FITS pushes Siquijor banana producers to also go into processing

By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR, Dec. 5 (PIA)—To boost entrepreneurship and tourism in Siquijor province, the Provincial Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Consortium encourages local banana producers to also go into processing and become entrepreneurs themselves.

Provincial Science and Technology Director Engr. Mario de la Peña said,  a two-day training on Banana Processing for at least 25 members of Siquijor Banana and Peanut Producers Association (SBPPA) will start Tuesday this week (December 6) at the DOST Conference Room, this province.

“We are responding to the needs of the local farmers. They wish to venture into processing and so we are giving this training to them,” he said.

De la Peña said he is convinced that the training is already a big step towards boosting not only province’s banana industry but also the farmers’ income.

 “We should not limit to production alone, we should give them opportunities to venture into processing. Who knows somebody from this group  (SBPPA) will excel in the future,” he said.

At present, de la Peña said the province has only five processors and are focusing on the same line of products, common of which are  banana chips.

Of the five banana processors, he cited Duran Banana Products as most blessed being the only one getting assistance from the DOST’s Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) – from technology upgrading to product packaging and labeling.

The rest are still struggling and are needing more assistance from different line agencies although the FITS and DOST have also assisted them through trainings particularly on good manufacturing practices , label design and product packaging, he said.

“This time, we are focusing on products other than the existing ones processed by our local processors like banana catsup, flour, marmalade, and others,” the DOST provincial director also said.

Resource speaker is  Josie F. Elli, a food expert and a member of the DOST-7 Food Safety Team .

DOST-7 Food Safety Team, according to Engr. De la Peña, is the first organized and recognized food safety team in the country. (PIA-Siquijor/RACalibo)

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SSC student tops anew 2011 provincial PSQ

By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR, Dec. 5 (PIA)—Seventeen year old Harvie B. Ligutom, a first year Bachelor of Secondary Education student of Siquijor  State College (SSC) of Larena, Siquijor ruled this year’s edition of the Philippine Statistical Quiz (PSQ) Siquijor Provincial Elimination.

In a press release from the National Statistics Office  (NSO) here, Ligutom won by three points over the second placer who came from Carmelite College.

According to the NSO, nine freshman college students representing the three collegiate institutions namely: SSC-Larena main campus, BIT-International College, and Carmelite College, both of Siquijor town participated in this year’s “battle of statistical whizzes” held at DOST Conference Room last month. 

SSC main campus won the top two places of the  contest with Lee A. Dimagnaong Jr. emerged as the third placer.

Reyna B. Jimenez, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Carmelite College in Tinago, Siquijor, Siquijor won the second place, the report also said.

The PSQ is an annual  contest designed to test the knowledge of statistics among college freshmen.

The NSO, along with the Philippine Statistical Association (PSA) and other partner private and government agencies has been organizing the yearly contest since 1992 to promote public awareness and appreciation of statistics.

The winners  received modest cash prizes and tokens from valued sponsors and donors and a PSQ certificate of recognition and participation given by PSQ regional and provincial steering committee, says the report.

This year’s donors of prizes are the Civil Registrar Asssociation of Siquijor Province (CRASP), Bigbyte Enterprises, Quicksilver Supplies and Services, Jayvee Marketing, Acelogic Computer Solutionss, and Algorithm Computer Services.

The top three winners also represented the regional finals held at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Conference Room in Cebu City.

The winner in the regional finals will represent the region to the national finals this month where they will compete with 17 other regional champions throughout the country.

Provincial PSQ board of judges are Wilfredo E. Duran, Department of Education (DepEd) Math supervisor, Provincial Science and Technology director Mario E. de la Pena, Siquijor municipal civil registrar, Fernando Jose Pescante Jr., and Provincial Bureau of Agricultural Statistics Officer Felicisimo Valios. (PIA-Siquijor/RACalibo with reports from NSO)