Cagayan de Oro City News July 2017

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Cagayan de Oro City within Misamis Oriental

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

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Cagayan de Oro City Public Market
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The river of cagayan de oro city
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St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.
Limketkai Center Mall, Cagayan de Oro City.jpg
Flood Waters in the streets of Cagayan de Oro City
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Cagayan de Oro City Buildings
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Bus Terminal, Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City

Royal Panda opens in Manticao town

(AV)

THE sleeping town of Manticao has been deemed as the stopover of travelers passing through the Cagayan de Oro-Iligan Highway. While a lot of food hubs can be found along the road, one unique concept has made extra efforts to provide more experience to the travelers, the all-new Royal Panda Restaurant.

Royal Panda Restaurant is a fast food and buffet avenue in one, serving Asian inspired dishes with the Filipino taste in mind. It serves the classic dimsum favorites, beef siomai, tausi chicken wings, wanton noodle soup and many more served from steamed trays. It is conveniently located along the highway in Poblacion, Manticao just right beside the Caltex gasoline station.

Abigail Cara Jane Dy, the restaurant owner said that the business is a child of passion for their family. They have waited patiently for about three years just so they can open their very own oriental-style restaurant in their hometown.

"My ancestors are actually from China but then they moved here in Manticao and then this became a home for our family since then. We built this business as a payback to what Manticao has done for us," Dy said.

Upon entering, the popular Chinese panda collage is the first artistic greeting with Chinese inspired lanterns dangle above the ceiling. Once the doors open, guests will be greeted with an imperial dynasty inspired buffet table serving Asian dishes, namely the popular Chinese beefsteak and the Indonesian chicken satay.

The air-conditioned space comfortably has 33 seats with a conference room that can hold up to 20 people. Royal Panda Restaurant is the first of its kind in Manticao to cater to travelers who want to experience Asia for as low as P39!

The Asian restaurant continually expands and improves their service and menu to give the ultimate Asian guest experience.

"We did not expect that people will accept our place this much and we are very excited to present this to the people especially here in Manticao," Dy said.

Oro to use bamboo to prevent erosion in riverbanks

By Pamela Jay F. Orias

THE City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) of Cagayan de Oro will be prioritizing bamboo propagation in the riverbanks surrounding the city as one of its campaign for a green environment.

Through its Forestry Division, Clenro is preparing to plant 1,5000 bamboo seedlings in the riverbanks of the Umalag River, Bigaan River, at Isla de Oro and in villages Consolacion and FS Catanico.

Clenro head Edwin Dael said a memorandum of agreement (MOA) is set to be signed by City Mayor Oscar Moreno and volunteer groups, including the officials of the concerned villages to officially launch the program.

Dael said these volunteer groups will be tasked to plant and look after the bamboo.

"Our role is not finished on merely planting the bamboos, we need to propagate them, and make sure they survive because in turn, the bamboos' presence helps us, especially in controlling or preventing soil erosion," he said.

According to Dael, studies show that bamboo can also improve the quality, moisture and stability of the soil, especially in riverbanks. Riverbanks in the city are targets of excessive sand or gravel extraction, which is also cited as one of the reasons for soil erosion.

Dael said bamboos have been used to control landslides, land degradation and soil mass movement.

The Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, through its Forestry and Environment Research Division, meanwhile has identified bamboo among its priority commodities, as it is being considered as an alternative to timber wood.

TWG to study partnership for school canteen mgmt project

(JBD/SP)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The City Council committees on health and sanitation and health insurance, on education and on roads and traffic management jointly proposed the creation of a Technical Working Group (TWG) that will study the possible partnership between the Department of Education (DepEd) and the city government on canteen management and operation.

This was agreed during the joint committee meeting in relation to the proposed ordinance regulating ambulant vendors doing business within 50-meters from the school premises.

During the meeting, lawyer Laurence Del Puerto, representative of Department of Education, said pursuant to DepEd Order No. 8, all school canteens should be duly managed by administration or by the canteen-operated Teachers Cooperative.

He said school canteens should not sell food items that have high content of sugar and salt such as junk foods and other beverages. Foods must have Pinoy seal, he added.

Councilor Reuben Daba, vice-chair of the committee on health, asked the DepEd about the possibility of including ambulant vendors in the Bottom-Up-Budgeting (BuB) program, considering that ambulant vendors secure business permits and undergo a series of health training from the City Health Office.

The committees, chaired by Councilors Maria Lourdes S. Gaane, Suzette Magtajas-Daba and Romeo Calizo, requested the DepEd for possible exemption from DepEd Order No. 8 and that for schools that have no canteen; the city government will construct a canteen and allow the ambulant vendors to operate the same under the BUB program, in partnership with DepEd.

The committees, likewise, proposed the conduct of a public consultation with the Parents-Teachers-Association on the possible partnership of DepEd and the city government for the construction of school canteens and its operation under the BUB.

City to forge sistership ties with San Mateo, Rizal

(SP)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, July 26 – Cagayan de Oro and San Mateo, Rizal will soon have closer ties and exchanges.

This, after the City Council during its regular session presided over by Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin V. Uy adopted a resolution accepting the invitation of the municipality of San Mateo, Rizal for sistership or twinning agreement with the city.

In a letter to Mayor Oscar Moreno, Mayor Cristina C. Diaz of the local government of San Mateo said it is their intention to enter into a sisterhood pact with the city.

“We are convinced that through forging pact with each other, together we can further advance shared culture and economic progress and development, synergize our trade and industry cooperation through measurable plans and programs, as well as ensuring knowledge-transfer and capacity-building initiatives for emergency and disaster preparedness,” her letter read in part.

The 24th Sanggunian Bayan of San Mateo adopted a resolution authorizing the mayor to initiate and establish a sisterhood agreement to optimize synergy with the city’s best practices to bring forth good local governance partnership to the heights of promoting public welfare.

Mayor Diaz said this is to promote mutual understanding and goodwill as well as technical exchange and cooperation on various dimensions of local governance.

San Mateo is a first class urban municipality and one of the fastest growing municipalities in Rizal Province.

NYC urges beneficial projects from youth orgs

By Recthie T. Paculba (RTP/PIA10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) -- With the theme, "Building Engaged Communities through Collaboration and Bayanihan," the National Youth Commission (NYC) conducted the TAYO Talks 2017 to highlight the significant roles of the youth in nation building on July 19 at Fourth Infantry Division, Camp Evangelista, Cagayan de Oro City.

Among the topics discussed include the national situationer of the Filipino youth today, modern parenting, education and voluntary counseling on STI, HIV and AIDS, academic enrichment program, empowering youth through leadership seminars, and youth and rescue.

Speakers from various organizations also tackled the rebirthing of outdoor trekkers and adventurers, empathy-based programming through games and creative expression for bullying prevention, honing art skills of the youth, farming, power of the Filipino youth, and other TAYO stories.

To encourage the youth to become of service to the community, 4ID Commander MGen Benjamin Madrigal, Jr. said that the role of leaders is to make sure that the organization continues to thrive and uplift the lives of the fellowmen. He also stressed that everyone should go together in creating a good impact to the community; should have the same targets and timeline.

"As leaders, your role is to guide your organization on what you want to achieve and how you intend to go there," the commander added.

The activity, as mentioned by Madrigal, also serves as an opportunity for various organizations to know the other leaders of different aspects and how they can be of help to other organizations.

For her part, NYC Assistant Division Chief Cristabeth Madrigal shared that among the youth issues and challenges include health and education, economic empowerment, social inclusion and equity, active citizenship, and governance and global mobility.

She said that these should be prioritized by the government and enforced by the youth organizations to secure a better tomorrow for the nation.

TAYO Talks is conducted throughout the country to encourage youth organizations in crafting projects that would benefit the entire nation. The event is highlighted with speaking engagement from the TAYO Awards finalists, team-building sessions and group activities.

Gov’t broadens horizons for PWDs

By Recthie T. Paculba (RTP/PIA10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) – To foster beneficial programs for the persons with disabilities (PWDs) and ensure their access to public services, various national line agencies highlighted their programs, projects and services for the sector during the Talakayan sa PIA on July 14.

On upholding the rights of PWDs on transportation, Land Transportation Office (LTO) Regional Director Oscar Salcedo said that they are constantly monitoring the compliance of drivers and passengers on reserving one space or seat for PWDs.

“The moment nga naa’y pasahero nga PWD (when there is a PWD passenger), one has to give up (the seat reserved for the PWD),” Salcedo stressed. He also said that they are penalizing those drivers who do not give priority to PWDs.

As for expanding the opportunities of the sector to secure a living, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) shared that they have a specialized program that capacitates PWDs through the Digital Literacy Training which they have just recently conducted in the city.

Melagros Maquiling, head of Persons with Disability Affairs Office in Cagayan de Oro city, said that she is one of the 15 participants of the training and saw the training as a good opportunity for the sector to have a decent living without experiencing the hassle of commuting to and fro an office since they can just work at home as long as there is a computer set and a stable internet connection.

“We are so thankful for this training and I hope that we can be aided with the needed computer sets and internet connection so we can start any available job online,” Maquiling said.

The five-day training conducted by the DICT does not only aim to equip PWDs with technological and computer application skills since they are also providing knowledge on how the members of the sector can obtain online work.

The department also stressed that such program is not limited to PWDs as it is also geared towards people of the disadvantaged sector including the drug-dependents and families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Aside from digital literacy, various skills of the PWDs are targeted to be honed through the programs offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) that include skills training and scholarships.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also provides opportunities for the PWDs by creating a regional committee that will tackle and act on the sector’s concerns and issues, and continuously implementing livelihood programs that would benefit the PWDs and their families.

These efforts and more are among the manifestations of the government to fully realize and pursue the rights and privileges of the PWDs, and highlight the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation week celebration for this year with the theme, “Karapatan at Pribilehiyo ng Maykapansanan: Isakatuparan at Ipaglaban.”

P1-M cash up for ‘Oro Kalimpyo Awards 2017’

By Abigail Viguella

THE City Government of Cagayan de Oro launched the cash-rich ‘Oro Kalimpyo Awards 2017', a city-wide search for most outstanding villages in the locality on ecological solid waste management at the De Luxe Hotel, July 19.

With Cagayan de Oro Local Environment and Natural Resources Office’s (Clenro) full backing, the search is aimed at tapping the village-level into the city's thrust for a cleaner environment and responsible solid waste management.

The prize for the winner of the search is P1.1 million in cash prizes.

The “Oro Kalimpyo Awards 2017” jumpstarted in coordination with various concerned offices and institutions in the city like Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, Oro Youth development Council, Oro Chamber, Task Force on Solid Waste Management and other stakeholders of the City Solid Waste Management Board (CSWMB).

The search is in accordance to the Republic Act 2003 or Ecological Solid Waste Management Act wherein villages, establishments and households should be encouraged by the local government unit to practice proper waste segregation at source; cleanliness and orderliness; and the establishment of Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in every village.

The search aims to raise awareness on the importance and benefits of the Ecological Solid Waste Management or ESWM, ensure compliance of the barangays with the mandates of the RA 9003, and give appropriate recognition to model villages with outstanding practices on ESWM.

"Now that we have our new sanitary landfill and we have actually been good in implementing it, the challenge lies in making sure that we understand that Solid Waste Management is a comprehensive process. Time will come when our new one-hectare landfill will be full, but if we learn that responsible solid waste management starts in the household or in the barangay-level, then we will not reach that point. The new landfill is just a part of this process," said Father Roberto Yap, the president of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan.

All eighty villages of the city are required to join the search and will be clustered into three categories and evaluated regardless of financial capacity, area, and number of households.

Barangays one to forty will be judged under the Urban Category. Twenty four villages will be judged under the sub-urban category namely Lumbia, Balulang, Canitoan, Pagatpat, Carmen, Patag, Bulau, Iponan, Kauswagan, Bayabas, Bonbon, Puntod, Macabalan, Lapasan, Nazareth, Macasandig, Camaman-an, Gusa, Cugman, Tablon, Agusan, Puerto, Bugo, and Consolacion.

Sixteen villages will be judged under the Rural Hinterland Barangay category like Mambuaya, Dansolihon, Bayanga, Besigan, Pagalungan, Tagpangi, Tuburan, Tignapoloan, Baikingon, San Simon, Pigsag-an, Taglimao, Tumpangon, Balubal, indahag, and FS Catanico.

Sabrina Balais, the chairperson of the Search Committee, said the villages only have until August 30 to submit their respective profiles with the target period of September 15 to December 2017 for the assessment or validation site and by January of 2018 for the awarding ceremony.

"Of course throughout the assessment period, the members of the search committee will give surprise or unannounced visits to the barangays to inspect their performance in this search," Balais said.

Military training on for 120 tribesmen

By Abigail Viguella

SOME 120 aspiring soldiers from the different tribes of Indigenous Peoples in Northern Mindanao and Caraga regions took oath for the start of their training on Tuesday, July 18 in Camp Evangelista, Cagayan de Oro.

If successful, they’re going to beef up the troops of the Armed Forces in the fight against the decades-old communist insurgency.

Major General Benjamin Madrigal Jr., the commander of the 4th Infantry Division, was quick to explain that the move is aimed to alleviate the living condition of the indigenous people.

"This is to give equal opportunities to our indigenous people so that they too will have the chance to join the army. Because we all know that if they will try to compete with the people here in the cities, they will be at a disadvantage especially when it comes to educational attainment," Madrigal said.

The army training program, Madrigal said, was in compliance to the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997 or the IPRA Law.

Under the said act, there should be a certain quota in the ranks of the Philippines Army that will be allotted for Indigenous People.

The 120 candidate soldiers are members of various Indigenous Peoples in Northern Mindanao and Caraga such as the Higaonons and the Subanons.

According to 4th Infantry Division spokesperson Captain Joe Patrick Martinez, these trainees were recommended personally by their tribe chiefs and were then turned over for recruitment and training at Camp Evangelista.

Madrigal denied that some of the chosen candidate soldiers are former members of the communist New People's Army (NPA).

"These soldiers were personally recommended by their tribal chieftains so we can be assured of their background before entering the training," MADRIGAL said.

The candidate soldiers, Madrigal said, will undergo training for six months, after which they will be given the rank of private and will join the 4th Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Martinez said the kind of training the soldier candidates have to undergo will be highly similar to the training for the regular troops of the army.

In addition, they’ll have to undertake basic lessons that will be done through Alternative Learning System or ALS.

Different tribal leaders as well as the Regional Directors of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples in Northern Mindanao and Caraga regions have also attended the military event.

In light of the recent chaos that are being experienced in the Lanao area, Madrigal said that the Philippine force is doing its best to slowly take back and gain control of the situation.

"Hopefully, this will come to an end. But of course, we are doing it slowly, building by building, floor by floor just so we can be sure that the area will be cleared," Madrigal said.

Xavier Ateneo, Belgian univs, coops join forces for local sustainable water mng’t

By Tat Gualberto (XU)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, July 18 -- Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan, University of Namur, Universite Catholique de Louvaine (UCL), and Académie de Recherche et d'Enseignement Supérieur (ARES) are working together for a project called “Building up an Integrated Methodology for Water Resources Assessment and Management in Urban Coastal Area (BIMWAM)” to empower Philippine universities and communities in the field of water sciences.

The project aims to use their capacities and expertise in water sciences to collaborate with the country's water stakeholders and leaders. It is intended to assess water resources, evaluate public water policies, and help water stakeholders to build their own vision of local sustainable development.

The XU-BIMWAM project team is composed of project coordinator (for the south) Dr. Guadalupe D. Calalang, McKeough Marine Center (MMC) director Fr. Mars P. Tan SJ, Southeast Asia Rural Social Leadership Institute (SEARSOLIN) director Fr. Roberto E.N. Rivera SJ, Office of International Cooperation and Networking (OICN) director Elisabeth B. Enerio, MMC administrative officer Friday G. Atilano, and SEARSOLIN program officer Xyla Mercedita E. Gualberto.

The project stakeholders, including the Belgian partners Prof Vincent Hallet (University of Namur), project coordinator for the north, Prof Ignace Adant (UCL), Prof David Cammaerts (ARES), met representatives from the partner water cooperatives in Misamis Oriental, namely the Medina Rural Water and Sanitation Cooperative and Lugait Water Service Cooperative in an intensive four-day assessment and plan formulation, held on from July 5 to 8 at SEARSOLIN.

The participants underwent a rigorous process of extracting the root causes of water-related issues, needs, and challenges.

A participatory methodology was employed to ensure the project’s relevance and efficiency in its target communities.

BIMWAM aims to investigate the socioeconomic impacts of changes in water operations in Medina and Lugait towns. This project is set to roll out this September.

Search on for 'Best Junior Facilitator'

By Pamela Jay Orias

THE Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental will select the "Best Junior Employment Facilitator" among the more than 800 students who joined the Special Program for Employment of Students (Spes) in the province.

Misamis Oriental Governor Yevgeny Vincente Emano said that the "best junior facilitator" will receive an additional P4,000 cash incentive and a four-year scholarship certificate under the "Iskolar Ko ni Bambi" program (IKNB).

It can be recalled that the summer employment of SPES beneficiaries started last May 5 until May 30, 2017, where they were deployed to the field to works as Job Placement Facilitators, to undertake community skills mapping, and to solicit job vacancies from companies and establishments for job-matching purposes.

Emano promised the beneficiaries that the "top achiever" will be recognized for his/her hard work during the summer employment.

Aside from the P4,000 incentive given by the province, the top beneficiary will also receive the P2,400 provincial wage counterpart and another P1,600 from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), for the 20 days summer employment period.

Emano will announce the awardee next week.

The Provincial Government and Department of Labor and Employment allocated some P4 million for the employment of at least 900 students and out-of-school youths during the summer break.

HR solutions provider to hold free session

By Abigail Viguella

ACLT Computing Inc., the pioneering technology company in HRIS and HR Business Solutions for more than two decades in the county, will hold its free learning session in Cagayan de Oro city.

With their thrust and focus on helping the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and countryside businesses develop human resource management competencies and be able to compete with big and multinational organizations, they are launching a free learning session entitled, “Simplifying Human Resource Management Using HRIS Technology” at Mallberry Business Hotel come July 28.

The seminar will discuss how technology can help improve HR processes, develop and implement company policies, and promote employee discipline in the workplace. It will also discuss areas where human resource information system (HRIS) help reduce labor problems, implement Performance Management Systems, and avoid Department of Labor and Employment and other government compliance issues.

ACLT Computing Inc. is one of the most successful Independent Service Vendor (ISV) in the Philippines. They have been developing and implementing their own human resource management application since 1994. It was founded by a group of professionals and experts covering human resource management, software engineering and architecture, accounting, and systems implementation.

Being the first to locally develop a Windows based payroll running true client/server technology in the country, they were able to put their product in the back offices on some of the top 1000 companies in the country during the earliest stages of enterprise computing.

Among their top HRIS products are the MyPrimeHR Portal, the HR/Payroll Portal, the Employees Portal, and the Managers Portal. These software programs are easy to use, flexible, and affordable for the company.

Some of ACLT Computing's clients and software users in the country include renowned companies such as Unilever Foods Incorporated, SM Malls, Wyeth, Seven Eleven, PLDT, STI, and CBI Finance Corporation.

The seminar is free for the first company representative who will confirm his or her attendance on or before Friday, July 21.

NAST, DOST 10 kick off symposium on devt of STI hubs, clusters in Mindanao

(NAST Philippines)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 10 kicked off the Symposium-Workshop on Developing Science and Technology Innovation Hubs and Clusters in Mindanao held in Cagayan De Oro City.

The two-day event was the first in a series of activities under the DOST-supported NAST project on “Supporting the Development of Partnerships in the S&T Innovation Ecosystem.”

Attended by more than 120 participants representing different sectors including the industry, academe, civil society, government, and non-government organizations, the two-day symposium aimed to explore how three STI hubs and clusters, both physical and virtual, can be developed corresponding to the three development corridors of Mindanao. The STI hubs are envisioned to provide an innovation ecosystem conducive to creativity and the participation of different stakeholders in translating innovations to actions.

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, Dir. Alfonso Alamban, regional director of DOST X, discussed the role of S&T in Philippine Development. He emphasized the need for a more inclusive and participatory STI to encourage the different sectors of the society. He further highlighted the STI efforts of the current and past administration. Finally, he reiterated the role of DOST and NAST in the advancement of STI in the country.

Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno, likewise provided a welcome message. Mayor Moreno began by giving a brief history of CDO. He ended his speech by stressing the role of CDO as a strategic place for a convergence hub and center for STI and education, connecting Misamis and Lanao.

Giving the program overview, National Scientist Lourdes J. Cruz, project leader, talked about fostering a culture of science and innovation among Filipinos and improving STI ecosystem in the country. She ended her overview with the objectives of the activity, which was to generate proposals for establishing STI hubs in Mindanao.

Dr. Franco G. Teves, director of Research in MSU-IIT talked about “Academic Research at the Nucleus of Sustainable Innovation Ecosystem for Mindanao Development.” He defined and described innovation ecosystem and the role of academic research in the innovation ecosystem stream.

Engr. Danilo Manayaga, president of Secura International Corporation, talked about the “Development of Inclusive Business Model for an Integrated Agri-Business Cluster Anchored on Applied Biotechnology and Precision Farming Technologies.” He highlighted market opportunities, both in domestic and export demands, and matched it with existing resources of the country. Furthermore, he presented an inclusive business model wherein the participation of stakeholders is an integral part of the business.

REZA-ARMM Executive Director Aleem Siddiqui M. Guiapal talked about “Programs for Economic Development of ARMM, The Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.” Guiapal started off with an introduction to ARMM and stated that REZA is “envision[ed] to be a key player in initiating globally competitive and sustainable business environments in generating investments, exports and employment for the accelerated economic growth of Bangsamoro.” He ended his talk by emphasizing some of the investment potentials in ARMM which are in the Agro-based products, Halal Industry and Islamic Banking, Regional and Provincial Ecozones, Maguindanao, Basilan and Tawi-Twai Free ports, Retails, Services and Tourism, and lastly, ANGAT-DAPAT (All-iNcusive Gowth Activities Towards Developmet And Poverty AlleviaTion.

Cagayan Electric Power & Light Co., Inc.,

Dr. Sukarno D. Tanggol, chancellor of MSU-IIT and Engr. Leonardo Gumalal, senior vice president of Cagayan Electric Power & Light Co. (CEPALCO), served as reactors on the talks that transpired earlier in the day. In the afternoon session, different technologies were presented by Prof. Lemuel Clark Velasco, Dr. Franco G. Teves, Acd. Guillermo Q. Tabios III, and Acd. Marco Nemesio E. Montaño.

Prof. Velasco, FAB LAB Mindanao Manager, introduced FAB LAB housed at MSU-IIT. He emphasized further that FAB LABS’s journey is conception-launching-operation.

Meanwhile, Dr. Teves presented the technology on Supercritical Fluid (Carbon Dioxide) Extraction used as sample preparation step for analytical purposes or large scale stripping of unwanted material from a product.

Acd. Guillermo Q. Tabios III, hydrology expert and member of the Engineering Sciences and Technology Division of NAST, presented the “Hydrologic and Hydraulic Modelling Studies: Cases of Cagayan de Oro.” Under this, he reviewed the alternative flood mitigation plan of CDO and presented the Pulangi Hydropower Plant IV, Reservoir Sediment Flushing Studies.

Acd. Montaño, seaweed expert and member of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Division of NAST, presented an overview of “Seaweed and Other Marine Products.” Further, he talked about the different uses of cultured seaweed in the Philippines, including medicinal, ecological, and agricultural uses.

At the end of the first day, the participants were divided into six transdisciplinary groups. The groups focused on the following clusters: food innovation cluster, agriculture and processing trade cluster, mariculture cluster, energy and water cluster, and biodiversity and conservation cluster.

Starting off the second day was Father Albert E. Alejo, professor at the Ateneo De Manila University, who talked about “The Role of Communities and Indigenous Peoples of Mindanao in Development.” He highlighted that people from Mindanao experience misinterpretations and there are few to no representation at all when it comes to the national level. Furthermore, he emphasized that the projects, programs and activities on STI should be culturally sensitive. He ended his talk with the recommendation of establishment of an Indigenous Leadership Center.

ASec. Romeo M. Montenegro, the deputy executive director of MinDA, talked about “The Mindanao 2020 Peace and Development Plan.” In his talk, he stressed that we need S&T to address the challenges and issues that are present in Mindanao.

Dr. Anthony C. Sales, Dir. Dominga D. Mallonga, Timuey Jimid P. Mansayagan, and Dr. Hilly Ann Roa-Quiaoit provided their reactions on some of the talks that happened in the first and second day of the event.

At the end of the workshop, six groups came up with first drafts of capsule proposals for the establishment of STI hubs and clusters in Mindanao. Each group presented their proposals to the resource persons of the activity. The proposals will then be further expanded and refined in consultation with relevant stakeholders in the Mindanao development corridors. The titles of the draft capsule proposals that were submitted were Food Innovation Cluster, Development and Pilot Production of Functional Foods, Strengthening the seaweed cooperative based industry in Northern Mindanao: an eco-friendly coastal livelihood program, Tech-Based Large Scale Assessment of Biodiversity for Management & Conservation, Mindanao Microhydro Innovation Center, and Development of Mindanao Energy Efficient Innovative Technologies Hub thru G.U.T.S. (Generation, Utilization, Transmission and Search).

Recognizing that innovation clusters are cost-effective ways to stimulate transdisciplinary collaboration, growth and economic development, a key strategy of NAST’s project will be in support of the establishment of innovation hubs and clusters in different regions of the country.

Meanwhile, the establishment of STI hubs in Mindanao is seen as a viable strategy to fast track the island's economic development parallel to the growth of a culture of science in the region.

Cagayan de Oro City to buy lot for satellite hospital

By Pameal Jay F. Orias

THE Cagayan de Oro City Government is set to purchase a parcel of land for the future satellite hospital that would serve the eastern part of the city.

Mayor Oscar Moreno already met with the owners of 7,800 square meter lot in Barangay Tablon.

Moreno earlier sought for the establishment of the two satellite hospitals, one in Tablon and the other in Barangay Lumbia as health officials here note an increasing number of patients resulting to the worsening lack of facilities, particularly in the city-run JR Borja General Hospital.

The city hospital is currently undergoing renovation to improve its services and systematic management.

Moreno said the two hospitals are also expected to give comfort and convenience to residents living in far-flung villages, who are not usually reached with the government's health services.

Councilor Ma. Lourdes Gaane, committee chair on health and sanitation, earlier this year said they are also preparing to build five more health centers.

"We need more hospitals so we could cater to all patients, and we want it to be free for our poorest of the poor," she said.

Gaane added that the city hospital, a 100-bed capacity hospital, now caters over 300 patients every day, while the 600-bed capacity Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) now daily caters thousands of patients from all over the region.

The JR Borja hospital, is now constructing an 8-bed intensive care unit (ICU), however councilors are questioning the delay of its completion.

The project will turn one year this August but remains unfinished.

"We need it more than ever. We are really pushing them to finish it as soon as possible, kay (since it’s) expensive baya kaayo sa mga (in) private hospitals, especially with their no deposit policy, even mayor Magtajas experienced it, how much more for those who really cannot afford," she said.

According to Gaane, the hospital executives explained that the delay is caused by the changes in the specifications of the equipment needed in the ICU.

"The purchase, the procedure, are the reasons of the delay. We want the best quality of equipment for our ICU," she said.

Shared dream for CDO city hospital: ‘Medical center of choice’

By Stephen Pedroza with reports from Samantha Bagayas (XU)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Controversies have marred the Justiniano R. Borja General Hospital (JRBGH) for almost two decades — from the lack of facilities and financial resources to poor management — leaving it to operate in a dismal state.

It has been a long-standing struggle for the hospital administration to improve their services to better serve the public. But now, things are looking up for the local hospital.

“In 2013, when the Moreno administration took over, the team from his Misamis Oriental administration crafted the strategic plan for the hospital, together with key stakeholders, and came out with the vision for JRBGH becoming ‘the nation's premier local government hospital by 2016 with preferential option for the poor and the underprivileged’,” recounted JRBGH hospital executive officer Dr. Ramon Nery, who also led the team.

Fast forward to 2017, JRBGH's key stakeholders with the technical assistance of Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan’s Governance and Leadership Institute (GLI), reshaped the earlier vision, for 2019.

This revised vision for the city hospital is starting to gain traction as Nery hopes that it will become “a medical center of choice,” equipped to address complicated or tertiary-level medical cases.

The hospital’s status elevation would benefit all people in the socio-economic spectrum, particularly the poor and the marginalized.

“It is the right time to fulfill this shared dream for the city, to have its own medical center with quality services, sustainable financing scheme, equitable benefits for its medical manpower, competent and compassionate medical professionals and staff, and a conducive environment for treating patients,” Nery added.

To illustrate the vision: If a Kagay-anon has a serious or complicated condition, the patient doesn’t need to go to Cebu or Manila or abroad to get the treatment; it will be available at CDO’s “Justiniano R. Borja Medical Center.”

Partnerships toward quality healthcare

The vision for the hospital may be ambitious, but Nery is optimistic that this is achievable through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and the support of the Department of Health (DOH) and the local health board.

This project aims to help decongest the DOH-owned Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC), which is also located in the city’s busy downtown.

“NMMC being a public medical center could not focus on addressing tertiary-level cases due to the influx of patients with primary and secondary cases, in the midst of the shortage of medical professionals and lack of facilities,” Nery said.

As in other parts of the country, it’s been a culture in public medical centers to try to accommodate as many patients as possible, regardless of case levels, who can’t afford the otherwise expensive treatments in private hospitals and healthcare providers.

Nery’s dream is for the city medical center to become the “primary choice for Kagay-anons” so NMMC can address more patients coming outside CDO or other parts of Region 10.

For Nery, the city’s 19 urban health centers also need to be improved, modernized, and accredited by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) as maternal and childcare facilities or birthing homes.

The upgrading of urban health centers will help both JRBGH and NMMC to concentrate more on catering secondary, tertiary, and other complicated cases in this part of the country.

As a city hospital, JRBGH is reliant on the budget allotted by the current administration on healthcare. Surgery ward head nurse Mitchi M. Caballero emphasized the local government’s role in maintaining the hospital’s operations. Throughout her twelve years at JRBGH, she has noticed that services offered by the hospital are not optimized to their full potential if the current administration doesn’t put a premium on improving healthcare facilities and equipment in the city.

Because the hospital is still lacking in certain healthcare facilities and equipment, some patients were advised to transfer to other hospitals that are also in partnership with JRBGH. Although the partner hospital shoulders the fees through a memorandum of agreement, Caballero still stressed the need for the realization of the proposals on improvements in JRBGH to enhance their services.

“Before, it was about what was available that we could offer. If it wasn’t, it was beyond our services. We would transfer patients to other hospitals. So, I’m wishing that the proposal for an intensive care unit building will push through. … We hope we become a medical center. That’s our only wish so we could cater to more patients,” said Caballero in Binisaya.

With more facilities, the hospital can refrain from transferring patients to other hospitals should they have the amenities to provide the help and service needed.

“We don’t only cater to Cagayan de Oro [residents]. Sometimes people from other provinces go here, so we need facilities that will no longer require us to go to other hospitals to do the procedure,” explained Caballero.

Significant changes

This vision is not all wordplay; it comes with concrete details of accomplishments and hard figures as its foundation.

“What transpired in the last three to four challenging years has been considered as ‘phenomenal’ for the JRBGH personnel. These changes have brought back the confidence that they can do more,” Nery shared.

Recently, they have opened the third floor of the Pimentel building, which has not been occupied for the past 18 years. An eight-bed capacity intensive care unit is also being constructed, while plans to build a mental facility are underway.

Because of their additional facilities and services, the city hospital has regained the trust and support of the CDO community.

Based on the hospital records, one baby is being delivered every hour daily; eight major operations were performed (including two cesarean sections); and 250-300 consultations at the Outpatient Department (OPD) a day.

Most wards and rooms for frontline services are airconditioned and public wifi service is provided at the OPD.

The city hospital recently hired additional 11 doctors from Xavier Ateneo’s Dr. Jose P. Rizal School of Medicine, 40 additional nurses, and 60 administrative support staff.

As Nery’s team continues to improve the operations and services of JRBGH, the city hospital is also able to generate revenue.

In the bigger picture, the city government could self-regenerate using the revenues from healthcare services, in turn, revenues raised from PhilHealth payments would be reverted right to the hospital through medicines, equipment, and more services for the people.

The management of the JRBGH has shown that with determination coupled with the passion for genuine public service, they can cater to the medical needs of the public and at the same time, contribute to the city’s growth.

In 2016, the hospital posted a total revenue of P180M and served a total of 134,418 patients from the Inpatient, Outpatient, and Emergency Room departments from 39,898 in 2013.

Nery compared that what used to be the annual income of the hospital in 2013 was only the hospital's September 2016 income, worth P19M. The highest monthly income recorded last year was P23 million, in March. In 2014, the hospital's revenues reached P65M and P120M in 2015.

Nery recounted that when they took over in July 2013, the hospital's annual income only amounted to P19M. Revenues for this current year are projected to reach over P200M.

“All services of the JRBGH are free of charge, from simple to complicated operations. The city hospital has effectively utilized the benefits of the government-owned insurance corporation PhilHealth, our bread and butter,” Nery said.

The free hospital services include orthopedic implants, cataract operations, anti-rabies vaccines, blood and blood products, inpatient, outpatient and take-home meds, radiology, and laboratory.

The hospital’s financing is primarily provided for by PhilHealth, Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) of the DOH, and external medical assistance programs.

Most of the city hospital’s patients are PhilHealth members. JRBGH also facilitate the membership of those patients who are not yet covered by the program.

Sixty-year-old Hose Felesedario Palasan is one of the city hospital’s patients whose fees are shouldered by the program. He was involved in a motor crash two weeks prior his check-in at the hospital on June 19 for his dislocated hip bone. He was unable to go to the city hospital immediately after the motor crash because he had no means of transportation. His leg had also swollen to the point that he couldn’t easily move it anymore.

He was only able to go to the city hospital when his sibling visited him at his home. By June 24, he had already gotten blood tests and X-ray scans of his chest and lower body. He is currently waiting for his scheduled surgery for a stainless-steel hip replacement — the purchase of which is still pending.

All of these are free of charge.

Palasan shared that he went to the city hospital because it was the only hospital that could help him without a fee.

“It was the only hospital that could help me, especially when I need the stainless [steel implant]. I can’t pay, so I went here,” he said in Binisaya.

Elelyn Ellyera, 28, is also another patient of the city hospital. She had undergone a c-section for her first baby delivery on June 18, as per her doctor’s recommendation.

She explained that she went to the city hospital for her delivery after her local health center in Kauswagan suggested to go to JRBGH. What normally costs thousands in a private hospital was given free of charge to her by JRBGH.

By June 24, Ellyera was discharged from the hospital with her healthy baby.

Regaining the confidence of the community to the JRBGH is what Nery considers as “pamana” or legacy as he intends to retire from the helms of the hospital a few years from now.

Nery, who left his lucrative career as a pathologist in Central Luzon, returned to Mindanao: first to Dapitan City, later to his home province, Misamis Oriental, and now in Cagayan de Oro City. For his exemplary leadership of public hospitals, he has earned prestigious awards, namely, Outstanding Filipino Award for Public and Government Service (TOFIL), Pathologist of the Year Award in 2011, and the Outstanding Alumnus Award from XU-Ateneo de Cagayan Alumni Association in 2012 and the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay (UERM) Memorial Medical Center Alumni Association in 2014. He was also the brainchild of the strategic innovations in the Misamis Oriental Hospital Network System that won for the province the Galing Pook Award in 2011.

Status elevation

For Nery, they are slowly changing the image of the city hospital, from its depressing condition to a self-sustaining entity. However, there is still a lot of work to do.

He also wants their best practices to be replicated by other local government units in the Philippines. To this end, JRBGH could serve as an archetype for other government-run hospitals.

A pioneering innovation is the Telehealth Project between JRBGH and Southern Philippines Medical Center, wherein a psychiatrist based in Davao conducts weekly consultations with patients in CDO via video conference.

Nery said that realizing this new vision of becoming a medical center is not a moonshot.

But the greater challenge lies in governance, that’s why Nery led the formation of a team composed of key personnel of the city hospital to study the conversion and catalyze the integration of JRBGH into the DOH system.

The city hospital has to apply to DOH for status elevation and accreditation, based on the classification criteria and regulations stipulated in Republic Act No 4226 (Hospital Licensure Act).

Xavier Ateneo’s Governance and Leadership Institute, led by director Dr. Dixon Yasay, serves as the intermediary in this project and facilitator for the series of workshops using the framework and principles of Kaplan and Norton’s "Balanced Scorecard."

JR Borja General Hospital is expected to undergo more major changes in the years to come while surpassing their recent achievements and expanding the scope of their services and operations.

Kagay-anon teachers now Microsoft Certified Educators

By Anito Librando Jr. (XU)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, July 11 - Microsoft recently confirmed six Kagay-anon teachers who are faculty members of Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan Junior High School as "Microsoft Certified Educators" (MCEs).

XUJHS assistant principal for academics Lea Lilibeth Emata, instructional technology specialist Michael Dave Tan, Renan Agad (Mathematics teacher), Anito Librando Jr. (English teacher), Jason Madronero (Science teacher), and Juanito Oliveria II (English teacher) passed the online examination as part of the institution’s commitment to improving teaching and learning experience as a Microsoft Showcase School.

As one of the country's participants to this year’s International Society for Technology in Education conference in San Antonio, Texas, USA, Emata was able to take and pass her examination in the said confab, while the rest of the team took the same online examination at the University of Mindanao, Matina Campus in Davao City, one of Microsoft’s accredited testing centers.

“Having experienced first-hand amazing demonstrations on the latest tools, learned from passionate technology experts, and interacted with EdTech enthusiasts, I am inspired to empower students' voices, encourage ‘making’ so that our XUJHS graduates will be prepared to thrive in this digitally-connected world,” Emata said.

“As MCEs, we are all challenged to be active in the global network of Microsoft Educator Community by taking professional development courses and sharing best practices in doing innovative teaching strategies in the classrooms,” she added.

The exam was meant to assess if educators have a thorough understanding of how to use technology in six different areas outlined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Information and Communication Technology Competency Framework for Teachers: (a) Education Policy, (b) Curriculum and Assessment, (c) Pedagogy, (d) ICT and Technology Tools, (e) Organization, and (f) Administration Professional Development.

According to another MCE, Michael Dave Tan, XUJHS instructional technology specialist, teaching in the 21st century is “a challenge as we are empowering students who are ‘digital natives’.”

For him, educators also need to step up to the needs of digital native learners. “Having MCEs in school help other teachers become competent in using and applying technology tools and strategies in the context of teaching and learning, hoping to provide a richer learning experience for students,” he shared.

The MCE certification validates the global educator technology literacy competencies of Xavier Ateneo Junior HS educators needed to provide a rich and custom-learning experience.

The MCE program also provides robust tools that help educators drive best-in-class integration of information and communication technology into classroom instruction.

A rousing start by Cagayan de Oro jins

By Jaime A. Frias II

PALARONG Pambansa record holder Michael Porras led the Cagayan de Oro delegates’ rousing start on Saturday’s opening of the Jeonju Open International Taekwondo Championships 2017 at Jeonju Hwasan gymnasium in Jeollabukdo, South Korea.

All seven Cagayan de Oro taekwondo bets from the Cagayan de Oro Taekwondo main gym managed to win medals in the opening day action with Porras and his buddy Shun Kine Ira nailing a gold each in their first ever international campaign.

Porras and Ira took the golds in secondary boys’ poomsae division at the expense of favored rivals from the host country who finished at second and third places.

Porras told SunStar Cagayan de Oro via Facebook messaging that it was quite a surprising feat for them to finish ahead of the tough Koreans.

“Sa ako lang daan, duha ka Koreano ang nagsunod nako sa poomsae,” said Porras, a student of Merry Child School in Barangay Bulua.

Elrique Vinzo Orcales and Nikolay Sergey Daclag, meanwhile delivered a silver each in secondary poomsae. While Duscha Vanya Daclag and Lorenzo Josh Orcales pocketed a bronze in same division.

The elder Porras, Kenneth, ended with a bronze medal in poomsae’s senior division.

As of presstime, the Cagayan de Oro jins were still locking horns in sparring events of the four-day tourney that lures in the participation of 39 countries.

“We’re hopeful nga maayo ilang lakaw sa sparring ug magmadasigon uban sa ilang coach (engineer Vincent Cecil Orcales),” said the Porras brothers’ father, Michael Porras Sr.

Cagayan de Oro’s very own math wiz

By Abigail Viguella

FOR fourteen-year-old Kate Louise Francisco of Liceo de Cagayan University, being able to represent not only Cagayan de Oro City but the Philippines is an opportunity of a lifetime. Last May 21 to 24, Francisco was selected as one of the 16 representatives of the Philippines for the 2017 International Mathematics Wizard Challenge at Xiamen, China.

Out of the hundreds all over the country who tried to qualify for the competition, the Kagay-anons’ pride Francisco was able to officially represent the country to the prestigious International Mathematics Wizard Challenge. Participated yearly by hundreds of participants in other countries such as Indonesia and Thailand, the International Mathematics Wizard Challenge is organized by the Mathematics Education Clinic (MEC, Indonesia), Mathematics Development Academy of the Philippines (MathDAP) and the Fujian Oversea Corporation.

The annual event has the reputation of raising teenagers’ interest in mathematics and in engaging students to further their knowledge and awareness of mathematics through competition. The event also promotes excellence in mathematics, enabling students to pursue math-related careers as well as forging a spirit of brotherhood and cooperation among participants for better understanding and respect of cultural diversity.

Last March, when Francisco heard about the announcement that she is to represent the Philippines in the event, she could not contain her excitement. She said getting picked to be among the representatives of such a competition was a big honor.

However, going to China together with the other members of the Philippine delegation proved to be a most memorable experience for aside from the honor of representing her country, she was able to be in one of the China's great cities.

Francisco said that she faced so many qualifying exams and training before she was named as one of the Philippine representatives.

"Kinailangan ko po muna kumuha ng 12 Saturdays po na session ng math classes dito sa aitn, tapos nagkaroon din kami ng in-house training sa Manila under the International Trainer's Guild. Pagkatapos, doon na kami na qualify na sumama. (First I had to take 12 Satuirdays of math sessions here, then I had in-house trainings in Manila under the International Trainer's Guild. After that, they told us sho will qualify to go)," she said.

But then, Francisco said that the Mathematics drill when they got to China were a whole lot harder that what she was used to having here. In the end, another student from Luzon was able to take the championship title in the competition.

"Mas mahirap po talaga yung mag pina gawa nila sa amin doon. Karamihan mga math problems na mas malayo talaga sa level namin," she said.

But then, she said that it was not much of how the competition was hard but how the honor of being there that made her trip to China very close to her heart. Francisco came back to Cagayan de Or with a new vision. This time, it is not enough to learn but to use her gift in Mathematics to help other students, especially those who do not like Math.

"Kadalasan po kasi, akala nila pag math mahirap na talaga. Pero ngayon, gusto ko na ipaki ta sa kanila na sa simpleng pagaaral ng math ng maayos, pwede mo ma represent ang Philippines sa ibag bansa. (Almost all the time they think that because it is math, it is hard. But now, I want to show them that with the simple study of math, you can represent Philippines to other countries)," she said.

Francisco said that the 2017 International Mathematics Wizard Challenge will not be her last international competition. And she vowed for the next years, she will strive to bring pride and fame to the Philippines internationally through the math.

DPWH-Northern Mindanao vows to finish ‘backlog’ Oro projects

By Abigail Viguella

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Northern Mindanao vowed to finish this year all of its ongoing priority drainage system projects in Cagayan de Oro City in order to accommodate more projects in the general city drainage master plan by the next year.

DPWH-Northern Mindanao information officer Vinah Maghinay said these priority drainage projects are the ones located in Agora, Kauswagan village, and in Gumamela Street, Carmen village.

Maghinay said these areas are considered heavily flooded that it needed immediate project implementation by the DPWH since the beginning of 2017 and last year.

According to Maghinay, the 454.61 meter double square barrel drainage that is being constructed in Agora area will be completed by the month of November. This, she said, is a continuing project with the 2016 release of contract and funding.

The 1.36296 kilometer project in Gumamela Street, Barangay Carmen will be over by December. While the 2684.4 meter drainage project in Kauswagan near Savemore Supermarket, is targeted to be done by February of 2018.

After these priority projects, Maghinay said that DPWH is set to continue with more projects that will complete the drainage master plan for the whole city.

She added that the ongoing Agora drainage project, once finished, will be extended up to Limketkai area.

"Yan lang ang isa pero connecting ang lahat so kung saan tayo ngayon, ipagpapatuloy lang yan na maconnect sya sa ating mga existing na mga drainages. (That is one but wherever we are constructing today, we’ll continue that to the existing drainages)," she said.

However, the DPWH is still on the process of negotiating with business establishments along this area for the road right of way.

"Maraming i-solve na issues gaya ng road right of way which is pwede din i-ground for suspension if hindi maka-proceed dahil sa mga owners na kailangan pa i-negotiate ng DPWH. (There are a lot of issues that have to be settled like the road right of way which can be a ground for suspension if it cannot proceed because of the need to still negotiate with the establishment owners)," Maghinay added.

DA chief lauds CDO agriculture and livestock expo

(RREPaasa, DA-RFO 10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Manny F. Piñol lauds the Cagayan de Oro agriculture and livestock organizations for the conduct of the 2017 expo to showcase new technologies in farming.

“Through this activity, we have promoted clustering, genetic improvement, disease control, innovative feed production and meat safety and quality,” said Piñol in his message delivered by lawyer Jane Bacayo of the Bureau of Animal Industry during the event’s opening ceremony held in Cagayan de Oro City.

Piñol said the event’s theme “Agriculture Technology: How GIS Can Help You Win the Farm,” is very timely considering that today’s farmers and livestock raisers use modern technology in agriculture to save time and money.

He added that GIS is an extremely relevant tool nowadays to our farmers. “In crop production, with the use of GIS we can now reduce the amount of fertilizer applied on the plants.”

Likewise, Piñol stressed that “this does not only saves money but also helps in saving the environment from over-application of fertilizers.”

He added that GIS could also provide the farmers with forecast on crop production by monitoring drought and flooding in a specific area.

“With the advent of new technologies, this year’s expo becomes more significant towards the integration of technology in the field of agriculture,” he said.

Finally, Sec. Piñol pins hope that through this event, the Philippine agriculture and stakeholders will be able to find ways to use technologies to improve production and mitigate the effects of climate change in the environment.

Further, he expects that, with the growing concern for public health, this venue would espouse food safety as a requisite for achieving global competitiveness.

The three-day Agriculture and Livestock Expo runs from June 22-24, 2017 exhibiting various farm machinery and equipment, inputs like seeds, fertilizers, livestock feeds, and other agriculture and livestock products from various sponsors from private companies like Excel Feeds, B-Meg, among others; media groups; DA, and several exhibitors.

Cagayan de Oro health office launches ‘Tinggang Pinoy’

By Abigail Viguella

THE Cagayan de Oro City Health Office (CHO) on Tuesday, July 4, launched its “Tinggang Pinoy” campaign in celebration of the 43rd Nutrition Month and as response to the rising cases of non-communicable diseases.

Acting City Nutritionist Nenita Rabe said with the campaign, they aim to lessen the alarming rise of cases of non-communicable diseases in the city, adding that some of the most common instances of these diseases include hypertension and diabetes.

“It is alarming actually, that even though our malnutrition rate in the city has gone down successfully, there is a rise of these kinds of sicknesses in the population. And it should also be noted that most are found among the youth,” Rabe said.

With the “Tinggang Pinoy” campaign, Rabe said they aim to illustrate to Kagayanons the right diet that should be included in their daily intake.

The “Tinggang Pinoy” campaign, she said, will be shown all over the city especially in public places.

Like the “Ten Kumainments” of last year, the “Tinggang Pinoy” poster will be an instructional material for everyone reminding them to eat the right amounts of Go, Grow, and Glow food every day.

Rabe said that the malnutrition rate in the city has gone down drastically for the past year. As compared to last few years, the malnutrition rate this year has gone down to 1.7 from 2.5 percent.

“But that is very good and promising. What we now have to focus on is how to defeat this ongoing rise of over nutrition or obesity especially among the youth,” she said.

Oro environment office uses worms in dumpsite rehab

By Pamela Jay F. Orias

THE Cagayan de Oro City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) is turning to worms, "aliwate," or "wati" in the local dialect, to help rehabilitate the old dump site at Zayas, Carmen village.

Clenro chief Edwin Dael said the City Government bought one and a half kilo of African night crawlers from the Manresa farm which were then released to the old landfill on Friday, June 30, to help the garbage composting process.

Dael said, according to research, African night crawlers feed on decomposing matter.

African worms feed on mostly anything, like fruit and vegetable waste, egg shells, coffee grounds, tree leaves, cardboard, garden waste, starchy foods such as pasta, potatoes and rice grains, aged animal manure, and commercial worm food.

"It's the best way to achieve successful composting, they have big appetite making them ideal for the compost bin," he said.

Dael said the closure is now 80 percent complete and will be totally closed and rehabilitated before the year ends.

The Ecological Solid Waste Management Division (ESWMD) of Clenro also noted an improvement of the garbage collection.

He said they expected the amount of garbage dumped at the new engineered landfill in Pagalungan village from April to June at about 30,000 cubic meters but only about 26,000 cubic meters has been dumped for the same period.

The Clenro chief said the 4,000 cubic meter reduction is attributed to the compliance of some village in the city's segregation policy.

To further improve the collection, the Clenro is set to launch the search for the cleanest barangay in the city.

"This is part of our campaign for a cleaner Cagayan de Oro, urging barangays to clean up and segregate as we strive to achieve a zero waste collection in the city especially that we just transferred to a new landfill," he said.

Two villages will be chosen, for the numbered village category and for the suburban village category, with P150,000 and P250,000 cash prize, respectively.

Safety, quality underscored in GAP corn confab

(JLOlson, DA-RFO 10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – To gain entry in a more competitive market and to ensure safety and quality of farm produce against potential hazards, the Department of Agriculture (DA) conducted a three-day Capacity Enhancement on Philippine National Standards (PNS): Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Corn and Certification Protocols in Cagayan de Oro City

GAP is a set of consolidated safety and quality standards formulated by DA for the production, harvesting and on-farm post harvest handling and storage of corn that primarily focuses in reducing the risk of pesticide and aflatoxin contamination.

This was all underscored by Dr. Edralina P. Serrano, Technical Working Group for GAP Corn, adding that in view of the integration of Asian countries and the increasing demand of products for health and wellness not only in the Philippines, but worldwide, there is a need to comply to the standards set forth by DA on GAP, as this will be a ticket for easily gaining access to markets and likewise ensure quality and safety of their products against potential carriers of hazards, which would overall tailor-fit in addressing the needs of consumers.

More so, she emphasized that apart from having an edge in terms of facilitating access to market thru the certification, Dr. Serrano said that it is also a potent tool in extending social responsibility as the adoption to GAP allows to reap benefits such having high regard for workers’ health, safety and welfare and environmental sustainability.

Included in the course module for the two-day training is a discussion on Food Safety, Concepts and Principles of GAP, PNS Code of GAP for Corn, Importance and Procedures in Soil Sampling, Pre-Assessment Guidelines: Protocols and Methodologies and GAP Certification Protocols.

Complementary to the lectures, an on-field mock assessment and inspection was done in the different corn farm areas, cultivated and owned by some of the members of a small farmer’s organization, in Mantibugao, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon’s adherence to GAP standards.

To date, there are already 14 GAP certified farms producing pineapples, papaya, herbs, vegetables and rice throughout region 10 and yet, the agency is fervent that after the conducted training, more corn farmers along with the assistance from corn coordinators in various local government units would be persuaded to have their farms be GAP certified based on what they have learned from the capabuild.

2nd regl agri-aqua fair stages in CDO

(JLOlson, DA-RFO 10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, July 1 – Beefing up its effort of displaying and promoting ‘commodity winners’ and other products in Northern Mindanao, the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division of the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) staged its 2nd Regional Agri-Aqua Fair from 16 June until 18 June 2017 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Anchored on this year’s theme “Masaganang Agrikultura at Pangisdaan, Masaganang Bansa, a total of 29 exhibitors, consisting of processors, producers, small and medium enteprises, cooperatives, farmers and fisherfolks, and local government units have featured their respective locally grown and processed agri-fishery products, including fruits and vegetables, herbs, coco sugar, coffee, juice, dairy products, processed meat and poultry products, ornamentals, and fertilizers through the conduct of product display and demonstrations, food tasting, selling and business matching.

Overall, the activity geared towards increased sales among exhibitors and strengthening partnerships and linkages among agri-stakeholders.

Gracing the opening was Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar S. Moreno, DA-RFO 10 headed by Assistant Regional Director Engr. Roxana H. Hojas and AMAD chief Chedy V. Ansale, exhibitors, guests, buyers and mall goers.

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