DA distributes P15.9 M worth of farm machinery in Camarines Norte

By Rosalita B. Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte, May 6 (PIA) -- The Department of Agriculture (DA), led by Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, distributed P15.9 million worth of farm machinery, planting materials, fishing paraphernalia, and livelihood checks to farmers and fishermen groups during the stakeholders forum held Friday, May 3, at the Agro-Sports Center, provincial capitol here.

Recipients of the farm machinery included the Pamorangon Irrigators Association and Talisay River Irrigation System for the two units of hand tractor with trailer; Gahonon Modified Rapid Composting Technology Farmers Association and Gahonon-Borabod-Gubat-Tagonting Irrigators Association for the two units of mechanical dryer and Camarines Norte Seed Producers Cooperative for the one unit seed cleaner.

There were also allocations for the aquasilviculture project, seaweeds input assistance, mangrove propagules, community based multi-purpose hatchery project, aquasilviculture and mangrove rehabilitation project for the fisherman-beneficiaries from the coastal areas.

Around 200 seedlings of rambutan, 200 seedlings of langka, and 750 seedlings of pili were also distributed to farmers during the forum.

Through a raffle, the agency distributed 30 male goats, three sheep module (three female/one male), five bull carabao, three hand tractors, and two units of palay thresher for farmers while 10 gill nets, three fish cage nets, four engines for fishing boat, and two boats with engine for fishermen.

The secretary also led on Thursday the inauguration and blessing of the P1.684 million worth of agricultural tram line project expected to benefit 120 farmers in Barangay Matacong in San Lorenzo Ruiz town.

He also inspected the San Antonio-San Ramon farm-to-market road also in San Lorenzo Ruiz town and held a dialogue with officers and members of the Irrigators Association at the Alawihao Small Water Impounding project site in Daet.

Sec. Alcala also visited the Basud Coconut and Pineapple Cooperative (BACOPICO) in Barangay Laniton in the town of Basud and held a dialogue with the cooperative officers and pineapple farmers. The said cooperative was a recipient of a processing facility for coconut husks through a grant from the Spanish government under the supervision of the DA, Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA).

The secretary was accompanied by Governor Edgardo Tallado and assisted by the administrators, directors from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWS), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and other heads of the DA attached agencies in the region. (MAL/RBM-PIA 5, Camarines Norte)


Disaster preparedness training for law enforcers

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, May 6 (PIA) -- In line with this city’s campaign to equip the law enforcers with basic know-how on disaster preparedness, the Public Safety Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and Disaster Management Office (DMO) here conducted a stay-in disaster training entitled, “Collapsed Structures Search and Rescue Training,” held at the Metro Naga Sports Complex at Pacol here.

The three-day training was participated by 36 personnel representing various government agencies like the Public Safety Office (PSO) , Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Naga City Rescue, and Bicol Medical Center (BMC) personnel.

DMO chief Ernesto Elcamel said that the seminar covered trainings on collapsed structures caused by earthquakes, landslides, and fire.

Naga City, as an urban area being occupied by big businesses housed in various high buildings and elevated place of work are not an exemption to any occurrence of the aforementioned calamities.

Camarines Sur in particular, also has numerous municipalities which are mostly located in landslide-prone areas. The training will be most useful to the law enforcers in case of any eventuality.

Topics discussed during the seminar include the identification and marking of different hazardous and collapsed structures. The participants were also exposed on various scene assessments including medical operation in collapsed structures.

Pool of resource persons, headed by Fire Inspector Glenn Rodrigueza of BFP Regional Office, also discussed the different kinds of search and rescue techniques in collapsed structures, engineering systems in collapsed structures, shoring devices, moving and lifting debris, cribbing and leveraging techniques and fire suppression.

The partakers were also made to identify the different hazardous materials and were familiarized with the standard marking systems.

Elcamel said that the activity will prepare the participants to efficiently mitigate disasters and lessen if not totally eliminate the possibility of having casualties during the occurrence of a particular catastrophe. (MAL/LSM-PIA5, Camarines Sur)