Umasenso Jan-Mar 2017
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January - March 2017 Vol. 26 No. 1 Secretary Piñol (in blue polo) shows 3rd district representative Fernando Gonzales (in checkered polo) and Ligao City Mayor Patricia Alsua (in long sleeved polo) some of the equipment to be turned over. Right photo shows the secretary addressing the farmers during the forum. Sec. Manny F. Piñol meets with Bicol farmers and turns over agri assistance by Emily B. Bordado Agriculture secretary In Ligao City, some 500 Agri Chief turns over fiber glass Emmanuel F. Piñol visited farmers actively participated in Bicol on March 24 for two the dialogue with the secretary. boats to Sorsogon fisherfolk special events – a dialogue Sec. Pinol also turned over CASIGURAN, SORSOGON Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR)- with farmer leaders and local agricultural production inputs – “Stop illegal fishing.” This Bicol Director Dennis V. officials via a forum hosted and facilities worth P20 million is the appeal of Department Del Socorro, 2nd district of by the City Government of to various farmers, rural of Agriculture Secretary Sorsogon Rep. Deogracias Ligao in Albay province, and in women’s organization and Emmanuel F. Piñol during the Ramos, and DA-Bicol RED Casiguran, Sorsogon for turn- local government units. These ceremonial turnover of fiber Elena B. delos Santos, the DA over of fiver glass fishing boats include 100 bags hybrid seeds, glass boats to fisherfolk in Chief personally handed 200 and fishing paraphernalia to 200 bags urea fertilizers, 300 Casiguran, this province on units of 37-footer motorized fisherfolk. (Please turn to page 5) March 24, 2017. fiber glass boats worth P90,000 Together with Senator each, complete with 400 sets Francis “Chiz” Escudero, of fishing gears, engine and 5,000 hectares Rice Model Bureau of Fisheries and (Please turn to page 6) Farms to rise in Bicol SAN AGUSTIN, PILI, tapped by the DA to monitor CAMARINES SUR – Leaders the hybrid rice adoption of Rice of SWISA and Irrigators Model Farm program by the Associations from all over farmer beneficiaries. A total the Bicol region convened at 4,800 hectares had already the DA conference room for been planted to hybrid varieties a consultation on DA’s new under the roll out techno demo program – Rice Model Farms. conducted by DA Bicol. To Rodel Tornilla, OIC Chief of date (dry season planting) there the Operations Division who are 10,317 hectares planted to met with the farmers said that hybrid rice in the region. New DA admin grounds these farmer leaders will be and driveway. (Please turn to page 11) Secretary Piñol confers with Sorsogon 2nd district Rep. Deogracias Ramos while Senator Chiz Escudero looks on. EDITORIAL Free irrigation to surge agri production and ease farmers woes or decades Filipino farmers in the budget there is a need for the the functions of maintaining have been clamoring and government fully institutionalize irrigation projects and collecting Fstruggling for free irrigation its commitment so as not to irrigation services and other but it had been an elusive dream. depend on yearly additional fees and supports improvements But this year, this dream will now subsidies. A policy guideline is in the sector through various be a reality with the commitment needed to define or delineate the measures and policies. of the Duterte administration roles and responsibility of the to provide this vital government NIA and the irrigators association Alongside with policy reforms support to our small farmers who in the operation and maintenance there is a need to harness water feed our nation. When farmers of the irrigation facilities which resources for hydroelectric are unburdened of the irrigation were previously funded out of the power, and to explore other fees their production cost will collection from Irrigation Service technologies and cost efficient be reduced and their production Fees. ways and means of operating will subsequently be improved. irrigation systems such as the use For example, it must be made of solar power which is now being Agriculture Secretary clear to the farmers that “free rolled out by the Department of Emmanuel Piñol who had irrigation” means that they will Agriculture in several regions of aggressively pushed for the no longer pay to NIA the irrigation the country including the Bicol provision of free irrigation since service fees (ISF). However, they region. he assumed his post as DA chief can agree among themselves to said that starting the first planting collect certain amount for the Irrigation is a vital component season (2nd quarter) this 2017 maintenance of their irrigation to increase productivity and farmers will now avail of free system. is crucial in the production irrigation. An additional P2.3 of major staples like rice and billion for irrigation fee subsidy The Senate and Congress corn. It also plays an important was included in the recently are now working to amend role in crop diversification and approved national budget. This NIA’s charter to totally remove multi-cropping systems which extra budget is on top of the irrigation service fees collection. can significantly contribute to over P30 billion allocation for the Senator Loren Legarda, chair of our country’ food security and construction of irrigation systems the committee on Finance is now sustained agricultural growth and restoration or rehabilitation pushing for the immediate passage and development. It is only of existing ones. of the proposed Free Irrigation just, fitting and proper that our Reform and Restructuring Act farmers enjoy the benefits of free But even with this intervention which seeks to remove from NIA irrigation. Published quarterly by the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Section of the Department of Agriculture, Regional Field Unit No. 5, San Agustin, Pili, Camarines Sur, Tel No.(054) 477-5113 Fax 477-0381 E-mail Address: [email protected] Editor-in-Chief: Emilia B. Bordado Advisers: Writers: Lovella P. Guarin Dr. Elena B. Delos Santos Re-entered as a Second Class Mail Matter at Jayson M. Gonzales Regional Executive Director the Pili Post Office, Pili, Camarines Surunder Blesilda A. Nuñez Permit No. 2017-18 on March 17, 2017. Annielyn L. Baleza Dr. Edgar R. Madrid Michelle Angela G. Alfigura Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations Lay-out Artist: Lovella P. Guarin Circulation: Blesilda A. Nuñez Photographer/Liason Officer: Lita V. Estrella, Mr. Rodel P. Tornilla Eduardo D. Collantes, Jr. Emil Pasumbal, OIC Regional Technical Director Illustrators: Hermito Antonio T. Privaldos Salvacion Gonowon for Operations and Extension Ramon C. Adversario Records Unit 2 UMAsenso January - March 2017 Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) PRDP sub-projects for marine conservation proposals approved by the RPAB were the P3.9 million-worth Community- in Bicol approved by reg’l advisory board Based Coastal Ecosystem Protection A total of P19.5 million-worth listed in the National Biodiversity Strategy and Biodiversity Conservation in San of marine protected area sub-project and Action Plan (NBSAP) and is cited by Fernando, Masbate, the P4.3 million-worth proposals were approved by the Regional the International Union for Conservation Community-Based Coastal Ecosystem Project Advisory Board of the Department of Nature (IUCN), Conservation Protection and Biodiversity Conservation of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural International (CI), and the Department in Matnog, Sorsogon, the P3.3 million- Development Project (PRDP) in Bicol on of Environment and Natural Resources worth Magallanes Fish Sanctuary January 18, 2017 in Legazpi City. (DENR) as a key marine biodiversity area. and Marine Reserve Rehabilitation in These sub-projects, to be funded by a It covers marine protected areas (MPAs) Magallanes, Sorsogon, the P3.2 million- P287 million-worth grant from the PRDP- in the municipalities of Magallanes, worth Rehabilitation of Butag Bay Global Environment Facility (GEF), one Matnog, Pilar, and Bulan in Sorsogon Fish Sanctuary and Marine Reserve in of the World Bank Group’s trust-funded and the Municipality of San Fernando in Bulan, Sorsogon and the P4.8 million- programs, are projected to contribute to Masbate. The Donsol-Ticao-Burias Pass worth Bantigue Marine Reserve and Fish biodiversity conservation and strengthen possesses globally threatened species Sanctuary Protection and Reservation in the coastal and marine resource base in including whale shark Rhincodontypus, Pilar, Sorsogon. the region. The Donsol-Ticao-Burias Pass hammerhead sharks, and extensive coral PRDP-Bicol Natural Resource shared by the provinces of Sorsogon and reef, mangrove, and sea grass ecosystem. Management Specialist Lorenzo L. Alvina Masbate is one of the target GEF sites Among the MPA sub-project underscored that the GEF sub-projects’ main purpose is to limit overfishing Porok 5, Sitio Balading, and conserve marine protected areas by Pawa, Legazpi City providing support interventions to boost MPA management effectiveness from level Dr. Elena B. delos Santos Letters 0 to level 2 (strengthened) or 3 (sustained) Department of Agriculture, RFO 5 in the next three to five years. San Agustin, Pili, Camarines Sur February 3, 2017 According to Municipal Agriculturist Florizel M. Lim of San Fernando, Dear Dr. delos Santos: Masbate, the implementation of the MPA sub-project will improve the fish catch in Greetings. their coastal waters from an average of 2.2 Thank you for responding to my letter-inquiry on ADLAI and for sending kilograms to 5 kilograms per day within me an initial of 1-kilo Adlai seeds. Thank you also to Mr. Jason Gonzales for three years. The PRDP-GEF sub-project allowing himself to be our conduit of information about ADLAI to the D.A. will also promote community awareness Region/Adlai Office. I am really amazed on HOW FAST YOU PEOPLE ACT on about the significance of their cooperation matters like this. in protecting the marine sanctuary. As of today, I have about 20 who signified interest on ADLAI and looking PRDP-GEF has allocated P5M for each forward/eager to attend training-of-some-sort about this matter, which we targeted program area to support its coastal suggest on Feb.