnakukuha ang kita dahil walanang bawas na pamasahe atkatay.”

Aside from the financialsavings which they invest asadditional share in the coopera-tive, others boast that theysave a lot of time and energynow that they need not to travelfar.

The BFT is open fromMonday to Saturday, 6 am to 7pm. In addition to farm prod-ucts, it sells basic items likesoap, toothpaste, cannedgoods, noodles, etc.

Other lowland fruits, veg-etables, fish (tilapia, bangus,maya-maya, hito, etc.), ham,sausages, ice cream, softdrinks are also sold here.

Aside from Sayapot folks, thefood terminal caters to resi-dents from nearby barangaysincluding Banao, Cadud-anan,Cagubatan, Lunga, and Balili.

The BFT has also changedthe behavior of the people whohave become positive in theiroutlook and motivated to work.

Residents started farming orraising livestock.

Even the children wereencouraged to grow veg-etables. They use their earn-ings as “baon” or buy schoolsupplies.

In addition, the BFT alsohelped in easing up hungerincidence as food and otherbasic items were made avail-able and affordable.

Farmers would also bartertheir produce at BFT in ex-change for other commoditieslike fish, sugar, salt, soap, etc.

BFT manager Julie Agsawalcomments, “Masaya ako nangnagkaroon ng BFT, atnagkaroon ako ng trabaho.Pati mga anak ko masaya rinkasi meron na kaming perapambili ng tinapay.”

In times of emergency, the

Sayapot Food Terminal servesas a lending institution.

For instance, it lent moneyto a family when a memberfell ill and needed hospitaliza-tion.

Other loans are alsoavailable. Cooperativemembers can also avail ofloans for tuition fees or start-up capital for a livelihoodenterprise like hog raising,and handicraft making, etc.

Joan Balagtas said: “Mabilismakakuha ng mga kailangansa BFT, may patronage refundpa. Pag wala kang perapuede kang mangutang atbayaran mo sa harvest time.”

Thru the BFT, residentshave taken an interest insocial work and organizedtree planting activities androad maintenance projects.They also extended financialassistance in times of be-reavement, as well as invarious school activities likesporting events and tokens fordeserving students.

All in all, Sayapot is a moreunified community, all thanksto the BFT.

But that is not all, there areother perks too.

Agsawal recalls that shewas able to go to Malacanangbecause of a BFT event.

”Nakapasok ako sa HeroesHall at nakapag-shake handskay President Noynoy Aquinodahil sa BFT,” she saidproudly.

With the increasing salesand funds, cooperativemembers plan to expand theiroperation, put up a mini-mart,construct a training hall, buy ahauling vehicle, and engagein meat processing. (LeaDeriquito/Oda Rodriguez)

8

In preparation for the imple-mentation of the DA’s PhilippineRural Development Program(PRDP), several preliminary ac-tivities were undertaken in Orien-tal Mindoro.

The activities--site validationand assessment workshop--were conducted by the PRDPNational Program CoordinatingOffice (NPCO), Regional Pro-gram Coordinating Office-IV B(RPCO), and Oriental MindoroProvincial Program Managementand Implementing Unit (PPMIU).

A proposed six-year P27.5-bil-lion program, PRDP aims tocomplement current DA initiativesto put up needed infrastructureand livelihood, market-orientedprojects, benefitting farmers’ andfishers’ groups and local govern-ment units.

Oriental Mindoro was chosenas a pilot for calamansi produc-tion, processing and marketing,for which the DA has alloted aninitial P28 million, in addition tothe required equity of the prov-ince.

As an initial activitiy, severalNPCO officials and staff, led byPRDP deputy director Arnel deMesa, and their regional and pro-vincial counterparts met on May20-24, in Calapan City, to preparea three-year Provincial Commod-

Shandy Hubilla (right), PRDP Luzon B Program Director, wel-comes the participants from the Philippine Rural Development Pro-gram-National Program Coordinating Office (PRDP)-NPCO) andregional and provincial counterparts during the opening of a week-long workshop and field validation for the Calamansi Value ChainAnalysis (VCA) and Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP)from May 20-24, 2013 in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. Inset showsone of the RPCO staff geo-tags a road along Victoria as part of thefield validation for the proposed FMR under the PRDP. OrientalMindoro is the pilot project site of the PRDP, focusing on calamansiindustry, expected to kick-off this year.

DA pilots PRDP projectsin Oriental Mindoro

ity Investment Plan (PCIP).The PCIP outlines the needed

rural infrastructure and enterpriseprojects that would be eligible forfunding under PRDP.

While the PRDP will give pri-ority to provinces that can sub-mit proposals early, PRDP LuzonB Program Coordinator ShandyM. Hubilla said that swiftness isonly half of the equation, sinceproposals must be aligned to theprogram development objectivesof increasing incomes and valueof marketed output of household-beneficiaries and satisfy programrequirements.

He added that the activitiesand outputs of the pilot project oncalamansi in Oriental Mindoro willbe observed closely by otherprovinces in the process of pre-paring their own PCIP and sub-sequent subproject proposals.

DA-Region IV-B DirectorCipriano Santiago said OrientalMindoro should look into gener-ating projects that are sustain-able to ensure continuous sup-port from stakeholders and otheragencies, well beyond the projectlife.

Oriental Mindoro currently pro-duces nearly 60% of thecountry’s total production ofcalamansi. While it dominatesthe market, there is still a big

room for improvement to makethe industry more efficient andprofitable for farmers and otherindustry players.

During the workshop, partici-pants were able to identify othercritical constraints that impedethe industry’s inherent potentials.

Among them are: high cost ofinputs, poor road network, largevolume of unsold calamansicome harvest time, and very lowfarmgate price during peak sea-son, plummeting to P5 per kilo.

Under the PCIP, the partici-pants proposed for the construc-tion of farm-to-market roads, andestablishment of a consolidation

and buying center, which will di-rectly link clustered calamansifarmers’ groups to buyers andprocessors in Metro Manila.

A consultation was conductedon May 23 at the provincial capi-tol, in Calapan City, where farm-ers and other stakeholders haveexpressed strong interest andsupport to the program.

The PRDP is set to be deliber-ated and approved by the Na-tional Economic DevelopmentAuthority (NEDA) Board, chairedby President Benigno S. AquinoIII, in June or July. (Cath Nanta,DA-AFIS)

DAMULOG, Bukidnon—TheMindanao Rural DevelopmentProgram (MRDP), through itsRegional Program AdvisoryBoard, has approved a projectfor the construction of a P6.6-million rubber-sheet process-ing plant here.

Of the amount, P5 million willbe provided by the MRDP andthe rest by the Poblacion-Old

P6.6-M facility to bolster rubber output in BukidnonDamulog Farmers Association(PODFA), the project’s leadingproponent and beneficiary.

The MRDP is a special pro-gram of the Department of Agri-culture (DA), jointly funded by theWorld Bank and national and lo-cal government units. The pro-gram implements infrastructure

and live-l i h o o dprojectsin 225m unic i -pa l i t ie si nMindanao.

A c -cord ingto MRDPProgramDirectorL e a l y nRamos,the rub-b e r

postharvest facility will boostproduction of the commodity inBukidnon, since the prov-ince—known for its corn andlivestock production—is slowlybecoming known for it.

“The processing facility isone of the MRDP’s big-ticketprojects [that] aims to upgradethe quality of rubber producedin the province, and, at thesame time, provide value-add-ing activities to our farmers,”said Ramos, also the DA ex-ecutive director in NorthernMindanao.

She also said the facilitywould process rubber latexinto sheets, making it readilyavailable to buyers in need ofthese for the production of rub-ber-based household and in-dustrial products.

Ramos added that the facil-ity will not only benefit farmersin Damulog, but also those in

the towns of Kibawe,Dancagan, Don Carlos,Kitaotao, Quezon andKadingilan, as well as neigh-boring Carmen town in NorthCotabato province.

According to Anecito Tinacoof PODRA, the facility wouldinitially serve 945.68 hectaresthat are planted with rubbertrees.

“Of the said areas, 412.6hectares [of these trees] arenow ready for tapping, whilethe rest can be tapped two tothree years from now,” Tinacosaid.

Herbert Tan, agricultural of-ficer in Damulog, said the ex-pansion of rubber production inthe town is attributed to the“plant now, pay later” programof the DA-10 and local agricul-tural offices. (Noel Provido withRosie Paasa)

Rubber trees in Damulog, Bukidnon province.(Photo by Noel Provido)

May 2013 9

DA XI gives P41 M rehab assistance to ComVal farmers The Department of Agriculture

(DA) is providing P41-million re-habilitation assistance to high-value crops farmers inCompostela Valley province.

DA-Davao regional directorRemelyn Recoter said the assis-tance is part of the commitmentof Secretary Proceso Alcalathrough the agency’s Task ForceAlayon and High Value CropsDevelopment Program (HVCDP)to immediately provide assis-tance to farmers and their fami-lies who were greatly affected bylast year’s Typhoon Pablo.

“Most of the affected farmersin the province are those tendinghigh-value crops such as cacao,banana, coffee, and rubber. Wehave to immediately provide themassistance so they can recoverfrom such huge losses,” Recotersaid.

“We also need to fast track ourrehabilitation efforts to ensurethat there will be no shortage inproduction,” she added.

During last week’s BulawanFestival, the DA turned over thefunding support to the provincialgovernment. A tripartite memo-randum of agreement (MOA) be-tween the DA, the provincial gov-ernment and private sectors wasalso forged to fast track variousagri-interventions.

Under the cacao rehabilitationprogram, the DA turned over atotal of P13.125 million funds tothe provincial government forboth agencies including theKennemer Foods Incorporated, aprivate company, to establish1,500 hectare-plantation of ca-cao.

Farmers covered by the pro-gram can avail themselves of freeseedlings, fertilizers, and techni-cal trainings. Another interven-tion is the cash-for-work schemeof which farmers are now givenalternative income while the re-habilitation efforts are on going.

“We are also considering ca-cao to replace abandoned ba-nana plantations infected by theFusarium wilt or Panama dis-ease” Recoter said.

To ensure a ready market forcacao farmers, DA also forged amarketing agreement betweenthe farmers and KennemerFoods Inc., one of the major buy-ers of cacao beans in the region.

In addition, DA turned overP3.2 million to the provincial gov-ernment to cover the rehabilita-tion of 200 hectares coffee plan-tation.

The DA and provincial govern-ment in partnership with NestlePhilippines will also provideseedlings, fertilizer, training, andcash for work incentives to farm-ers.

In February this year, DA hasinitially released P10 million forthe rehabilitation of 4,373 hect-ares banana plantations. Thesesupported the immediate clear-

DA regional director Remelyn Recoter (2nd from left) turns over afacsimile check amounting to P11.85 million to Compostela Valleyofficials, led by Governor Arthur Uy (right), Cong. Rommel Amatongof 2nd District and Cong. Maricar Zamora-Apsay of 1st District., .Also shown are provincial agriculturist Rolando Simene (left), andSimon Bakker of Kennemer Foods Inc. (Photo by DA-HVCDP XI)

Five municipalities in Re-gion 9 and three in the Au-tonomous Region in MuslimMindanao (ARMM) availed ofFarm- to Market- Road(FMR) projects under the De-partment of Agriculture- Sup-port to Emergency and Live-lihood Assistance Project 2(DA-SELAP 2) worth P45million.

SELAP is a project of theGovernment of the Philip-pines (GOP) executed by theDepartment of Agriculturefunded by loan under theUnited States Public Law (USPL)-480 program. Theproject aims to contribute tothe overall peace and devel-opment initiatives of the gov-ernment in Mindanao.

It first started in the year2006 and ended in the year2010 covering 44 municipali-ties in the Zamboanga Pen-insula. Demands received

DA-SELAP opensP45-M road projects inZamPen and ARMM

(Pls turn to p11)

The Department of Agriculturein Eastern Visayas is invitingbusinessmen to invest in jackfruitproduction as it aims to make thefruit the Philippine’s major exportcommodity, it was learned onTuesday.

According Regional ExecutiveDirector Antonio G. Gerundio, hisagency seeks to raise the num-ber of hectares devoted to jack-fruit production in the region from400 to 1,000.

Jackfruit plantations havesprung up in Ormoc City andMahaplag town in Leyte prov-ince, as well as in Samarprovince’s Calbayog City, whichonly has about 50 hectares.

“We want to go into large-scale, commercial jackfruit pro-duction,” Gerundio said.

He added that the region hasestablished its own jackfruit-pro-duction protocol, and that theEviarcsweet variety of the fruit –which is said to be sweeter thanothers – has been registered.

This variety was named afterits developer, the DA’s EasternVisayas Integrated AgriculturalResearch Center. (PNA, Busi-ness Mirror)

DA Chief urges Phl, multinational firms to invest more in agri.Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (left) enjoins the Manage-ment Association of the Philippines (MAP), whose members includetop executives and managers of Filipino and multinational compa-nies, to pour more investments in agriculture, fishery andagribusiness ventures, including the aggressive promotion andmarketing of ‘Pinoy’ farm, fishery and food products to the rest ofthe world. He made the pitch during a breakfast dialogue with MAPgovernors, committee officers and members, May 16, 2013, atPhilamlife Tower, Makati City, where he also shared the initiativesof the DA to attain sufficiency in rice and other major staples, andexportation of non-traditional products like aromatic and organiccolored rice, corn silage, onions and shallots, among others. Alsoshown are MAP President Melito Salazar, Jr. (middle) and MAPGovernor Peter Wallace.

ing operations for small growers.The second tranche amountingto P11.85 million was also re-leased last week to continue therehabilitation efforts such ascash-for-work scheme includinggiving of fertilizer and farm tools.

“This makes our support tobanana rehabilitation in ComValreach almost P22 million, the big-gest thus far considering that thecommodity is a major dollarearner not only of the region butof the country,” Recoter said.

The town of Laak, one of theregion’s largest areas planted torubber also received P3 millionfunding support as rubber plan-tations in this area had been se-verely affected by Typhoon

Pablo.Meanwhile, DA-HVCDP is pro-

viding the same interventions toDavao Oriental and Davao delNorte where production areaswere also damaged by last year’ssuper typhoon. (Noel T. Provido)

DA looks forinvestors in

jackfruit prod’n

10

Bill Gates receiving the ICRISAT Ambassador of Goodwill plaquefrom Dr William Dar, ICRISAT Director General. ( Photo byPrashant Panjiar, ICRISAT)

Bill Gates visits ICRISATBill Gates, co-chair of the Bill

and Melinda Gates Foundation,recently visited India, includingthe International Crops Re-search Institute for Semi-AridTropics (ICRISAT), which is cur-rently headed by former DA Sec-retary William Dar on May 30,2013.

He held discussions with theICRISAT management and sev-eral key scientists to gain a bet-ter appreciation of hisfoundation’s $10-million re-search development investmentin ICRISAT.

Gates acknowledged the po-tential of ICRISAT’s works ongrain legumes and dryland cere-als in helping millions ofsmallholders farmers in thedrylands of Asia and sub-Sa-haran Africa lift themselves outof hunger, malnutrition and pov-erty.

“ICRISAT crops are great – asthey target millions of small-holder farmers globally,” saidGates.

His visit highlighted theuniqueness and importance ofthe initiatives of ICRISAT and itspartners, particularly in providingmodern technologies and bestmanagement practices on ‘or-phan’ or neglected crops like

grain legumes and dryland cere-als.

“The drylands are home to 644million poorest of the poor, andhighly nutritious, drought-tolerantcrops such as grain legumes anddryland cereals which are thebest bets for small farmers inmarginal environments to surviveand improve their livelihoods,”said Dr. William Dar, ICRISAT Di-rector General.

“Chickpea, pigeonpea andgroundnut are the ‘poor people’smeat’ – crucial for ending globalmalnutrition, while sorghum andmillets provide food security tothe poorest people,” added DrDavid Hoisington, ICRISATdeputy director general for re-search.

ICRISAT scientists demon-strated the different high-endsciences that the institute uses– genomics, bioinformatics,phenotyping and genetic engi-neering – all integrated orcomplementing each other aspart of its crop improvement pro-gram for smallholder farming.

Considered as internationalpublic goods, scientists and na-tional partners worldwide canhave free access to ICRISAT’sgenotyping and phenotypingdata, captured and analyzed

through its work on bio-informatics, for their respectivemolecular breeding processes.

”That was cool! ” was howGates reacted on ICRISAT’slysimeter facility for phenotyping,a first of its kind in the world andthe largest within the CGIARsystem. The facility is now be-ing successfully used for mea-suring plant responses to waterstress related to drought and cli-mate change adaptation.

Mr. Gates also engaged in aroundtable discussion with

ICRISAT scientists on the im-pacts and challenges of applyingthe science on the ground. Twoprojects funded by the foundationwere highlighted: the HOPEproject (Harnessing Opportuni-ties for Productivity Enhance-ment of Sorghum and Millets) insub-Saharan Africa and SouthAsia which seeks to increase by30% the productivity of sorghumand millets in 200,000 farmers’fields; and the Tropical Le-gumes I & II project which aimsto enhance productivity of six le-gume crops (groundnut, cowpea,common bean, chickpea,pigeonpea and soybean) by atleast 20% through improved cul-tivars and management practicesand the development of marketsand value chains.

The poor in the target areas ofthese two projects are the mostmalnourished, food-insecure inthe world, unable to earn ad-equate incomes from agriculturewhich is their only source of food,nutrition and livelihoods. The im-pacts and achievements of thesefoundation-funded projects arenow changing the lives of thepoor, providing millions of small-holder farmers with tools and op-portunities to boost their yields,increase their incomes, and buildbetter lives for themselves andtheir families.

Recognizing the consistentand generous support of the Bill& Melinda Gates Foundation tothe institute, ICRISAT honoredMr Bill Gates as their first Ambas-sador of Goodwill.

ICRISAT is a member of theCGIAR Consortium, a global ag-riculture research partnership fora food secure future. (ICRISAT)

The grant of Bill and MelindaGates Foundation (BMGF) tothe International Crops Re-search Institute for the SemiArid Tropics (ICRISAT) forbreeding of sorghum and tropi-cal legumes will eventually ben-efit the Philippines in the criti-cal production “climate smart”crops.

BMGF has adoptedICRISAT’s HOPE (HarnessingOpportunities for ProductivityEnhancement of Sorghum andMillets), extending to it a grantof $10 million.

“The new varieties that arebeing developed under HOPEand Tropical Legumes can findapplication in the Philippines,”said ICRISAT Director GeneralWilliam D. Dar.

“We get about $10 millionfrom Gates Foundation forthree projects namely: HOPE-sorghum and millets; TropicalLegumes; and Village Dynam-ics.”

BMGF’s aim is to help reduce

Gates grant benefitting RP’s tropical legumesglobal malnutrition and povertywhich is achievable by helpingsmall holder farmers produce ahigher yield.

For sorghum, the goal ofHOPE is to raise productivity by30 percent. As of 2009, its glo-bal yield was at 1.4 metric tons(MT) per hectare.

A 1,000-hectare area for sweetsorghum, whose seeds were de-veloped by ICRISAT, is currentlyeyed in Negros Occidental, ac-cording to National Sweet Sor-ghum Program Chief Rex B.Demafelis. It will be a comple-mentary crop to sugarcane asfeedstock in ethanol production.Sweet sorghum is multipurposecrop that also gives food, feed,and fodder.

Sweet sorghum is also nowused by private firm Bapamin En-terprise as raw material for ahand sanitizer (alcogel).Bapamin has a 25-hectare areaplanted to ICRISAT’s sweet sor-ghum SPV 422 variety in Batac,Ilocos Norte.

The project, co-funded bythe Bureau of Agricultural Re-search (BAR), aims to raisesweet sorghum area 50 per-cent per annum in light of theproduction of another sweetsorghum product — an anti-diabetic sweetener.

Other tropical legume cropsthat Philippines is obtainingfrom ICRISAT through highyielding varieties arepigeonpea (kadyos which isplanted in Ilocos Region) andchickpea (garbanzos) which iscurrently under study for foodprocessing in a BAR project atBenguet State University.

“The drylands are home to644 million poorest of the poor,and highly-nutritious, drought-tolerant crops such as grainlegumes and dryland cereals.These are the best bets forsmallholder farmers in thesemarginal environments to sur-vive and improve their liveli-hoods,” said Dar.

11May 2013

Phl eyes livestock, poultry exports to UAE. Secretary ‘Procy’Alcala (left) and Assistant Undersecretary Abdelrahim MohamedAl Hammadi of the United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Environmentand Water discuss possible trade and investment opportunities, dur-ing the latter’s courtesy call, May 28, 2013, at the DA central officein Quezon City. Secretary Alcala particularly pitched for more ex-ports of livestock and poultry products to Dubai and other parts ofUAE, as the Philippines remains free from avian flu virus and footand mouth disease (FMD). He said the DA is bent on improving andenhancing the capability of small Filipino farmers, livestock rais-ers, fishers and food processors to promote and export their respec-tive products to the rest of the world. Early this month, the Philip-pines exported to Dubai an initial 35 metric tons (MT) of aromatic,long-grain and organic black rice.

P120 per kilo, respectively, arealso untrue and bloated.

Based on BPI market monitor-ing in 2010, retail prices of onionranged from P90 to P120 per kilo,while garlic was sold at P40 toP60 per kilo.

Barron said harvesting of gar-lic and onions is ongoing in manyparts of the country. Initial fieldreports indicate that this year’sproduction would be better.

Last year, total production ofgarlic amounted to 8,490 metrictons (MT) worth P774.37 millionat current prices, while onion har-vest totaled 124,830 MT worthP3.89 billion at current prices,according to estimates of theBureau of Agricultural Statistics.(DA-BPI & AFIS)

DA-BPI ... (from p 4)

As the country is set to achieverice sufficiency by end of thisyear, he said it is prudent to starteyeing the export market, par-ticularly for fancy or aromatic,long-grain white varieties andorganic colored and heirloomrice varieties, where Filipinofarmers are competitive.

“Ang pagluluwas natin ngbigas ngayon ay bunga ngmaigting na pagtutulungan ngmga samahan ng mgamagsasaka, pribadong sektor atmga pinuno at kawani ngKagawaran ng Pagsasaka sabuong bansa,” Secretary Alcalasaid.

He said the initial 35-MT ship-ment is comprised of 15 MT oforganic black rice and 20 MT of‘Jasponica’ or long-grain, aro-matic white rice variety.

The black rice was producedby farmer-members of the DonBosco Farmers’ Multi-PurposeCooperative (DBFMPC), inMlang, North Cotabato, in part-nership with the Don BoscoFoundation for SustainableDev’t., Inc. (DBFSDI).

It was milled and packed at aDA-KOICA rice processing cen-ter in Matanao, Davao del Sur.

The Jasponica aromatic whiterice was produced by farmers inTalavera, Nueva Ecija.

The DA through its nationalrice program directorate coordi-nated the initial rice export withthe Vegetable Importers, Export-ers and Vendors Ass’n. (VIEVA).

Together with other DA familyofficials, regional directors, theprivate sector and farmers’groups, Secretary Alcala also ledthe ceremonial send-off of 166MT of shallots (or small red on-ions locally known as ‘lasona’)bound for Indonesia.

Phl exports rice to Dubai ... (from p 1)Another batch of 80 MT aro-

matic and heirloom rice varietiesare set for export in succeedingmonths, said DA assistant sec-retary and national rice programcoordinator Dante S. Delima.

“It is composed of 40 MT oflong-grain, aromatic white ricebound for Hong Kong, and 40 MTof Cordillera heirloom rice to theUnited States,” he added.

Delima said the DA is alsosending a trial shipment of 800kilograms of black rice to theNetherlands.

The DA — in partnership withfarmers’ groups and the privatesector — is finalizing negotia-tions with other prospective buy-ers in Singapore, the Middle Eastand Africa.

“At the rate we are going, weare confident we could meet ourself-imposed target of 100 met-ric tons of rice exports by the firsthalf of the year,” Delima said.

Among those present duringthe send-off ceremonies were:Atty. Miguel Varela, president ofthe Philippine Chamber of Com-merce and Industry; SL Agritechpresident and CEO Henry LimBon Liong; VIEVA president LeaCruz; Romano Laurilla, generalmanager of DBFMPC; and MariaHelenita Gamela, executive di-rector of DBFSDI.

Dozens of DA officials alsograced the event, led by assis-tant secretaries Dante Delimaand Salvador Salacup, NationalFood Authority AdministratorOrlan Calayag, Director EufemioRasco of the DA-Philippine RiceResearch Institute, Bureau ofPlant Industry (BPI) Dir.ClaritoBarron, High Value Crops Devel-opment Program (HVCDP) Dir.Jennifer Remoquillo,Agribusiness Marketing Assis-tance Service (AMAS) Dir.Leandro Gazmin, NationalAgribusiness Corporation(NABCOR) President HonestoBaniqued, and all 16 DA regionalexecutive directors.

from partner local government;supported by Resolutions fromthe Regional DevelopmentCouncil (RDC) SELAP 2 wasconceived in 2012 to continueproject implementation to assistthe farmers and the fisherfolk.

The four components ofSELAP are Rural Infrastruc-ture; Livelihood Assistance;Capability Building and Pro-gram Management.

Included in the Rural Infra-structure are the constructionof FMRs that paves market ac-cessibility to agricultural prod-ucts such as rice, corn andhigh value crops. Its projectimplementation is by contract.It applies the 90:10 cost shar-ing scheme wherein the 90% ofthe total cost shall be shoul-

DA-SELAP ... (from p 9)

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 Foreign-Assisted Projects

Photographers: Jose Lucas, Alan Jay Jacalan & Kathrino ResurreccionLay-out Artist: Bethzaida BustamantePrinting & Circulation: Teresita Abejar & PCES Staff

Editor-In-Chief : Noel O. ReyesAssociate Editors: Cheryl C. Suarez & Adora D. Rodriguez

is published monthly by the Department of AgricultureInformation Service, Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City. Tel. nos. 9288762loc 2148, 2150, 2155, 2156 or 2184; 9204080 or tel/fax 9280588. Thisissue is available in PDF file. For copies, please send requests via email:da_afis @yahoo.com.

dered by SELAP and the 10%shall be borne from the propo-nents or the Local GovernmentUnit.

ZamPen availed of six roadprojects worth 30 million; onein Vicenzo Sagun, Zamboangadel Sur ; one each in Sibutadand in Baliguian Zamboangadel Norte, and one each in themunicipali t ies of Payao,Mabuhay and Naga inZamboanga Sibugay.

The ARMM has two FMRsin Sulu and one in Tawitawiworth 15 million pesos. (DA9)

Secretary Alcala said the DAis privileged to be a part of‘Green Initiative,’ which aims toprotect the country’s biodiversity,create livelihood opportunitiesand eradicate poverty in agri-tourism communities.

It is spearheaded by the ABS-CBN Corporation and ABS-CBNFoundation, in partnership withthe DA, department of tourism(DOT), environment and naturalresources (DENR), and Ateneode Manila University School ofScience and Engineering(ADMUSSE).

Secretary Alcala joined the respective head of the five agen-cies and institutions during amemorandum of agreement

(Pls turn to p12)

DA allots ... (from p 1)

P-Noy signs law regulating cutting of coco treesPresident Benigno S. Aquino IIIsigned on May 29, 2013, Repub-lic Act 10593 that amends certainprovisions of Republic Act 8048(Coconut Preservation Act of1995).

The new law — also called an“Act Providing for the Regulationof the Cutting of Coconut Trees,Its Replenishment, and ProvidingPenalties Therefore” states thatno coconut tree shall be cut ex-cept in the following cases andonly after a permit has been is-sued:

• When it is 60 years old in thecase of tall varieties, and at least40 years old for dwarf varieties;

• When it is no longer economi-cally productive, severely dis-ease-infested and beyond reha-bilitation, and severely damagedby typhoon or lightning;

• When a farm devoted to co-conut production is legally con-verted into residential, commer-cial, industrial, other agriculturaluses or agriculture-related activi-ties, duly approved by properauthorities.

• No conversion should be al-lowed by the PCA until after it hasverified and certified that for aperiod of at least three years themajority of the coconut treeshave become senescent andeconomically unproductive orwhere the coconut farm is notadaptable to sound managementpractices on account of geo-graphical location, topography,drainage and other conditionsrendering the farm unproductive;and when the tree would causehazard to life and property.

• No coconut tree or trees shallbe cut unless the owner appliesand secures a permit from thePCA, which has the power toapprove it. Applicants should payPCA a fee of P100 for every treeto be cut.

The law also provides that thecollected fee be divided as: P40each for the PCA and municipal

or city government concerned,and P20 for the barangay, wherethe coconut tree to be is located.

RA 10593 states that the PCAused the collected fees for its re-planting program, while the townor city for the repair and rehabili-tation of roads, particularly thosedamaged by the continuous pas-sage of heavy vehicles used fortransporting coconut lumber.

The new law also states thatno permit to cut shall be grantedunless the applicant has securedfrom the barangay captain a cer-tification that he/she has alreadyplanted the equivalent number oftrees to be cut. The PCA shouldverify if a replanting was done.Such replanting, however, shallnot apply to areaslegally convertedinto industrial,commercial orresidential sites orother agriculturalpurposes.

The PCA is alsotasked to regulateand oversee thefertilization andcare of the newly-planted coconuttrees, and conductregular on-the-spot inspections ofthe replantedsites.

The law alsogives the PCA 'po-lice powers' to ef-fectively performits functions andduties, to wit::

• I n v e s t i g a t esuspected violators;

• Arrest and apprehend anyperson actually committing or at-tempting to cut a tree without apermit, and possessor of coco-nut lumber without the necessarypermit;

• Search and seize vehicleswith illegally-cut, gathered, col-lected or removed coconut lum-ber;

• Stop the transport/shipmentof coconut lumber without author-ity or legal documents;

• Confiscate and forfeit in fa-vor of the government the ille-gally-cut, gathered, collected, re-moved, possessed or aban-doned coconut lumber, as well asthe machinery, equipment, imple-ments and tools illegally-used,and to dispose of the same inaccordance with pertinent laws,regulations or policies; and

• Seek the assistance of thePNP and other law enforcementagencies for the efficient and ef-

The DA throughPhilRice has also crafted'Panatang Makapalayfor farmers, as part ofthe National Year of Ricenational advocacy cam-paign. The DA regionalfield units are enjoinedto translate it into respec-tive dialects, and trans-form the 'Panata' intoappropriate advocacyand promotional para-phernalia, and distributethese to farmers groupsand irrigators' associa-tions through local gov-ernment agriculture of-ficers, technicians andextension workers.

fective implementation of RA10593.

In coordination with the localgovernment unit concerned, thePCA will require the registrationof all sawmills, lumberyards, co-conut wood dealers and otherpersons or entities dealing in theprocessing and sawing of coco-nut trees.

Violators will be penalized withimprisonment of not less than twoyears but not more than six years,or a f ine of not less thanP100,000, but not more thanP500,000, or both, at the discre-tion of the court. If the offenderis a government employee, he/she will be dismissed from office.

DA allots ... (from p 11)signing, May 6, 2013, at the ABS-CBN complex in Quezon City.

The DA’s P28.8-M counterpartwill be used initially to developagri-tourism sites in Regions IV-B (MiMaRoPa) and V (Bicol).

Of the total amount, P20 M isallotted for the construction offarm-to-market roads, and therest for irrigation systems(P1.2M), and implementation ofagricultural production and live-lihood projects for livestock(P3.9M), organic vegetables(P1.15 M), f isheries andseaweeds (P740, 000), highvalue crops (P630, 000), rice(P610, 000), and coconut (P333,000).

The DA chief is particularlykeen on putting up commercial-scale organic vegetable produc-tion gardens, and livestock penswhere native pigs and chickenare raised. These should be es-tablished near existing orplanned agri-tourism sites.

He said the vegetable gar-dens, and native pig and chickenfarms would serve as additionalattraction, where tourists could

Secretary Alcala joins hands with other ‘Green Initiative’ movers at a launch,May 6, 2013, at ABS-CBN complex in Quezon City. Also shown are (from left):Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, ABS-CBN President Charo Santos-Concio,ABS-CBN Foundation managing director Gina Lopez, Environment SecretaryRamon Paje, and Ateneo de Manila Univ. Dean Evangeline Bautista.

‘pick-and-harvest’ fresh organicvegetables.

For its part, the DENR throughits Protected Areas and WildlifeBureau will provide needed in-frastructure, inputs and person-nel to preserve and protect theforests and watersheds in se-lected agri-tourism sites.

The DOT will encourage theprivate sector to invest in puttingup tourism infrastructure andcomplementary facilities in agri-tourism sites. It will also take thelead in promoting the agri-tour-ism sites to attract as many Fili-pino and foreign visitors as pos-sible.

Both the ABS-CBN Corpora-tion and Foundation will manageand facilitate media exposures ofthe ‘Green Initiative’ projects tocreate awareness among thegeneral public and tourists.

Finally, the ADMUSSE istasked to mainstream the agri-tourism projects as part of itscurriculum, as well as monitorand evaluate the progress of the‘Green Initiative.’ (Cath Nanta.DA-AFIS)