Farm equipment turned over to coop-beneficiaries in Davao Sur town

MAGSAYSAY, Davao del Sur, July 20 (PIA) – The local government unit here has recently turned over various farm machineries to three multi-purpose cooperatives and a women’s organization in the municipality.

Municipal Administrator Sofronio Dinglasa and Municipal Agriculturist Helen Carampana led the distribution of five Mobile All-In Shredder Machines, six Vermi Tea Brewers and a Cassava Grainer to the beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries were the St. Michael Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Magsaysay Organic Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Magsaysay Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Rural Improvement Club, whose representatives received the machines on Monday.

One shredder machine will also be turned over to the Municipal Eco-Park for massive production of organic fertilizers through vermi-composting.

Carampatana said the machines manufactured by Davao Techno Craft based on Nabunturan, Compostela Valley arrived last week and a demo was then held on how to operate them.

She said the local government acquired the machines through the Bottoms-Up Budgeting (BUB) of the national government’s Department of Agriculture (DA).

She added the shredder machine will be used to pulverize biodegradable materials like rice stalks and hulls to become organic fertilizers.

The brewer will be fermenting 60 liters of water added with one kilo of vermicast for 72 hours to be sprayed to rice farms and other agricultural areas also as fertilizer.

Carampatana said that the distribution of farm machineries is only part of the various distributed farm equipment here in this municipality since it also recently acquired two farm tractors, a number of threshers, and an Organic Trading Post, among others. (MIO-Magsaysay/Anthony S. Allada)

Kapalong all set for 67th Founding Anniversary celebration

KAPALONG, Davao del NOrte, July 20, 2015 - Another milestone in the history of the municipality of Kaplaong will mark as it celebrates its 67th founding anniversary as a distinct town on August 1, 2015.

Then Philippine President  Elpidio R. Quirino signed on August 1, 1948 Executive Order No. 151 declaring Kapalong as a distinct municipality.

To make the festivity more exciting and fun filled, the celebration’s steering committee headed by Mayor Edgardo L. Timbol has earlier lined up two-weeklong activities .

Starting  on July 20 is the Inter-barangay basketball tournament for men and volleyball for women as a  kick off event, while other game tournaments such as football invitational games, Inter barangay volleyball for PRO-GLAD, billiard, dart  taekwondo, sepak takraw for elementary and   high school and veterans, trisikad padyak race, inter-basketball for elementary, drum and lyre competition will have its different  schedule in the 2- week round  celebration.

Withits continued endeavor of fostering peoples’ safety, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (MDRRMC) will have its Life Boat Making Contest out of recyclable materials open to all elementary and high schools in the municipality starting January 25.

The Public Employment Service Office (PESO) will have its PESLA and career guidance for graduating students on July 27 while the Municipal Health Office will have its Blood Letting Activity on the 28th. The Health Office will also celebrate its health day and blood donors’ day to give recognition to individuals and families who contributed  much in the blood sufficiency program of the local government.

A day with the farmers will also be initiated giving cognizance of their effort for the town’s booming agriculture industry which will be underscored with the inauguration of the LGU’s  livestock center.

A tribal ritual will also be performed by the Kapalong Tribal Council at the town square’s mini theater as part of the LGU’s effort of preserving the municipality’s  cultural heritage apart from staging the Hugyaw sa Kagabhion cultural night presentation among sectors in town  and the Search for Miss Teen Kapalong.

On August 1, which is the anniversary day, a grand  parade will be participated in by different sectoral groups in town which will be highlighted with a program with Congressman Anthony Rafael G. del Rosario as the Guest Speaker. The most awaited fireworks display and rave party is expected to be showcased as the celebration’s concluding activity in the evening.  (cj-MIOKapalong)

IGACOS officials visit Bohol to learn disaster response and management

ISLAND GARDEN CITY OF SAMAL, July 20, 2015 -  To gain knowledge on disaster response, rehabilitation and recovery, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council here headed by City Mayor Aniano P. Antalan visited  Bohol Province on July 7 to July 9.

Last October 10, 2013, Region 7, particularly Cebu and Bohol Province, were hit with 7.2 magnitude  earthquake leaving the place severely devastated and people horrified.

The Municipality of Baclayon Planning and Development Coordinator  and  MDRRM Executive Officer Architect Marvin Francis Apale  bared  their horrible experience with  the magnitude 7.2  earthquake.  The devastating earthquake damaged the facade of the Baclayon Church,  its bell tower collapsed, some houses sunk, buildings cracked and broken , some section of their roads cracked and  impassable making service delivery efforts difficult.

Apale said panic ensued as people saw the water receded for quite far but good enough the earthquake didn’t trigger tsunami yet still leaving the people  horrified due to many aftershocks , ground shaking which  made their concrete walls and pavements cracked.

In their overwhelming experience, Arch. Apale suggested  not to depend too  much with  technology  but instead to  value the olden ways in dealing with disaster  because  according to him during the worst situation  we cannot always rely with our gadgets  due to absence of power, cellphone signals, transportation and many others.

Almost the same devastation brought by the 7.2 earthquake struck the Municipality of Maribojoc. The centuries old Maribojoc  Church collapsed, some houses plunge on sinkholes,  school buildings broken, roads cracked and sea water receded  which made the sea bed rose to about 40 hectares according to the leaders in the area.

The municipal officials and department heads  said their resiliency was tested. They couldn’t imagine the enormity of the demands of the people and the attention and interest of some national and international government and private agencies. Nonetheless, they were overwhelmed by their accomplishments as leaders who took the disaster as a challenge.  What the leaders did was to join hands and always coordinate with the people down to the barangays. They always involved the leaders in the barangays and even puroks in their plans and interventions  in extending help and providing their needs.

“Samal Island is the same with Bohol because you are an island and also have lots of caves. . .you just don’t know you are sitting on a sinkhole, so  you should always be ready”, Maribojoc Municipal Mayor Leoncio Badilla Evasco said.

Evasco emphasized the importance of legislative support in declaring a state of calamity in worst situation so that help could readily be given to the people and to also have presence of mind and control over the situation.

The IGaCoS Council also visited Cebu Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and had met with Office of Civil Defense Region 7 DRRM Regional Director Olivia Luces and gave the team a warm welcome and brief tour and orientation  of their office functions and scope of work in the region frequently hit with disaster.

The group was also to visit the Cebu City DRRM Operation Center, giving the team a quick presentation of their remarkable disaster risk reduction facilities and equipments and their management strategies down to the barangays.

The local government of IGaCoS annually conducted benchmarking to cities and municipalities with remarkable best practices worth emulating. The interactions and sharing with the leaders who personally experienced and were also victims of the calamity earnestly and honestly shared all their actual and difficult learning. The gained knowledge and understanding could be basis for a better and realistic disaster planning of programs, projects and activities and for policy recommendations. (CIO Samal)

Duterte orders all food vendors to undergo seminar on food handling

DAVAO CITY, July 20 (PIA) Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has ordered all food vendors to undergo a seminar on proper food preparation, packing  and handling to ensure that their products are safe for public consumption.

He said that as a mayor, it is his job to help people and not to push them to the edge.

Duterte said the police on its investigation could hardly zero in on individuals with criminal intent in preparing the candies that poisoned several people in Caraga area, from food preparation to food handling.

“All food vendors in the city must attend a seminar.  We need to sacrifice a day for that,” he said.

Duterte said the seminar area might be in the city hall or he has to look for a comfortable venue.

He said food handlers must wash their hands after they touch themselves like wiping their nose or perspiration.

Duterte underscored that the germs from the toilet are a plenty which requires everyone to wash their hands after using.

He also observed that often Durian manufacturers buy riped Durian fruit, that is already open.

“I cannot charge anybody until such time that I can gather clear evidence,” he said.

Duterte said all the vendors will be trained by the City Health Office, Food and Drugs Administration, Department of Trade and Industry.

The seminar will cover basic standard on hygiene and sanitation.

The Food and Drug Administration laboratory report showed staphylococcus bacteria present and matched in the symptoms manifested by patients in Cagaoit, Surigao del Sur a vomiting and stomach ache.  The bacteria could cause food poisoning.

He said the local government will also check the cleanliness in the areas for food prearation.

“It is a role to be played by the Davao City Health, FDA, tudluan ang tawo ug tanang namaligya, libot suroy, magkuha gyud ug ID,” (teach the public and also all sellers, the ambulant vendors that one should get an ID)  Duterte said.

He said the seminar will be free, with free food and accommodation.  (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)