GLAN, Sarangani, Philippines – The local government of Parang in Maguindanao has agreed on Monday to subsidize the fuel needs of a vessel that ferries local products from a town in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, a move that would give boost to the existing trade relations between two areas.

Mayor Victor James Yap Sr. said the previous agreement with the Sangihe government of Tahuna for the importation and exportation of local products was temporarily cancelled due to fuel funding problem. Tahuna had subsidized the fuel needs of the K/M Sunlia vessel’s every trip in transporting local products here and going back to Indonesia.

Davao landslide

DAVAO CITY (PNA) – More than 300 hectares of rice farms in the hinterland villages here were recently damaged by landslides that hit eight areas of the villages of Gumitan and Marilog.

City Agriculture Office head Leo Avila III confirmed that the landslides occurred in eight farm areas of the villages of Gumitan and Marilog in Paquibato districts – affecting a total of 358 hectares in the area. With the recent occurrence, Avila said the flow of goods is affected with the city government sending teams to assess the situation and undertake clearing operations in areas where roads are blocked.

Muscovado pushed

KORONADAL CITY (PIA) – Industry players in Region 12, particularly in Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato are encouraging more sugarcane growers to go into muscovado production.

Nelly Nita Dillera, provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry in Sultan Kudarat, said lack of supply of raw sugarcane remains the primary problem of this growing and lucrative muscovado industry. Muscovado is a type of unrefined brown sugar with a strong molasses flavor. Muscovado takes its flavor and color from its source, sugarcane juice. “Although about 13,000 hectares in Region 12 are devoted to sugarcane farming, only 345 tons are processed into muscovado each month,” Dillera said.

Forest rehab

DAVAO CITY – A total 16,000 seedlings were planted in the various provinces of Davao Region in an effort to rehabilitate forest lands in six years through the National Greening Program launched last February, the Region 11 office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-11) said yesterday.

DENR-11 Director Jim O. Sampulna said 1,500 seedlings were planted in Compostela Valley, 6,500 seedlings in Davao del Sur, 360 seedlings in Davao Oriental, 690 in Davao del Norte, and 7,000 seedlings in Davao City. The program is geared towards poverty reduction, food security, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaption. (Mick Basa)

Coconut pest

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur – The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) on Tuesday mobilized its regional and provincial technical personnel after receiving reports that coconut plantations in the five towns in Surigao del Sur are already attacked by “Brontispa Longissima” or the coconut leaf beetle pest that severely affected the production of the coconut farmers and growers since the first quarter of this year.

As of press time yesterday, the regional office of PCA started the biological move in an effort to stop the pest attack. (Mike Crismundo)