DA, PhilRice renew support for National Year of Rice Category: Agri-Commodities Published on Tuesday, 12 February 2013 19:56 Written by Ramon Efren R. Lazaro / Correspondent THE Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) on Monday reaffirmed its support for the National Year of Rice 2013 (NYR 2013) program, with the rice agency allotting an hour that day to promote it. NYR 2013 is a national government program led by the DA that aims to encourage everyone to help the country achieve rice self-sufficiency, promote better health among the crop’s consumers and improve the income of farmers. It is part of the Food Staples Sufficiency Program, which focuses on rice as the Filipinos’ staple food. After President Aquino issued Proclamation 494 declaring 2013 as the National Year of Rice on October 18, 2012, the government asked farmers, policy-makers and consumers to work toward achieving its rice self-sufficiency goal. PhilRice said farmers can try using efficient technologies to increase the quantity and quality of yield, policy-makers can help create policies supporting or promoting productivity among farmers and responsible rice consumption, and consumers can reduce wasting rice by trying brown rice and other sources of carbohydrates or eat just the right amount of the staple. Nutritionists say that rice for better health means eating brown rice and consuming a one-fourth cup of the staple per meal. Rice pledge recited PHILRICE’S allotment of one hour to promote the program, dubbed the National Year of Rice Hour, was highlighted by the recitation of the Panatang Makapalay (Rice Pledge), the writing of pledges on a so-called commitment wall and the sharing of NYR-related infographics, pictures and posts on social-media sites. Cora Abio of the National Food Authority said the Panatang Makapalay reminded her of her role in helping the country provide enough rice for Filipinos. “With this pledge, I became more conscious of not wasting rice and inform my children and friends why every grain counts,” she said. PhilRice statistics show that each Filipino wastes two tablespoons of cooked rice every day. The rice not wasted could result in import savings of as much as P6.2 billion, as well as feed 2.6 million Filipinos in a year. Eating brown rice thrice a month would decrease rice importation by an average of 50,000 metric tons a year because of its higher milling recovery. http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/business/agri-commodities/9162-da-philrice-renew-support- for-national-year-of-rice
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DA, PhilRice renew support for National Year of Rice Category: Agri-Commodities Published on Tuesday, 12 February 2013 19:56 Written by Ramon Efren R. Lazaro / Correspondent
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) on Monday reaffirmed its support for the National Year of Rice 2013 (NYR 2013) program, with the rice agency allotting an hour that day to promote it.
NYR 2013 is a national government program led by the DA that aims to encourage everyone to help the country achieve rice self-sufficiency, promote better health among the crop’s consumers and improve the income of farmers. It is part of the Food Staples Sufficiency Program, which focuses on rice as the Filipinos’ staple food.
After President Aquino issued Proclamation 494 declaring 2013 as the National Year of Rice on October 18, 2012, the government asked farmers, policy-makers and consumers to work toward achieving its rice self-sufficiency goal.
PhilRice said farmers can try using efficient technologies to increase the quantity and quality of yield, policy-makers can help create policies supporting or promoting productivity among farmers and responsible rice consumption, and consumers can reduce wasting rice by trying brown rice and other sources of carbohydrates or eat just the right amount of the staple.
Nutritionists say that rice for better health means eating brown rice and consuming a one-fourth cup of the staple per meal.
Rice pledge recited
PHILRICE’S allotment of one hour to promote the program, dubbed the National Year of Rice Hour, was highlighted by the recitation of the Panatang Makapalay (Rice Pledge), the writing of pledges on a so-called commitment wall and the sharing of NYR-related infographics, pictures and posts on social-media sites. Cora Abio of the National Food Authority said the Panatang Makapalay reminded her of her role in helping the country provide enough rice for Filipinos.
“With this pledge, I became more conscious of not wasting rice and inform my children and friends why every grain counts,” she said.
PhilRice statistics show that each Filipino wastes two tablespoons of cooked rice every day. The rice not wasted could result in import savings of as much as P6.2 billion, as well as feed 2.6 million Filipinos in a year. Eating brown rice thrice a month would decrease rice importation by an average of 50,000 metric tons a year because of its higher milling recovery.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/business/agri-commodities/9162-da-philrice-renew-support-for-national-year-of-rice
Nation
Posted on February 12, 2013 10:34:46 PM
Penalties up vs illegal cutting of coconut trees A MEASURE raising penalties for the illegal cutting of coconut trees is up for enactment. The House of Representatives adopted the Senate version last Jan. 30, according to the Senate Web site. Enrolled copies of the measure will be sent to Malacañang for signing by President Benigno S. C. Aquino III. Republic Act (RA) No. 8048, or the Coconut Preservation Act of 1995, states that "no coconut tree shall be cut except in the following cases and with the corresponding permit: when the tree is 60 years old, no longer economically productive, disease-infested, damaged by typhoon or lightning, and would cause hazard to life and property. The law authorized the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to grant permits. The proposed amendment to the law provides that a tree may be cut when it is at least 40 years old for dwarf varieties. It, however, requires a coconut tree to be severely disease-infested and beyond rehabilitation and to be severely damaged by typhoon or lighting before it can be cut. Under the bill, the penalties for violating RA 8048 is set at a minimum of two years imprisonment and a fine of �100,000 from the current one-year jail term and fine of �50,000. It also raises the application fee for permit to cut to �100 from �25 for every tree. Of the fee proceeds, �40 will go to PCA for its replanting program, �40 to the municipal or city government for the repair and rehabilitation of roads, and �20 to the barangay. The measures further requires the municipal or city government to allocate the funds for municipal farm-to-market roads. Under the proposed bill, the PCA is granted powers to arrest violators. -- KMPT
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=Other‐stories‐%2802/13/13%29&id=65768
Ex-NFA chief Banayo faces graft raps over rice smuggling By Christina Mendez (philstar.com) | Updated February 12, 2013 - 11:15am
MANILA, Philippines - Four Senate committees have recommended the filing of charges against officials of the National Food Authority, including Chairman Angelito Banayo, and officials of the Subic Bay and Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) for the botched smuggling of 420,000 50-kilogram sacks of Indian white rice at the free port April last year.
The Senate has recommended the filing of charges for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against Banayo, his former chief of staff, lawyer Gilbert Lauengco; assistant administrator Atty. Jose Cordero, of the grains marketing and operations department and chairman of the bids and awards committee; Serafin Manalili, provincial manager of the NFA's Bulacan provincial office; Yolanda Navarro, NFA Albay; and members of the special bids and awards committee -- Celia Tan (vice-chairman); Judy Carol Dansal (member) and Carlito Go (member).
Lauengco is also a member of the NFA special bids and awards committee.
The recommendation is contained in a 43-page report submitted by Senators Ralph Recto, chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means; Francis Pangilinan, chairman of the committee on Agriculture and Food; Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the Committee on Accountability and Public Officers; Manny Villar, chairman of the Committee on Trade and Commerce); and Franklin Drilon, vice-chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means.
The report was submitted at the plenary before Congress went into a -three month long break on February 6.
Charges for violation of the code of conduct and ethical standards under Republic Act 3019 are also recommended against Stefani Sano, SBMA senior deputy administrator of the Business and Investment Group.
Sano allegedly used the name of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to release the documents in favor of the Indian rice importer. Enrile has since castigated the NFA and SBMA officials for dragging his name into the issue.
The Senate also urged the Department of Justice to pursue vigorously the follow-up on the perjury cases filed against John Dexter Marfil, president and chief executive officer of the Masagana Import and Export Inc, for false testimony before the committees.
No charges were recommended against Protik Guha, chief executive officer of the Indian Amira Foods, which imported the rice to the country. Guha has testified before the Senate but had since returned to India.
It can be recalled that the Bureau of Customs (BoC) led by Commissioner Ruffy Biazon exposed the attempted smuggling, apparently after receiving a tip from an unimpeachable source who texted him about the incident. It later turned out that the tipster was President Aquino himself.
The Senate recommended that Ombudsman and the Bureau of Customs to examine the documents and evidence gathered during the Senate investigation and conduct further investigations against Banayo and other officials of the SBMA for possible violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Rice cartel
After 11 public hearings and an executive session on the controversy, the Senate also established that there is a rice cartel operating in the country, using the farmers’ cooperatives as dummies in their operations.
The committees also found that a certain “Danny Ngo” and a certain “David Tan” to be behind the alleged rice cartel.
The Senate has tasked the Ombudsman, the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation to pursue the investigation and the filing of possible charges against the two personalities, a certain Danilo Garcia and a certain Willy Sy.
Appropriate charges are also recommended against cooperatives and their incorporators including: King Casey Trading, Loui London Trading St. Andrews Field and Cereals, Wish Granted Enterprises, Montevallo Enterprises,Formosa Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Riverview Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Ugnayang Magsasaka sa Kaunlaran MPC, GPI san Miguel MPC, St. Dominic Rice and Foodstuff Enterprises, Pure Country Traiding, Chon Buri Traiding and Manhindra Rice and Food Trading.
The others were Nemic Fusion Rice and Grains Enterprises, West Point Rice and Cereals Traiding, Red Mountain Grain and Cereals Dealer, Sitio Muzon Farmers MPC, Sta. Cecilia MPC, Wings Grain and Rice Enterprises, Lexant International Traiding, Sili MPC, Kapatirang Takusa MPC, Samahan ng Magsasakang Kapampangan at Katagalugan MPC, Malimpampang Concern Citizens MPC and Ugnayang Magbubukid ng San Isidro Inc.
The Senate committees said found it questionable why some of the groups transacted with the same branches of banks, and why the registration dates of many of the cooperatives with the Department of Trade and Industry are the same.
The committees also found out during the hearings that the cooperatives have the same supplier
http://www.philstar.com:8080/headlines/2013/02/12/907937/ex‐nfa‐chief‐banayo‐faces‐graft‐raps‐over‐rice‐smuggling
5,000 bags of Vietnam rice seized in De Oro Philippine Daily Inquirer 12:23 am | Wednesday, February 13th, 2013
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Customs authorities, led by Deputy Commissioner Danilo Lim, yesterday seized 5,000 bags of rice worth P9 million at the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, that Lim said were smuggled in from Vietnam.
The shipment was kept in 10 20-foot container vans that were stored at the MCT since July last year and consigned to Bubog Farmers Cooperative.
The shipment, said Lim, was not covered by any documents or permits from the National Food Authority (NFA).
Lim said the importer has been required to present valid import documents from the NFA because it brought in the rice under the private sector-financed importation scheme through the NFA tax expenditure subsidy.
He said when the cooperative repeatedly failed to present the documents, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) sought NFA comment on the importation.
Lim said the NFA replied that it cannot authenticate the documents the importer has presented because “the documents subject of your query could not be found in our records.”
It was at this point that the BOC decided to seize the shipment and declare it illegal, said Lim. Cai Panlilio, Inquirer Mindanao
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/357635/5000‐bags‐of‐vietnam‐rice‐seized‐in‐de‐oro
Senate wants ex-NFA chief Banayo probed By Norman Bordadora Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:12 am | Wednesday, February 13th, 2013
Former National Food Authority Administrator Lito Banayo: Open bidding
MANILA, Philippines—A Senate joint probe committee has recommended that the Ombudsman investigate former National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Lito Banayo and other NFA officials for possible graft in connection with the alleged use of NFA licensed rice importers as dummies by certain moneyed individuals who cornered state rice import quotas worth millions of pesos.
The inquiry, conducted by the committees on agriculture, ways and means, trade and commerce, and on the accountability of public officers, “found that there is sufficient basis to conclude that financiers are behind the anomalous transactions, and the testimony and documents obtained in the hearings establish without a doubt that these financiers exist and have employed dummies to rig the bidding process.”
Sen. Francis Pangilinan, chairman of the agriculture committee, presided over the hearings, which initially began with an investigation into the multimillion-peso attempted smuggling of rice at the ports of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and Legazpi, Albay.
“The testimony and documents submitted by the Bureau of Customs (BOC), National Food Authority and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) before the committees strongly reveal that there is a rice cartel which involves certain government officials who allow transactions to be consummated regardless of the irreparable injury it would cause to the government,” read the committee report released by the joint investigation.
The committee report recommended that the Ombudsman together with the BOC examine the significant documents submitted before the committees and to conduct further investigation for possible violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against the following government officials:
Banayo; lawyer Gilbert Lauengco, Banayo’s former chief of staff and member of the NFA’s special bids and awards committee; assistant administrator Jose D. Cordero, grains marketing and operations department, and chairman of the SBAC; Serafin Manalili, manager of the NFA Bulacan office; Yolanda Navarro, NFA Albay provincial office; and members of the SBAC—Celia Z. Tan, lawyer Judy Carol L. Dansal and Carlito G. Co.
The committee report noted that testimony and documents at the hearings pointed to Danilo Garcia, Willy Sy, a certain “Danny Ngo” and a certain “David Tan” as being the alleged financiers of the illegal operation.
“These financiers and their accomplices must be unmasked and if warranted, the necessary charges filed against them,” the committee report said, as it asked the Ombudsman, the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to pursue the leads with respect to these individuals whose names came up during the hearings.
It said Garcia, Sy, Ngo and Tan should be investigated for graft, for illegal importation and for violation of the country’s laws against monopolies and restraint of trade.
Recommended for investigation were the following groups:
King Casey Trading, Loui London Trading, St. Andrews Field Grains and Cereals, Wish Granted Enterprises, Montevallo Enterprises, Formosa Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Riverview Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Ugnayang Magsasaka sa Kaunlaran MPC, GPI San Miguel MPC, St. Dominic Rice and Foodstuff Enterprises, Pure Country Trading;
Chon Buri Trading, Mahindra Rice and Food Trading, Nemic Fusion Rice and Grains Enterprises, West Point Rice and Cereals Enterprises, Jaded Ranch Grains and Cereals Trading, Red Mountain Grain and Cereals Dealer, Sitio Muzon Farmers MPC, Sta. Cecilia MPC, Zwings Grain and Rice Enterprises, Lexant International Trading;
Sili MPC, Kapatirang Takusa MPC, Samahan ng Magsasakang Kapampangan at Katagalugan MPC, Malipampang Concern Citizens MPC, and Ugnayang Magbubukid ng San Isidro.
Banayo denied the allegations, claiming that the country was never placed at a disadvantage during his tenure as NFA administrator.
“Bidding… was done openly unlike the previous practice of simply giving these to a chosen few,” Banayo said.
He claimed that because of the reforms that he instituted at the NFA, the state agency made P1.6 billion in 2011 and P2.6 billion in 2012, compared to a measly P103 million in 2010.
“[These improved figures] augmented our much-reduced budget subsidies. We are certain that we protected government interests and fulfilled our mandate,” Banayo said.
“We followed the law in all bidding procedures and relied on certifications given by other gov’t agencies, the BOC included,” he added.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/357723/senate‐wants‐ex‐nfa‐chief‐banayo‐probed
PH rice, corn stocks declined in January By Niña P. Calleja Philippine Daily Inquirer 11:23 pm | Tuesday, February 12th, 2013
The Philippines’ rice inventory fell by 3.9 percent in January from the same period last year, government records show.
The country now has a stock of rice enough to last 74 days.
The Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, said in a report late Monday that the rice stock as of Jan. 1 this year reached 2.52 million metric tons (MT)—lower than last year’s record of 2.62 million MT.
Compared to the previous month’s 2.61 million MT, the stock in January was also lower by 3.4 percent.
“Total rice stock would be enough for 74 days,” the BAS said, noting that this month’s stock levels in households and commercial warehouses were lower than last month by 1 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
Household stocks may last for 39 days while stock in commercial warehouses may be sufficient for 18 days.
Those in the care of the National Food Authority—31 percent of which had been imported—may be enough for 17 days.
Compared to last year’s inventory, the stock in households increased by 33.3 percent, while those in commercial warehouses were up by 2.9 percent.
Those held in government-run facilities declined by 43 percent.
Asked why the government stocks had gone down, Rex Estoperez, NFA information chief, said that the agency has yet to start its regular procurement from local rice farmers in March and April.
“We have been getting rid of our aging stocks. That is why the level was lower,” Estoperez said over the telephone.
Also as of Jan. 1, 2003, the country’s total corn stock stood at 161,300 MT—down by 2.9 percent from last year’s 166,100 MT, and 21.2 percent lower than the previous month’s 204, 700 MT.
http://business.inquirer.net/107347/ph‐rice‐corn‐stocks‐declined‐in‐january
Economy
Posted on February 12, 2013 09:20:15 PM
DA allots P89 million for farm facilities in Cavite THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) has allotted P89 million for the construction of agricultural facilities and the distribution of farm inputs and machineries in Cavite.
In a statement yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said: "The DA will help Cavite farmers, fisher folk and local government units revive and develop farmlands and fishing grounds by continuously providing technical support, farm machinery, equipment and inputs, including post‐harvest facilities and marketing assistance." The department distributed P14‐million worth of farm inputs and machineries last Feb. 7 including hybrid yellow corn and white corn seeds, assorted seeds of lowland and upland vegetables, seedlings of coffee, organic fertilizers, hand tractors, threshers, flatbed dryers, fish nets, power sprayers and palay storage sheds among others. Farm‐to‐market roads will also be constructed with an allocated budget of P55 million. In addition to this, the department will also construct P20‐million worth of municipal fish ports. The department said it will also revive and expand coffee and vegetable production in Cavite. It will also help augment green mussel and oyster production along Cavite’s coastal towns. "We will tap idle lands to expand the vegetable and coffee industry in the province," Mr. Alcala said. "The DA through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will also assist fisher folk revive mussel and oyster raising," he added. ‐‐ Raymond Jun R. Portillo
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=DA‐allots‐P89‐million‐for‐farm‐facilities‐in‐Cavite&id=65747
More investments needed to boost milk production By Czeriza Valencia (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 13, 2013 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - The local dairy industry needs more investments in milk production to enable processors to produce more dairy products for domestic consumption and make the prices of local dairy products competitive to imported goods, according to the National Dairy Authority (NDA).
In an interview yesterday, NDA administrator Grace Cenas said that in the dairy industry’s value chain, the production segment which comprises the breeding of dairy animals and milk harvesting is a priority investment area because this would spur growth in the processing and marketing segments of the chain.
“With our need to increase milk output, the production segment needs investment inflows the most,” she said. “The market is becoming more demanding and the price of imported milk is cheaper than those produced locally.”
Raw milk production in 2012 rose 12 percent to 18.45 million liters from 16.45 million liters in 2011. Milk production has been growing at an average of seven percent annually in the last five years.
The growth in 2012 milk production exceeded the initial target of 10 percent. The NDA intends to keep the growth rate at 12 percent and above in the coming years.
Despite these gains, the local raw milk production provides for roughly one percent of the country’s total dairy product requirement of 1.8 billion kilograms. The balance of the demand is covered by imports coming from New Zealand, the USA, Australia and France.
Cenas said that local milk production currently satisfies 40 percent of domestic demand, both for processing and consumption.
The agency aims to raise the milk sufficiency level to 43 percent by 2016 and reach full sufficiency by around 2021.
With increased milk production, processors would immediately increase the volume for processed cheese which enjoys a huge demand.
“This product requires a large amount of milk, with increased milk production, processors will automatically go here. There is a big demand. With the growing number of pizza restaurants, for instance, there is a huge demand for mozzarella cheese,” she said.
To increase raw milk production, the government is importing more breeding dairy animals this year to improve local stock.
More multiplier farms would also be established to increase the breeding stock.
The country has a current inventory of 40,696 dairy animals. To fully meet the country’s dairy demand and replace imports, one million dairy animals would be needed.
In 2012, the government imported 10 bulls and 2, 100 female cows for breeding. The offspring of these breeding stocks are redistributed to capable dairy farms. Cenas said the number of animals to be imported in 2013 would be determined after all the animals procured last year has been properly distributed.
Cenas said dairy zones in the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, and Cebu are being eyed as locations for new multiplier farms.
At least two large companies already recognize the potential in the milk production sector and are eyeing sites in Baguio, Tagaytay and Cebu for the establishment of dairy farms that could each accommodate 3,000 animals in a full confinement dairy production system.
Cenas said a local company with a foreign partner wants to take advantage of the favorable climate either in Tagaytay or Baguio and the proximity of the areas to Metro Manila, its target market.
Another company, a wellness company in Cebu with an Israeli partner, wants to be a major player in the provincial market.
The prospective farms would occupy 100 hectares each.
Both investors are attracted to the good farmgate price of raw milk which is currently placed at an average of P23 per liter.
The local dairy industry produces fresh milk, flavored milk, native cheese, processed cheese, candies, ice cream, and yogurt.
Cenas said that with an increased budget of P262 million this year from P172 million last year, the NDA would be able to provide greater technical assistance to dairy farmers.
http://www.philstar.com/business/2013/02/13/908048/more‐investments‐needed‐boost‐milk‐production
Bicol marks successin field tests of rich rice Published on 13 February 2013 Hits: 116 Written by RHAYDZ B. BARCIA
LEGAZPI CITY: As President Benigno Aquino 3rd’s administration pursues food sufficiency and eradication of malnutrition in the country, the Department of Agriculture in partnership with Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), the country’s leading agency in rice research and development, succeeded in field trials of golden rice in Camarines Sur.
Camarines Sur the consistent topnotcher in high prevalence of malnutrition in the Bicol Region for over a decade, now has been chosen by the Agriculture department and PhilRice as pilot site of golden rice, a new type of that contains beta carotene, a source of vitamin A.Charisma Love Gado, senior science research specialist of PhilRice told The Manila Times that the field trials were conducted over two seasons in two sites in Camarines Sur in 2012. Gado explained that the golden rice is one of the nutrient-rich rice varieties being developed by PhilRice, with support and assistance from International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), to help reduce the incidence of malnutrition in the country. The government is now also promoting better health among Filipinos through its advocacies under the National Year of Rice 2013.These field trials form part of the golden rice project that the research institute is working on, together with other leading nutrition and agricultural research organizations to develop and evaluate golden rice as a potential new way to reduce vitamin A deficiency in the Philippines. Gado said that the field trials are an important step in evaluating the performance of golden rice and to determine if it can be planted, grown and harvested just like other popular rice varieties. These trials are also part of the safety assessment of golden rice. The field trials were permitted by and followed the safety standards of the Agriculture agency’s Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI), the national regulatory authority in the Philippines for biotechnology research and development.She said that golden rice collected from these field trials is being compiled and will eventually be submitted to Plant Industry bureau, who will then evaluate the data as part of their bio-safety regulatory process. “The golden rice will only be made available broadly to farmers and consumers in the Philippines if it is approved by DA-BPI and shown to reduce vitamin A deficiency. This process may take another two years, or more,” she said in a statement sent to The Times.Similar projects were done in the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Ilocos Norte, with one site each for two seasons. A one-season field trial was also completed in Isabela province according to PhilRice spokesman.
http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/regions/41359‐bicol‐marks‐successin‐field‐tests‐of‐rich‐rice
Farming in Asia, Philippines faces human resource problems
Published on 13 February 2013 Hits: 52 Written by JAMES KONSTANTIN GALVEZ
An international agricultural research and development institution on Tuesday warned that some countries in Asia, including the Philippines, face significant challenges in human resources (HR) in agriculture, which could affect the regions food security in the future.
Dr. Gil Saguiguit Jr., director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), noted that the challenges to agricultural human resources development are now being examined by various agencies worldwide. “What is also disturbing is countries with highly-mechanized agriculture sectors like Japan, and those that are modernizing, like Myanmar, share a few common HR problems related to farming,” Saguiguit said. The SEARCA chief said that the Philippines, with a modernizing farming sector, is experiencing the problem of the youth preferring to look for jobs in the urban areas or abroad, leaving the country’s farms “wanting for young blood.” “That is only one of several human resource development problems being experienced by the Philippine farming sector,” he said. In Asia, some of the challenges to agricultural HR include aging agriculture research, or scientific and academic staff, high staff turnover, wide age and qualifications gap in the succession hierarchy, and low budget for research and training activities. Saguiguit also said that there’s a need to address the outdated curricula not addressing agricultural HR development needs of the times, outmoded research and academic facilities, agriculture as a profession is not attractive to students, and agriculture graduates not well-equipped with knowledge, skills and attitudes to compete globally. “If these problems are not addressed through the cooperation of government agencies and international institutions, Asia’s food security situation will be threatened, especially if we take into account the fact that climate change poses another serious challenge to farmers in the region,” he said. Dr. Editha Cedicol, program head of the Graduate Scholarship Department of SEARCA, said that other options to solve Asia’s HR problems in farming include the review of the agriculture curriculum, training and conferences, study tours, academic mobility, mobilization of alumni, and short-term attachments in projects such as the agency’s institutional development assistance projects with Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.
She also said that there is a need to forge alliances with other networks and strategic partners, as well as to put more budgets in collaborative research projects. SEARCA was established by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization in 1966 primarily to provide to the participating countries high quality graduate study in agriculture; promote, undertake, and coordinate research programs related to the needs and problems of the Southeast Asian region and disseminate the findings of agricultural research and experimentation.
http://www.manilatimes.net/~manilati/index.php/business/top‐business‐news/41348‐farming‐in‐asia‐philippines‐faces‐human‐resource‐problems
Banayo, et al. face graft raps over ‘rice cartel’ • Written by Angie M. Rosales • Wednesday, 13 February 2013 00:00
Botched smuggling of Indian rice earns group criminal charges
Former National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Angelito “Lito” Banayo, an executive of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and a number of other personalities, including some private entities such as rice cooperatives and proprietors, are facing graft and other possible strings of criminal and administrative charges over the alleged “rice cartel” operations in the country.
Banayo and others have been specifically recommended for further investigation by the Ombudsman and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) for possible violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act by four Senate committees stemming from their probe into the botched smuggling of Indian white rice in Subic Bay Freeport Zone sometime April last year. The alleged illegal shipment, involving 420,000 bags or sacks of rice, was estimated to be worth P500,000 and another intercepted by authorities last June involving 90 container vans of Vietnam rice or approximately 45,000 bags with a value of about P42 million.
Testimonies and documents submitted by the BoC, NFA and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) before the four investigating Senate committees “strongly reveal that there is a rice cartel which involves certain government officials who allow transactions to be consummated regardless of the irreparable injury it would cause to the government.”
This was noted by the Senate committees on agriculture and food, ways and means, trade and commerce and blue ribbon, in submitting their joint committee report No. 763 and making the recommendation on Banayo, along with his former chief of staff who also is a member of the NFA’s special bids and awards committee, lawyer Gilbert Lauengco; Asst. Administrator Jose D. Cordero, Grains Marketing and Operations Department and chairman of the special bids and awards committee; NFA Bulacan Provincial Office provincial manager Serafin Manalili; Yolanda Navarro of NFA Albay Provincial Office; and members of the special bids and awards committee – Celia Z. Tan, vice chairman, lawyer Judy Carol L. Dansal and Carlito G. Co.
In the 11 public hearings conducted by the said committees, Senate probers found sufficient basis to conclude that “financiers are behind the anomalous transactions and the testimony and documents obtained in the hearings establish without a doubt that these financiers exist and have employed dummies to rig the bidding process.”
In the series of public investigations and one executive session, one notable name as supposed financier was that of a certain “Danny Ngo” and “David Tan.”
“It is now the task of the Ombudsman, Department of Justice (DoJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to pursue, beginning with Danilo Garcia, Willy Sy, a certain Danny Ngo and David Tan. These financiers and their accomplices must be unmasked and if warranted, necessary charges be filed against them. They should all be investigated for probable violation of section 4 of R.A. 3019, sections 101 and 3601 of the Tariffs and Customs Code of the Philippines and R.A. 1956, otherwise known as an Act Amending Article 100 and 86 of the Revised Penal Code concerning monopolies and combinations in restraint of trade,” the 43-page report, filed last Feb. 6, said.
Banayo, in a text message to reporters, stood his ground against the charges being leveled against him and his alleged accountability in any illegal importation of rice uncovered so far while the NFA was still under his watch.
“The Senate committee report asks the Ombudsman to review all the documents pertaining to the bidding of import permits by NFA during my watch. Bidding, which was done openly, unlike the previous practice of simply giving these to a chosen few. On account of this reform, NFA earned P1.6 billion in 2011 and P2.6 billion in 2012 compared to a measly P103 million in 2010 which augmented our much-reduced budget subsidies. We are certain that we protected government interests and fulfilled our mandate. We followed the law in all bidding procedures and relied on certifications given by other government agencies, BoC included,” he said.
Another government official, SBMA senior deputy administrator of the business and investment group Stefani Sano, confessed before Senate probers in a hearing held Aug. 13, that he used the name of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to facilitate the release of documents in favor of the Indian rice importer, is already facing administrative case.
Senate probers recommended that the said case filed by SBMA chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia be pursued by the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
In the event that Sano is found guilty of the violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards, the committees want him to be further charged before the Ombudsman of violation of section 3 or R.A. 3019 or the corrupt practices of public officers provision.
The panels also urged the DoJ to pursue vigorously the follow-up on the perjury cases filed against John Dexter Marfil, president and chief executive officer of the Masagana Import and Export Inc, for false testimony before the committees while no charges were recommended against Protik Guha, chief executive officer of the Indian Amira Foods, which imported the rice to the country.
Guha who had appeared before the Senate proceedings but failed in the succeeding hearings despite possible citation for contempt, has since returned to India.
Criminal charges were also called to be filed against two of those who testified before the Senate commitees, Eleanor Rodriguez and Elizabeth Faustino for allegedly preventing the farmers from attending the hearings and for supposedly facilitating the rigging of the bid process upon the purported orders of their financiers as well as acting as alleged dummies in the rice importation.
Senators also directed the NBI and BoC to conduct further investigation of the cooperatives, sole proprietors and other individuals based on the information they gathered for filing of criminal charges due to strong probability of culpability of violations of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines.
Those named were the following: King Casey trading; Loui London Trading; St. Andrews Field Grains and Cereals, Wish Granted Enterprises; Montevallo Enterprises; Formosa Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Riverview Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Ugnayang Magsasaka sa Kaunlaran MPC; GPI san Miguel MPC, St. Dominic Rice and Foodstuff Enterprises, Pure Country Traiding, Chon Buri Traiding and Manhindra Rice and Food Trading.
The others were Nemic Fusion Rice and Grains Enterprises, West Point Rice and Cereals Traiding, Red Mountain Grain and Cereals Dealer, Sitio Muzon Farmers MPC, Sta. Cecilia MPC, Wings Grain and Rice Enterprises, Lexant International Traiding, Sili MPC, Kapatirang Takusa MPC, Samahan ng Magsasakang Kapampangan at Katagalugan MPC, Malimpampang Concern Citizens MPC and Ugnayang Magbubukid ng San Isidro Inc.
The committees found that the circumstances surrounding the financial capabilites of the winning bidders show that they cannot pay or afford to pay service fees ranging from P50 million to P69 million while some also transacted with the same branches of banks and some winning bidders registered with the DTI on the same date or obtained NBI clearances on same dates.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/item/10438-banayo-et-al-face-graft-raps-over-%E2%80%98rice-cartel%E2%80%99.html
DA, PhilRice finish ‘golden rice’ trials in CamSur Category: Agri-Commodities Published on Sunday, 10 February 2013 17:39 Written by Ramon Efren R. Lazaro / Correspondent
THE Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit 5 (DA-RFU 5) and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) have completed two seasons of multilocation field trials of so-called golden rice in Camarines Sur province.
The trials are part of the Golden Rice project that the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is working on with other leading nutrition and agricultural-research organizations to develop and evaluate golden rice as a new way to reduce vitamin A deficiency in the Philippines. Dr. Antonio Alfonso is the project leader.
Similar trials were conducted in Batac City in Ilocos Norte province, Muñoz City in Nueva Ecija province and San Mateo town in Isabela province for two cropping seasons beginning March 2012. Each trial was conducted on fields that are not more than 1,000 square meters.
The trials in Camarines Sur were conducted on two sites last year, while those in Ilocos Norte and Nueva Ecija were carried out on one. Isabela has completed only one season.
Field trials for genetically modified (GM) crops like golden rice are permitted only after the DA’s Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) reviews the plans for the tests and establishes that these pose no significant risks to human health and the environment.
The DA-BPI approves the design and conduct of each trial (including the size and exact location), and requires that it be conducted at an appropriate distance from other crops and that the neighboring community is informed about the test before it begins.
All field tests of GM crops are conducted according to national biosafety regulations and to the conditions listed in each individual testing permit. The DA-BPI will monitor the trials for compliance with all conditions and each site will be supervised by members of the Institutional Biosafety Committee, including scientists and representatives of local communities.
The trials are an important step in evaluating the performance of golden rice and in determining if it can be planted, grown and harvested just like other popular varieties of the staple. These trials are also part of the safety assessment of the crop.
Data about golden rice that are collected from the trials are being compiled and will be submitted to the DA-BPI for evaluation as part of its biosafety regulatory process.
Golden rice will only be made available to farmers and the public if it is approved by the DA-BPI and shown to reduce vitamin A deficiency.
Nutrient-rich
GOLDEN rice is one of the nutrient-rich rice varieties being developed by PhilRice, with the support of IRRI, to help reduce malnutrition in the country.
The GM crop is said to contain the same beta carotene found in many nutritious food items and supplements. The genes put in golden rice are not related to any known allergen or toxin.
Rice is essentially self-pollinating, so the chances of cross-pollination between golden rice and other varieties are very small. Other measures are also in place to ensure that no cross-pollination takes place.
The PhilRice has noted that many people in the Philippines do not get enough vitamin A or beta carotene from the food they eat.
Vitamin A deficiency impairs the immune system and increases the risk of death from certain common infections among young children. It is also the leading cause of blindness among children.
Lack of vitamin A also affects pregnant or nursing women. Among pregnant women, this deficiency can cause night blindness and may increase the risk of mortality.
Because rice is widely produced and consumed, golden rice can reach many Filipinos, including those who do not have reliable access to or cannot afford other sources of vitamin A. Research indicates that eating about one cup of golden rice a day could provide half an adult’s vitamin A needs.
Golden rice is intended to be used with existing approaches to overcome vitamin A deficiency, including eating food high in or fortified with vitamin A or beta carotene, taking vitamin A supplements and optimal breastfeeding practices.
Golden rice varieties will be developed with the same high yield, pest resistance and grain and eating qualities as non-golden rice varieties. Golden rice can be planted, harvested, threshed, stored and milled like any other rice.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/business/agri-commodities/9021-da-philrice-finish-golden-rice-trials-in-camsur
BSP Keeps 3 Sectors Balanced By Lee C. Chipongian February 12, 2013, 5:08pm
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. is confident that the balance in monetary, financial and external sectors is intact and will continue to be supportive of long-term economic growth.
In his presentation for today’s “Year-end Economic Briefing” – a bi-annual conference of the top members of the Aquino government’s economic team with Philippine investors and economic growth watchers, Tetangco said the country continues to see price stability and non-inflationary growth, a strong external position and stable exchange rate, and a sound financial sector.
The balance in the three sectors will be maintained, he said, despite external challenges in the US and Europe.
On the monetary side, after reducing policy rates 100 basis points last year and lowering rates on special deposit accounts recently, Tetangco reiterated that the next steps are to find ways to fine tune its policy tool kits to ensure price and financial stability. The BSP also needs to “sharpen economic surveillance” in the shifting local and global inflation dynamics such as any “brewing asset price pressures.” Containing inflation and liquidity is balanced by financial sector policies such as a more effective risk management system for the banking industry and the adoption of an expanding corporate governance rules. The implementation of the Basel 3 principles next year have given conditions new urgency.The BSP’s policy directions are directed to keeping this balance by maintaining a market determined exchange rate, though the buildup of foreign exchange reserves, and to make sure the external debt to GDP ratio will continue to decline.
Based on central bank assumptions which were adopted by the inter-agency Development Budget Coordinating Committee, the balance of payments (BOP) will continue to be in surplus at a conservative forecast of $3 billion of which the components include exports and imports which are expected to grow 10 and 12 percent while remittances is forecast to reach $22.2 billion this year. At the end of 2012, BOP was in excess of $9.2 billion, exports and imports have registered growth of 7.9 percent and 2.2 percent as of the third quarter while remittances have increased six percent to $19.6 billion as of end-November.
Tetangco said the current account surplus under BOP is expected to reach $4.9 billion this year, lower than what was reported in 2012. As of the end of the third quarter, current account surplus stood at $7.2 billion.The current account is part of the BOP accounting, along with capital and financial accounts which are foreign direct investments and portfolio flows.
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/393673/bsp-keeps-3-sectors-balanced#.URr5RfJFyjs
DENR to fund replanting of forests, watersheds in Central Luzon
Category: Regions Published on Tuesday, 12 February 2013 19:12 Written by Ramon Efren R. Lazaro / Correspondent
THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Central Luzon has earmarked P357 million to intensify the reforestation of denuded forestlands and watersheds in Central Luzon.
Maximo Dichoso, executive director of the DENR in the region, said the reforestation efforts would help increase the forest cover of Central Luzon as a primary shield against strong typhoons and flooding, and help boost the National Greening Program (NGP) of President Aquino.
“Our region is vulnerable to strong typhoons and we are bracing for the worst. Increasing our forest cover is one of our best defenses,” said Dichoso, adding that the environment department’s efforts now focus on building climate-resilient communities and implementing climate-smart environmental programs.
About 20,000 hectares of forestlands, watersheds, riverbanks and urban areas are earmarked for reforestation this year, which is double that of last year’s target of 10,204 hectares, Dichoso said.
He reported that barely two years after the NGP was launched in 2011, more than 12,000 hectares of public lands throughout Central Luzon have been planted with 7.5 million seedlings of forest and fruit trees, mangrove propagules, nipa seedlings and bamboo cultivars.
He said the DENR also aims to rehabilitate until 2022 at least 44,000 hectares of denuded forestlands at the Pantabangan-Carranglan Watershed in Nueva Ecija through the 10-year Forest Management Program supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The province of Tarlac received the biggest chunk of the budget with P67 million covering 3,995 hectares, followed by Nueva Ecija with P52 million covering 2,653 hectares, said Dr. Sofio Quintana, DENR deputy forestry director.
Quintana said Bataan also received P51 million for 2,929 hectares; Aurora, P50 million for 3,007 hectares; Bulacan, P50 million for 2,743 hectares; Zambales, P49 million for 2,895 hectares; and Pampanga, P35 million for 1,876 hectares.
Last year’s implementation of Executive Order 23 declaring a moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber in natural and residual forests and creating the regional anti-illegal logging task force (RAILTF) resulted in the confiscation of 258,427 board feet of assorted forest contraband and conveyances worth at least P6 million.
“Our reforestation effort is matched with heightened forest protection and vigorous law enforcement to sustain our gains in conserving the environment,” Quintana said.
Four individuals were convicted by the local courts and sent to jail for illegal logging last year, bringing to 22 the number of illegal loggers meted punishments since 2007 for violations of the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines, or Presidential Decree 705.
A stepped-up campaign against illegal logging also effectively reduced the number of illegal logging “hot spots” in the region, from as high as 13 about a decade ago to only five last year.
These hot spots include Santa Cruz and Botolan in Zambales; General Tinio and Bongabon in Nueva Ecija; and Doña Remedios Trinidad in Bulacan.
NGP is set to rehabilitate 1.5 million hectares of the country’s denuded forest areas and aims to help the country reduce poverty, provide food security, conserve biodiversity, and mitigate and adapt to climate change.
(With Jonathan L. Mayuga)
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/news/regions/9143-denr-to-fund-replanting-of-forests-watersheds-in-central-luzon
Mango Production February 12, 2013, 5:44pm
DIGOS CITY (PNA) – Dwarf mango trees are now bearing bigger and better quality fruits in the province of Davao del Sur, it was revealed by the mango industry cluster team in a recent report to consultants of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Director Marizon Loreto expressed elation about this “positive results” of the earlier dwarfing experiments made by the mango cluster on selected pilot farm sites in Davao del Sur under the Davao Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Project (DICCEP).
“We always wanted to see the outcome of your mango cluster projects. Every time you propose a project, we always ask ourselves, will this activity boost productivity and improve the quality of mango?” Loreto said.
The positive outcome of the mango cluster dwarfing experiments in pilot farm areas in Davao del Sur was also good news to JICA consultant Tetsuo Inooka who had been looking forward to any progress made by the mango cluster team in their projects.
Inooka also stressed the need for the mango cluster to focus and concentrate on producing at least 20 percent to 40 percent high-quality, export-grade mangoes for the global market.
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/393690/mango-production#.URr6GvJFyjs
Oil firms hike prices for fourth straight week By Iris Gonzales (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 13, 2013 - 12:00am 2 0 googleplus1 0
MANILA, Philippines - For the fourth straight week, oil companies increased prices of petroleum products again, saying that movements in the global crude market merit another price hike.
In separate advisories, oil firms announced another round of price increases effective 6 a.m. yesterday.
Petron Corp. said it implemented a P1.20 per liter increase for premium gasoline, diesel and kerosene and P1.10 per liter hike for regular gasoline.
“This reflects movements in the international oil market,” Petron said.
Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. also raised prices by P1.20 per liter for unleaded premium, kerosene and diesel and P1.10 for regular gasoline.
New oil firm Phoenix Petroleum announced similar price adjustments.
Other oil firms have not yet issued advisories as of press time.
The Department of Energy earlier hinted that oil price hikes would continue in the coming weeks, given the tight supply in the world market.
Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla has said the crisis in Syria and the economic recovery in the United States are among the factors boosting demand and tightening supply in the world market.
“I cannot say that it will go up or that it will go down. The trend in the international environment is pointing toward the direction of price increase but that can change,” Petilla said.
He said the appreciation of the peso is not enough to mitigate the impact of higher oil prices, but acknowledged that local pump prices could be higher if the peso was depreciating against the dollar.
The peso has been appreciating against the dollar, closing at P41.05 against the dollar and has been trading at the P40-level since the start of the year.
To mitigate the impact of higher oil prices on consumers and public transport groups, the government may revive its Pantawid Pasada program.
The Pantawid Pasada program, which started in May 2011, is an interim measure of the government to cushion the impact of high fuel prices, particularly to public utility jeepneys.
Under the program, the government provided some 100,000 public transport drivers a subsidy of P1,050 for the initial amount and then another P1,200.
Protest against price hike
Militant public transport group Pagkaka-isa ng mga Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) will launch their campaign to clinch a party-list seat in Congress with a transport protest caravan today to condemn the new round of oil price increase.
George San Mateo, Piston president, said the oil price hike protest would be the linchpin in the group’s campaign to win a seat in the House of Representatives.
San Mateo said that their protest caravan would start at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City on the way to the head offices of Petron, Chevron and Shell in Pasig City and Makati City.– With Rainier Allan Ronda
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/02/13/908184/oil-firms-hike-prices-fourth-straight-week
Invasive turtle threatens Central Luzon bangus, tilapia industry
Category: Biodiversity Published on Wednesday, 30 November -0001 08:00 Written by Jonathan L. Mayuga / Reporter
OFFICIALS of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Central Luzon expressed alarm over the proliferation of Chinese softshell turtle, scientifically known as Pelodiscus sinensis, that threatens the local fish population and the multimillion bangus (milkfish) and tilapia industry in the region.
The growing number of the Chinese softshell turtle has prompted the DENR to create a task force to look into the animal’s distribution, feeding habits and reproductive characteristics.
This came after complaints from fishpond owners and operators about the turtle preying on local fish species, including bangus and tilapia fingerlings, in fishponds that has increased and became more rampant, Maximo Dichoso, executive director of the DENR Central Luzon office, said.
The Chinese softshell turtle has been classified as an invasive alien species (IAS) that was introduced in the country in the 1990s.
Dichoso warned the public against propagating or raising the turtle, saying that its continued proliferation might adversely affect ecological balance in rivers and streams, and threaten the aquaculture industry.
The reptile is now considered a threat to local biodiversity and a pest in the multimillion fish industry of Pampanga, Bulacan and Bataan.
Fishermen and fishpond owners from the towns of Arayat, Candaba, San Luis, Minalin, Macabebe and Apalit in Pampanga likened the turtle menace to the “golden kuhol” that wreaked havoc in rice farms in the 1980s, said Arthur Salazar, deputy DENR director for Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Service.
A team of biologists and conservation experts from the DENR was dispatched to conduct a six-month study to determine the impact of the softshell turtle on the environment and the local fishing industry of the affected provinces, and to identify wildlife management interventions from the DENR.
“We want to determine the rate of reproduction of this turtle species and come up with a regional policy on the allowable quota for its collection either for food or export,” Dichoso explained.
He noted that some private individuals have expressed willingness to “harvest” the turtles for export.
Dichoso said strong market demand for turtle meat in China and other Asian countries will open a highly lucrative and viable business opportunity among wildlife collectors in the affected provinces.
But while the reptile poses a threat to local biodiversity, there is also a need to regulate its collection and trade to avoid unnecessary competition among individuals issued with Wildlife Special Use Permit, and to ensure a sustainable turtle population without affecting the local fish industry, he added.
In Pampanga alone, three individuals have been issued permits to collect a combined 36,820 heads of live turtles this year, or about 30,700 kilos of turtle meat. Last year 349,170 heads of live turtles, or 236,250 kilos of turtle meat, were also harvested.
Dichoso said the DENR welcomes information that would shed light on the range and behavior of the reptile and urged the public to contact the nearest DENR office if there are sightings of the animal or if nesting sites are found.
The Chinese softshell turtle, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN), is found in several countries, including China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan and Russia, where it is considered a native “delicacy” and made into turtle soup. In Japan turtle meat is stewed with noodles and served as a winter delicacy.
A long history of the turtle being used as food in most Asian countries made it difficult to determine the extent of the reptile’s native range, although it is known to inhabit brackish water, rivers, lakes, ponds, canals and creeks with slow currents.
The Chinese softshell turtle is carnivorous and aggressive, preferring to forage at night to feed on fish, crustaceans, mollusks and insects.
Besides the Chinese softshell turtle, the DENR is closely monitoring at least 15 invasive alien species of flora and fauna that are invading Philippine forests and lakes, including the highly aggressive Matica plant, known as buyo-buyo, that has reportedly invaded banana and cassava plantations in the country.
A flowering shrub native to South America, buyo-buyo has been found to suppress the natural regeneration of forests, and to colonize vacant agricultural areas and gaps in forest areas.
Also on the IAS watch list of the DENR is the African bullfrog and African snail that feed on native wildlife species and unsustainably compete for nutrients and habitat with the local varieties.
Earlier, Environment Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje launched the four-year project, titled “Removing Barriers to Invasive Species Management in the Production and Protection Forests in Southeast Asia,” funded by the UN Environment Program and the Global Environmental Facility to shield the country’s forest ecosystem and agricultural areas from the threats of invasive alien species.
In Photo: Chinese softshell turtle. (Russ Gurley/asianturtle.org)
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/features/biodiversity/8971‐invasive‐turtle‐threatens‐central‐luzon‐bangus‐tilapia‐industry
Senate Recommends Raps Versus Banayo, Sano Over Rice Smuggling By Hannah L. Torregoza February 12, 2013, 9:33pm
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has finally released a committee report recommending the filing of graft charges against former National Food Authority (NFA) administrator Lito Banayo and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Deputy Administrator Stefani Sano in connection with the alleged rice smuggling activities in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
In its 43-paged Committee Report No. 763, the Senate Committees in Agriculture and Food, Blue Ribbon Committee, Ways and Means, and Trade and Commerce said testimony and documents submitted by the Bureau of Customs (BOC), NFA, and the Department of Trade and Industry to the panel in its investigation into the reported illegal shipment of 420,000 tons of rice by an Indian businessman into the Freeport zone showed that there is indeed a “rice cartel” which involved certain government officials who allowed the illegal transactions to be consummated regardless of the irreparable injury it would cause to the government.
The Senate, thus, recommended that the Ombudsman together with the Bureau of Customs examine the significant documents submitted before the Committees and to conduct further investigation for possible violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against the following government officials:
1. Former Administrator Angelito T. Banayo of the National Food Authority;
2. Atty. Gilbert Lauengco, Banayo’s former Chief of Staff and Member of the Special Bids and Awards Committee;
3. Assistant Administrator Atty. Jose D. Cordero, Grains Marketing and Operations Department and Chairman of the Special Bids and Awards Committee;
4. Mr. Serafin Manalili, Provincial Manager, NFA Bulacan Provincial Office;
5. Ms. Yolanda Navarro, NFA Albay Provincial Office; and
6. Members of the Special Bids and Awards Committee: Ms. Celia Z. Tan, ViceChairman; and Atty. Judy Carol L. Dansal, Member; and Mr. Carlito G. Co, member.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan, chair of the Senate Agriculture committee, also said the panel recommended that the Civil Service Commission (CSC) further investigate Sano, after admitting he used the name of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to facilitate the release of documents in favor of an Indian rice importer. Sano is SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator of the Business and Investment Group and is also already facing administrative charges.
The Senate also recommended that charges be filed against the 26 rice cooperatives for culpability of violating the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines. These are:
1. King Casey Trading
2. Loui London Trading
3. St. Andrews Field Grains and Cereals
4. Wish Granted Enterprises
5. Montevallo Enterprises
6. Formosa Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC)
7. Riverview Multi-Purpose Cooperative
8. Ugnayang Magsasaka sa Kaunlaran MPC
9. GPI San Miguel MPC
10. St. Dominic Rice and Foodstuff Enterprises
11. Pure Country Trading
12. Chon Buri Trading
13. Mahindra Rice and Food Trading
14. Nemic Fusion Rice and Grains Enterprises
15. West Point Rice and Cereals Enterprises
16. Jaded Ranch Grains and Cereals Trading
17. Red Mountain Grain and Cereals Dealer
18. Sitio Muzon Farmers MPC
19. Sta. Cecilia MPC
20. Zwings Grain and Rice Enterprises
21. Lexant International Trading
22. Sili MPC
23. Kapatirang Takusa MPC
24. Samahan ng Magsasakang Kapampangan at Katagalugan MPC
25. Malipampang Concern Citizens MPC
26. Ugnayang Magbubukid ng San Isidro Inc.
However, the committee did not recommend any charges filed against Protik Guha, the Indian rice trader from Amira Foods International.
Nineteen senators signed the committee report, including Enrile, Pangilinan, Senators Ralph Recto, Teofisto “TG” Guingona III, Manuel Villar, Jr. , Franklin Drilon, Loren Legarda, Sergio Osmena III, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Panfilo Lacson, Gregorio Honasan II, Joker Arroyo, Antonio Trillanes IV, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. , Edgardo Angara, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, III, Pia Cayetano, Vicente Sotto III and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada.
Banayo, in a statement, questioned the Senate committee report’s findings.
While the committee report asks the Ombudsman to review all documents pertaining to the bidding of import permits by the NFA during his watch, he insisted the bidding, was done openly, unlike the previous practice of simply “giving these to a chosen few.”
On account of this reform, Banayo said the NFA earned P1.6 billion in 2011 and P2.6 billion in 2012, compared to a measly P103-million in 2010, which helped augment the agencies much-reduced budget subsidies.
“We are certain that we protected government interests and fulfilled our mandate. We followed the law in all bidding procedures and relied on certifications given by other government agencies, BOC included,” Banayo said in a text message.
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/393758/senate‐recommends‐raps‐versus‐banayo‐sano‐over‐rice‐smuggling#.URsMC_JFyjs
DA allots P89M equipment for Cavite By Czeriza Valencia (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 13, 2013 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) is allotting P89 million worth of agricultural assistance projects for the revival of the coffee, vegetable, and fisheries industry of Cavite.
During the “Alay sa Mamamayan” program held in Imus City last Feb. 7, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said that under the agricultural development program for the province, the department would develop farmlands and fishing grounds through the provision of technical support, farm machinery, postharvest facilities and marketing assistance.
The DA intends to revive and expand Cavite’s coffee and vegetable industries and increase the production of green mussels and oysters along the coastal towns.
Alcala said the farmers and fishermen in the province should take advantage of its proximity to Metro Manila, a major consumer market, to raise their productivity and incomes.
“We will tap idle lands to expand the vegetable and coffee industry in the province,” he said. “Cavite’s potential will not be maximized if the land will not be tilled.”
During the program, the DA distributed P14-million worth of farm equipment to local government officials. These include four-wheel tractors, hand tractors with trailers, multi-tillers, threshers, flatbed dryers, pump engines for shallow tube wells, knapsack sprayers, power sprayers, collapsible dryers, laminated tarpaulins as portable dryers, fish nets, multi-purpose drying pavement, spring development projects, palay storage sheds, barangay food terminals, and greenhouses.
http://www.philstar.com/business/2013/02/13/908054/da‐allots‐p89m‐equipment‐cavite
2012 exports fail to reach 10% increase Published on 13 February 2013
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Written by MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO REPORTER
Philippine merchandise exports for full year 2012 recorded a positive growth but failed to reach the government’s target. Data from the National Statistics Office (NSO) showed on Tuesday that export revenue from January to December last year posted a 7.6-percent increase to $51.994 billion from the $48.305 billion posted in 2011. “This is, however, below the Development Budget Coordination Committee-approved export growth assumption of 10 percent [growth] for the year,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said. Meanwhile, with a 16.5-percent jump in December 2012, which is a significant turnaround from the 18.9 percent contraction in December 2011, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said that Philippines posted the highest annual growth among its trade-oriented neighbors in East and Southeast Asia. “The country’s export performance in December 2012 reflects the generally improved prospects in the global economy on the back of policy support implemented by major economies, most notably of the Euro area, the United States, and Japan,” Balisacan, also the NEDA director general, added. The NSO, on the other hand, attributed the sustained increment to the positive year-on-year change in bananas, petroleum products, metal components, tuna and woodcrafts and furniture. On a monthly basis, December 2012 exports increased by 11.8 percent from the $3.550 billion posted in November 2012.
Electronic products Contributing 37.9 percent to total export revenue, NSO also reported that electronic products fell by 5.5 percent from $1.593 billion to $1.506 billion in December 2012. Month-on-month, it decelerated by 13.2 percent and 13 percent, respectively. “This mirrored the declining global market for personal computers due to cautious IT [information technology] spending and the increasing popularity of electronic tablets. Nevertheless, the sustained increase in export receipts from semiconductors partly mitigated the further decline in electronics exports,” Balisacan said. Other top exports were woodcrafts and furniture, $195.06 million; metal components, $144.92 million; articles of apparel and clothing accessories, $122.22 million; ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircrafts and ships, $120.87 million; petroleum products, $95.10 million increasing; coconut oil, $93.20 million; bananas, $30.08 million; gold, $53.59 million and tuna, $46.21. NSO said that the total receipts from the top 10 exports reached $2.454 billion, or 61.8 percent of the total exports. By commodity, the NSO data showed that exports of manufactured goods accounted 81.4 percent of the total export receipts as it rose by 17.8 percent in December 2012 to $3.231 billion from $2.742 billion in December 2011. “The renewed demand for manufactures may be partly traced to a firming global manufacturing sector with the purchasing managers’ index showing a slight expansion in December 2012 at 50.2 index point,” said Balisacan. Other top commodity exports were total agro-based products, $379.76 million; mineral products, $190.03 million; special transactions, $67.77 million; and forest products, $5.84 million. The data further showed that with 18 percent share of the total exports for December 2012, Japan emerged as the country’s top destination of exports with $715.29 million.
United States was the second top market of the country with $502.31 million; China, $417.18 million; Hong Kong, $380.62 million and Singapore, $340.17 million. Other top markets for December 2012 were South Korea, $259.58 million; Thailand, $187.51 million; Taiwan, $158.46 million; Malaysia, $135.02 million and Germany, $118.92 million. NSO said that the total export receipts from the country’s top 10 markets for December 2012 amounted to $3.215 billion, or about 81 percent of the total.
http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business/top‐business‐news/41342‐2012‐exports‐fail‐to‐reach‐10‐increase
Tagle next pope? Pinoys hope so
BISHOPS AND all Catholics in the Philippines are hoping that a Filipino will be the next pope, a senior church figure said yesterday, as he promoted the credentials of the country’s only candidate.
Heads of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) held a press conference in which they expressed sadness at Monday’s shock announcement by 85-year-old Pope Benedict XVI that he would resign because of health reasons. One of the leaders also spoke about the desire in the Philippines for the Archbishop of Manila, Luis Antonio Tagle, who was made a cardinal last year, to succeed Benedict. "We Filipinos would like a Filipino to be pope. Any country would be proud of that -- that your own cardinal becomes pope," said Father Francis Lucas, head of the mass media commission of the country’s Roman Catholic bishops. "The ordinary people, they would like Tagle to be pope because he is a Filipino." Mr. Lucas said Mr. Tagle, 55, had many favorable qualities for a future pontiff. "He is humble, he is meek, he is very bright, he is media-savvy, he is simple. He used to ride the bus to appointments but he kept on arriving late because of traffic," Mr. Lucas told reporters. The secretary-general of the CBCP, Monsignor Joselito Asis, said there were many candidates to be the next pope from around the world, and raised the prospect of him coming from Asia. "No one can pinpoint a dominant name so it is exciting," he told reporters. The Philippines is one of the most important countries in Asia for the Catholic Church. About 80% of the country’s 100 million people are Catholic, a legacy of the country’s former Spanish colonial rule. Mr. Tagle also issued a statement yesterday in which he said Benedict’s resignation was a surprise and brought great sadness. But he made no mention of his own prospects. "We know that the papal ministry is not an easy task. So we thank Pope Benedict XVI… for selflessly guiding the Church these past eight years with his teaching, simplicity and gentleness," Mr. Tagle said. The Vatican has said it expects a new pope to be in place in time for Easter, which falls on March 31 this year, although the decision is ultimately up to the cardinals of the Catholic Church who meet in a secret conclave. -- AFP
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=Tagle‐next‐pope?‐Pinoys‐hope‐so&id=65774
Bad news pulls down PNoy’s rating — Palace By Joyce Pangco Panares | Posted on Feb. 13, 2013 at 12:01am | 668 views
President Benigno Aquino III’s approval rating dropped 12 points in the latest
Pulse Asia survey.
Aquino only got a 66 percent approval rating for the survey period covering
January 19 to 30, down from his 78 percent approval rating during the November
survey, which was conducted from November 23-29.
The November survey also had Aquino gaining an 80 percent trust rating.
The prevailing issues on the period of the November polls include the
appointment of Marvic Leonen as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, the
re-election of US President Barack Obama, Comelec’s ongoing efforts to clean
the partylist system; and the deliberations in Congress on the Reproductive
Health Bill, among others.
Vice President Jejomar Binay’s approval rating, while it also declined, was higher
than the President at 69 percent.
But the Palace shrugged off the decline in Mr. Aquino’s rating, saying it was a
result of the country’s “environment” during the survey period.
“I think the ratings of everybody, the top officials of all branches of government,
fell. That’s also part of the environment at the time the survey was taken,”
presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said on Tuesday.
“At the time of the survey was taken, it was during the time of the Senate
squabble and then there was the investigation on the Atimonan, and then the
increasing number of reports in criminality. There are number of factors that
Pulse Asia came up with so I think it was influenced by the environmental scan of
that period,” Lacierda added.
The Pulse Asia survey had a sample size of 1,800 registered voters and a ± 2
percent error margin.
The survey also showed an appreciation for the performance of Senate President
Juan Ponce Enrile at 46 percent.
Aquino’s performance was scored with a disapproval rating of six percent while
the Vice President earned a disapproval rating of five percent.
Pulse Asia also noted that Filipinos were now critical of the performances of
Enrile, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., and Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno
who received disapproval ratings of 16 percent, 19 percent, and 18 percent,
respectively.
The latest survey showed a decline in the approval ratings for Belmonte at 28
percent and Sereno at 24 percent.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/02/13/bad‐news‐pulls‐down‐pnoys‐rating‐palace/
Export of RP’s prime commodity also takes a plunge, says Neda
• Written by Tribune
• Wednesday, 13 February 2013 00:00
The true picture of the economy is starting to show and its far from the growth stories made by the Aquino
administration.
After the 72-percent crash of the Philippine’s foreign direct investments (FDIs) last November, now comes
the fall in the exports of the country’s top commodity.
According to the National Economic Development Authority (Neda), electronics exports registered a 5.5
percent contraction in December last year.
Neda said electronics exports declined from $1.6 billion in December 2011 to $1.5 billion in December
2012.
“This mirrored the declining global market for personal computers due to cautious IT spending and the
increasing popularity of electronic tablets,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.
“Nevertheless, the sustained increase in export receipts from semiconductors partly mitigated the further
decline in electronics exports,” he added.
The latest figures issued by Neda represents a blow to the hype campaign of Malacanang trying to paint
a rosy picture of the local economy.
Nevertheless, it was reported that President Aquino is unfazed by figures that run contrary to his stories
of economic growth.
The Philippines is said to have posted the highest annual growth in merchandise exports in December
2012 among its trade-oriented neighbors in East and Southeast Asia.
The Neda said merchandise exports jumped by 16.5 percent in December 2012, a significant turnaround
from the 18.9 percent contraction in December 2011.
“The country’s export performance in December 2012 reflects the generally improved prospects in the
global economy on the back of policy support implemented by major economies, most notably of the Euro
area, the United States (US) and Japan,” said Balisacan.
Other Asian economies that recorded positive export growth in December 2012 include Hong Kong (14.8
percent), the People’s Republic of China (14.1 percent), Vietnam (14.1 percent), Thailand (13.5 percent)
and Taiwan (9.0 percent).
But for full-year 2012, export earnings grew by 7.6 percent to $52 billion from $48.3 billion in 2011.
“This is, however, below the Development Budget Coordination Committee-approved export growth
assumption of 10.0 percent for the year,” the Cabinet official said.
The country’s total export earnings reached $4 billion in December 2012 from $3.4 billion in the same
period in 2011 as outward shipments of manufactured goods (17.8 percent), total agro-based products
(19.1 percent), petroleum (137.0 percent) and forest products (29.9 percent) posted annual gains.
The strong performance of manufactured exports was attributed to higher receipts from machinery and
transport equipment (138.8 percent), electronic equipment and parts (52.4 percent), wood manufactures
(51.3 percent), processed food and beverages (40.4 percent), chemicals (15.1 percent), travel goods and
handbags (453.7 percent), miscellaneous manufactures (25.1 percent), baby carriage and toys (48.4
percent), furniture and fixtures (17.6 percent), basket work, wicker work and other articles of plaiting
materials (56.1 prcent), footwear (96.8 percent) and iron and steel (4.3 percent).
“The renewed demand for manufactures may be partly traced to a firming global manufacturing sector
with the purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showing a slight expansion in December 2012 at 50.2 index
point,” said Balisacan.
Meanwhile, total agro-based exports amounted to $379.8 million in December 2012, up by 19.1 percent
from $318.8 million in December 2011.
Similarly, petroleum exports grew by 137.0 percent in December 2012 to $95.1 million from $40.1 million
in the same period in 2011.
Japan was the top destination of Philippine exports in December 2012, accounting for 18 percent of total
export receipts.
The US came in second with a 12.7 percent-share followed by the Republic of China (10.5 percent),
Hong Kong SAR (9.6 percent), and Singapore (8.6 percent).
http://www.tribune.net.ph/business/item/10424‐export‐of‐rp%E2%80%99s‐prime‐commodity‐also‐takes‐a‐plunge‐says‐neda.html
LEADERS’ RATINGS DOWN
Published : Wednesday, February 13, 2013 00:00
Article Views : 56
Written by : Efren Montano
BIG crimes, notably the Atimonan bloodbath, and the Senate squabble are among the reasons for the drop in the ratings of top officials including President Benigno Aquino, according to Malacañang. “It was during the time of [the] Senate squabble and then there was the investigation on Atimonan, and there were some instances there --Tubbataha, the increasing numbers of reports on criminality -- there are a number of factors that Pulse Asia came up with,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told Palace reporters in his briefing. Pulse Asia’s latest survey shows a double-digit decline in the performance and trust ratings of the country’s top government officials. The survey, conducted from January 13 to 30, showed Aquino’s performance drop to 66%, or 12 percentage points lower than his rating in November 2012. Vice President Jejomar Binay’s performance and trust rating also suffered a setback, 69% from 82%. The rating of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is down to 46% from 73%. House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte’s rating dipped to 28% from 46%. Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno also rated lower at 24% from 38. Binay however continued to earn the highest ratings of the five, with 69 percent approval and 71 percent trust. Aquino got 66 percent approval and 68 percent for trust. Pulse Asia said the change in Filipinos’ assessment of their leaders was “significant,” with Aquino’s approval down 12 points from the 78 percent he earned in November. Significant decreases were noted in Metro Manila (from 74 percent to 59 percent), Luzon (77 percent to 61 percent) and the Visayas (79 percent to 67 percent). His trust scores also declined 12 percentage points. Binay, meanwhile, suffered a 13-point decline from November’s 82 percent. The most
significant decrease was noted in Metro Manila, where his approval went down 15 percentage points. Decreases were also noted in Luzon (14 percentage points) and Visayas (11 percentage points). Binay’s trust scores went down 10 percentage points. Meanwhile, Enrile’s approval and trust ratings went down to 46 percent. However, while his approval score declined 27 percentage points, he maintained a 53 percent approval in Mindanao. Belmonte’s approval and trust scores dropped to 28 percent and Sereno’s approval to 24 percent. Among government institutions, only the Supreme Court earned a majority trust score of 53 percent. It was followed by the Senate, with 48 percent, and the House of Representatives, with 44 percent. Prevailing issues at the time of the poll included the alleged misuse of Senate funds and the support by the chamber for Enrile, the Atimonan incident that left 13 people dead, increasing reports of criminality including the SM Megamall robbery, the failure of the House of Representatives to open floor debates on their version of the Freedom of Information bill, and the grounding of the USS Guardian at Tubbataha Reef. The Pulse Asia survey was conducted from January 19 to 30 among 1,800 registered voters nationwide with a ± 2 percent error margin at the 95 percent confidence level.
http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/headlines/44744‐leaders‐ratings‐down
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