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Greenhouse...
This is to solve the perennial problem on the
availability of high quality
Virginia
tobacco seedlings experienced by the farmers in Ilocos
Sur when tobacco planting season comes.
Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Ma. Ellen Cabatu,
disclosed that the Provincial Government would be
forging a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the
National Tobacco Administration (NTA) for the
production of tobacco seedlings at the greenhouse.
Cabatu said that more than one million tobacco
seedlings would be produced at the Greenhouse before
the planting season to meet the needs and demands of
the tobacco-producing farmers.
The production of the seedlings consist of two
batches, wherein the first batch had more or less
600,000 tobacco seedlings will be produced intended
for 33 hectares and the second batch is another
600,000 seedlings for another 33 hectares.
Teofilo Batin, Officer-in-Charge of the
greenhouse, disclosed that the production of the
tobacco seedlings at the greenhouse is a vital project
to meet its optimum purpose for the benefit of the
tobacco farmers.
He said that these would be one of the
attractive sources of income for the province because
all the tobacco seedlings to be distributed will be
sold at a cost. However, the tobacco farmers had
lessened their burden especially during the production
of the seedlings.
According to Batin, the farmers, who will be
given priority to buy these seedlings, will also be
the contract growers of big tobacco companies like the
Fortune, Union Leaf Tobacco Corporation and others.
Aside from tobacco seedlings, Batin said that
the greenhouse also produced high value crops and
vegetables like the high breed eggplants, tomatoes and
other high value vegetables.
In a meeting between the Provincial Government
and the staff of the NTA-Candon City Branch, the
approved cost per tobacco seedlings is P0.30 centavos.
NTA-Candon Branch Manager Rodrigo Pagtulingan
expressed his all-out support in making the greenhouse
as the center of production of the
Virginia tobacco seedlings for the
tobacco farmers all over the province.
He said that the greenhouse is the appropriate
venue for the production of tobacco seedlings and he
agreed to extend their technical assistance for the
success of projects.
As to the marginal areas, which claimed to be
salty areas and not suitable for Virginia tobacco
production, Cabatu mentioned that the Provincial
Government, under the leadership of Gov. Savellano, is
now initiating the planting of alternative but high
value crops such as yellow corn, tomato, cassava and
soybeans.
The market of these crops is not a problem
since the Provincial Government has a marketing
agreement, now operationalized with the San Miguel
Corporation. This tie-up is better known as the GMAIS
or Grains Marketing Assistance of Ilocos
Sur.
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P2.9M
supplemental...
Vice Governor Jeremias “Jerry” Singson,
Provincial Board Presiding Officer, disclosed that the
said amount would avenge the fund used by the GSO to
purchase medicines.
He assured that through the
distribution of these medicines, the less fortunate in
the province could avail on free or lower price but
high quality medicines.
Provincial Board Member Anna Liza
Morales endorsed the approval of the release of the
funds to the Committee on Finance.
Through Resolution No. 156 series of
2003, the approval of the requested amount shall
enable the concerned office to maintain its capability
to store enough supply of medicines to be readily
distributed whenever the need arises especially during
emergency situations.
Meanwhile, an amount of P2.3 million
supplemental budget was approved for the purchase of
office equipment and air conditioning units, repair of
bulldozer and several government vehicles, gasoline
and lubricants, repair of the motor pool buildings and
gate, and payment of the Provincial Government
counterpart in the construction of the ATM
booth.
The said resolution was approved by the
Provincial Board during the same session. Resolution
No. 157 series of 2003 mentioned that the approval of
the said amount shall redound to the office being able
to perform its official tasks and responsibilities as
efficiently and effectively as ever. Vice Gov. Jerry
Singson said that there is a need for the allocation
of the maintenance of the heavy equipment of the
Province to hasten the implementation of the different
developmental projects in various towns particularly
the upland municipalities.
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Nutrition Month...
Provincial Nutrition Action Officer Edith
Castillo disclosed that this year’s theme on the
nutrition month celebration is “Kabataan Palusugin,
Isulong ang Breastfeeding.
“This year, we, the members of the Provincial
Nutrition Council chaired by Ilocos Sur Governor
Deogracias Victor “DV” Savellano are massively
advocating the importance of breast feeding to prevent
the newly born babies from any form of diseases,”
Castillo told.
“We should breastfeed the infants exclusively
from birth of six months and then, give appropriate
foods while continuing breastfeeding,” she added.
The celebration of Provincial Nutrition Month
for this year kicked off through a motorcade along
Metro Vigan, which participated in by the members of
the Provincial Nutrition Council.
The hanging of streamer was also observed in
the different government line agencies and a
mini-trade fair was also in-housed at the Provincial
Capitol to showcase the native but nutritious foods
produced in the province.
“We had launched the Lucky Me Food Assistance
Program for malnourished pre-school children and we
successfully conducted seminars and lectures to
mothers on breastfeeding as well as distributed
vegetable seeds to the identified family household
beneficiaries,” she added.
Another significant activity in this year’s
celebration was the airing of the weekly “Nutrition of
the Air Radio Program” live over DWRS Commando Radio.
In the culmination program, Governor Savellano
lauded the all-out efforts of the members of the
Provincial Nutrition Council for the successful
accomplishment of all the activities for the
celebration of the annual nutrition month in the
province.
He also awarded prizes and certificates of
appreciation to those who participated in various
contests and to the members of the Provincial
Nutrition Council and Barangay Nutrition Scholars, who
tendered their exemplary performance for the success
of this year’s celebration.
Among the winners in the different contests and
categories were the following. For the Green Banner
Municipalities: the town of
Sinait was selected as Outstanding
Municipality for 2003; followed by the town of Cabugao
- 1st Runner Up; 2nd Runner Up - Sta. Lucia; and 3rd
Runner Up - San Vicente. For the Outstanding Barangay
Nutrition Scholars, Mrs. Gertrudes Pabillonar of
Sabuanan, Sta. Lucia town was chosen as the most
outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar; 1st Runner
Up - Jocephine Inocelda of Ricudo, Sinait; 2nd Runner
Up - Vilma Joson of Bantaoay, San Vicente; and 3rd
Runner Up - Alma Bautista of Pug-os, Cabugao.
For the search of Little Miss Nutrition, Ms.
Paula Nicole Rafanan of San Vicente was chosen as Miss
Little Nutrition for 2003; 1st Runner Up - Ai-rhyl
Gamlot of Sto. Domingo; and 2nd Runner Up - Valerie
Tizon of
Santiago. Awarded for Best in Gown was
Paula Nicole Rafanan; Best in Nutritional Status was
Michaela Ballalo of Caoayan; and Ms. Intelligence was
Ai-rhyl Gamlot and Ms. Talent was Valerie Tizon.
In the Nutri-quiz Competition, Wensell Agbayani
of Sinait and Mark Kenneth Ramos of San Ildefonso won
the first place; 2nd placer Diether Ian
Portugal of Sto. Domingo; and 3rd placers Aura Joie
Verzosa of Tagudin and Cherchill Tabboga of Cabugao.
For the cooking contest, Ms. Melogen Joaquin of
Quirino won the first prize; 2nd prize winner was
Bibiana Dumawa of Galimuyod and 3rd prize winner was
Marites Obas of
Vigan City.
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Malunggay...
The Governor, who heads the executive committee
of the Provincial Nutrition Council, told that the
massive planting of malunggay is a part of the Annual
National Nutrition Month Celebration in the month of
July.
“I ordered all officials in the local
government units, schools and non-government
organizations to plant malunggay along the highways,
public vacant lots and other areas that are suitable
for growing of the said vegetable,” he said.
To have sufficient planting materials, he also
ordered the Provincial Agriculturist to provide the
necessary planting materials (malunggay) for
distribution to every family and local officials.
“Malunggay had so many uses. It could be easily
mixed with any vegetables and meat for cooking any
delicious delicacies that would be served in the
table. This could also be used as medicine,” he said
during his popularly known weekly radio program
“Ilocos Sur Hotline”.
Malunggay is one of the cheapest sources of
vitamins and medicines for every household. It is one
of the notable and easily grown vegetables due to its
adaptability into the soil and environment of the
province. Its leaves, flowers and fruits are used for
as food and are rich in Vitamins A, C, K, Calcium and
Iron. Its seeds have become popular as cure-all
medicine for arthritis, rheumatism, diabetes, high
blood pressure and heart ailments.
According to the Governor, the massive planting
of malunggay is a year-round program of the Provincial
Government to support the country’s plan of action for
nutrition as well as to address the worldwide call for
nutritional upgrading in the every household to
prevent and control the micronutrient malnutrition.
To sustain the implementation of the program,
the Governor assigned the Barangay Nutrition
Scholars (BNS) of each town to conduct a monthly
monitoring and evaluation in every local government
units all over the province.
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E-governance...
Savellano said that the e-governance system is
the processing of important documents through the use
of computers.
“We adopted this program to meet the needs and
demands for the computerization of all documents and
to comply with the global call on the utilization of
electronic communication system,” he told.
The Governor stressed that through this system,
the Provincial Government is enabled to improve its
planning and decision-making capabilities with
credible and reliable information available at
fingertips.
Through this e-governance system, the
redundancy caused by manual or paper-based tasks
rendered by the employees, who were benefited in the
computerization, will be minimized if not totally
eliminated.
The system includes the automation of the
legislative office through the installations of
Legislative Information System for easy referencing
and retrieval of ordinances and resolutions. Likewise,
Budget Monitoring, Accounting System, Treasury
Systems, (Cash Collection and Disbursement) and
Barangay Assistance Monitoring System were also
automated.
As these programs were developed, the said
system was firstly piloted to five towns in the
province covering San Vicente, Cabugao, Caoayan, Sta.
Maria and Magsingal.
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