UNA BATS FOR TOP-LEVEL CRISIS GROUP TO HANDLE LOOMING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN AREAS HIT BY ‘PABLO’

PRESS The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) today proposed a top-level crisis management team made up of Cabinet Secretaries to address what it described as a “looming humanitarian crisis” in areas badly hit by typhoon Pablo. Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, UNA Secretary General, said the administration’s response should at least be on the same level as when it conducted a full search for the late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo. “Given the rising death toll, the extent of damages, and the looming humanitarian crisis, we see no reason why the administration cannot designate a Cabinet Secretary or a team of Cabinet Secretaries to be on the ground to direct government efforts,” Tiangco said. “The administration did this during search for the late Secretary Robredo and there is all the more reason to do it now,” he added. Tiangco noted that during the search for Robredo, Cabinet secretaries were on top of the situation, and government agencies and resources were tapped to the fullest. “The administration has shown what it can do when it musters its resources, personnel and attention as was the case during the search for the late Secretary. We hope the administration will do this again, since the situation in Mindanao involves thousands of Filipinos,” he said. Tiangco said the survivors have been complaining about the lack of food and other basic needs, a week after the typhoon. There is also the need to clear the areas of debris and restore basic utilities like power and water. “There is a perception that government response has not been very effective. This needs to be addressed immediately,” he said

Traditional Upland Rice in Maguindanao to expand to 40 hectares to enhance rice processing opportunities

  

                                       BY: RIC CLET and MARIZ REVALES

  

   To enchance rice processing opportunities in Maguindanao, a traditional upland rice project in Maguindanao will be doubled to 40 hectares next season for the porvince’s One town One Product (OTOP) rice delicacies like the “Tinagtag.”

     With the need to aid the province in economic progress as a means to achieve peace and order stability, the Community-based Participatory Research (CPAR) project of the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) is expanding its earlier 20-hectare program.  The variety being popular used is the Red Dinorado.

  

Funding amounted to P600,000.  The project will be replicated in an aim to raise more farmer leader-entrepreneurs from the program.

   The Pigkalagan Farmers’ Association (PFA) and Ladia Farmers Association (LFA) have just doubled their rice yield to an average of 2.8 metric tons (MT) per hectare from 1.2 MT.

   Although still far lower compared to the average yield in certified seeds and hybrids that bring Maguindanao’s average rice yield to three MT, the yield increase is already an achievement.

   The upland farmers have never really been practicing proper fertilization according to Department of Agriculture and Fisheries-Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (DA-ARMM) Project Leader Tong A. Abas.

   “We’re now using fertilizers (including the organic BIO-N) and pest control.  These were among the most important practices that should be observed as suggested during our PRA (Participatory Rural Appraisal),” said Abas.

   Also a basic need is organizing farmers.

   The organized farmers now comprise PFA, which has 15 members, and LFA, with 20 members.  Of these groups 22 are participants of the CPAR-Traditional Upland Rice-based Farming System (TURFS).

   Even if rice is the single most valuable commodity in the country, many farmers remain needy of  help in organization, said BAR Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar.

   “Organizing farmers creates a lot synergy in rural projects.  Many united farmers can achieve much more than many farmers working separately from each other can achieve,” Eleazar said.

   BAR’s CPAR also conducts a PRA at the very start of a project.  It is a requirement in CPAR, a program where farmers themselves are asked what they think they need exactly to become progressive.

   BAR noted that upland farms are among the most neglected in the country.  Aside from being distant from cities, difficult to reach for farm technicians, and the absence of irrigation, upland farms are far from farm to market roads, storage facilities, and bulk food processing facilities.

Seed Production

   The upland rice program is now eyeing the more complicated seed production.

    “There’s higher potential earning from seed production for good seeds. Our farmers our good, they can produce seeds,” said Abas.

   There’s also a bigger demand for seeds.  Rather than selling rice as food to customers, farmers usually keep a portion of their production to themselves for planting use. That can be a factor to seed shortage.

   Maguindanao has the mountainous North Upi as the Little Baguio of Maguindanao that is ideal as seed production land.  It is also a center for agricultural production where the Upi Agricultural School is found.

   “It’s not necessary that a seed production land is in the plains, although a flat land is better. Farmers traditionally do zero tillage (no plowing). But what we do to improve the land (under TURFS) is to plow it,” said Abas.

   Seed production program will potentially enable Maguindanao to sell seeds to other provinces. 

   Maguindanao presently imports from other provinces some rice need with 173,728 MT deficiency.  This is 30 percent of consumption as of 2011, according to provincial data. 

Milling and other farm constraints

   The farmers may also have a separate project on the acquisition of a milling machine. Most upland farmers still practically use the laborious hand-driven pounding of rice.  They use wooden pole as tool to separate rice grain from the stalks.

   “Maybe if we become successful, we may have another proposal for milling,” he said.

   A TURFS report named the lack of post-harvest (storage and drier) facilities as among the challenges in upland farming. 

   Others are high costs of farm inputs, lack of access to lending, inadequacy in technical know-how, lack of transportation to haul the harvest, weed threats, and weather-related problems like flash floods.

   Flash floods add up to the fact that most farms are rainfed, therefore, are planted to rice only once a year. That’s instead of two times in irrigated lands.

   To avoid seasons of flooding, TURFS is also determining a cropping calendar that will avoid heavy rains and flooding.  Its distinct season due to climate change comes earlier.  The dry season is from Sept. 16 to March 15, the wet from March 16 to Sept. 15

Native delicacies

   A good local rice production may further enable Maguindanaoan families to produce the native delicacies which they are famous for.

   One of this is the “Tinagtag,” a crunchy snack made of ground rice, sugar, and water.  It is given as a gift in special occasions like Thanksgiving, similar to how “tikoys” are given away during Chinese New Year.

   “It’s very much known in Maguindanao, and you can’t make it if you don’t use the native upland rice,” said Abas. The province’s indigenous rice is known for both its glutinous and non-glutinous forms and delicious taste.

   Tinagtag and other rice-based delicacies Dudul, Kumukunsi, Panganan Sising, Putri Mandi, Tipas, Dadal Muntia, and Bulua are also the reasons why there is limited rice supply.

   “During seed planting, we run out of seeds.  You have to go house to house to buy seeds.  People are not willing to sell their seeds because they turn them into native products from which they earn a lot.”

   As these rice-based goods are good for what they are, these have become a One Town One Product (OTOP) in Sultan Kudarat, a Maguindanao town. OTOP products receive financing and marketing support through the Department of Trade and Industry.  The brand Samra Maguindanao Delicacies is already distributed all over the country.

   Among the makers of Tinagtag are urban poor women members of  UP SAVINGS (Urban Poor Socialized Actions and Viable Initiatives that Net, Gain, and Serve) Multi-purpose Cooperative.

   “Poor economic conditions and low productivity trap farmers in a poverty circle.  It is very important that we find ways on how to improve farmers’ financial capability.  Teaching and helping them, especially women,  process products are good opportunity to explore in order to help farmers generate additional income,” according to the CPAR project.

   CPAR-TURFS and DAF intervention

    Of the 22 TURFS farmer-cooperators, 10 are from Brgy. Simuay and 12 from Brgy. Darapanan.

   The farmers were provided with 40 kilos traditional upland rice seeds, 4.5 kilos green mongo, two bags complete fertilizer, one bag urea, six packs of Bio-N, one bottle herbicide, and one bottle pesticide.

   A one hectare demonstration farm was established since the project in March 2009 in order to attract farmers’ interest on how to raise their yield.

   On top of the CPAR-TURFS assistance, DAF also has a program for Maguindanao, not only the uplands but the entire province.

   To assure farmers that there will be a buyer for their produce, DAF committed to buy these.  But with the rice shortage, farmers refused to sell these to DAF as they needed them  for home use and delicacy-making.

      Yield should sustain growth from an average of 3.08 MT per hectare in 2011 to 3.28 MT, 2012; 3.57 MT, 2013; 3.63 MT, 2014; 3.79 MT, 2015; and 3.93 MT, 2016.

   Maguindanao has a total rice area of 94,773 hectares consisting of 23,000 hectares of irrigated land and a comparably bigger 71,770 hectares of rainfed area.

   There remains a potential irrigable area of 27,681 hectares.  It is estimated that 18,127 farmers will be benefited with the development of irrigable areas. Among the beneficiary areas are Libris, Alip, Malmar, Lambayong, Pagris, Talayan, and Kabulnan.

   Maguindanao actually suffered a rice production decline of 7.3 percent to 578,128 hectares in 2011.  This is a result of the flash-flood causing typhoons Ceding, Dodoy, Egay and Frank.

   Also the abolition of an earlier 50-50 subsidy scheme, where government paid for the cost of certified and hybrid seeds, caused the decrease.

   The Maguindanao provincial government separately receives aid from DA and the Philippine Rice Research Institute.  

   From June to September this year, a P33.8 million is being allocated for various assistance including seed for climate change varieties.  This includes submergence-tolerant varieties, drought-tolerant varieties, early maturing varieties, and certified seeds.

   Other suggested priority assistance to Maguindanao farmers are support for organic fertilizer through composting facilities, construction of  new and restoration of irrigation in coordination with ARMM, Regions 9, 10, and 12, provision for post harvest facilities and farm mechanization (warehouses), and farmers’ training.

Authorities claim Muslim rebel behind Zamboanga twin bombing

      

      

                   By:MARIZ REVALES and GRETCHIN MONDOY

Police authority claimed that Muslim rebel is behind the twin bombing in the port city of Zamboanga in the Southern Mindanao that resulted to wounding of six persons that include a boy inside a bus 100 meters away from the terminal at around 9:30 pm last night and another bomb exploded at around 10:45 pm at the vicinity of Masjid at Campo Muslim at Superville, this City.

Regional director Police Chief Supt. Napoleon Estilles disclosed to GMANews online that there assessment point to a battling Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement, a Muslim rebel group who staged a series of attacks in the military detachments in Maguindanao last week.

Estilles said that in this situation, only the BIFM rebel group has the intentions to retaliate due to the military offensive in nearby Basilan province and in Maguindanao.

“We are still gathering evidences that could point to the rebel group though no group had claimed responsible”,Estilles said.

City director, Police SSupt James Mejia said that passengers inside the bus that just arrived from Pagadian City were not accounted when the  bomb exploded. “ It was among the cargoes and baggage probably planted in the bus compartment”, Mejia said.

Meanwhile, no one was hurt when the blast occurred near the Masjid in barangay Campo Muslim at around 10:45 pm while the Muslims are doing their Ramadan prayer.

In is part,  First (Tabak) Division commander, Major General Ricardo Reiner Cruz III also said that they are looking on the angle of extortion. “We were informed that the bus company had terminated one of its employees from the service” Cruz said.

Hajiri eyes development for Lugus town

                                                     

                                                     

                                                  MARIZ REVALES and GRETCHIN MONDOY

Sulu- Businessman Hadar M. Hajiri, Al Haj of Lugus town, this province  eyed for infrastructure and economic  development for this town. Hajiri was born to a native fisherman of the place.

As businessman, Hajiri expressed his burden to address poverty problems and the poor infrastructures.

He said the effort to initiative development  such has  giving  the people an equal opportunity fo r a better life can generate peace stability.

Hajiri added the best way marginazined sector  can be reduced is to give  the less fortunate individuals an opportunity of an equal access to social services.

Hajiri was an independent  mayoralty aspirant  last may 11, 2010 synchronized national elections.

During  this election, he was found strictly supporting  the gun ban law.

Gun ban is vital step toward ensuring  peaceful  and orderly election, said Hajiri who is also the president

and chief  executive officer of MEDZAR shipping Lines.

Man with mission

His supporters called him as “The Man with a Mission”.

From the humble  beginning, he joined the PC-INP in 1984.

He offered his service to assist the national Power Corporation in its  electrification program  to energized the ppoor  and the non- profitable areas  most of which are found  in the provinces  of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi Tawi.

In 1991, he resigned from the police  force to handle missionary works fro NAPOCOR and took care of personnel from Manila working for the installation from Manila working fro the installation of power barges and generating sets in Bongao and neighboring islands.

His unselfish effort to help in energizing Twi-Tawi poevince and its neighboring areas,earned him contracts to establish p[ower parts of the country and became a hauler for NAPOCOR in the delivery of fuel,spare parts and other materials to different peorjects.

In 1993, he established MEDZAR sShipping Lines and became  the exclusive hauler of NAPOCOR. At present ,he is also the owner / proprietor of MEDZAR Trucking Services and Megaworld Security Agency.

(with report from MARIZ REVALES)

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Ganassi, Lanao del Sur soon to become water sports capital in the ARMM

                     MARIZ REVALES and GRITCHEN MONDOY

http://frontliners2009.blogspot.com/2012/06/ganassi-lanao-del-sur-soon-to-be-dragon.html

Mayor Al Rashid Macapodi make a ride in a dry run of the
dragon boat across lake Lanao

Ganassi, Lanao del Sur- This coastal town of Ganassi will soon become the water sports capital and adventure destination in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and dragon boat capital of Mindanao.

                                                                                                       

 Mayor Al Rashid Macapodi, in a telephone interview disclosed that the holding of a three day exhibition and clinic is the first ever dragon boat race to be conducted on June 16-18, 2012 with a theme “one paddle for peace, one race for ranao, this is in cooperation with The Philippine Dragon Boat Federation and dubbed as Sarimanok Boat Race.

 The three day clinic and exhibition for dragon boat race will be participated by Ganassi residents  with a goal to equipped them for dragon boat race in the future which Ganassi potential  players.   

Macapodi also disclosed that the event aims to promote sports among the people in the province considering the importance of sports contribution in upholding peace and unity in this part the country.

The mayor also disclosed that prominent leaders in the ARMM lead by Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman together with his cabinet secretaries, ARMM department heads and other provincial officials are among the guests to grace the affair.

 With five teams to participate in this boat competition, it’s a good start  said Ganassi administrator Noroddin  Maguinanao

Theknown  Sarimanok boat race  also seeks  to develop lake lanao, the second largest fresh water lake in the country and one of the 17 ancient lake in the world.

http://frontliners2009.blogspot.com/2012/06/ganassi-lanao-del-sur-soon-to-be-dragon.html

Motorboat caught fire in Stangkai

                                             

                                             MARIZ REVALES and RIC CLET

Sitangkai, Tawi Tawi Island-  M/L Nursiba , a motor vessel from Malaysia  was allegedly caught on  fire in  Sitangkai in this island town carrying unkind volume of gasoline .

According to authorities, six crewmen were injured while trying to put off the fire allegedly  originated from the engine room at about 12 noon of June 9, 2011.

The report said that the vessel came from Malaysia to deliver gasoline in Tawi Tawi with unknown shipper when the boat was caught on fire.

Residents in this tiny island told reporters that this kind of incidents happened very often.

As of this writing, company of the vessel  still unknown and the number of crewmen on board.   

Hataman and Akbar ends War

http://frontliners2009.blogspot.com/2012/06/hataman-and-akbar-ends-war.html

By Jong Cadion

Isabela City, Basilan – Finally the peace and development will come true in the island province of Basilan following the singing of peace covenant between the two warring families yesterday May 5, 2012.

Governor Jum Akbar and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) OIC Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman led more than 5,000 Basilenos in the signing of “A Covenant of Solidarity for Peace and Development in Basilan” conducted in the Basilan State College, here.

The huge gymnasium filled to the rafters as two of the most powerful political families in Basilan finally came together to forge an alliance “for peace and development” that is now being dubbed as “the Basilan Model “, worthy to be emulated throughout the rest of the ARMM.

Gusto po namin and reconciliation na ito, unang una bilang pagsunod sa utos ng ating mahal na panginoong Allah. Panglawa po ay para maisakatuparan na ang matagal nang pangarap ng ating mga kapwa Basileno na makagsundo na ang dalawang pamilyang ito.” Gov.Jum Akbar, matriarch of the Akbar clan, summed up the sentiments of her family in an emotional message before the assembled crowd, which included, among others, DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo, OPPAP Secretary Teresita Deles and the four other Governors of the ARMM.

She added “Kung katahimikan at kaunlaran po ang minimithi ng mas nakakarami, handing handa po kaming gawin ang lahat para maisakatuparan lamang ito.”

The initial talks between the two families started nearly six months back, with emissaries from the Basilan Ulama Supreme Council sent by Gov.Hataman to approach Gov. Akbar for a possible rapprochement. A meeting was likewise held in Malacanang with no less than President Benigno Aquino III manifesting his desire for the two families to finally come to terms with each other. A series of consultations ensued on both sides, as the clan leaders reached out to the family members.http://frontliners2009.blogspot.com/2012/06/hataman-and-akbar-ends-war.html

“We are definitely looking forward to this new chapter in the lives of Basilenos everywhere.” Basilan Ulama Secretary General and Provincial Board Member Yusop Alano said. “We should all welcome this new alignment, as this will surely bring peace and development to Basilan.

In a message on behalf of the League of Mayors, Chapter President Alih Sali, Mayor of Akbar Municipality, added” as much as we wished to stay loyal to our political alliances, we prayed very hard for a reconciliation between and among our leaders.”

The Akbar and Hataman families ran against each other once more in the 2010 elections. Governor Jum Akbar, widow of the late Congressman, won the election, defeating both Mujiv Hataman and Salapuddin. Hataman was subsequently appointed by President Aquino to head the ARMM in December 2011.Salapuddin on the other hand, was finally issued a warrant of the arrest after the Department of Justice upheld the charges filed against him.

As a result of the peace agreement between the Akbar and The Hataman families, the charges filed in court against both Mujiv and Jim Hataman were summarily dropped by the Akbar family. This will likewise open the possibility for Gov. Akbar to join the administration’s Liberal party, especially in the run up to the 2013 polls, and for the two families to field a unified ticket. 

  http://frontliners2009.blogspot.com/2012/06/hataman-and-akbar-ends-war.html  

DepEd Marawi launches Biometric Time Attendance Recorder

RIC CLET and MARIZ REVALES           Islamic City of Marawi - Marawi City School Division of the Department of Education of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) launched recently its 2012 -2013 Brigade Eskwela and the distribution of Biometric Time Attendance Recorder to secondary high schools and Central Elementary schools here. These machines will prevent teachers from tardiness and absences once these will be implemented and install to different schools as their daily time recorder. City Schools Division Superintendent Mona A. Macatanong in her speech said that with financial support of Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman and Dep Ed Regional Secretary Atty. Jamar Kulayan the distribution of biometric machines, paints and brooms will not be realized.   Macatanong added that the affair is not new development in the district since it is also their 50th (Golden) founding anniversary of the division when it was separated from the Lanao del Sur division in 1962. "This year we will be implementing the biometric time attendance recorder in support to Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman educational reform agenda in the ARMM", Macatanong said. The school maintenance week or more properly known as Brigada Eskwela program of the DepEd focuses on sanitation and personal hygiene. The Brigade Eskwela mobilizes the teachers, students, parents, civic groups, Local Government Units and the residents in repairing of schools two weeks before the opening of classes on June 4, 2012. She added that with the aid of this device, she is very optimistic that the teachers can maintain and push forward in uplifting their quest to quality education through quality service of dedicated teachers of school division of Marawi City.   "Marawi City division has been provided for quality education to the people in the area and 95 percent of our successful leaders of today are products of our city division such as politicians, lawyers, directors and other government officials. She lauded the administrators and the teachers of the division in providing quality education to the pupils and the students for making us on top in the recent achievement test given by the region and national DepEd. "In fact, our elementary basketball team garnered bronze medal in the recent Palarong Pambansa, "Macatanong said. Macatanong also informed Secretary Kulayan that on June 3, 2012 district principals will be distributing their lesson plans,class records, and observation and suggestion books to all teachers in the field. Meanwhile, Kulayan in his part, said that he just came from Manila to follow up the funds for the training of teachers in the implementation of K-12 DepEd program that will start this year. He said an understanding with DepEd Central office, ARMM regional DepEd will be using the saving just to push through the training in order to implements K-12 program by June 4, 2012.  " I am very glad that Marawi City Schools Division started the biometric, making the first division to implement the biometric machines in their schools, having the first to put up this machine  in their division office",Kulayan disclosed.  The secretary also launched ARMM DepEd program dubbed as "Kulayan ang Paaralan". The program aims to paint all the schools along the national highways in the city schools division."The division wanted to implement the program under this administration and by the end of the program all schools will be colorful ",Kulayan said. The secretary before he ends his speech, he announced that clothing allowance is ready for distribution, the mid year bonus is also set for release.

SSS bares guidelines of P7-B educational loan facility

SSS bares guidelines of P7-B educational loan facility

The Social Security System (SSS) has announced the terms of its new P7-billion loan window for college education and skills training, which is part of government’s efforts to enhance job prospects and ensure productive employment of current and future workers.

SSS Officer-in-Charge Edgar Solilapsi said members earning P10,000 or less a month can apply for the Educational Assistance Loan Program (EALP) to enable them or their dependents to defray enrollment costs for college, vocational and technical courses.

"The EALP aims to boost the country’s socio-economic growth by developing a larger pool of competent professionals and skilled workers. It will also help workers upgrade their knowledge and skills to secure better jobs and provide a brighter future for their family," Solilapsi added.

Members with at least 36 contributions -- including three monthly premiums within the past 12 months -- are eligible to borrow for educational expenses of one beneficiary. The member must also be paying premiums based on a monthly salary credit of P10,000 or lower.

"The beneficiaries can be the SSS members themselves, legal spouses or children. Unmarried members can use the loan for the education of their siblings," Solilapsi said. "However, no substitution of beneficiary will be allowed to ensure that students finish their studies and obtain their degree."

The maximum loan amount per semester or trimester is P15,000 for college and P7,500 for a vocational or technical course, which must be a two-year degree program or higher. Loan releases will be made payable to the school and must be used for tuition and miscellaneous fees only. The school must be accredited by the Commission on Higher Education or the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Members have up to three years to repay the loan for voc-tech courses and up to five years for college degrees. The grace period before repayment, which will start on the date of the final loan release, is 18 months for semestral courses and 15 months for trimestral programs.

The P7-billion educational loan fund for private sector workers consists of P3.5 billion in national government subsidy and P3.5 billion from SSS. It can serve as a revolving fund that may be released to benefit more borrowers as these are recovered and collected, Solilapsi noted.

"The loan amount shall be funded on a 50:50 basis from the national government and SSS. The SSS portion carries an interest rate of six percent per annum based on diminishing principal balance until fully paid, while the government share has zero interest," he added.

To apply, members must accomplish a loan application form and personally submit this and a school-issued billing statement to their nearest SSS branch. Application forms for the EALP are available at SSS branches or may be downloaded from the SSS website (www.sss.gov.ph).

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