The eMagazine of Philippine Information Agency 10
MONAY, JULY 25, 2016
Engallado’s Barquirice, innovative, organic rice-based pasalubong
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Nicasio F. Engallado is a rice farmer and advocate of ecologically sound farming in Tongantongan, Valencia City, Bukidnon. Together with his wife Fatima, they started Engallado’s Nature Farm and Natural Food Products in August 1997. The company produces organic rice and its by-products. They are the recipient of a series of intensive trainings on Sustainable Agriculture conducted by the Sustainable Agriculture Center of Xavier University (SAC-XU), College of Agriculture, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro City. Recently, the Department of Agriculture cited Engallado as a ‘National Organic Rice Achiever.’ Engallado’s Nature Farm and Natural Food Products makes homemade delicacies from organic rice grown on their farm. Health conscious consumers began patronizing their natural food product dubbed ‘Barquirice’ after it was awarded as best delicacy in various food fair competitions held in the cities of Malaybalay and Valencia. Engallado recalls how it used to take them one day to manually process 45 packs of Barquirice at six pieces per pack). After attending various seminars and forums they dreamed of being able to compete with other pasalubong products, be efficient in its operation and be part of the food processing industry. The organic food advocate sought the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) region
10’s assistance through the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP). DOST interventions under this program include provision of food grade equipment, process improvement and provision of packaging and labeling program (Product Development). After becoming a SETUP Adopter, Egallado’s Nature Farm now makes barquillos, rice quiron (pulvorice) and rice buttons (cookies), cuacoy (steamed rice), roasted rice (sarasara), merengue and piaya. Following the shift from manual to semimechanized operations enabled the company to increase its daily production from 45 packs to 150 packs of barquirice, 96 to 200 packs of pulvorice and 30 to 80 packs of sarasara. Sales soared almost 600% to P1.5 Million from P262,430. Besides turning a tidy profit, the company now also provides employment to relatives as workers both in the farm and production site. Best of all, people’s health have benefited from their organic products. With DOST’s technology innovation and the company’s hard work and SETUP technology, the dream is coming true for Engallado’s Nature Farm and Natural Food Products. (Ritchie Mae L. Guno)
ARMM joins 38th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week celebration MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur – The Regional Human Rights Commission in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RHRC-ARMM) led the regional celebration of the 38th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week on July 21.
Lawyer Abdulnasser Badrudin, RHRC-ARMM chairperson, said the program was primarily aimed at raising better awareness of the rights of persons with disability (PWDs). We are showing our deepest concern to PWDs being one of the
most vulnerable sectors of society,� Badrudin said. He said discrimination against PWDs results in their low participation in economic and social activities in society. Republic Act 7277, or the
Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, defined PWDs as “those suffering from restriction of different abilities, as a result of a mental, physical or sensory impairment, to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being.” It further mandates that five percent of all casual, emergency and contractual positions at the departments of Social Welfare and Development; Health; Education, Culture and Sports; and other government agencies, offices or corporations engaged in social development shall be reserved for disabled persons. “The RHRC-ARMM advocates the inclusion of PWDs (normal activities of society). We aim at creating a condition wherein PWDs will feel they belong, are respected, and valued whoever they are,” Badrudin added. Several humanitarian partners and government offices that advocate for the welfare of PWDs also took part in last Thursday’s program. Assistant Secretary Dayang Carlsum Jumaide of ARMM’s Department of Health said the region’s Health and Wellness Program for
Persons with Disabilities is designed to promote the highest attainable standards of health of PWDs and prevent them from developing health conditions associated with disability. One of its milestones, Jumaide added, is the development of service packages for PWDs specifically for disability due to chronic illnesses, learning disability and cerebral palsy. Miguel Antonio Limon, regional programs coordinator of the National Council on Disability Affairs, also gave a lecture on government laws that promote the rights of PWDs. Across the country, there are 1.4 million PWDs comprising 1.57 percent of the total population based on the 2010 National Census. The same census noted 34,775 PWDs in the ARMM, of which 17,875 are male and 16,900 are female. Meanwhile, several private individuals, who declined to be named, donated wheelchairs for PWDs during the event. They also manifested continued support for PWDs. The celebration bears the theme “Karapatan ng Maykapansanan, Isakatuparan... Now Na!” (BPI/APB/PIA-10)
Exec optimistic on achieving devt in Gingoog City
GINGOOG CITY – Second termer Gingoog mayor inspired every Gingoognon in pushing for its development as the city launched the weeklong celebration of its 56th cityhood and 37th Grand Kaliga Festival starting on July 18-24, 2016 bannering the theme: “Uswag pa Gingoog: Change has come.” On her message during the Monday flag raising ceremony cum launching program, Mayor Marie de Lara Guingona has acknowledged all attendees and commended the efforts of the police and army in safekeeping the city against criminals, drug addicts and insurgents. “As we celebrate our charter anniversary, we embrace to the virtue of renewed hope that unites us to move and continue realizing our dreams for progress and development. We cling to fervent hope to bring back peace in our land with the new Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s administration in which this city has shared similar political struggles in fighting against illegal drug trade, eliminating criminality and deleting graft and corrupt practices,” the lady chief executive emphasized. Mayor Marie stressed that since the city’s foundation on 23 July 23 1960 the path that Gingoognons have travelled has full of challenges. “With the collaborative support of former mayor-now-turned Vice Mayor Ruth Guingona and former mayor-now-turned city councilor lawyer Miguel Paderanga, those challenges have lightened due to
their profound experiences. Thus, let us cooperate and continue doing our plans and programs for the betterment among the city’s 79 barangays because progress is within reach,” she says. The Red Cross chair-turned-mayor thanked the City Tourism Council chaired by Judge Potenciano de los Reyes Jr. (ret) for its commitment in promoting Higaonon’s culture and Gingoog’s ecotourism potentials. Mayor Guingona further acknowledged the cohesive efforts rendered by the City Tourism Promotions Office led by its officer-in charge Evelyn Dago. Aside from various sports activities and socio-cultural events, there will be presence of Manila’s celebrities who will be gracing for two affairs: reality show winner Myrtelle Sarrosa with Hotlegs Dancers in courtesy of Mega Soft Corporation on July 22 for the Pageant and Coronation of Bb. Gingoog Tourism at Arturo Lugod Gym while TV network’s Valerie “Bangs” Garcia on July 23 for the Charter Day and Kaliga Festival at People’s Grandstand. (Buboy Pabia/City Media Bureau)