DA turns over 3 more barangay food terminal projects to Siquijor LGUs By Renan Lapinig Ansing Province of Siquijor, March 16 (PIA)--The Department of Agriculture turned-over last week three more Barangay Food Terminal (BFT) projects to the local government unitsof Maria, San Juan and Lazi in the province of Siquijor. Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer, Bernadith S. Bunada of the Department of Agriculture here said the project is another part pf government marketing assistance that serves as a channel for farmers to sell their agricultural products. Bunado said this project helps both farmers and consumers. She said farmers can sell directly their agricultural products to the Barangay Food Terminal at a higher price compared to the middlemen and that consumers can buy these products at a lower prices than the prevailing market price. BFT serves as a barangay-based food depot and food distribution system that intends to directly link farmers and fisherfolks-producers to the consumers. It is a community participated retail food distribution center where consumers are assured of quality food products such as meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables at low prices to the marginalized sector of the society at the barangay level, Bunado said. DA provided a financial assistance to the operation of Barangay Food Terminal worth P150,000.00,  P100,000 which will go to the procurement of facilities such as rice/peanut high speed grinding machine, chest freezer, coconut grater, chiller, price computing scale, meat cutter, meat mincer, etc. while the P50,000 will be for the operator’s additional capital for the procurement of vegetables, fruits, rootcrops, NFA rice, fishery products and livestock meat products. DA-RFU7’s Marketing Promotion Development Officer, Ms. Jocelyn Tan Pilapil said the project is designed as an avenue to all prime commodities necessary to the people’s daily needs. He appreciated the LGUs intention to operate the project. It underscores the government’s overriding concern to address food security and reduce poverty in the country. The turn-over ceremony was attended by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR),Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST),National Food Authority (NFA) and local leaders, farmers and other agriculture stakeholders. (PIA-Siquijor/ from the report of Reynan Ansing/DA) P300T-worth disaster readiness equipment to augment  Siquijor LGU’s rescue operations Province of Siquijor, March 16 (PIA) --The local government unit of Siquijor recently procured some P300,000 worth of rescue materials to augment the town’s emergency response during rescue operations, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PPDRRMC) Coordinator, Gilbert Briones said that the disaster readiness equipment is now in the custody of the Bureau of Fire and Protection (BFP) – Siquijor Station , the disaster command center of the municipality. These, Briones said include two chainsaws (portable and regular) with additional breathing apparatus that are expected to arrive within this month. These rescue materials is procured under the 2010 calamity fund, he said. (PIA-Siquijor/from the report of Inacher A. Abatayo/ST) NFA-Siquijor launches I-Rice program By Rizalie Anding Calibo Province of Siquijor, March 16 (PIA)--The National Food Authority (NFA)-Siquijor  held yesterday (March 15) a simultaneous launching of the NFA’s Iron Fortified Rice program (I-Rice) pursuant to RA 8976 or the Philippine Fortified Act of 2000. The program, the NFA said, involves the fortification of additional micro-nutrients to food items which are widely consumed by specific at-risk groups. Micro-nutrient malnutrition, otherwise known as hidden hunger refers to lack of vitamin A, iron and iodine which is prevalent in several provinces of the Philippines. “Being tasked to handle the distribution of the country’s staple food, our agency takes charge of fortification for iron in rice commodity,”provincial manager Edgardo Garcia said in his letter. He said Iron fortified rice is an enriched rice stock made from blending of pre-mixed iron fortified rice grains with ordinary rice. The launching of the program is the NFA’s initial step in contributing and sustaining the government’s efforts to arrest the malnutrition of iron micro-nutrients prevalent in Siquijor mostly among pregnant and lactating mothers. The iron fortified rice now sold at P27.00 per kilo shall at all times be available in the NFA accredited outlets, he said. (PIA-Siquijor)