GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines (PIA) – “While it is a duty and obligation for Muslims to promote, develop, protect, and sustain halal, the Halal Industry is ever more seen as an excellent opportunity for non-Muslims also to venture, taking into account prospect of serving both the Muslim and non-Muslim markets,” said Department of Science and Technology Region-12 Director Hadja Sittie Shayma Zenaida Hadji Raof-Laidan.

Laidan said the involvement of non-Muslims in the Halal Industry is also a manifestation of their concern for the Muslim culture. She also said that a well-developed Halal Industry can only be fully achieved when complemented by all concerned stakeholders.

Support program

NABUNTURAN, Compostela Valley (PIA) – The provincial government of Compostela Valley (ComVal) under Governor Arturo T. Uy recently handed over various corn husk supplies and materials to the Department of Education (DepEd).

DepEd-ComVal education program supervisor Rosita Paican received the materials that will be used for the technical and livelihood education projects of the various schools in the province. Corn Husks Utilization Skills Training is introduced to the in-school youth for them to learn how to make various products out from the corn husk materials like Christmas decorations, dolls, slippers, flowers, bags, hats, leis and corsages, twines, boxes, and other items.

Food security

BUTUAN CITY – A government agency is aiming to make the Caraga Region become a zero rice importer in the southern island to attain food security.

Seeing the progress and development and good production in 2011, the Region-13 office of the Department of Agriculture (DA-13) aims to attain only a 25 percent importation of rice next year until they can reach a zero percent rice importation.

Because of good production, the DA said Caraga Region imported only about 37 to 40 percent of rice since early this year, instead of the agency’s 50 percent target. (Mike Crismundo)

Peace projects

LIANGA, Surigao del Sur – The Peace and Development Teams (PDTs) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) started their Community Organizing for Peace and Development (COPD) at the foot of this town’s Andap Valley Complex, believed to be the guerilla base of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), said Maj. Eugenio Julio C. Osias IV, regional Army spokesman.

According to Osias, among the vital projects to be implemented include farm-to-market roads, water system, construction of day-care and health centers, electrification projects, and other peace and development programs. (Mike Crismundo)

Towards dev't

SUMILAO, Bukidnon (PIA) – A year after they received the Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) for the 144 hectares awarded to them by the Department of Agrarian Reform, the Sumilao farmers have started to build a better future for their members.

The Panaw Sumilao Multi-Purpose Cooperative, which the farmers have organized into, celebrated the 1st anniversary of the CLOA Awarding that also marked the 4th anniversary of their historic “walk for land, walk for justice” with a thanksgiving mass and a demonstration tour of their ongoing livelihood projects in Barangay San Vicente, Sumilao, Bukidnon, recently.