by admin | Jul 25, 2019 | Headlines
Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Director for Central Visayas, Atty Salvador Diputado called for Boholano legislators’ help in rallying Boholanos to rescue the dire need for food security amidst dreams of becoming a major tourism destination in the country.
Speaking during the opening of the Sandugo Agri-Fair 2019 now occupying the Bohol Agricultural Promotions Center (BAPC) and the City Hall grounds, Diputado began his appeal for legislators to do something about the present predicament, with a brief comparison with Korea.
The aggie official who is a lawyer by profession but has a background in agriculture, his family being engaged in rice and cacao farming in Carmen, said in Korea, where there is a surplus of rice, the people keeps even the last bit useful.
He narrated that when he was there, the burnt rice on the bottom of the pot becomes the roast coffee that goes with the breakfast.
In the Visayas however, where there is rice shortage, there is so much wastage, he remarked.
While Bohol is the only province in Central Visayas that can almost sufficiently feed itself, much of Bohol’s surplus is wasted, as an estimated three spoons-ful of rice for every Boholano is wasted every day.
At the Sandugo Agri-Fair opening, agriculture authorities who united to campaign for curbing rice wastage put in Panatang Makapalay, a pledge for citizens to conserve rice.
And to press on the matter even further, the DA regional Director shared the complicated truth: the average age of farmers in Bohol is now at 59, and fewer and fewer young people are going to farming.
“There is actually a move to save the farming industry,” Diputado told representatives of the towns bringing their local produce to the Agri-Fair.
All elementary and high school graduating students must engage in school gardening and entrepreneurial skills, he said, and this can only be through an ordinance.
Diputado wants something like an elementary pupil and a high school student to graduate only if he has planted a garden and earned from it.
The lawyer turned agri-chief in Central Visayas also bared that he is with Governor Arthur Yap, who advocates for food consumption quantification program.
Governor Yap, who used to sit as Agriculture secretary and a hard core economist, meant that by food consumption quantification program, it is scientific and evidence based information on the average daily consumption as the sum of the food requirement of everyone in Bohol. This would become the basis for the production targets in the island.
Once we meet our food requirements, then we can meet our food security, Diputado said.
Moreover, the regional director said something must be done about the fast conversion and reclassification of agricultural lands into residential areas.
According to Diputado, agricultural lands are shrinking, people are shunning away from farming, the people are wasting rice and farmers are not even using the right technologies to maximize harvest.
Over this, Atty Diputado wants legislators to put up ordinances that would strictly implement the ban on reclassification and conversion, especially of agricultural lots that can still be very productive.
That day, the government through the DA, also distributed farm equipment and machineries in efforts to motivate farmer organizations to boost production.
Handed to peoples’ organizations and farmers associations were floating tillers, hand tractor with accessories, drum seeder, rice combine harvester, rice transplanter-Walk Behind and 4 wheel-drive tractors.
With these, Diputado exhorted the farmer beneficiaries to use the government help to alleviate and lessen poverty incidence in the region.
We will show our love for agriculture, as farming has always been a noble profession, he stressed. (rahc/PIA_7/Bohol)
by admin | Jul 24, 2019 | Headlines
For the Philippine Ports Authority’s (PPA) programmed ports development alone, the government puts in over P2.2 billion to complete an inter-modal transport system under its Build, Build program.
This is according to PPA Bohol Ports Manager Engr. James Gantalao, during a Department of Transportation (dotr) hosted Media familiarization Tour to the Port of Tubigon, a newly completed port that the PPA callef as , its major port in Bohol’s northwestern quadrant.
The low-key and yet consummate performer port manager who has roots in Maribojoc, explained that the PPA was looking at dividing Bohol into four, so as to rationalize its development to benefit the entire island.
While the PPA has major ports in Tagbilaran, Jagna, Ubay, Talibon, Getafe and Tubigon, the government has also looked at focusing on the four ports of Tagbilaran, Jagna, Ubay with Tapal, Getafe, which is closer to Cordova in Cebu and Tubigon.
The idea is to make all these ports pick the same standard for international tourists that the tourism port of Tagbilaran has since adopted, according to Engr. Gantalao.
Getting the lion share in the Build, Build, Build funds through the PPA is Tubigon Port, which has a proposed P 500 million fund for the 23,385 square meters of additional space the government is reclaiming.
The port of Tubigon had DOTr Secretary Art Tugade officiating its project turn over early this year.
But even with some parts of the port showing the devastation caused by the 2013 earthquake, the PPA has managed to complete the port management’s administration building with one-stop service station, and the 200 seats passenger terminal building as previously planned.
With the port getting more port calls, a passenger volume of about 6,000 now, and Bohol’s identified rolling cargo port, expanding the port’s spaces come as a necessity.
On this, the PPA, through the Build, Build, Build is again putting up half a billion fund.
This would expand the port into a convenient and spacious gateway to Bohol, Engr Gantalao shared.
Then, Ubay port, has a total of P200 million allocation, Gantalao updated the media.
With about 5 hectares of planned reclamation, when completed, Ubay port would soon be Bohol’s biggest port which would serve the Leyte-Bohol Roll-On, Roll-Off link.
Moreover, its municipal ports of Tapal and Aguining are also allocated development funds.
For the port of Tagbilaran, while Gantalao said they have good raves from international guests, it is the locals who find the facility always wanting in service.
Already among the countrys best managed ports, Tagbilaran still has to step up especially when a huge bulk of Bohols trade and.industry uses this port.
And with limited parking space, and a small passenger terminal building, the need for another passenger terminal hub in the port complex is imperative.
For the port of Tagbilaran, which now has 22 Oceanjet trips alone, the government is putting up another P150 M, for an expansion and a new and bigger Passenger Terminal Building, and more parking spaces.
Tagbilaran is the strategic port that connects aa western Mindanao, Negros and Cebu.
According to the PPA, the port of Getafe, the one closest to Cordova in Cebu, with a travel time of 45 minutes, takes the government’s attention.
For the port that is getting busier now, the government has allotted P150 million for its improvement.
Development planners at the PPA believe that the strategic port of Getafe can boost economic and tourism activities in northern Bohol.
On the southeast side is Bohol’s gateway to Mindanao.
Jagna Port, owing to its being a strong link to Mindanao gets P97 million this time from the Build Build Build.
Other than Jagna, the Port of Maribojoc, which has the potential to be a cargo port is now eyed for a P450 million port development in this year’s infrastructure projects.
Other ports which the government splurging on infrastructure that ferries development are the ports of Aguining, Popoo, Tapal, and Albur, PPA said. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
MANAGING THE PORTS BUILD. PPA Manager Engr James Gantalao briefs media on the improvement plans for the Tubigon port, the biggest rolling cargo port aoutside Tagbilaran. PPA gets P2.2 B in ports development from the government’s Build Build Build. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
by admin | Jul 8, 2019 | Headlines
Having a soft spot for farmers, Gov. Art Yap took no time to listen to the updates of the cloud seeding operations in Bohol.
Based on the report; Cloud Seeding Operations were conducted last July 05 with Pilots; CAPT Badhran & CAPT Soliton using cherokee# RPC 2872.
Also with the team are 1LT MERCADO (flyer), MSg Fabro PAF , Spotter: TSg Maborrang PAF and
BSWM rep: Engr. Corazon Ditarro
On target for the operation is over the Malinao dam in San miguel.
They loaded about 15sacks/ 475kgs of salt which resulted to heavy rains in the said area.
As of July 5, 2019, there have been a total of 14 sorties conducted with 20+34 Hours flight time and consumed about 210 bags salt (5,250 kls.) used for Cloud Seeding 0perations in Bohol.
Yap was grateful for the accomplishments which he said, greatly helped our farmers. He also reiterated his support to the operations and to continue if needed. [Edcom]
by admin | Jul 7, 2019 | Local News / Bohol Balita
HNP SUPPORT
Rep. Aris, Gov. Art, team
talk tourism for 2nd District
By: JUNE S. BLANCO
DEVELOP more tourism destinations in the 2nd District to make a new loop that will expose the potentials of the other side of Bohol.
This was the consensus of Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado of Bohol’s 2nd District, newly minted Gov. Arthur Yap and the latter’s economic advisers in a meeting July 2 at the Shang Palace in Northtown, Taloto District, Tagbilaran City.
Aumentado said the work on the extension of the Ubay Aiport is ongoing such that it will soon become as long as the Tagbilaran Airport. When that happens, it can already accommodate planes like those that used to land at the Tagbilaran Airport.
With this infrastructure shaping up, next to the fine white sand beaches of Anda town that is a mere 45 minutes from the Ubay Airport, the solon, the governor and the economic advisers agreed that the tourism come-ons of a new loop, say of Ubay, Danao and Buenavista, must be developed in order to entice local and foreign tourists.
Danao already has its adventure park featuring the zip line, canyon jump, cliff rappelling and other activities for the not so faint-hearted. These may ned enhancement, even as Ubay has water sports in the dam reservoir to offer. Buenavista has its canoe paddling and oyster feast to boast off.
These can be improved, connected and arranged for a day tour. But the tourists’ stay can be extended if these towns can provide areas, food, more activities and facilities for camping or, if they want, glamorous camping or “glamping”.
At the same time, Aumentado said, this will be a captured market for the farmers in these areas. The farmers can directly sell their produce to institutions catering to the needs of the tourists, thereby removing the average of two to three middlemen who mark up the prices even before these reach the market.
The farmers, he added, must also be trained to augment their rice with high value cash crops (HVCCs), planted “round robin” so that the they harvest every one or two months. After all, when rice farmers harvest, they will have nothing for the next three or so months until the next harvest.
Improving the local vegetable or other crop yield will definitely fill the gap now being supplied by “imports” from Mindanao and even southern Cebu, and improve the lot of the Boholano farmers, Aumentado concluded.
TALE OF TWO “A”s. Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado of Bohol’s 2nd District (left) gets to tour the Capitol, courtesy of newly minted Gov. Arthur Yap. Both pose in front of the imposing façade of the new building. Photo: Facebook Account of ArisAumentado
by admin | Jul 6, 2019 | Headlines
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, YAP PRESENTS HIS AGRI AND TOURISM AGENDA
“Every peso spent in Bohol for food, goes to our Bol-anon farmers,” Gov. Art Yap said of his dream for Bohol.
Wasting no time with fresh mandate given to him as the province’s father, Yap convened tourism and agriculture sectors this week to set directions he is pursuing to achieve his administration’s agenda of creating jobs and opportunities.
The former agriculture secretary and three-term congressman of the third district gathered agriculture commodity champions Friday afternoon.
Offering a new take on Bohol growth, Yap issued directives to determine Demand Per Capita for fruits, vegetables, fish, cacao, coffee, livestock, poultry, as well as to build commodity chains for each product.
Earlier this week, Yap brought to Bohol officials of the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food at an agriculture investment forum for large producers to meet potential partners in Bohol.
The Provincial Government, on the other hand, will work on building more bagsakan centers, enhancing support for planting materials, soil technology, financing, and insurance, as well as connecting producers to the market.
Knowing the demand, production figures, and import value for food being consumed, he said, will enable agriculture sector to determine its growth target, which goal is to increase food supply to bring down the price of food.
Yap’s administration also intends to maximize tourism potential of Bohol. In a meeting with the Management Executive Board, Yap’s marching order was to “Think, live, sleep tourism.”
He said agriculture and culture can be folded into tourism. On top of his strategies to meet agenda on tourism are transportation, waste management, power, and water. He also considers health care, disaster preparedness, and training and capacity building as priority.
He met with tourism and transport sector representatives on Friday to discuss concerns on transportation as well as accommodations.
“We will hammer away until all problems are resolved,” he assured tourism stakeholders.
He will be meeting with Tagbilaran City Mayor Baba Yap, Dauis Mayor Miriam Sumaylo, and Panglao Mayor Nila Montero to iron out issues about routes and operations in a follow up meeting with the transport group.
He is also seeking to reach a compromise with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) for standardization of wastewater treatment facilities in establishments in Bohol.
His administration is keen on investing on tourism promotions and applying a star-rating system for destinations.(edcom)
