TABUK, Kalinga, Philippines – For a notable increase in average yield in rice with the hybrid rice technology, Michael Lumas-i, 45, of Sitio Tannubong, Ipil, this town, bested two other nominees from Regions 1 and 3 and won the 2010 prestigious Gawad Saka National Award, under the Hybrid Rice Category.

Lumas-i is scheduled to go to Malacañang, to be accompanied by officials of the province and officers of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG) for the awarding ceremony.

Kalinga Rice Program coordinator Joe Casibang said there were 12 regions nominated to the national search. This was trimmed down to seven, then to the three finalists.

Lumas-i represented the Cordillera Administrative Region in the national search under hybrid rice category after winning the regional level. He is set to receive a cash prize of P100,000 plus other citations for the award. He earlier received P20,000 for winning the regional category.

Lumas-i’s entry to the search is a two-hectare hybrid rice production area, which is part of his 15-hectare integrated farm system inspected by the composite national evaluation team last November during the launching of Agri-Pinoy.

Explaining the criteria of the search, Casibang said qualifiers to the Gawad Saka national category should have engaged into that particular category for at least two dry and two wet cropping. (Dexter See)

P.R.O. 4-A STARTS ‘PADYAK’CARAVAN

CAMP GENERAL VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines - The Police Regional Office 4-A (PRO 4-A) officially launched Monday the 1st “Padyak Para sa Kapayapaan 2010” peace caravan which aims to encourage the people here in Southern Tagalog region in joining the local police in supporting the effort of President Aquino to achieve lasting peace through peace talks with communist rebels. Chief Supt.

Samuel Pagdilao, PRO 4-A director, led the 1,000 bikers from Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) police and various sectors in a 12-kilometer peace caravan that started at 6 a.m. Monday at the Laguna PPO in Sta. Cruz and ended up at the covered basketball court in Pangil town, Laguna.

Pagdilao said the advocacy of the peace caravan is to show support to President Aquino’s administration in peace talks with the leftists .He added that the next peace caravan in the region will be held in Quezon province. (Ferdinand Castro)

ANOTHER FLYOVER MULLED FOR BAGUIO

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Infrastructure development continues to flourish in this mountain resort city following the proposed establishment of another multi-million-peso flyover at the junction of Bokawkan Road and Naguilian Road to solve the worsening traffic congestions in the area due to the narrow width of the roads coupled with the increasing number of motor vehicles plying the area.

At present, this city hosts two flyovers, one along the Magsaysay Avenue leading towards La Trinidad, Benguet, while the other infrastructure is located at the rotunda of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC).

Engineer Ireneo Gallato, district engineer of the Baguio City District Engineering office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), said the feasibility study for the project will start by the middle part of next year so that the agency will be guided on the actual cost of the project which will be included in the succeeding budgets of the agency. (Dexter See)