San Juan as Siquijor’s tourism capital pushed

SIQUIJOR, June 27 (PIA) ---Having competitive edge in terms of beautiful beaches, marine waters and other natural resources, the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of San Juan in Siquijor province is now pushing to achieve its goal of becoming the tourism Capital of Siquijor province.

Along this effort, the town, through its SB regular session,  has adopted Ordinance No. 3, s. 1988, “strictly prohibiting the catching, taking, gathering or harvesting of fish of any specie and all aquatic life found and existing in the natural spring, natural swimming pool, blind canal and embankment at Poblacion, San Juan, Siquijor, and Imposing penalties for the violations thereof.”

This, the SB said, is in line with its policy to preserve, safeguard, and improve the town’s natural attractions to promote tourism and make San Juan town the province's tourism capital.

In the ordinance, “any person or group of persons found or caught catching, taking, gathering, harvesting, hauling, loading, transporting or in any manner moving or transferring from these facilities any fish and other aquatic life for whatever purpose or motive shall be imposed a fine of P2,500.00 per person or imprisonment at the discretion of the court. (Rizalie A. Calibo/PIA-Siquijor/J. Maata/MPIO, San Juan )

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TESDA FAMILY holds teambuilding seminar

SIQUIJOR, June 27 (PIA)---In compliance with Civil Service Regulations and Collective Negotiation Agreements, personnel and of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) -Lazi National Agricultural School (LNAS) and the Siquijor Provincial TESDA Office conducted a Team-Building Seminar Workshop at Salagdo-ong Beach Resort in Maria, Siquijor last week.

The opening program was held at the Agripino Hotel within the resort. It was highlighted with a conference with the newly-installed TESDA Officer-in-Charge-Provincial Director Engr. Samuel A. Jordan, the former OIC-Provincial Director of TESDA-Negros Oriental, who also shared his views and insights on the need to transform TESDA-Siquijor into a “more cohesive, productive and responsive unit in the Authority. 

He was presented to the group by the outgoing OIC-Provincial Director,  Visitacion C.  Millanes. 

Invited as Teambuilding facilitator was Dr. Nichol R. Elman, the Director of theSilliman University Extension Program and  member  of the Negros Oriental Tourism Council who came all the way from Dumaguete City.  Unfortunately, he did not make it to the seminar because of health problems.  After a brief consultation with doctors at the Lazi Medicare Community Hospital, he was advised to go home and get rest.

The group had to proceed with the other activities of the program which include discussion on operational matters.

Provincial Governor Orlando “Shane” A.  Fua Jr.,  also  graced the activity. (Rizalie A. Calibo/PIA-Siquijor/JCM).

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DA promotes white corn as healthy staple food

SIQUIJOR, June 27 (PIA)---The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Unit 7 (DA-7) is promoting the consumption of white corn as healthy staple food.

DA-7 Regional Corn Program Coordinator Francisco Sopsop during the consultative meeting to local government units in Central Visayas said the region has a very good performance in corn production especially on white corn.

Central Visayas ranked number 10 in the country’s corn production of all types,  number 4 in the production of white corn, and ranked 16 in yellow corn production.

This data shows that the whole Central Visayas region is potential for mass production of corn, he said.

Sopsop said the DA planners are presently working on the promotion of white corn which has better health benefits than rice, the traditional staple.

He said the government is bent on expanding the production of low-glycemic white corn seeds to reduce the incidence o f diabetes and boost food security.

He said, the DA, together with the Institute of Plant Breeding of the University of the Philippines at Los Banos (UPLB-IPB) has signed an agreement to implement the program.

It is noted that white corn is the staple food of about 20 percent of Filipinos, especially in Visayas and Mindanao.

Meanwhile, Dr. Artemio M. Salazar, UPLB-IPB deputy director and National Corn RDE( Research, Development and Extension) Network head said that they are aiming to bring technologies to the boondocks where many of the people do not have much to eat.

Salazar said, unlike rice, white corn has low glycemic index (GI) which makes it slower to digest, thereby releasing glucose gradually into the bloodstream, and   lessening the risk of diabetes.

White corn, he said, has also more protein, more lysine and tryptophan , more dietary fiber, more minerals and more antioxidants than rice alone.

Government is trying to educate urban consumers on health benefits and food preparations of white corn. It hopes that as white corn becomes part of the Filipino diet, the country may reduce dependence on rice and improve food sufficiency, Salazar also said. (Rizalie A. Calibo/PIA-Siquijor/Renan Ansing)