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iSIQUIJOR THE OFFICIAL E-NEWSLETTER OF THE PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY - SIQUIJOR | WWW.PIA.GOV.PH and the DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - SIQUIJOR | WWW.DOST.GOV.PH
VOL. 2 | NO. 9 March 10-16, 2014
Cong. Pernes assures support for corn sufficiency in Siquijor SIQUIJOR (PIA)— Siquijor lone district representative Marie Anne Pernes assured local farmers of support to increase productivity and for the province to achieve corn sufficiency. “Nandito lang po ako at handang tumulong sa inyo,” (I’m just here, ready to help you) Pernes said during the corn production and marketing conference held recently at the office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) conference hall in Helen, Larena, Siquijor. She said she is bound to help secure from the national government the necessary funding for the inputs, equipment and other logistical support to increase corn production in the island. “We can make representation with the different national agencies and make sure that there will be allocations in the national budget in the coming years,” Pernes also said. Pernes noted the need to boost the province’s agricultural production and commended the National Food Authority (NFA) and its line agencies for initiating the conference for this year. She said it as a helpful tool to share ideas to make Siquijor self-sufficient in food, specifically increase grains production so that farmers can earn higher income. The formulation of ways to increase corn production and obtain farm inputs and technology support are tools to boost the island’s agriculture sector, she added. Agriculture, she noted, is the backbone of the economy where majority of the provinces and its people are, and that despite the advances in many urban centers, Philippines remains an agricultural country. It must be noted that as part of the government’s effort to boost food sufficiency, the DA and DOST are developing crops through biotechnology, using two of the most common methods of modifying the genetic encoding (DNA) of crop - from similar crop or from an
Siquijor Congresswoman Marie Anne Pernes speaking at the Conference on Food Self Sufficiency Program on Rice and White Corn with the Department of Agriculture, National Food Authority, National Irrigation Administration, Municipal Agricultural Officers, and the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics Office at Helen Village,Larena Siquijor.
Siquijor remains the only rabies-free province in CV
SIQUIJOR, March 11 (PIA)— Siquijor remains the only rabies-free province among the four provinces in Central Visayas says regional director Angel Enriquez of the Department of Agriculture (DA-7) during her recent visit here. This despite the tough and challenging task of maintaining and keeping the high mark, also says provincial veterinarian Bernadita Tabada citing that the entire province’s dog population is more or less 6,000 dogs. Tabada said the veterinarian office conducted measures to maintain the status of Siquijor as the only rabies-free province. These include vaccination of all dogs province wide, free castration and spay of dogs to control its population. Another measure being intensified is “stray dog control” where techniques in catching stray dogs in a more humane way are taught. Tabada attributed the success of the program to the strong support of the provincial government, the DA, the local government units, the barangays and its locals and the Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation that initiate various programs and projects for a rabies-free Siquijor. The rabies prevention and control program of the province based on Republic Act No. 9482 that provides for the control and elimination of human and animal rabies. (mbcn/RAC/PIA-Siuqijor with reports from IA ABatayo)
altogether different organism, and the more conventional method of hybridization or the crossing of desirable traits from different varieties of same crop—to produce more climate resilient and fast growing varieties of food and industrial crops. The debate, however, ensues between the proponents of this technology and that of organic or natural farming systems, both within the Department of Agriculture and among the academe and non-government organizations. But citing the value of agriculture in the development of both local and national economy and the upliftment of the lives of Siquijodnons, in particular, Pernes also said she believe in personal endeavour, in enterprise, and in the capacity of the Filipinos to be economically productive.(mbcn/RACalibo/PIA7-Siquijor w/ reports from IAAbatayo)