Siquijor Chamber of Commerce holds orientation activity for producers

by Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR, Dec. 7 (PIA) —- The Siquijor Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (SCCII), in partnership with the AFOS Foundation for Entrepreneurial Development Corporation will conduct Thursday (December 8) an orientation-meeting cum planning activity for souvenir and pasalubong item producers in the province.

SCCII president Roberto Pajermo said the activity is part of the Sector-Unit Approach/WE-CAN program which targets micro/small producers to support the tourism industry of selected provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao through their respective Chamber of Commerce.

Provincial Science and Technology director Mario de la Peña, in an interview with PIA, also said the province is very lucky to have partnered with AFOS as he finds its program very supportive of the island's tourism endeavor.

De la Peña is one of the focal persons to present the DOST’s role in various aspects of livelihood technology in manufacturing.

Participants are mostly DTI and DOST-assisted local producers in the island such as makers of handicrafts in Lazi and Maria towns, wrought iron and herbal tea in Siquijor town.

He said the activity is one way of gathering producers, identifying their needs and assisting them to boost tourism in Siquijor.

The AFOS, he said, aims to assist these producers particularly in handicraft design and labeling to attract more buyers.

To be held at the DOST conference room, it is done in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), DOST, and the Siquijor Provincial Tourism Office. (PIA-Siquijor/Rizalie A. Calibo).

===========

SCCII, AFOS holds orientation cum planning activity for Siquijorsouvenir,pasalubong item producers

By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR, Dec. 7 (PIA)—The Siquijor Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (SCCII), in partnership with the AFOS Foundation for Entrepreneurial Development Corporation will conduct Thursday (December 8) an orientation-meeting cum planning activity of souvenir and pasalubong item producers in the province.

SCCII President Roberto Pajermo said the activity is part of the Sector-Unit Approach/WE-CAN program which targets micro/small producers to support the tourism industry of selected provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao through their respective Chamber of Commerce.

Provincial Science and Technology director Mario de la Peña in an interview with PIA also said the province is very lucky to have partnered with AFOS as he find its program very supportive of the island's tourism endeavor.

De la Peña is one of the focal persons to present the DOST’s role in various aspects of livelihood technology in manufacturing.

Participants are mostly DTI and DOST-assisted local producers in the island such as makers of handicrafts in Lazi and Maria towns, wrought iron and herbal tea in Siquijor town.    

He said the activity is one way of gathering producers, identifying their needs and assisting them to boost tourism in Siquijor.

The AFOS, he said aims to assist these producers particularly in handicraft design and labeling to attract more buyers.  

To be held at the DOST conference room, it is done in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), DOST and the Siquijor Provincial Tourism Office. (PIA-Siquijor/RACalibo).

==========

DA-PATCO holds workshop on organic  agri roadmap for Siquijor

By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR, Dec. 6 (PIA)—The Department of Agriculture- Provincial Agricultural Technology Coordinating Office (DA_PATCO) in Siquijor starts today (December 6) its two-day workshop on the formulation of Organic Agriculture Road Map for the province of Siquijor.

Program Coordinator Bernadith Bunado said the workshop aims to gather first hand, each agency’s initiative relative toorganic agriculture or organic food utilization that can be the basis in the formulation of organic agriculture road map for the province.

Prior to the workshop, a series of trainers’ training was conducted last month on the implementation of Republic Act 10068 otherwise known as Organic Agriculture Act 2010.

Bunado requests participants to bring and present their respective agency’s initiatives on organic relative to the program.

Organic agriculture, the President earlier noted, has the potential to increase farm productivity and farmers’ wages, thus, provide food for all as stipulated in the 2011-2016 Philippine Development Plan (PDP) that Siquijor Province adopted as its major development program.

Bunado said that through organic agriculture, farmers are ensured of cumulative conditioning and enriching the fertility of the soil. 

It reduces pollution and destruction of the environment, prevents depletion of natural resources, and further protects the health of farmers, consumers and the general public, he concluded. (PIA-Siquijor/RACalibo)

===========

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 encouraged 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 (efforts) 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.

He said Duran Banana Products has received assistance from 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/Rizalie A. Calibo)