News

Searca tapped to help digitalize food sector

27May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Nation, News

Searca tapped to help digitalize food sector

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO LAGUNA (May 27)—The Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia (ERIA) has tapped a Philippine-based inter-government treaty organization to develop the guidelines for the utilization of digital technologies for agriculture in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). Glenn Gregorio, director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca), said his agency was tapped to develop the guidelines that will be part of the project titled "Enhancing Food Supply Chain Resilience and Food Security in Asean with Utilization of Digital Technologies" of ERIA with the Asean Secretariat. "Digital technologies and innovations are evident to support the Asean economic community transforming to a more resil...

26May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Cagayan, News

Parked truck ‘blamed’ for doctor’s death

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (May 26)—A driver of a trailer truck was charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and damage to property, police investigators here said. The driver was implicated in a vehicular accident along the National Highway in Barangay Samalague in Iguig town that caused the death of a doctor. Fernando Urian, 61, a resident of Barangay Iringan in Allacapan, Cagayan, parked his trailer truck with plate number AAR 2147 and Dr. Noli Cabildo, 29, a resident of Barangay Aganni, Alcala, Cagayan, was driving his black Nissan Terra sport utility vehicle (SUV) when the accident happened on Saturday. An outstanding doctor to the barrios, Cabildo was assigned at the Rural Health Unit of Reina Mercedes town in Isabela province and was traveling home to Alcala. ...

Ilocos Norte earns CoA’s highest degree of audit opinion

24May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Nation, News

Ilocos Norte earns CoA’s highest degree of audit opinion

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO ILOCOS NORTE: A rare feat for any local government unit (LGU), the Commission on Audit (CoA) gave the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) the highest degree of audit opinion for 2020. In a letter to Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc, lawyer Chito Janaban, CoA Region 1 director, said they rendered an “unmodified opinion” on the fairness of presentation of the financial statements for reasons stated in the CoA's Independent Auditor’s Report. In auditing parlance, an unmodified opinion is made by an auditor when financial statements are prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) as well as applicable regulations. Gayfelyn Labayan, CoA audit leader assigned at the PGIN Capitol, said o...

Region 2 aims to become ‘Valley of Milk’ in NLuzon

24May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

News, Nueva Vizcaya

Region 2 aims to become ‘Valley of Milk’ in NLuzon

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO CORDON, Isabela (May 24)—It is all systems go for the first retort facility for the sterilization of carabao's milk in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) to serve and boost milk production of Kisaviq dairy zone comprising the provinces of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and the region's neighboring provinces of Ifugao, Kalinga and Aurora. Aiming to become the Philippine ‘Valley of Milk,’ the Kisaviq dairy zone has installed the first-ever retort facility for the sterilization of carabao’s milk in Cordon town in Isabela province. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Noime Liangco, owner of the Amancio Nicolas Agri-Tourism Academy, said the facility in this town is seen boosting milk production and marketing in the Cagayan Valley region. "This facility is also expected to fulfill its ...

NGCP continues to exceed performance targets

23May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Nation, News

NGCP continues to exceed performance targets

NGCP continues to improve the overall performance of the transmission grid since taking over as the country’s sole transmission service provider in 2009. Among the key indicators in which it continues to outperform is the Frequency of Tripping (FOT) which measures the number of times high-voltage transmission lines tripped or experienced forced outages for every 100 circuit kilometers (ckm). NGCP’s 2020 performance shows a significant decrease in tripping incidents across all three major island grids. In Luzon, the number has gone down significantly from 3.985 in 2008 to 0.932 in 2020, marking a 76.6 percent decrease in tripping incidents, Visayas recorded 4.542 to 0.335, a decrease of 92.6 percent and for Mindanao, the number went from 7.951 to 0.504, a decrease of 9...

DTI-Region 2 Otop NextGen sustains direction for product development

23May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Cagayan, News

DTI-Region 2 Otop NextGen sustains direction for product development

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (May 23)—Taking off from the design direction of product development last year which focused on culture-oriented and tradition-based approach, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Region 2 through its One Town One Product (Otop) Next Generation (NexGen) program conducted information sessions for the 2021 food and non-food beneficiaries of the program via Zoom on May 18. This session was the first phase of the intervention of the product development program which aimed to capacitate and upgrade the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in terms of product label requirements, brand development, and product DTI design trends in the global market. It also provided the participants an orientation on the results of the cultural mapping conduc...

MMSU mentor named US-based global org ambassador

20May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Nation, News

MMSU mentor named US-based global org ambassador

BY LENDER C. DOMINGO Peter James Icalia Gann CONTRIBUTED PHOTO ILOCOS NORTE (May 20)—A university mentor here has been selected as ambassador of the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB), an international professional society devoted to the advancement of plant science research and education. Peter James Icalia Gann, an assistant professor of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) College of Agriculture, Food and Sustainable Development (CAFSD) will have a term of two years as ASPB ambassador. Founded in 1924, ASPB promotes the growth and development of plant biology, encourages and publishes research in plant biology, and advances the interests, growth and education of plant scientists in general. Over the decades, the ASPB has evolved and expanded to provi...

Cagayan university gets P3-M R&D grants from DoST

20May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Cagayan, News

Cagayan university gets P3-M R&D grants from DoST

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (May 20)—The Cagayan State University (CSU) has been awarded more than P2.95 million worth of financial grant for its three major projects in two of its campuses from the Department of Science and Technology (DoST). Cagayan State University will be receiving more cash and equipment grants from the Department of Science and Technology this 2021 in support of its Electromobility Program, Metals Engineering and Innovation Center and Food Innovation Center. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Engineer Sancho Mabborang, DoST Region 2 director, said during the virtual awarding earlier this month that CSU has been an active partner of the DoST by producing various science and technology innovations. The DoST-funded project titled “Production & U...

FCF partners with Barangay Runruno Clinic to boost health services

19May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Health, News, Nueva Vizcaya

FCF partners with Barangay Runruno Clinic to boost health services

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya (May 19)—To provide information, education and motivation services for primary health care, FCF Minerals Corp. has partnered with Barangay Ruruno, the mining firm’s operations host village. James Carmichael, FCF Minerals Country Manage, said the company donated medical supplies for this quarter to Runruno Barangay Clinic for its services to the residents of the village. FCF Minerals Corp. donates medical supplies to Runruno Barangay Clinic for its services to at least 5,000 local residents. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO “We are supporting the barangay local government of Runruno through theirRrunruno Barangay Clinic for their continuous operation benefiting at least 5,000 local residents,” Carmichael said. FCF Minerals said their support to t...

4 DENR new projects to aid Novo Vizcayanos

19May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Cagayan, News

4 DENR new projects to aid Novo Vizcayanos

BY CORIE CORPUZ, DENR TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (May 19)—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 2 has turned over to three municipal local government units in Nueva Vizcaya infrastructure facilities to improve the lives of upland dwellers in the province. The four agroforestry support facilities worth 58.3 million pesos constructed under the Forestland Management Project (FMP) also aim to ensure the protection and maintenance of about 3,000 hectares reforestation and agroforestry plantations developed by the people’s organizations in the municipalities of Dupax del Sur, Kasibu and Kayapa. FMP is a 10-year watershed rehabilitation project implemented by the DENR and funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under a loa...