𝟖.𝟕𝐌 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢-𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐤𝐚𝐧

The full access of interventions for the agricultural sector has always been a part of Governor Tyron Uy's leadership in Davao de Oro.

On March 22, 2022, the Cocolife Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CMPC) in Pantukan officially received 8.7 million pesos worth of machinery and a new facility in support of the cooperatives' production of quality coconut products such as virgin coconut oil, desiccated coconut, and coconut milk. The intervention is also a close support for coconut farmers through marketing local coconut produce as one of the high-valued crops in the market. 

CMPC officially received two (2) units of Hauling Trucks, and one (1) unit Warehouse with Wastewater Management Facility equipped also with other machinery and equipment worth 8.7 million pesos from the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) in the coordination of the province’s Agriculturist’s Office.

Rudy Ang, CMPC Chairman thanked the working team behind the grants given to them which will directly help the production capabilities of the cooperative to supply products not only in the local market but also on an export scale. 

The realization of the intervention for the cooperative is very timely as the demand for coconut products in the market is increasing. Governor Tyron Uy also said that the provincial government continues to foresee interventions for local farmers with positive aftermath.

The ceremonial blessing and turn-over ceremony were attended by Governor Tyron Uy, Deputy Director PRDP Region XI Marila Corpuz, Dr. Ronald Sibayan of PAGRO, Municipal Agriculture Office of Pantukan, and members and officials of CMPC.

The coexistence of green and golden opportunities has brought Davao de Oro to where it is today. Being the second most competitive province in the whole Davao Region, and ranked 11th in the National Competitiveness Index, the province already set an edge among others.

Not only did its unified people give victory in the province for years, but also its rich agricultural lands that were made even stronger with the right interventions and programs from the best leaders. (JA, PAO IPRD, photo by J. Cadiz)

What would you never want to change about the Philippines?

 

Allan Daniel Serrano

Hi! I’m Allan Daniel Serrano, I’m a Filipino with good understanding of our culture, politics, religion, history, geography and everything related to our archipelago and our relationship with neighboring countries and other foreign nations.

My genetic makeup is native Austronesian with a dash of indeginous Papuan of course, plus the bloodlines of the Sangley traders and the Iberian conquerors.

I am nationalistic, but not to the point that I would berate and belittle other countries just to flag my pride, because I’m also globalist. I wouldn’t tolerate any condescending attitude towards my people and my nation.

Thanks for the A2A. The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands that is full of color and contrast. It is considered as the “ Pearl of the Orient Seas,” had once been labeled as “. The Sick Man of Asia,” now bouncing its way to be an economic power again. Its people is one of the most hospitable in the world. Here are some of the things that I never wanted to change about the Philippines:

• Our respect towards the elderly.

Filipinos are very courteous when addressing their grandparents and other people of a much matured age. Whenever visiting our grannies, we bow a little and we place their hands on our foreheads as a sign of respect. The said custom is called pagmamano in Filipino.

Aside from this, we are also constantly using the honorary po/opo whenever we talk to them. It is a sign that they are being honored and respected by the youngsters.

Lastly, we are country that strictly adheres to the concept of Filial Piety. We are expected to give back the same love and sacrifices made by our parents to make our lives better. We are expected to take good care of them till their dying breath. That's why a Filipino who is negligent of his/her parents would receive criticisms from the eyes of the public.

• Spirit of Camaraderie (Bayanihan)

In the early times, whenever a house made of nipa and bamboo are going to be transferred from a rural area to the city or pueblo, every neighboring men in the town would help the owner of the house to carry it until they've reached their destination. This practice is called bayanihan. It bonds the community towards a certain aim and goal and it helps local communities to foster trust and understanding on one another.

This practice may have decreased a bit because houses nowadays are primarily made of permanent materials such as stone and brick. Although the spirit of camaraderie can still be seen amongst us. Whenever there is a calamity or emergency of sorts, always expect someone in the community to extend a helping hand on you.

• Our resilience. Filipinos would seem abnormal and weird in the eyes of foreigners, because it is one of the few countries wherein happiness and contentment can be seen in midst of calamity and poverty. For us, life still goes on, no matter how hard it is. It doesn't matter if we only have a piece of dried fish and salted egg in the table, as long as our families are bonded, we are happy and still have the highest hopes in our hearts. A photograph below shows a Filipino couple who still proceeded with their wedding vows in spite of heavy flooding and volcanic eruption. Pictures below also shows children in the slums posing happily. Only in the Philippines:

• Our lush, verdant fields.

I don't like the idea that the entirety of my country will be transformed into a metropolis and laid with asphalt, with erected concrete matchboxes spread across the archipelago. We don't want the entire Philippines to be like this:

I'm happy that God had blessed our land with fertile farmlands and greeneries. I am hoping it will be preserved by the future generations:

Wide open rice fields of Nueva Ecija, the “ Rice Granary of the Philippines”

Lush, golden rice fields of Quezon Province

Coffee plantation of Amadeo, Cavite, our Coffee Capital

Vast, open corn fields of Isabela Province, “ The Corn Capital of the Philippines”

A scenic photograph of Iloilo's sugar plantations, extending to the horizon.

Vast tracks of Banana plantation in Davao Region

Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, one of the UNESCO heritage sites. This terraces had been curved in the mountainside by our Igorot ancestors, using only their bare hands and very crude tools. If the steps are going to be laid together jointly, it can cover half the surface of our world.

• Lastly, our strong belief in God Almighty:

Filipino Catholic devotees, during the parade of the Black Nazarene

Filipino Evangelicals/Protestants, raising their hands in worship

Chinese Filipinos, lighting incenses inside a Buddhist Temple

Filipina Moslems, gathering in prayer marking the end of Ramadan

Our country had been frequently devastated by natural calamities and troublesome political uprisings. I believe it is our strong dependence in an Almighty that keeps us alive and flourishing in the midst of harsh circumstances.

These are some of the things that I want to be preserved for my country. :)

(C) Quora

Pursuing unity amid our differences

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

“WHOEVER is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” (Lk 11,23) With these words, Christ tells us clearly where the basis for our unity and equality amid our unavoidable differences and conflicts can be found. Yes, it’s with him, and only with him.

No matter how right we may be in something, no matter how strongly convinced we are that we are in the truth, if we are not with Christ, then we would not know how to deal with others with charity, which in the end is what truly builds up unity and equality among ourselves.

Yes, it’s the charity that St. Paul describes as “patient, is kind. Charity does not envy, does not act wrongly, is not inflated. Charity is not ambitious, does not seek for itself, is not provoked to anger, devises no evil. Charity does not rejoice over iniquity, but rejoices in truth. Charity suffers all, believes all, hopes all, endures all.” (1 Cor 13:4-7)

Yes, it’s the charity that enables us to bear the burdens of each other and thus fulfil the law of Christ. (cfr. Gal 6,2) It’s the charity that is willing to suffer for the others, and can consider as our real treasures here on earth the following conditions: hunger, thirst, heat, cold, pain, dishonor, poverty, loneliness, betrayal, slander, prison…

It’s the charity that considers sacrifice as its way, that welcomes any cross that can come our way, that is detached from passing opinions and views, and willing to suffer for the truth, no matter how unfair that would be. It’s the charity that knows how to love enemies and to be ever merciful and magnanimous, how to be “all things to all men,” (1 Cor 9,22) irrespective of how the others are. 

Our pursuit for unity and equality amid our differences and conflicts can only be achieved if we have this charity that is based on our living union with God as shown in obeying the truths he revealed to us about ourselves and living them with God’s spirit, that is, with charity. Again, truth and charity should always go together for either one to be authentic, not fake or plastic. Otherwise, we would have a flying elephant.

Our problem is that we often get contented only with our own ideas, ideologies, laws and some consensus to achieve this ideal. Do you think these would be enough? Unity and equality among men and women, for example, just cannot be achieved simply with our human means. We can say, “tell it to the Marines,” when one would dare to affirm so. 

Imagine when we have to consider the complexities of pursuing social justice and of respecting and loving each other in our political differences that can become bitter, what with all the bullies and trolls around, the shameless virtue signaling and gaslighting, etc., that people like to use.

Though our human doctrine, ideologies and laws have a role to play, they are nothing if they are not inspired or infused with the living spirit of God, who is the source of all unity and equality. This should be made clear to everyone.

We would just be giving appearances, many times deceptive appearances, of unity and equality, when things are not done in the context of a living relation with God. The Trinitarian nature of God—three persons in one God, equal in dignity and in eternal relation with one another—is the pattern of the unity and equality proper to us.