ALABEL, Sarangani (January 21, 2011) – Vice Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon gives his appreciation and gratitude to the team of Red Cross volunteers in joining the Grand Surgical-Medical Mission by serving the people of Sarangani. Over a thousand Sarangani residents benefited from the mission. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Ritchie Tongo)
Red Cross volunteers
January 27, 2011 by
Maharlika Charity Foundation, Inc.
January 27, 2011 by
Maharlika Charity Foundation Inc.,
ALABEL, Sarangani (January 21, 2011) – Dr. Benedict Edward P. Valdez of Maharlika Charity Foundation, Inc. performs a surgical operation to a patient during the five-day Grand Surgical–Medical Mission at the Provincial Capitol. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Ritchie Tongo)
Davao Region gets the biggest chunk of MRDP irrigation fund
January 25, 2011 by
Oscar Mandalope, President of Sulop Irrigators Association inspects a portion of the irrigation canal established through the partnership of the Local Government of Sulop, Davao del Sur and the Department of Agriculture – Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP). The p10 million worth irrigation system now serves 100 hectares of rice field. (photo: Sherwin B. Manual)
Davao region is taking steps to be rice sufficient soon.
This as the region gets to access the biggest portion, so far, of the irrigation funds from the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP).
To date, MRDP has earmarked a total of P271.93 million for the two irrigation projects in Sulop, Davao del Sur and Cateel, Davao Oriental.
“We are happy of the active response of the LGUs in Davao Region especially in accessing irrigation projects as this is among the priority projects of the present administration in order to attain rice sufficiency,” said the Program Director Lealyn Ramos.
“Rice production depends on water supply, we need not to overemphasize the key role it (irrigation) plays in attaining our goal to have sufficient rice supply,” she added.
Ramos, who is a concurrent Region Executive Director of DA-10, added that northern Mindanao comes second with its P51.55 million irrigation system now at procurement stage.
The project is implemented under the Rural Infrastructure (RI) component of the Program which frontloads projects like farm-to-market roads, irrigation and bridges and other agri-infrastructure critical to enhancing farm productivity.
“MRDP sets P859 million for irrigation project in the five-year period of the program,” Ramos said.
MRDP has total portfolio of US$P123.26 million from the joint funding of the loan from the World Bank, and the equity share of the national government and the local government units.
Late last year the Davao region completed a P10.58 million worth of irrigation in Sulop town which covers 100 hectares of rice field.
While another P261.14 million is now under review of the program waiting for the issuance of No Objection letter from the World Bank.
“This irrigation project in Davao Oriental is so far the biggest proposal we have and it covers 1,600 hectares,” said Ramos.
She added the program targets to repair and rehabilitate several CIS and community-owned and irrigation systems, with a combined service area of 8,300 hectares of rice lands.
Under the Rural Infrastructure component of MRDP, the project follows the 50:50 cost-sharing scheme where, half of the project cost is shouldered by the program funds and the remaining half by the LGU.
Meanwhile, Dir. Carlos Mendoza of DA Regional Field Unit 11 said that Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental are among the major rice producing areas, thus” these irrigation projects will definitely help increase production of Davao region.” (Sherwin B. Manual/DA-MRDP)
No More Bumps, No More Mud
January 21, 2011 by
Farmers, workers and other residents in North Upi, Maguindanao, no longer have to endure a rattling ride across this flood-prone tributary of the Matuber River over a deteriorated pipe culvert (left photo), now that the culvert has been replaced by the Kabug-Kabug Barangay Bridge (right). The infrastructure was built through a partnership between the municipal government, whose counterpart was 28 percent of the total project cost, and USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program, under the oversight of the Mindanao Development Authority. To date, GEM has built more than 1,160 barangay infrastructure projects—including water systems, solar dryers, boat landings, trading centers and roadway upgrades—across the region. GEM
Trade Magnet
January 21, 2011 by
Barangay Malinao in Mabuhay, Zamboanga Sibugay, is enjoying brisk business with the help of this boat landing built by USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program in partnership with the municipal government. With the new stair-type boat landing, farmers and traders are now able to transport their goods faster and at lower cost, and commuters are assured of a safer ride. Officials have also reported higher local government revenue due to the fees collected from the dozens of boats using the landing daily. To date, the GEM Program has completed more than 1,150 barangay infrastructure projects (BIPs)—which include bridges and footbridges, water systems, solar dryers, community and trading centers, and roadway upgrades or repairs—under the oversight of the Mindanao Development Authority, with the aim of boosting economic activity and sustaining the gains of peace throughout conflict-affected areas in Mindanao. GEM
ANHS: 24th Grand Kahimunan Festival Champion
January 21, 2011 by
January 16, 2011
BUTUAN – Celebrating 24 years of the Kahimunan Festival still brings a new visual delight for the eyes of Butuan crowd as six (6) contingents paraded and danced along JC Aquino Avenue in the afternoon of January 16.
Audience doesn’t have the faintest idea who amongst the contingents will emerged as the winner considering they all have excellent performances during the street dancing held early on.
A group of high school students from Agusan National High School as contingent number #6 bagged the top prize of this year’s 24th Kahimunan Festival who wowed the huge crowd with their rhythmic motion at the City Sports Complex in Barangay Libertad, Butuan City.
Spectators are in awe with their colorful costume dominated by metallic green and yellow colors donning a headdress that caught everyone’s attention which is made of plastic garbage ba
g crumpled and secured.
ANHS also dominated and practically collected all the other awards by winning the Best in Musicality and Best in Costume award, receiving 10,000 pesos cash prize for each category.
Contingent #5 from Esperanza, Agusan del Sur was declared 1st runner-up, who was also awarded as Best in Street Dancing, while contingent #1 of Gingoog City as this year’s 2nd runner-up.
As the Grand Champion, ANHS went home with P200,000 cash prize, the first runner up with P150,000, the second runner up with P120,000. A consolation prize of P10,000 was also given to other contingents namely, Barangay Bonbon, Butuan Central Elementary School and Barangay Libertad.
Angel Aleta also from ANHS was chosen as the Festival Queen with a P5,000 cash prize and a round trip ticket to Manila courtesy from Philippine Airlines.
The Kahimunan Festival is an annual event on the occasion of the fiesta celebration of the Sto Niño in Barangay Libertad founded in 1987 by Father Juanito “Nito” Belino, Parish Priest of Sto Niño Parish.
The Kahimunan is a traditional ritual performed by the natives before the start of the planting season, characterized by chanting, singing and playing accompanied by indigenous musical instruments such as the gimbor (drum), gong and bamboo instruments called Kalatong and Kotik. (striker_jem)
Grand Surgical-Medical Mission Team
January 21, 2011 by
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (January 16, 2011) – Doctors, nurses and medical staff from the Philippine Medical Society of Northern California headed by Dr. Hernan Valle (4th right) together with Board Member Virgilio Clark Tobias (center) and department heads take a souvenir photo as they arrive at General Santos City International Airport Saturday, January 15, for the weeklong Grand Surgical–Medical Mission in Sarangani on January 17–21. A total of 250 foreign and local doctors, medical practitioners, and volunteers will participate in the mission. The five-day activity will be composed of general medical, pediatric, general surgical services and dental services for free. This is in partnership with the Provincial Government of Sarangani, Maharlika Charity Foundation, Inc., and other local partners. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Bon-Bon Quiño)
Board Member Tobias welcomes medical team
January 21, 2011 by
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (January 16, 2011) – Board Member Virgilio Clark Tobias (center) together with some department heads of Provincial Capitol welcome the medical team from the Philippine Medical Society of Northern California at the tarmac of General Santos City International Airport Saturday, January 15. The team will spearhead the Grand Surgical–Medical Mission at Provincial Capitol on January 17–21. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Bon-Bon Quiño)
Acting Governor welcomes medical team
January 21, 2011 by
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (January 16, 2011) – Acting Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon (center) and Board Member Virgilio Clark Tobias (right) welcome the medical team of Philippine Medical Society of Northern California (PMSNC) at General Santos City International Airport Saturday, January 15, for the Grand Surgical–Medical Mission at the Provincial Capitol from January 17 to 21. This mission is in partnership with the Provincial Government of Sarangani, PMSNC, and Maharlika Charity Foundation, Inc. together with other local partners. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Bon-Bon Quiño)
Headed for Distant Markets
January 20, 2011 by
Vegetable growers in Lantapan, Bukidnon Province, prepare semi-temperate vegetables for a major supermarket concessionaire, under a marketing agreement facilitated by USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program. This group of growers is an affiliate of the Northern Mindanao Vegetable Producers Association, Inc. (NorminVeggies), which works with the GEM Program to improve the competitiveness of Mindanao’s vegetable producers by providing training on crop consolidation, Good Agriculture Practices, proper post-harvest handling techniques, and effective marketing systems that will enable them to sell to institutional markets in bulk. The GEM Program is implemented under the oversight of the Mindanao Development Authority. GEM
