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MARINDUQUE: A PRIME TOURIST DESTINATION Formerly Pacific MONITOR NEWSMAGAZINE
VOL. 9 NO.39
JULY 24-30, 2012 By: Vicky Bartillet see page 5 Nasa larawan sina AGHAM Partylist Representative and PAPI Awardee Hon. Angelo B. Palmones (kanan) at G. Noel V. Magturo (kaliwa) pangulo ng Philippine Science Journalists Association ( PSciJourn) Inc. Marinduque Chapter
Held at Marinduque State College (MSC)
Mindoro:
By Lanie B. Ronquillo Page 4
MARINDUQUE Products
By: Curtiss Lim
Kuha ni Gerry PaladDOST
see page 6
Palawan:
Romblon:
By Victoria Ascuncion S. Mendoza
page 4
By Dinnes Manzo page 4
Courtesy of:
By: Eli J. Obligacion By: PNO Marinduque
—see page 5
see page 2
VISIT US AT: http://www.journalistmarinduque.multiply.com
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JULY 24-30, 2012
By: Eli Obligacion Congressman Lord Allan Velasco leads a throng of students, teachers and officials of Marinduque State College (MSC) and Torrijos Poblacion School of Arts and Trades (TPSAT) in a coconut treeplanting project on the hills of Malibago, Torrijos.
The activity is part of a project being implemented by the Marinduque Diocesan Development Cooperative in connection with Marinduque's coco sugar industry. From the dwindling production of tuba, coconut toddy for income, farmers are now slowly shifting to coco sugar production using the same toddy. The growing demand for coco sugar has been identified as a better community enterprise for coconut farmers. Many coconut farmers from a few towns (Buenavista, Sta. Cruz), who have shifted to coco sugar production are now earning three times more than what they used to earn from the age-old practice of tuba gathering. The destructive 2006 super-typhoon Reming, however, wiped out many coconut trees and the remaining coconut trees standing, a huge number of which is more than 50 years old, have failed to recover. Those that have recovered continue to yield lesser and lesser copra, the price per kilo of which has plummeted compared to pre-Reming prices. Speeding up rehabilitation of the coconut industry could only be addressed by replanting trees, a vital concern where efforts exerted by farmers, however, had been lukewarm so far in general. Cong. Velasco is shown here transplanting a coconut seedling. Malindig Volcano is seen in the background.
LAV scholar quietly plants his coconut palm seedling (Left); Throng of students, teachers, MSC and TPSAT officials troop to the Malibago Hills for the transplanting of coconut seedlings. (Right)
...turn to page 5
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JULY 24-30, 2012
Ay...Marinduque Ni: NOEL V. MAGTURO
Boac Municipality holds Planning and Budgeting Workshop July 19-20, 2012 @ A & A Beach Resort & Catering Services Laylay, Boac, Marinduque
Hon. Roberto M. Madla, Municipal Mayor
The participants, guests, and presenters of the Planning and Budgeting Workshop.
Engr. Eulogio Luna-Manrique
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JULY 24-30, 2012
By Lanie B. Ronquillo SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro, (PIA) -- The provincial government of Occidental Mindoro has adopted the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project of Lubang Mayor Juan Sanchez. The project aims to introduce the digital world to children in remote areas of the province. OLPC is a program created to help developing countries have access to affordable educational devices, thus the creation of the XO laptop and its successors. This laptop is a subnotebook, about the size of a textbook and contains applications that are user-friendly to children in enhancing their abilities on subjects like Math, English, Science and Hekasi. E-Kindling Education Director Tessa Yuvienco made a brief demonstration of the laptop among the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) staff, who affirmed that indeed learning is fun when these gadgets are used. Considered as first of its kind in the Philippines, a second batch of 1,100 XO laptops are bound to arrive by the middle of October this year. These will be distributed to grade four pupils of the central schools in the 11 municipalities of the province. (LBR/VDPIA4BOccMin)
Happy 5th Anniversary!
SENEN M. LIVELO, JR. Municipal Mayor
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan, (PIA) -- The Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) has been listed as a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention of Wetlands. The declaration was made during the Ramsar Convention held in Bucharest, Romania and witnessed by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Demetrio Ignacio. The Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the DENR nominated the inclusion of the PPUR in the list. It was nominated for its importance as a biodiversity conservation covering entire mountain-to-sea ecosystem and it’s a habitat to eight types of forests; inland wetlands; karst ecosystem; and coastal wetlands like tidal flats and sea grass beds. Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn thanked DENR for the nomination which eventually led to the declaration of PPUR as a Wetland of International Importance. The Ramsar Convention, an international treaty that seeks to conserve and sustainably utilize wetlands and protect them from progressive encroachment, was adopted in the Iranian City of Ramsar in 1971. It covers all geographic regions of the world, with the Philippines as the 119th signatory to the convention. (LBR/VSM/PIA-Palawan)
Expanded Government Internship Program suportado ng DTI Romblon ODIONGAN, Romblon, (PIA) -- Pitong katao ang tinanggap ng Department of Trade of Industy (DTI) Romblon na magtrabaho sa kanilang tanggapan bilang pagsuporta sa programa ng pamahalaan na Expanded Government Internship Program upang makapagbigay ng trabaho sa mga Romblomanon. Sinabi ng DTI Romblon na dalawang buwang magtatrabaho sa kanilang ahensiya ang pitong indibidwal simula Hunyo 18 hanggang Agosto 16, 2012 at tatanggap ng arawang sahod na P252. Ang mga ito umano ay nakapagtapos na ng pag-aaral subalit wala pang mga trabaho kaya isang magandang oportunidad sa mga kabataang ito na sila’y natanggap upang magamit ang kanilang napagaralan. Pinangalanan ng DTI - Romblon ang mga ito at kung saang bayan sila itinalaga upang magsagawa ng price monitoring at ilan pang gawain: Raymond T. Falogme, San Agustin, Romblon; Shela F. Fortaleza at Marian U. Mercado, Odiongan, Romblon; Krizzia G. Gallos, Looc at Alcantara, Romblon; Ron Mark P. Madrona at Silver M. Montojo, Romblon, Romblon; John Francis M. Ornum, San Andres at Calatrava, Romblon. Ikinatuwa ito ng mga napagkalooban ng trabaho dahil nabigyan sila ng pagkakataon upang makapagtrabaho para kumita at kahit papaano ay makatulong sa mga magulang nila sa gastusin sa kanilang tahanan.(LBR/DM/PIAIVB/Romblon)
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JULY 24-30, 2012
AGHAM Party-List Rep. Angelo B. Palmones is one of the recipients of the award for Ten Outstanding Congressmen of the Philippines (TOCP) for 2011 given by the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) in a recognition ceremony last 20 July 2012 at the Makati Sports Club.
PAPI media members have been actively covering projects and activities in different congressional districts of the country. “The Publishers Association of the Philippines, the largest and oldest association of publishers and mediamen in the provinces and urban communities, has kept a close watch of the performance of the members of the House of Representatives,� PAPI President Juan P. Dayang said. Dayang added the community press has been documenting accomplishments of the members of Congress, and media should inform the public, particularly those in the countrysides, of the performance and outstanding performers in the House of Representatives. As member of the 15th Congress, Rep. Palmones has authored 169 legislative measures (58 house bills with four passed on third reading, 108 house resolutions- six adopted by the House of Reps and 53 adopted by the house committees) and delivered
Rep.Angelo Palmones
three privilege speeches. He has also co-authored 228 bills and resolutions, of which three has been passed into law. Palmones has strengthened his advocacy for the protection of public health and the environment thru observance and implementation of enabling laws (e.g. petition for writ of kalikasan for Taal Lake in January 2012 which was resolved in July 2012; writ for Zambales mountain, and inquiry on health impact of imported frozen meat and fish sold in wet markets, and stockpiled coal in Manila North Harbour). Another priority project of Palmones is the implementation of Project COMET (Consortium for Meteorology Education and Training) with the offering of B.S. Meteorology
in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology, Science Education Institute, PAGASA, Commission on Higher Education, Bicol University, Central Luzon State University, Mariano Marcos State University, and Visayas State University. There are now 16 DOST meteorology scholars. He has supported upgrading of science laboratories in public schools through the provisions of science equipment, magnifying lens, computers and science learning modules. Criteria for judging the TOCP for 2011 include legislative leadership; significant bills and resolutions authored, co-authored and passed by Congress; programs and projects initiated and completed; contribution to sound,
enlightened and constructive public discourse on cogent issues; advocacy leadership in promoting serious economic, sociopolitical development concepts and policies; and the ability to relate and sustain their rapport with media. The other honorees are Congressmen Teodoro A. Casino, Ma. Georgina P. De Venecia, Rodolfo C. Farinas, Roilo S. Golez, Edcel C. Lagman, Hermilando I. Mandanas, Emil L. Ong, Rufus B. Rodriguez, Lorenzo R. Tanada III, and Rodolfo G. Valencia. House Speaker Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr conferred the Special Leadership Award, while Cong Manny Pacquiao received the National Pride Award. (AGHAM/Vicky B. Bartilet)
HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSARY !!! The MIMAROPA SUNRISE WEEKLY NEWSMAGAZINE
Greetings From: Marinduque Province
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JULY 24-30, 2012
By: Curtiss Lim Marinduque State College conducted a Seminar-Training on Product Packaging and Labeling on July 23, 2012 at the College AVR. This event, contributed so much to the product development primed by the College, such as the oyster mushroom production, Rimas products and confectionery and the Bagoong production and had Director Bernard T. Caringal of Department of Science and Technology-Provincial Director as their speaker by which he have shared and discussed important trades and ways of product empowerment through proper packaging and labeling vis-Ă -vis maximizing its potential to the market and consumer public. Taking genuine initiative towards the implementation of a real Quality Management System (QMS) leading to ISO Certification, the Marinduque State College of its many programs takes a worthy stride to envisage a standardized packaging and labeling of the College products.
For entrepreneurs and would be, attributing their product to high quality and fair price are deemed to be perpetually important. However, there is still so much that right product packaging can do for any business. Appropriate packaging and labeling will afford the College merchandises the needed advertisement and information for the consumer. It plays as strong medium in the marketing mix, in pricing criterion, promotional advertisement, assessing the strength of our new product, as a setter of market course and an instrument to design brand style and shelf impact in all other and future College product cluster. Students of B.S. Tourism Management, B.S. Entrepreneurship and B.S. Industrial Technology Food Majors were called to participate in the said seminar. For more inquiries, contact the Quality Assurance Office at 332-2863 or email mscovpre@yahoo.com. This Product Packaging and Labeling Seminar-Training was initiated and endorsed by the Office of the College President and in cooperation with the Quality Assurance Office, School of Business Management, School of Industrial Technology and the Production Services Unit of the College.
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS Marinduque District Engineering Office Bangbangalon, Boac, Marinduque Telefax: (042) 311-1503
TIBURCIO L. CANLAS OIC-District Engineer
RODOLFO S. DAVID OIC-Asst. District Engineer
RAMEL J. NARANJO Chief, Planning and Design Section
JESUS M. MALUBAG Chief, Maintenance Section
SALOME M. SARTILLO Chief, Materials Quality Control Section
ARISTEO L. LINGA Chief, Construction Section
EDITA S. SEVILLA
ZENAIDA B. MARCELO
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JULY 24-30, 2012
A 50-hectare rubber plantation expansion is eyed in a promising Oriental Mindoro community that now earns P65,000 per month from latex that can potentially be processed into highervalued products. While it is not a traditional rubber area, Oriental Mindoro immediately has 50 hectares that can expand further to 400 hectares for rubber as its livelihood promise is seen by farmer leaders. Farmer leader-entrepreneur Mitch Miciano just started planting rubber on an almost two-hectare land of his brother in 2005, and subsequently planted on three hectares in his own farm in Sitio Mahabang Parang, Brgy. Malaya, Pinamalayan town. Now the almost two-hectare area has 700 trees that gives consistent yield and a stable income source of P65,000 per month. “Except for one to two months of rest, all the months of the year, rubber will give a regular income specially for people here who don’t have a stable source of income,” he said. “The one who taps earns 30 percent of the selling price right away,” said Miciano. Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DABAR) Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar said BAR is reviewing its program for rubber which is a top industrial crop under government’s program with its vast potential to give livelihood. Dr. Eleazar said DA-BAR is organizing the International Rubber Agroforestry Conference in partnership with the International Rubber Research and Development Board (IRRDB) on September 4-6, 2012 in H2O Hotel in Manila. “We are continuing to assess on how to reach out to farmers and entrepreneurs in the rubber sector which can create many jobs considering the huge growing market for rubber in China and other economically advanced countries,” said Eleazar. He said BAR is currently funding the implementation of a Research, Development, and Extension project in rubber in Mindoro with the DA-MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) Research Division. The investment climate for rubber has steadily become attractive. Price doubled from cup lump’s only P30 per kilo when Miciano started planting rubber in 2005 to the present price reaching to P70 per kilo in Mindanao. “Many people here are encouraged to plant rubber. One investor
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planted on 8,000 seedlings on seven hectares In due time, we can become like Mindanao,” he said. But while the potential to create livelihood appears vast in this non-traditional rubber area, its success will largely depend on financing availability. Production cost is at P100,000 in a place where capital is in dearth. This includes cost for seeds, fertilization, labor for clearing lands, and planting. But this cost excludes the cash needs of farm families for their daily sustenance while waiting for the tree to produce latex. It takes five years for a budded seedling—a seedling that receives its top stem from a mature, short-gestating, good quality rubber tree—to become ready for latex tapping. The budded seedling costs P60 per piece, and this price will still increase as it has to be transported from Zamboanga. The investor that brought in 8,000 seedlings to the town spent P170,000 just for transportation, Miciano said. Government’s assistance should also be in the provision of budded seedlings which has the advantage of yielding latex in just five years, instead of the long 10 years for non-budded seedlings. Rudy Galang, BAR rubber specialist, said Land Bank has a window specially for rubber production. Rubber is also one of the industries now being given assistance by the DA through the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, Galang said . An important input to rubber planting that must also be financed in the long term is farmers’ acquisition of a processing more on page 8...
STATEMENT SEC. MARIO G. MONTEJO DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
We at the Department of Science and Technology have taken note of the issues and grievances raised by DOST-PAGASA employees with respect to the availment of Magna Carta benefits as provided under Republic Act 8439. Hence, we are now working toward a proper resolution to this in conjunction with other government institutions. Rest assured that the Department is prioritizing this matter and stands in full support for the longterm financial security and well-being of its most precious resource—its people.
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JULY 24-30, 2012
HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSARY and more power to the
MIMAROPA SUNRISE WEEKLY NEWS MAGAZINE!!!
Greetings From:
Greetings from:
Dr. Roby Montellano Cosmetic/Orthodentists/Oral Surgeon
Atty. Domingo “Benjo” Buenviaje Sta. Cruz, Marinduque
50 hectre rubber expansion….From page 7 facility that can produce higher-priced semi-finished products. “Researchers of the University of Southern Mindanao in Kabacan, Cotabato led by Dr. Romulo L. Sena has already developed a village-type processing facility costing P50,000 to P70,000 per unit,” Galang said. The immediate output of a processing machine, according to Miciano, is in the form of towel-like rubber sheets which are priced almost double that of the cup-lumps. Miciano said he has also acquired a locally-fabricated device costing only P20,000 to produce such rubber sheets. The machine looks like a roller and is attached to a central power unit in a tractor. However, he has temporarily stopped use of the equipment as it also requires other accompanying devices, dryers in particular, to work with. “If government can give this to us, it will be a big help, although we haven’t been expecting assistance from the government since we started planting,” he said. The rubber sheets need air-drying but should not be exposed to sunlight, or these will melt. Eventually, another need is to ensure that farmers will receive a good price for their produce. “In Mindanao, traders compete on offering a good price to farmers. Once our volume of production increases, traders will just come readily,” said Miciano. From the plantation area alone, potential job to be created is one for every hectare. That excludes potential jobs for tappers or the one that extracts rubber latex from the trees, transporters, processing skilled labor, and marketers. “At the P65 price per kilo now, that means P65,000 peso per month gross income. You cannot earn that from coconut or any other trees,” Galang said. Rubber price is foreseen to continue to rise in the world market. “There’s a shortage of supply in the world market because China is getting rich, and car sales is increasing tremendously, and the rubber tires that go with these cars. Even if you plant rubber in all farmlands of the Philippines, it will not be enough to supply the present demand,” said Miciano. Many foreigners are apparently the ones profiting from trading of rubber in Mindanao. “These traders are earning because they invested in buying rub-
“These traders are earning because they invested in buying rubber a long time ago. You don’t need government intervention anymore in the sale of rubber in Mindanao. It’s a well established rubber trading system.” Even traders in Malaysia are reported to be the ones coming into Mindanao to buy the rubber. Although there are negative reports of rubber smuggling out of Mindanao, that is because other nationals see the value of the product. “Malaysia has become rich because of rubber because they planted it on all their mountains even in slopes, said Miciano, a former bank finance officer who turned to planting rubber. “It’s good that DA has a thrust to plant rubber. You just shouldn’t be impatient. I myself haven’t been able to notice the five years waiting time before we began harvesting.” Aside from being an industrial crop, rubber is considered an environment protection crop. “Its roots grow laterally or sideways. It’s not deep rooted, and its benefit is the top soil is maintained. It is an erosion control tool,” said Miciano. Rubber’s foliage is also expansive, so it absorbs carbon dioxide significantly, contributing to a reversal in the effects of global warming.. With this prospect, the Agricutural Training Institute (ATI) already has a plan to put up a large-scale technology demonstration farm in Bansud, Oriental Mindoro, said Galang. There is currently an estimated 150,000 hectares of rubber land in the country. “Rubber is now very popular in Oriental Mindoro. They’re attracted because of what they saw in Pinamalayan. There are many agrarian reform lands that are planned to be planted with rubber because right now people there just plant kamote (sweet potato), vegetables. Cooperatives will be given planting materials for a total of 40 hectares in Bansud,” said Galang. Expansion of rubber plantations should enable Philippines to expand its market as the world demand for natural rubber was previously estimated to reach to 12.4 million metric tons (MT) by 2020. For any inquiries, please call Mr. Mitch Miciano, 0927-7785426; Mr. Rudy Galang, 0916-200-7331; or 0917-979-1629 for interview arrangements.