ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

DAVAO CHINESE SCHOOL: 1924 OR 1934?

the first board chairman.

In Pacis’ account, the organization of the school was ten years later, and the chief reason for the opening of a secondary institution was to address the practice of sending Chinese children to China or in the national capital region to learn Chinese or English. He cites the CEA formation as related to the efficient management of the school, in contrast to Dabbay’s claim that the group was organized to recruit teachers, gather funds, and get approval for the school.

Historically, Taiwan was under Japanese rule when the supposed visit of the consul-general took place. In fact, even until 1935, Japanese control of the island was reinforced fol-lowing Japan’s effort to highlight her cultural influence. The first Taiwanese legate in Davao was opened in 1947. Both accounts, howev- er, agree that wealthy Chinaman Lim Juna (or Juna Lim Villa Abrille) donated a parcel of land. In Dabbay’s narrative, the donated lot is one hectare and situated along Santa Ana Avenue while Pacis’ account is two hectares and located at San Roque Street.

Dabbay states that the school was initially in a two-classroom rented house along San Pedro Street; it opened its doors to enrollment on June 3, 1924, with thirty pupils. The limited space of the edifice impelled the school management to seek donations from Lim Juna who generously donated a lot where the first permanent structures were constructed.

Pacis reports that through the CEA efforts, the school documents required by the gov-ernment finally complied. This eventually led to the ‘full recognition of it complete elementary department, and permits for the first and second years of the secondary course.’

The war was unkind and brutal; the buildings that defined the growth of the institute were all destroyed. But the profiles behind the institution were quick to address the issue. In the second semester of 1945, the school operated again with six teachers conducting the Chi-nese classes and another seven educators handling the English classes.

According to Pacis’ account, enrollment in the school year (SY) 1946-47 increased as more materials were ordered to repair the damaged structures. The following school year, the CEA was compelled to import Chinese teachers as the school population dramatically grew and, once again, expanded the English faculty to seventeen. Because of the developments, a per-mit to open the first and second years in high school was secured from the Bureau of Private School.

Pacis narrates that a new building worth P48,000 was also constructed, apparatuses for science classes bought, and more library books purchased. Also, the playground was im-proved and the tennis and basketball courts were built. The quarters for Chinese teachers were also improved.

In SY 1948-49, enrolment rose to 700 with two teachers assigned in the Chinese section while twenty-one educators were fielded in the English department. The following ywear, the population rose to 808, divided as follows: 746 elementary pupils and 62 high school stu-dents. Again, the question begs an answer: When was the school officially organized and opened?

MPIC’S VENTURE INTO AGRIBUSINESS BOOSTS PH FOOD SECURITY

The Philippines has long been facing challenges on food security despite having vast agricultural land ready for cultivation.

To ensure food sufficiency, the country has depended on imports, such that our import dependency ratio in 2021 was at 25.1 percent, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who also sits as Agriculture Secretary, admitted that steps are needed to address the challenges in the agriculture sector in order to attain food security. These include helping our local farmers and boosting agriculture production.

Cognizant of this need, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), the umbrella firm of businessman and philanthropist Manuel

V. Pangilinan, made foray into the agribusiness industry through investments in companies that manufacture dairy and coconut products locally.

Earlier this month, MPIC, through its subsidiary Metro Pacific Agro Ventures Inc. acquired a 34.76-percent stake in Axelum Resources Corporation for P5.32 billion, in line with its vision to become one of the largest players in the agriculture industry and support a more sustainable Philippines.

Axelum is a market leader in the manufacture and export of coconut products such as desiccated coconut, coconut milk, coconut cream, and coconut cooking oil, among others. It owns the right to distribute high-quality juice brand Vita Coco, and owns other brands such as Fiesta, Fies- ta Tropicale, Red V and Romantika.

Axelum also supplies to food and beverage companies, confectioneries, bakeries, supermarkets, grocery chains, and other establishments both local and international, namely United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Japan and Asia.

According to Axelum chairman and chief executive officer Romeo I. Chan, MPIC’s entry into the agribusiness industry will help transform the coconut industry in the Philippines, particularly for the marginalized coco farmers who are crucial in boosting the agriculture sector

Mr. Pangilinan said: “The north star of our agriculture business is helping our country achieve food secu- rity. This investment into ARC will mean more income opportunities for coconut farmers as well as a broader landscape for Philippine agriculture.”

Earlier last year, MPIC also acquired a controlling stake in The Laguna Creamery Inc., which produces ice cream brand Carmen’s Best. According to MPIC, its purchase was aimed to further develop and expand the operations of the Carmen’s Best group’s dairy farm, products and manufacturing facilities. The transaction included the construction of a farm facility in Bay, Laguna, with a capacity to produce at least 6 million liters of milk per year.

These twin investments form part of MVP’s goal and priority “to feed our people first,” and support the United Nations Sustainable De- velopment Goals (UN SDGs) Goal 2, which aims to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

Even before the Covid-19 pandemic emerged, the MVP Group has already been one with the government in crafting initiatives that are geared towards nation-building, development of the Philippine economy, and uplifting the lives of the Filipinos through the creation of more job opportunities.

These initiatives in the agribusiness industry will effectively help support government initiatives to reduce reliance on food imports, at least for dairy and coconut products, as well as help strengthen our agriculture sector and provide livelihood opportunities to the marginalized local farmers.