Lanao del Norte town to host 6th Organic Asia Congress

By RICHEL V. UMEL

KAUSWAGAN, Lanao del Norte (MindaNews / 21 May)

— The once war-torn town of Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte will host the 6th Organic Asia Congress together with the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) Organics Asia.

The convention will take place on June 4-9 at the five-hectare Kauswagan International Organic Convention Center in sitio Tangkig, a coastal village in Barangay Tacub.

Mayor Rommel C. Arnado, National President of League of Organic Agriculture, Municipalities, Cities and Provinces (LOAMPC) said the congress will focus on organic agriculture and production of healthy food to attain food security as a key to world peace.

Arnado said over 2,000 participants, including 251 foreign delegates from 35 countries, will attend the event.

He said Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., had instructed all local chief executives to participate in the convention to promote organic agriculture in their respective communities.

He said only 200 local government units, including Kauswagan, are currently adopting organic agriculture.

Kauswagan’s From Arms to Farm Programme won the first United Cities Local

Kauswagan International Organic Convention Center. Photo courtesy of 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade

Heavy equipment for illegal mining along Iponan River passed through 3 upland barangays in CDO

By FROILAN GALLARDO

CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 20 May) — Heavy mining equipment like excavators and dump trucks used roads of three upland barangays in Cagayan de Oro to reach the mining sites along the Iponan River in the town of Opol, Misamis Oriental.

Engr. Armen Cuenca, chief of Cagayan de Oro Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (CLENRO) said the use of these roads are often done in

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“We care about the envi - broad daylight and in full view of barangay officials who look the other way.

“We have questioned the barangay officials why they have allowed these illegal mining activities and often their answers are that they are powerless to stop the miners,” Cuenca said.

He said Cagayan de Oro Mayor Rolando Uy met the officials from the three barangays last December to warn them to put a stop to the illegal mining activities along the Iponan River.

Cuenca declined to name the officials but identified the three barangays as Tumpagon, Pigsag-an and Tuburan, which share a common border with the municipality of Opol in Misamis Oriental.

He said in order to reach the mining sites, the miners have to use the roads of the three barangays since there are no roads from Opol town to Iponan River.

Iponan River straddles between Cagayan de Oro and Opol