To ensure stable rice supply amid the COVID-19 crisis, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) called for a meeting to capacitate enforcers on the classification of imported and local commercial rice on April 29, 2020.

“Following on reports that some rice retailers sell local regular milled rice, but labeled as premium grade rice aside from the prices pegged beyond the price freeze,” said DA-10, Regional Technical Director for Operations of Carlota S. Madriaga.

National Food Authority-10 (NFA-10) Regional Manager John Robert R. Hermano apprised the group on the classification of imported and local commercial rice such as well milled, special, premium, well milled and regular milled.

The enforcement team is composed of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-10 (CIDG-10), DA-Bureau of Plant Industry-10 (DA-BPI-10), National Bureau of Investigation-10 (NBI-10), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) and Local Price Coordinating Council (LPCC) of Cagayan de Oro City and the Regional Bantay Presyo Task Force. #

Under the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2020-01 of DA, DTI and DOH or “Price Freeze under a State of Calamity throughout the Philippines due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019” was implemented for basic necessities as of March 8, 2020 until May 15, 2020, unless earlier lifted by the President.#

A total of 20 trays of fresh farm eggs were claimed by representatives from the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC), region 10’s referral hospital for COVID-19 cases, at the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) on April 29.

This gesture aims to boost the health, nutrition and morale of the Region’s medical workers and other frontliners in the bid to curb the spread of the disease, as they work round-the-clock to save lives.

Said food assistance is shared by DA-RFO 10 thru OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, which was ceremoniously turned over a week ago and is part from the donations of San Miguel Foods, Inc.

Receiving the food assistance is NMMC’s Christerson G. Rafal, nursing attendant and Blisilo A. Sacal, administrative officer, also in the presence of DA-RFO 10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga and other agency staff. #

A total of 440 heads of Itik Pinas were dispersed by the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) to a multiplier farm at Brgy. Kuya, Maramag, Bukidnon on April 28, 2020.

Said area which is managed by the local government of Maramag through its agriculture office serves as a technology demonstration farm for duck culture in the town.

Overall amounting to Php220,000.00, the demo farm is seen to provide livelihood to locals, augment duck raisers’ income and productivity, and increase the inventory of ducks within the municipality.

Present during the delivery of stocks is DA-RFO 10 Livestock Program Project Development Assistant II Johnson C. Petalcurin, of which were received by Agricultural Technician Johann Vincent Obedencio of the Municipal Agriculture’s Office of Maramag. #

CdeO City, April 27 – “DA’s ‘Plant, Plant, Plant’ program is an efficient homegrown and livelihood initiative, enough to sustain the basic needs of the people,” said Lieutenant Colonel Jason M. Saldua of the 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army (4ID, PA).

In support to one of the region’s battlefront against the COVID-19, the DA-Regional Field Office 10, thru OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado supplies the troupe with 150 packets of Pinakbet vegetable seeds.

Said intervention is part of DA’s program, also known as “Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat (ALPAS) Laban sa COVID-19.

According to Lt. Col. Saldua, the assorted veggie seeds will not only benefit the armies, but also the locals residing nearby the camp.

“This is timely since the region is under community quarantine (CQ) due to the threat of the pandemic. Even if the government orders to extend the CQ period in the region, in a few months, the locals will still have sufficient and healthy food to eat, fresh from the harvest of their own vegetable garden,” he added.

Aside from the seeds, 16 trays of fresh eggs, donated by the San Miguel Foods, Inc. were also shared by the agency to the army for their daily consumption.# (EMB)

CdeO City, April 27 – “DA’s ‘Plant, Plant, Plant’ program is an efficient homegrown and livelihood initiative, enough to sustain the basic needs of the people,” said Lieutenant Colonel Jason M. Saldua of the 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army (4ID, PA).

In support to one of the region’s battlefront against the COVID-19, the DA-Regional Field Office 10, thru OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado supplies the troupe with 150 packets of Pinakbet vegetable seeds.

Said intervention is part of DA’s program, also known as “Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat (ALPAS) Laban sa COVID-19.

According to Lt. Col. Saldua, the assorted veggie seeds will not only benefit the armies, but also the locals residing nearby the camp.

“This is timely since the region is under community quarantine (CQ) due to the threat of the pandemic. Even if the government orders to extend the CQ period in the region, in a few months, the locals will still have sufficient and healthy food to eat, fresh from the harvest of their own vegetable garden,” he added.

Aside from the seeds, 16 trays of fresh eggs, donated by the San Miguel Foods, Inc. were also shared by the agency to the army for their daily consumption.# (EMB)

The Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) Philippines. Corp., headed by Assistant Vice President Prateep Tongjan paid a courtesy visit to DA-10 executive Carlene C. Collado, relaying that it joins the department’s thrust in producing safe and quality food to local consumers in Northern Mindanao through its product offerings, including chicken feed from chick booster to broiler finisher feed. #

The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10), concluded its Php5,000 cash assistance to rice farmers, in the province of Bukidnon, who were affected by the low buying price of palay due to the Rice Tariffication Law.

DA-10 executive Carlene C. Collado explained that the cash assistance was accorded to qualified rice farmers, tilling an area ranging from 0.5 to 2 hectares and are duly registered under the updated Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).

Said financial aid is under the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA), sourced out from the tariff collections of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

Collado further expressed his gratitude to the provincial government thru Governor Jose Ma. Zubiri, Jr. and its municipal mayors for the support extended to the agriculture sector.

A total of 6,594 rice farmer-recipients received the Php5,000 financial aid from the 19 municipalities and cities of said province from April 20-24.

The towns and cities include Baungon, Talakag, Sumilao, Manolo Fortich, Impasug-ong, Lantapan, Cabanglasan, San Fernando, Malaybalay City, Damulog, Kibawe, Dangcagan, Don Carlos, Kadingilan, Maramag, Quezon, Kalilangan, Pangantucan and Valencia City.

Nova H. Omonlay, a 62-year old rice farmer from barangay Kisolon, Sumilao, Bukidnon, who has been cultivating her rice fields for more than 20 years, said,  “Dako na kaayo ni nga tabang alang sa pagkaon sa akong pamilya, labi na niining panahon sa krisis. Ang pagtanom sa humay ug ang kita niini maoy gisaligan namo alang sa among pagkaon sa tibuok tuig.”

[This is big enough to buy food for my family, especially this time of crisis. Rice farming is also the source of our income and this is where we also get money for our food for the whole year.”]

Aside from Bukidnon, simultaneous distribution of RFFA assistance was also conducted in the province of Lanao del Norte with 6,442 beneficiaries.# (MGBS)

Agri chief in Northern Mindanao Carlene C. Collado prepares the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA-10) to adequately respond to Secretary William D. Dar’s food resiliency program amid community quarantine.

Available spaces in the DA regional office will be utilized to grow variety of vegetable seeds through its High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP).

“I am encouraging families to plant vegetables using available space or improvised containers, to ensure food security during this health crisis,” said Dir. Collado.

The “Plant, Plant, Plant Program or Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat (ALPAS) Laban sa COVID-19” is the flagship initiative of the agency to ensure sustained food production and availability, food accessibility and affordability with the threats of COVID-19.

Regional Technical Director for Operations, Carlota S. Madriaga openly invites interested individuals to avail of DA’s free vegetable seeds in the agency’s regional office.

Aside from DA-10’s free vegetable seeds, its three research stations, the Regional Center for Upland Development (RCUD) in Dangcagan, Bukidnon, Regional Center for Hillyland Development in Claveria, Misamis Oriental and Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex, have been propagating different crops to support this call.#

Cdeo City, April 24 – The 58th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army received assorted vegetable seeds from the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) in support to the agency’s “Plant, Plant, Plant Program” or “Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat (ALPAS) Laban sa COVID-19”.

DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga handed the 175 packs of 5-in-1 Pinakbet seeds to 58IB Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Ricky L. Canatoy to develop their existing areas for food production and livelihood for the soldiers.

Lt. Col. Canatoy shared that the agency’s campaign is a great help since it encourages people to be productive while staying at home during this health crisis.

Elson Jalapong, a sari-sari store owner in Barangay 23 cannot help, but be thankful to the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) as it brought the Kadiwa Market to their place.

Since the city-wide implementation of the community quarantine, his family has been making do with scarce income to provide for their daily needs. “I am thankful that DA brought the Kadiwa Market to our barangay. The products sold are cheaper and affordable that helps us save, especially that our daily earning is much lesser now during the quarantine,” he accounted.

“I am looking forward for another round of Kadiwa Market in our place,” Mr. Jalapong added.

For Northern Mindanao Federation of Dairy Cooperatives (NMFDC), more popularly known for selling under its brand name, Highland Fresh Dairy Products, the Kadiwa Market has helped their group get by the pandemic by maintaining steady sales.

“Our production has been affected since the implementation of the quarantine period. Our sales has dropped significantly. So, one of our strategies is to continue joining DA’s Kadiwa. Somehow, this helps us to maintain our daily sales,” Jhuryvie Sardovia Highland Fresh’s, accounting staff-turned-saleslady shared.

“More importantly, the Kadiwa Market, has kept me in having a job during the quarantine,” Sordovia added.

Barangay 23 Chair Mario Balsarza said his constituents has not only saved some money because of the Kadiwa Market, but it also prevented them from going to congested places like the public market, a precautionary and safe measure against COVID-19.

“I will look into inviting the Kadiwa Market some other time to our barangay. This is very helpful to our people during this time. I am very thankful that DA has considered our barangay as one of its display areas,” Balsarza asserted.

He also disclosed that the Kadiwa Market also enabled barangay residents to display their homemade products.

DA-10 aims to bring together individual farmers, farmer-groups, small, medium and large enterprises and corporations in Cagayan de Oro as vendors and suppliers of the Kadiwa Market roam around the city, supplying fresh and cheap food products to Kagay-anons.

The agency provides logistics and links Kadiwa vendors to target-benefitting barangays to sell their products.#(ATalib)