DTI conducts skills training to farmers association in Montevista town

Davao de Oro --- The Department of Trade and Industry Davao de Oro provincial office conducted skills training on Product Enhancement cum Packaging and Labelling on Mushroom-Based Products to the members of Tapia Unified Farmers Association (TUFA) yesterday May 18, 2021.

 

The said training is one of the DTI’s interventions that aim to create livelihood opportunities and enable them to participate in local economic development activities. Each member was taught on how to make various recipes for mushrooms. They have also given lectures regarding the product cost and pricing to make their products competitive in the market.

“Monte Taps” or Montevista Tapia is the name of their product with the variety of Mushroom Binagoongan and Mushroom Chili Garlic Sauce which will be sold to the different marketplace in the province and ensures sustainability and income for the association.

Present during the activity were DTI Division Chief of Davao de Oro Mr. Patrick Kim Evangelio, Senior Trade Development Specialist and Negosyo Center of Montevista Mr. Faustino Diabordo, and other AFP Personnel.

With the help of the Community Development Teams of the 25th Infantry FIREBALL Battalion, the TUFA is DOLE’s registered and organized Peoples Organization in Barangay Tapia, Montevista, Davao de Oro. (Rheafe Hortizano – Provincial Information Office of DdO, Photos by DTI-DdO)

Maguindanao Farmers Lose Crops Due to Drought

By John Unson (philstar.com) 

Firemen fight a grassfire at the border of Maguindanao and North Cotabato provinces, where vast swaths of rice and corn farms had been scorched by a dry spell since January. Philstar.com/John Unson

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines - Farmers in 17 of Maguindanao’s 36 towns lost their rice and corn crops to the now two-month dry spell, feared to cause widespread hunger without downpours until summer.

Field workers are still validating reports on the extent of crop damage in the other 19 Maguindanao towns, according to provincial officials and the agriculture department of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

The provincial board, chaired by Maguindanao Vice Gov. Lester Sinsuat, declared the entire province last week under state of calamity to maximize utilization of funds for relief missions in affected peasant communities in drought-stricken areas.

Badly affected by the calamity are the municipalities of Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, South Upi, Mamasapano, Montawal, Guindulungan, Talayan, Shariff Saidona, Datu Abdullah Sangki and Datu Anggal Midtimbang in the second district of Maguindanao.

Rice and corn farms in seven towns in the first district of Maguindanao, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Kabuntalan, Northern Kabuntalan, North Upi, Buldon, Sultan Mastura and Sultan Kudarat, were also scorched by the drought.

Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu on Thursday told reporters the province would really suffer from the drought because no less than 70 percent of local farmers rely on propagation of rice and corn as main sources of income.

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“Before January ended, our estimate of crop damage is already P120 million and its rising,” Mangudadatu said.

He said he is thankful to the provincial board for acting immediately on his request to declare the province under state of calamity to hasten the delivery of humanitarian services to affected communities.

The governor also cautioned residents of Maguindanao’s North Upi, South Upi and Datu Blah Sinsuat towns against eating improperly cooked “Krut,” which is poisonous if not immersed in running water for 12 hours before cooking.

Ethnic T’durays in the three towns traditionally gathers Krut during the dry seasons as an alternate staple to cope up with hunger resulting from loses in their short-term crops.

Krut, a drought-tolerant yam, produces more tubers during the dry season, an alternate staple for ethnic T’durays, whenever droughts scorch their farmlands.

Most of those who fell ill from eating improperly cooked Krut are Visayan settlers that lack expertise on how to remove the toxins from its soft, potato-like pulp.

Rats had also destroyed vast swaths of rice and corn farms in Maguindanao last January.

Mangudadatu said the provincial government’s emergency response team led by Maguindanao’s chief budget officer, Lynette Estandarte, is now formulating contingency measures meant to cushion the impact of the drought to local peasant communities.

Members of the ARMM’s Humanitarian Emergency Assistance and Response Team (HEART) initially inspected early this week hinterland Maguindanao towns devastated by the drought as a requisite for the conduct of relief missions.

The HEART, operating under the ministerial supervision of ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman, is now preparing for relief operations in Maguindanao and other provinces of the autonomous region where farmers also suffered losses due to the drought. 

A Letter to Filipino Farmers

By Karyn Mae F. Azur, SUNSTAR DAVAO

THE so-called backbone of the nation produces the fruits, vegetables, and rice that are served on Filipino tables. They are the farmers. It is because of the farmers’ ceaseless efforts that we have something to eat to fill our stomach and nourish our body.

With that, I am writing this to thank and salute you for all the selfless things you do, and to express how important you are to me.

The sad thing is that most of the people you feed do not appreciate and give importance of your existence and contribution. What’s more heart-breaking is that you work harder, but earn less.

You earn less not just because of the small amount of income you gain, but because of the little value given to you. You earn less because most of Filipinos do not deeply appreciate your important role in the society as food producers.

In our dining table, we never forget to thank God for providing the food we eat. But, we don’t realize you are God’s instruments who make it possible for us to have the fruits, vegetables, and rice served on our tables.

I often reflect about your life.

You wake up before the sun rises, then sip a cup of coffee and eat four to six pieces of pandesal.

I find it heart-rending that you wake up early every morning to take care of the crops that are later cooked and served on our table, while we stay at peace on our bed, wake up late, and eat what you have produced for us.

While we’re lying with our back on a comfortable mattress, you’re working so hard with your sweat dripping and back under the torturing heat of the sun. But, you never complain. You never stop.

We don’t even think of the farmers’ hard work and hardship while we chew our food. What we have in mind is to eat to our heart’s content and start our day in a way that’s far different from theirs.

Rain or shine, you go to the fields to check on the crops, and do everything to have a good harvest to gain bigger income. You spend almost half of your day under various difficult situations, but you do not earn what you deserve.

You put in a big percentage to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and along with the fishery sector, you contribute almost 20 percent of the total GDP.

But, you receive less of government’s assistance. Your income is not enough for your basic needs and can’t even support your family. You don’t deserve to get this in return from your huge contribution in the society and economy.

It upsets me that even if you fulfill your role in the society in the best way you can, together with the fishermen, you are still the ‘poorest sectors’ and ‘most vulnerable to hunger and poverty’ according to a report by Oxfam International Philippines.

As one of the pillars of Philippine economy, you are worthy to be commended. You deserve to live in abundance. You deserve more.

I thank you because you are the reason why my mother is able to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at the market, which she cooks into a delicious and healthy meal for us.

I thank you for if it isn’t because of your undying efforts, my father won’t be able to purchase a sack of rice to sustain us for a month.

I thank you because we’re able to survive everyday, through the staple crops you produce, which we buy, cook, and eat.

You might not know how important you are to me and to my family that’s why I’m writing this and I hope you’ll be able to read this.

I am certain that one day will come when, like the seeds you plant, you will rise from the ground and grow abundantly. Yes, you will. 

-o0o-

Sunday Essays are articles written by Ateneo de Davao University students for their journalism subject.