𝐇𝐲𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐨 𝐝𝐞 𝐎𝐫𝐨

A significant step up in the agriculture sector in Davao de Oro came into light right after the successful harvest of the Community Hybrid Rice Model Farm: a community model of hybrid rice variety established in selected barangays in the municipalities of Compostela and Nabunturan ranging up to 200 hectares of land area.

The model farms are an initiative through the collaboration of the Department of Agriculture Region XI, Provincial Government of Davao de Oro headed by Governor Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga,  Provincial Agriculturist's Office of DdO, Municipal Agriculture Offices of Compostela and Nabuturan, and private seed companies; Syngenta Philippines, Inc., SL Agritech Corporation, and Bayer Crop Science.

The project yields a significant rack-up in the province's rice sector by using four (4) hybrid rice varieties: Bigante Plus, NK5017, SL 20H, and M20. These hybrid rice varieties showed the potential to adapt to climate changes and generate a higher income for the local farmers.

The involved agencies and private partners also pushed for the concept of farm clustering, a method utilizing two cropping seasons, both wet and dry cropping irrigated areas, to fully maximize space, time, and effort. In total, the municipality of Compostela involves Brgy. Gabi, Tamia, Lagab, San, Jose, and Siocon has 100 hectares of rice model farm site with 66 farmer-cooperators, while Brgy. Magading, Libasan (LIPRIMCO), Libasan (PNIA), and Pangutusan comprised Nabunturan with 100 hectares of rice model farm site and 78 farmer-cooperators.

Further, both Compostela and Nabunturan received 25 bags of rice seeds for each hybrid variety of rice for their model farm, including loads of fertilizers (urea, complete, and MOP) per hectare of the model farm.

In partnership with DA and private companies, this initiative of the provincial government is a blueprint for modern, efficient, and effective rice-farming techniques that will soon be adopted by the other farmers province-wide.

PAGRO Head Dr. Jaime Anter, in his message to the farmers during the harvest, conveyed that the government will continue to support them through subsidies, lowering their production costs and increasing their income. 

According to PAGRO-DdO, more or less 400 bags of rice (65 kilograms per bag) were harvested yesterday (September 21, 2022) in two (2) model farms located in Brgy. Magading and Pangutusan. The remaining unharvested hybrid rice model farm sites will follow in the last week of September and the first week of October this year. (J. Abella, PAO-IPRD DdO, photos by J. Cadiz)

Great music, fun memories at GDay festivities

 

Thousands gathered over the weekend for fun and exciting activities Globe held for its highly anticipated "917 #ExtraGDayEveryday," the biggest GDay celebration yet.

Events were held at the Circuit Events Ground Makati and the Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rosa City on September 17 or "917 day," without adverse incident except for apparent attempts to jam mobile signals at both venues.

"Our 917 GDay this year marked the first time we had many on-ground events, and we are glad that our customers went out to participate in them. We really wanted to pursue face to face events which we have been missing since the pandemic. We are only too happy that our customers found time to enjoy the festivities," said Jerome Patalud, head of Globe Rewards.

The GMusic Fest drew thousands of spectators at Circuit Events Ground Makati for a day of great music and fun at experiential booths, bringing home Globe freebies along with new memories.

Over 6,000 spectators came for the half-day event, staying throughout the show to enjoy the lineup of world-class artists Globe brought together to regale its valued customers.

Enjoying the GMusic Fest was Kathlyn Guinto, a Globe customer for 15 years now. On Twitter, she raved about seeing Thai singer Phum Viphurit and the "queens" from Drag Race Philippines.

"It was my first time watching Phum Viphurit perform live. Finally! WOW. WOW. WOW.... Thank you for bringing them here, Globe!" she said in her post.

G Music Fest also featured K-Pop group bugAboo, whose G Music Fest appearance was their first time performing live in the Philippines, and top Filipino acts such as KAIA, Matthaios, The Juans, Unique Salonga, and I Belong to the Zoo.

Festival goers were also safely ferried in and out of the venue through free rides on GET electric buses deployed for the event.

2-day Tourism Job Fair in Davao City set

By ANTONIO L. COLINA IV, Manila Bulletin

DAVAO CITY – A total of 2,541 vacancies are available to job applicants during the two-day Tourism Job Fair from Sept. 22 to 23 at the Abreeza Mall, an official of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-Davao said Wednesday, Sept. 21.

Paul Cruz, chief of technical services and support division of DOLE-Davao, said during an interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) that the job fair would be participated by 35 companies, including hotels and other tourism-related establishments.

 The two-day event dubbed “Trabaho, Turismo, Asenso” is a nationwide simultaneous event in Manila, Cebu, and Davao organized by the DOLE, Department of Tourism, and Public Employment Service Office to help workers find employment after being displaced by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Cruz said that all vacancies in the two-day job fair are for local employment, particularly within the region, as the newly-established Department of Migrant Workers will take charge of the recruitment for overseas employment.

 He said job offerings include, among others, housekeepers, butlers, front office personnel, kitchen staff, customer service representatives, planning personnel, and warehouse helpers.

 Cruz said they target at least 10 to 15 percent of the job applicants to be hired on the spot.

 He said onsite pre-registration is available for applicants starting Wednesday, Sept. 21. Online preregistration is also available via the Facebook pages of the regional offices of DOLE and DOT.

Ryan D. Roldan, regional employment focal person of DOLE-Davao, encouraged applicants to avail of the preregistration to preselect the jobs they wish to apply to enable them to skip long queues for walk-in applicants.

 “We have invited a lot of hotels to join the fair because this job fair is all about tourism. The hotels and restaurants were severely affected by the pandemic,” he said.

 He said the event is intended to fill the job losses as a result of permanent and temporary closures due to the pandemic.

LPA east of Central Luzon now tropical depression Karding

Tropical Depression Karding (Photo courtesy of PAGASA)

by Charie Mae F. Abarca, Manila Bulletin

The low pressure area (LPA) east of Central Luzon has developed into tropical depression Karding, the 11th tropical cyclone to enter and form in the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) in 2022.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the weather disturbance developed at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22. Bulletins for this tropical cyclone will be issued beginning Thursday at 11 a.m.

Meanwhile, apart from Karding, the southwest monsoon, locally called “habagat,” is also being monitored. This weather system, according to PAGASA, may bring partly cloudy skies with isolated rain showers in various parts of the country. In a public weather forecast, PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja said that the southwest monsoon will particularly affect the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon in the next 24 hours.

Sara calls for end to 'culture of racism' for lasting peace

By Kaithreen Cruz

September 22, 2022

IN observance of the United Nations International Day of Peace, Vice President Sara Duterte emphasized the need to end the pervading culture of racism for meaningful and lasting peace for all.

She explained that racism "carves painful words that linger through generations — resulting in a cycle of violence inflamed by raging hate of a race against another race."

She pointed out the universality of the fight to be recognized, respected, and accorded equal rights as a nation with diverse cultures, traditions, and religions.

"We have a moral obligation to end racism and address the web of violence interlocking around the culture of hate that threatens to overcome us, injure us, and break us apart as a community," Duterte emphasized in her message.

She said that hate should not be allowed to poison people's differences, nor allow it to overpower unity as a community that respects each other.

Rather, she urged people to tap on those differences to ensure that everyone can freely exercise their cultural and other fundamental rights recognized by international laws.

"May we be unrelenting in our mission of engaging all groups and sectors in all our endeavors — ensuring that we build an inclusive society. I trust that Filipinos will support the campaign against racism in the spirit of unity, peace, and progress for our country," Duterte added.

Christian faith on life and death

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala*

“THE Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” (Lk 9,22)

These words of Christ show us the general trajectory of our life here on earth. Like Christ, we have to expect all sorts of suffering and death. But we should never forget that there is also the resurrection. This is what our Christian faith tells us about our life and death here on earth.

Thus, St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans stressed this truth of our faith by saying, “If we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (6,8) How important, therefore, for us to carve these words of Christ and St. Paul in our mind and heart, so that we can have the proper understanding and appreciation of everything in our life, including our sufferings and death!

In short, as long as we are with Christ, we can expect the resurrection, the victory over sin and death, if we suffer and die also with Christ. We need to do everything to live by this truth of our faith so we can go through the drama of our life in peace, joy and confidence. We can avoid unnecessary worries.

Let us also remember that the best condition we can enjoy in our earthly life is when we are with Christ. We would know how to handle any situation properly. And as St. Paul again said it in his Letter to the Romans, “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8,28)

This should strongly motivate us to know, love and serve God who has revealed himself fully in Christ. And as far as Christ is concerned, he has left us with the beautiful story of his life, his teaching, his Church and the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist where he makes himself entirely available to us, even making himself the Bread of Life for us to eat and achieve the highest communion we can have with him here on earth.

We really do not have any excuse why we cannot go through our life, with all its ups and down, in a manner that would always be marked by joy, peace and hope. We should try our best to be always guided by our Christian faith in our general attitude toward life and death.

With this Christian faith, we will always feel reassured and can echo what St. Paul once said: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?...But thanks to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 15,55.57)

We should spread this Good News about our Christian faith on life and death. We know that many of us are still ignorant about it, or worse, not convinced by it, and thus we unnecessarily suffer the consequences. Where there is supposed to be only joy and peace, we are often hounded by fear, worries, sadness and the like.

Let us always strengthen the conviction that the best condition for us to be in 

*Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com