Off to find new homes
SAN MIGUEL Corp. (SMC), in partnership with animal welfare organization Animal Kingdom Foundation, undertake an animal rescue operation in Taliptip, Bulakan, Bulacan, where about 70 abandoned dogs and cats are retrieved and brought to the Animal Kingdom shelter in Capas, Tarlac. They will be given veterinary treatment and nursed back to health until they can be put up for adoption.
Farm sector damage from typhoons hits P12.8B
DAMAGE brought by recent typhoons to the farm sector has reached P12.8 billion, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar reported on Wednesday. At the same time, Mr. Dar said around P32 billion worth of agricultural products were saved as the Department of Agriculture (DA) gave early warning advisories to farmers before the storms swept mainly through the northern portion of the country in October and early November. “That is a big help to our agriculture sector,” he said during the Palace’s daily briefing. He also said that the department has a P6.5 billion budget that will be used for recovery and rehabilitation.
FOOD SUPPLY
Meanwhile, Mr. Dar said the DA is mobilizing food supply from areas that were less affected by the typhoon for delivery to the capital Metro Manila to address the rising retail prices of certain agricultural commodities. He added that they will talk to traders to not take advantage of the supply disruption brought about by the calamity. Based on the latest monitoring report from the DA, the prices of basic commodities in major markets in Metro Manila such as bangus (milkfish) ranges from P130 to P220 per kilogram, which has a government suggested retail price of P130, while whole chicken was lower than the suggested price of P169/kilo. On November 17, the government imposed a price freeze on basic farm and fishery products following President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s declaration of a state of calamity in the entire Luzon islands. Among the two strongest in the series of typhoons were Ulysses (international name: Vamco), and Rolly (Goni) which is considered the world’s strongest tropical cyclone so far this year. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
Bohol expanding meat-dairy project to another town
BOHOL is looking to boost its dairy production with the expansion of its program to another town. In a statement on Tuesday, the local government said the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian is planning to develop a new dairy production cluster in Tubigon through the La Libertad Farmers Cooperative. “We will also ask the nearby municipalities with a considerable number of cows and carabaos to join like San Isidro, Catigbi-an, Sagbayan, Danao, Clarin, Antiquera, and Balilihan,” said provincial Veterinarian Stella Marie Lapiz. Bohol’s Active Rural Transformation Thru Integrated Community Dairy Farming program, currently centered in the town of Ubay, aims to make the province self-sufficient in fresh milk, increase meat production, and provide added livelihood to farmers. The Bohol Dairy Cooperative is already producing various milk-based food and non-food products. The expansion is funded by a P10 million allocation from the Philippine Coconut Authority through the Philippine Carabao Center in partnership with the provincial government.
Grab delivery now in Lipa City
GRAB Philippines has launched its delivery services GrabFood and GrabExpress in Lipa City, Batangas. “Now, more than ever, we seek to expand our roles in nation-building by linking businesses, communities, and governments all over the country to promote inclusive economic growth and recovery. We are proud to have Lipa City as our partners in our commitment to reach more Filipinos, more cities, and more regions,” Jay Lim, Grab Head of Expansions for Grab, said in an e-mailed statement on Wednesday. The company said its expansion to Lipa, classified as a first-class city with a population of over 330,000, will provide livelihood opportunities for delivery riders and more market opportunities for businesses. Grab has partnered with homegrown restaurants through GrabFood and non-food establishments through GrabExpress.
