Tag: Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has been authorized to issue quarantine passes to agrarian reform beneficiaries to ensure they can continue farming during...

THE seed industry is asserting its status as a provider of critical agricultural goods during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency, citing uneven enforcement...

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) ordered its regional offices to facilitate the transport of agricultural products to markets during the Luzon-wide lockdown to contain...

THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA), through its Agriculture Credit Policy Council (ACPC), has approved an initial P1 billion for loans to help the sector amid threats to food security caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

AGRICULTURE Secretary William D. Dar said Vietnam has issued assurances on its intent to supply rice to the Philippines, its biggest foreign market, after Hanoi suspended export clearances in late March pending a review of its own domestic requirements during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

PRESIDENTIAL Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner Greco B. Belgica said they will not investigate Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo over initiatives in helping respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, contrary to a statement by another PACC commissioner.

THE OPERATING arm of Global Ferronickel Holdings, Inc. has appealed to the local government of Surigao del Norte and the municipal mayor of Claver to issue an exemption from the temporary suspension of mining activities amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

PRODUCTION of palay, or unmilled rice, in the first quarter of 2020 is now estimated at 4 million metric tons (MT), 6.7% lower than the previous projection, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) will open more mobile produce markets sourcing directly from farmers to ensure sufficient food for the Metro Manila during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

THE government is planning to import 300,000 metric tons (MT) of rice to ensure there is enough domestic supply as Luzon remains under enhanced community quarantine.

TWO SUBSIDIARIES of mining company Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC) announced the temporary suspension of their mining operations, amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

AGRICULTURAL groups said the poultry supply is ample despite worries over the flow of food to locked-down cities during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) imposed to contain coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

THE government is allocating P31 billion for measures that would ensure there is enough food supply during the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.

THE AFRICAN Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak has widened with an additional 41,953 hogs culled, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).

METRO Manila water suppliers said they are providing relief to customers experiencing difficulties paying their bills during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) imposed on Luzon.

THE National Food Authority (NFA) said it is still buying palay, or unmilled rice, and could see its procurement budget doubled soon in response to the enhanced community quarantine implemented in Luzon.

THE average farmgate price of palay, or unmilled rice, rose 0.1% week-on-week to P16.26 per kilogram in the second week of March, with prices down 14.2% year-on-year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

GOVERNMENT agencies have reactivated a price coordination council to monitor prices of basic commodities in Metro Manila and other urban areas during the COVID-19 lockdown.

THE average farmgate price of palay, or unmilled rice, rose 0.9% week-on-week to P16.18 per kilogram (kg) in the fifth week of February, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

LOCAL shares closed the week on a negative note as the country continues to record more cases of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), prompting investors to book gains while wary of the impact of the pandemic on the economy.

THE Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved the food resiliency protocol endorsed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) for faster movement of major food commodities to Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon.

AGRICULTURE Secretary William D. Dar said the dry-season rice harvest will make inventories of the staple sufficient to meet demand until June.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte signed into law on Tuesday Republic Act No. 11469, or the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act,” which gives him emergency powers in managing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has requested a P32 billion supplemental budget to ensure food security for the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak.

AGRICULTURE Secretary William D. Dar has instructed various agencies of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to designate portions of their compounds as markets for agricultural products.

THE FOUR persons arrested for selling overpriced thermal scanners and medical masks were presented for inquest Monday, an official of the Department of Justice said.

THE WORLD Health Organization’s (WHO) Philippine representative has called on the private sector to help in the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers, citing a global shortage problem as the new coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19, continues to spread around the world.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) urged local government units (LGUs) putting together food packs for their more vulnerable citizens to source food from local farmers to stabilize the market for fresh produce during the COVID-19 quarantine.

THE Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Regulatory Office (MWSS-RO) has authorized water concessionaires to apply average billing to their customers, as community quarantine measures on Luzon prevent them from sending out meter readers.

PORK and poultry producers said the supply of their produce is ample for Luzon, especially Metro Manila, with large inventories in cold storage supplementing available livestock estimated as good for five months’ consumption.

WATER concessionaires Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) and Manila Water Company, Inc. (Manila Water) have temporarily suspended their meter reading and billing activities amid the enhanced community quarantine due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

THE National Food Authority (NFA) has completed the prepositioning of rice stocks and is now awaiting delivery and disbursement in strategic areas across Metro Manila amid the enhanced community quarantine measures implemented in Luzon, the agency said Sunday.

AGRICULTURE Secretary William D. Dar has requested a supplemental budget of at least P1 billion to support his department’s food resiliency and price control activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

THE APPLICATION for food passes has been streamlined to ensure continuous movement of food, agri-fishery products and inputs in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, according to Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is organizing a food-supply system for locked-down communities linking produce suppliers with local government units (LGUs), which will be responsible for estimating the community’s food requirements and delivering rations to households.

WATER CO., Inc. has extended the due date for the water bill payments of its customers in response to the month-long “enhanced community quarantine” set by the government on Luzon.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said accredited cargo vehicles delivering food into Metro Manila can pass through checkpoints and use special lanes if they present passes and display decals, while drivers and passengers must also present accreditation documents and ID.

THE NATIONAL Water Resources Board (NWRB) has guaranteed that water supply is sufficient in Metro Manila amid further decline in the water level of Angat Dam.

AGRICULTURE Secretary William D. Dar said the government will permit cargo vehicles delivering food to use special lanes to ensure Metro Manila is adequately supplied during the COVID-19 lockdown.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said confirmed an outbreak of H5N6 Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) at a quail farm in Nueva Ecija.

THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture’s Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) said it will bring its agroenterprise development program to more than 3,000 new farmers to promote higher-value products like special varieties of rice and byproducts.

LOCAL stocks ended on a positive note on Friday, capping a wild week that saw the equities market reel from the continuous spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic.

NICKEL ASIA Corp. reported an 11% decline in attributable net income last year to P2.68 billion after the listed miner and ore exporter recorded a drop in its share from two mining investments.

THE Department of Agriculture said Metro Manila’s population of around 14 million need not maintain more than their usual supplies of food as major commodities like rice are readily available.

METRO MANILA water concessionaires secured the go signal from the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to adjust rates in the second quarter.