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Davao cacao farmers target 100,000 tons of export demand

• Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R11&article=1551334124278
• By: Frances Mae Gevera-Macapagat
• April 11, 2012

Cacao farmers here in the region are bent on reaching the 100,000 tons of cacao demand needed by the global chocolate leader, Mars.

Cacao farmer Charita Puentespina disclosed in today's Club 888 the struggles of the local cacao producers in order to reach the target demand by its chocolate partner.

" It was in 2008 that the cacao industry started to rise up as Mars Chocolate found our cacao having the exact quality that importers need," Puentespina said.

When Davao cacao farmers started exporting to Mars, other importers and traders from Europe and the Netherlands followed suit.

"The demand was so high that we felt the need to consolidate. Fortunately, a non-government agency such as ACDI-VOCA helped us organize ourselves, look for other cacao farmers to consolidate our produce." she said.

At present 10,000 hectares of land in the country are planted with cacao. Seventy percent of the national production comes from Davao Region.

Data showed that cacao production reached an all-time high of 40,000 tons in the mid 80s but got lost in the coming years due to the problem on quality and shipping cost.

Not until an international buyer of cacao discovered the potentials of cacao beans produced in the Davao Region. This paved the way for the start of cacao production despite the lucrative export income from banana production.

Puentespina narrated the interest of Mars Cocoa in helping out the farmers' association to transfer knowledge to those interested of engaging into cacao production.

In May, the farmers' association will open the Cacao Information and Development Center where farmers and even those non farmers but interested to learn could avail of the technology transfer seminar as well as the knowledge upgrading about the industry.

Experts will be teaching students techniques and ways for proper cacao production. The said center is also envisioned to have its processing plant where value-adding of the product will be maximized.

The center is also targeted to come up with a database in which target beneficiaries could make do with it as they plan to engage into this kind of industry.

Autism society invites Dabawenyos to national meet

• Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R11&article=1551333761667
• By: PIA
• April 07, 2012

Autism Society Philippines (ASP) invites Dabawenyos to its 12th National Conference on Autism and 2nd Southeast Asian Conference on Autism on April 28 and 29, 2012 (Saturday and Sunday), with the theme “Living with Autism: Hope@Home” at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, Ortigas Avenue corner ADB Avenue, Quezon City.

This year’s conference aims to promote, first and foremost, acceptance of autism within the family. It seeks to empower families to make informed decisions and to take bolder steps to ensure quality life for their member with autism.

It will also provide a fresh perspective to professionals as collaborative and supportive partners of families in the management of autism.

It will feature interactive web interviews with Dr. Temple Grandin and Dr. Stephen Shore, two of the renowned experts on autism in the world. Also sharing their knowledge during the conference are local experts Dr. Alexis L. Reyes, one of the country’s leading Developmental Pediatricians, Dr. Michael Tan, and Dr. Lourdes “Honey” Carandang. It will showcase local experiences of parents, siblings and persons with autism as self-advocates.

It will also showcase initiatives of the government (Carmona, Cavite) and the private sector [Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR)], both in the rural and urban settings, to provide programs and services for families and communities facing the challenges of autism.

A special registration rate is available for a group of ten (10) participants. Registrants may pay by depositing payment to Autism Society Philippines, Metrobank-Kamias Branch, Savings Account No. 047-3-04751874-2. Kindly fax to (632)9266941 or e-mail to the address below a copy of the deposit slip with the name/s of the participant/s.

For more information on the conference, please contact our Conference Coordinator, Reynaldo Refran at telephones (02)926-6941, (02)929-8447, mobile number (0926)694-4936 or email aspnc2012@gmail.com .

DOE assures of govt. efforts in addressing Mindanao power situation

• Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R11&article=1561333517823
• By: Carina L Cayon
• April 04, 2012

The Department of Energy has assured energy stakeholders in Mindanao that the government is taking its best efforts in addressing the power situation in the island.

DOE Undersecretary Josefina Patricia Asirit made the assurance in the Mindanao Energy Stakeholders Meeting on Tuesday here, as she presented DOE’s undertakings and recommended solutions to improve the power supply in Mindanao.

Asirit told power distributors and electric cooperatives across Mindanao of the current power supply deficit of 100-160 mega watts in the Mindanao grid from 360 MW during the previous months.

As part of the short-term solutions to this condition, Asirit said DOE is pushing for the re-opening of the Iligan Diesel Power Plant (IDPP), which has been shutdown since June 2010 pending evaluations and clearance by the Commission on Audit (COA).

Once operational, IDPP is expected to produce an initial power of 20-30 MW and may increase up to its full capacity of 100 MW upon rehabilitation, Asirit stated.

“We hope we can put it online within the next four months, if not earlier,” she told the media in a press conference held after the stakeholders’ meeting on the same day at the Grand Regal Hotel, this city.

Another short-term solution being mulled by DOE is the transfer of power barges as stop-gap measures needed in Mindanao.

Asirit said two power barges are up for transfer next year that would provide 120 MW and 70 MW respectively. “This would certainly be more than enough to help augment the 200 MW shortfall,” she stated.

She said there is one power barge existing with a 32-MW capacity but is only generating 5 MW due to its location in a cement plant.

The rest of the existing power barges also with a 32-MW capacity each require maintenance to operate full generation capacity, she added.

DOE’s short-term solutions include the installation of the Mindanao Coal-fired Power Plant of the STEAG State Power, Inc. which has a 10 MW un-contracted capacity, and the acceleration of energy efficiency program.

Asirit explained that these short-term solutions are temporary just as not to hamper the development of the industry, while DOE is also making efforts for the long-term solutions.

In averting the power situation in Mindanao from becoming a crisis in the future, DOE saw the need for technical rehabilitation and upgratdng of power generation plants to generate more power.

The DOE official said the 180-MW Pulangi Complex run-off river hydropower plant will need to be repaired starting this month to operate in its full generation capacity.

For the period of April to May, Pulangi river will be at its lowest water elevations which will reduce power generation of about 100-130 MW.

However, Asirit clarified that Pulangi Complex is still generating in its full capacity of 180MW as of this time, and explained that the rehabilitation plan is aimed at preventing the plant from further damage.

The Agus 6 Complex, a hydropower plant, is also set for rehabilitation and uprading in June this year, she said adding that the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) has already approved three weeks ago the P2.6 budget for the plant’s repair.

Asirit said the rehabilitation of the Units 1 and 2 of the Agus 6 plant will bring about additional 19 MW to produce a total of 44 MW, and will ensure another 30 years of existence.

The Energy Undersecretary has also reported that the issuance of DOE Circular DC2012-03-00419 in March 2012 aiming to rationalize the power supply in Mindanao has already gained positive results.

The Circular directs electric cooperatives to nominate their needed power to supply their demands which DOE said has resulted to reduction of power outages.

Asirit said that as of Sunday, only nine out of the 27 electric cooperatives in Mindanao have experienced brownouts since January this year, with reduced duration of at least 30 minutes to two hours.

She clarified that not all areas in Mindanao have power outages such as the areas of Cotabato, Panabo, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Davao.

With the issuance of the Circular, areas not experiencing interruptions now include Malaybalay, Dipolog, Dapitan, Valencia, Camiguin, Panabo, Digos, Tagum, Mati, Cotabato, Surigao, Butuan, and Cabadbaran, DOE said.

Snorkeling site opens in Davao Oriental

• Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R11&article=1561333254237
• By: Carina L Cayon
• April 01, 2012

MATI CITY, Davao Oriental- A snorkeling site in the city is now open for local and foreign enthusiasts and tourists to take in their itineraries when they visit the province especially this summer season.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the region recently opened the snorkeling area at Barangay Tamisan in Mati City as an offshoot to the enterprise development efforts of DENR’s Integrated Coastal Resource Management Project (ICRMP).

DENR-XI signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the local government of Mati City and the Tamisan Marine Protected Area Fisherfolk Association (TAMPAFAS) in implementing the ICRMP in the city.

As part of the agreement, 17 reef rangers were trained, and are now ready to guide tourists who want to explore the surface of the bay.

The trained reef rangers received their brand new snorkeling gears such as mask, fins, life vests, goggles and diving suits after the MOA signing on March 27.

Mayor Michelle Rabat who represented Mati LGU in the MOA, emphasized the need of protecting and conserving the coastal area of Barangay Tamisan in order to lure more tourists to come and snorkel in the area.

“Protecting and conserving the coastal areas also means sustaining your livelihood and enjoying the coastal resources specifically fishes. I am very happy that this enterprise development activity is finally realized,” Rabat said.

Rabat pledged to provide TAMPAFAS a service vehicle for their snorkeling and livelihood activities.

TAMPAFAS was represented by its president Giovanni Lazaro in the MOA signing, while DENR-XI was headed by its regional technical director Emmanuel Isip.

The snorkeling package also features food treat of special native delicacies of Mati City such as taro (local name for gabi), cassava cooked with coconut milk and sugar, salvaro, puto-cassava, lumpia, ube and the local version of mudslide made of milo, milk, tuba (coconut wine) and many more.

Meanwhile, DENR-XI Regional Executive Director Jim O. Sampulna said that DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje have been closely monitoring the ICRMP implementation all over the country.

Paje was instrumental for the early release of the P441,603.00 as a funding support to the association for its start-up capital.

The DENR-ICRMP will continuously monitor the association’s activities and provide them technical assistance when necessary.