Filipinos face rising egg prices

Philippines – Apart from sugar and onions, Filipinos are also facing rising prices for eggs and a supply shortage. Eggs used to be one of the cheapest sources of protein.

Data monitoring of the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed medium eggs retailed at P7.00 to P9.00 per piece as of January 30. A year earlier, eggs cost P6.00 a piece.

The egg industry has been reeling from the impact of the avian influenza or bird flu and the high cost of production.

Increasing the egg supply could take at least one year after the effects of the bird flu, Philippine Egg Board Association chairman Gregorio San Diego said during a briefing of the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) recently.

“Increasing the number of chickens will take about a year,” he said.

In explaining the timeframe, San Diego said hens are produced from imported parent stocks.

“When we import parent stocks, we have to wait for about six months before they lay eggs, where we will get the hens. Then it will take another six months for them to lay eggs. More or less, the cycle is one year,” San Diego said.

“High prices of eggs are not unique to the Philippines. Egg prices rose sharply in the U.S. and New Zealand. Almost every country is affected by the bird flu,” he said.

As of December 29, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said 20 provinces in eight regions remain affected by the disease.

Two provinces, Ilocos Sur and North Cotabato, have ongoing cases.

San Diego said the cost of production remains high.

Feeds are the most basic input – taking up much of an egg’s selling price – as chickens feed on a daily basis.

“The feed component alone accounts for P5.00. Several years ago, the price of feed was only P19 per kilo. Now it’s P34 per kilo. Other expenses also increased like electricity,” he said.

Because of high production costs, some egg farmers are hesitant to expand or continue their operations.

Moving forward, demand will play a crucial role in driving egg prices in the market.

“Prices right now remain high because demand increased amid a relatively low supply. But later this year, we can’t tell the price movement of commodities and how it will affect consumers, so demand will be a big factor. If demand slows down, egg prices could be maintained or lower,” San Diego said. PNA

KROSWORD NO. 411

Ni Bro. Gerry Gamurot

PAHALANG

1. Pagmamahal

8. Balat ng ulo

9. Murang niyog

11. Palayaw ng babae

12. Iyak ng sanggol

14. Kailangan kung tag-init

16. Unang nota

32. Sinauna

34. Nanginginig

PABABA

1. Imbakan ng bigas

2. Katigan

3. Inabot ng dilim

4. Itakas

6. Inganga

7. Tibag

10. Panghalip

DA HU...

From page 11

“Ngayon pinaplano ko, sinabi ko kay Revo (anak ni Nay Cristy) pagkatapos ng pagkakataong ito kukuha ako ng papeles ibabalik ko kay Willie Revillame ‘yung pinaghirapan kong condo unit na ‘yan kahit may transaksyon pa kami. Wala na ‘yung sasakyan naibenta ko na, wala na napalitan ko na!”

Mainit pa ring pinag-uusapan

13. Ingkong

15. Sinulid

16. Tipunan ng tubig

Pinsala

SAGOT SA NO. 410

ang nangyari sa pagitan nina Willie Revillame at ni Cristy

Fermin

Kamakailan ay nag-trending ang dalawa dahil sa sagutan nila sa diumano’y panunumbat ni Willie sa mga taong kaniyang natulungan. Sa episode noong nakaraan show ni Nay Cristy sa Cristy Ferminute ay tinalakay nilang muli ang iba pang personalidad na pinaringgan raw ni Willie na sina Ogie Diaz at Gab Valenciano Labis na nasaktan si Nay

Cristy sa mga sinabi ni Willie sa kaniyang programang Wowowin at hindi raw ito basta basta mawawala.

“Pambansang kahihiyan po ang aming inabot nina Ogie Diaz at Gab Valenciano. Yun po ay hindi mahihilot. Yun po ay hindi pupuwedeng daanin lang basta sa ganito na lang. Masakit pong masyado. Kaya para matigil na, ibalik sa kaniya ang kung ano mang isinusumbat niya,” sabi pa ni Nay Cristy.

Dagdag pa ni Nay Cristy, “At Willie, si Ogie Diaz ay ibang klaseng tao na, kung nilalaitlait mo siya ngayon, kung noon ay wala kang respeto sa kaniya, tumigil ka. Yang bibig mo, itikom mo. Milyonaryo na si Ogie Diaz, pero hindi niya ipinag-iingay. Hindi niya ipinagsasasabi ang mga tulong na naibibigay niya sa maraming foundation. Ang pagtulong ni Ogie ay hindi na niya pinapangalandakan sa iba.”

“Hindi siya nagpupunta sa isang lugar, may dalang camera, na andun ka pa lang at nagbibigay ng ano, eh, sinasabihan ka na ng, ‘I-edit n’yo na yan! I-edit n’yo na agad-agad yan! Bukas ipapalabas na yan!’

“Hindi ganoon si Ogie. Tahimik lamang siyang tumutulong. Ang kaniyang pagtulong ay mula sa puso, hindi mula sa nguso,” lahad pa ni Nay Cristy.

Medyo magtatagal pa ang isyung ito, lalo na at inamin ni Nay Cristy na talagang nasaktan siya sa ginawa ni Willie.

Kahit nagkausap na ang dalawa at humingi na ng tawad si Willy ay sinabi ni Nay Cristy na kaya niyang magpatawad. She will forgive, but she remembers names.

Dennis Gupa’s Gossip with Whales gets first Green Award honour

Dr. Dennis Gupa and his unique artistic collaboration, Gossip with Whales: Exploring Ocean Science through Applied Theatre is the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) Green Award’s Individual Artist Runner-Up.

Gupa, Assistant Professor at the University of Winnipeg,

Theatre and Film Department, beautifully used the collaboration of ocean science and the arts and drew upon the Filipino tanaga and Mangyan lyrical art forms to produce four original and beautiful choral compositions: Corals Crawl, To the Pacific, Gossip with Whales, and Bamboo Stilts

“By looking at the experience and knowledge of local people – who have been experiencing these climatic events for so many years but are not really given a lot of opportunities to tell their stories – we can learn from their knowledge and wisdom,” said Gupa at the panel interview during the world premiere. “Our poetries and songs renew our kinship with the ocean.”

The PACT Green Award is initiated by PACT, a “leader in the national performing arts community and a devoted advocate for the value of live performance.” The Green Award goes to one winning project along with two runner-up projects; one for a company and one for an individual artist.

The award ceremony will be held on February 23, 2023. The major winner is the Only Animal Theatre Company for its project The Artist Brigade; Artist Runner Up is Dennis Gupa for Gossip with Whales, and Company Runner Up is the Soulpepper Theatre for The Green Sessions They will present their projects and share their experiences with the community.

Dr. Gupa is now Assistant Professor at the University of Winnipeg, Theatre and Film Department. While working with Gossip with Whales, he was then a PhD student at the University of Victoria’s Theatre Department and the artist-in-residence with Ocean

Networks Canada (ONC). For Gupa, this residency fitted in with his doctoral focus on indigenous sea rituals, climate change, and sustainable ecology. He presented Gossip with Whales in its world premiere, with the performances of four new choral compositions, musical performances with artists from the Philippines, and a panel of artists, performers, and scientists. This feast of music and celebration of the ocean, which all of humanity shares, was presented at the launch of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for

Sustainable Development 20212030.

Gossip with Whales was made possible by the University of Victoria Faculty of Fine Arts and Ocean Networks Canada, the Victoria Filipino Canadian Association, UP Alumni Association in BC, Bayanihan Community Centre in Victoria, and the National Pilipino Canadian Cultural Centre. Gupa worked with his collaborating team of Karla Comanda, Roijin Suarez, Darren Vega, Thai Hoa Le, and Jeremiah Carag.