DOE approves Siquijor onion bulb prod’n

by Rizalie A. Calibo and Renan L. Ansing

SIQUIJOR, July 21 (PIA) --- The Department of Energy (DOE) recently approved for funding the province's proposal for onion bulb production in various barangays through its Development and Livelihood Fund (DLF).

The Office of the Provincial Agriculture released this report that DOE has allocated around 90 percent or P722T to Siquijor province for its proposed P802T Red Bulb Onion Production Project.

Siquijor province will fund the remaining 10 percent as its counterpart.  

The Onion Bulb Production project covers 9.275 hectares province-wide with 52 farmer-cooperators.

National Economic Development Authority (NEDA-7), regional director Marlene Rodriguez said in a letter that the laudable project is seen to support the Central Visayas Regional Development Plan by accelerating the growth of labor productivity and serve as a poverty alleviation project especially among the farmers in the province.

Rodriguez emphasized that the project is consistent with the DA’s thrust on the development of high value agricultural products in order to generate new jobs and additional income to farmers.

Siquijor governor Orlando Fua, Jr. said that the production of red bulb onions helps the sufficiency level in onion which will eventually lessen its importation from Luzon .

He said, Siquijor farmers are now trained in onion production through various technologies in collaboration with Allied Botanical Corporation.

Regional executive director Leo Cañeda of Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Unit 7 and Bernadith Bunado, agricultural program coordinating officer of DA Siquijor also reviewed this onion bulb production proposal submitted by the Provincial Government of Siquijor.

Cañeda noted that by all means, the office will provide the best assistance possible in coordination with the Provincial Government of Siquijor through the Provincial Agriculturist Office. (PIA-Siquijor/mbcn/ rac & DA-Siquijor/rla)

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NFA Siquijor assures enough rice supply
By Rizalie A. Calibo

LARENA, Siquijor, July 21 (PIA)--The National Food Authority (NFA) in Siquijor assures the public that it has ample supply of rice for province.

In a report released to PIA,  NFA provincial manager Edgardo Garcia said that as of June 30, 2011 the local office has a 19,022 bags of rice stored in its 30,000 bag-maximum capacity warehouse at Nonoc, Larena.

Serving further as buffer stocks are some 80,000 bags of imported Vietnam rice strategically stored at warehouse depots in NFA-Cebu City all ready for immediate shipment to Siquijor within 24 hours of notice, Garcia said.

Tasked with securing the food supply and stabilizing the prices of rice, the agency ensures the availability of rice in times and places of natural or man-made calamity and emergency situations, he added.

Garcia further said that as a matter of operational strategy, NFA maintains in Siquijor a food security stock of no less than 15,000 bags at any given time to meet the 30-day consumption requirement of the province.

Despite the fact that Siquijodnons are by nature a corn-eating populace, NFA still satisfies 40 per cent of its total annual rice requirement of 170,000 bags, he said.

In emergency situations, the agency immediately coordinates with local government units (LGUs) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for a supply of rice on credit subject to the provision of existing Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) forged by and between the  provincial line agency head and the provincial Governor and the respective municipal mayors for the municipal level.

He also said that as its partner in distributing the low-priced rice in the market,  397 NFA licensed grains businessmen are clustered and grouped into Bigasan sa Palengke (BGP and Bigasan sa Barangay Outlets (BBO).

Other licensed outlets such as Barangay Bagsakan and Tindahan sa Parokya are also tapped to sell NFA rice at a retail price of P27,00 per kilo.

Meantime, Garcia urges the public to report any violation of NFA rules and regulations such as overpricing and improper display of NFA rice, diversion of stocks, non-display of price tags and operating without valid license.

NFA also requires all rice businessmen whether NFA-accredited outlets or not, such as retailers, wholesalers, grains warehouse and rice mill operators and transporters to renew their license and/or registration to avoid penalties and surcharges. (PIA-Siquijormbcn/rac with reports fromNFA-Elvira M. Calibo)