Ending ‘endo’ benefits 1,585 workers in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 27 (PNA) – The drive to end “endo” is gaining ground in Eastern Visayas with the regularization of 1,585 contractual workers in private firms as of last week, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported Monday.

The labor department expects the number of workers that would benefit from the move to curb illegal contractualization would continue to rise every month with the ongoing inspection of more establishments.

Of the total, 217 of them were regularized in the first three weeks of February as DOLE officials stepped up inspection down to smaller shops.

DOLE also completed the assessment of hundreds of workers in malls and big shops in this city.

“One thing for sure, there would be an order for absorption of contractual workers given that the nature of their work is necessary in the business and that they have been working for more than a year already,” said DOLE Eastern Visayas regional information officer Virgilio Doroja.

The regional office here has been waiting for the approval of Department Order (DO) 30 meant to replace DO 18-A, or the rules implementing the Articles 106 to 109 of the Labor Code.

Doroja explained that some of the provisions of DO 18-A implemented to regulate contractualization were not in compliance with the provisions of the Labor Code.

In DOLE’s review, they found that DO 18-A legitimizes a perpetual contractual arrangement as long as contractors and subcontractors complied with some of the requirements.

Under the Labor Code, companies may only use contractual arrangements for positions which are seasonal or project-based in nature and are not part of the core function of their operations.

“The new order will really guide us who should be ordered for regularization,” Doroja added. Once the new directive is out, we can expect more regularized workers this year.

The DOLE adopted two tracks in eliminating illegitimate contractualization, including labor-only contracting or ‘endo.’

In the first track, the DOLE regional offices conducted series of consultations and meetings to encourage employers to voluntarily regularize workers who are under “endo” and labor-only contracting arrangements.

For the second track, labor laws compliance officers inspected establishments, principals and contractors which are practicing labor-only contracting arrangements.


Those found to be engaged in labor-only contracting are subjected to mandatory conferences to assist them in their compliance with labor standards.(PNA)
FPV/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

Tacloban ‘Yolanda’ housing projects on track

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 27 (PNA) – The National Housing Authority (NHA) said building permanent houses for super typhoon Yolanda survivors in this city is on track, heeding President Rodrigo Duterte’s order.

Citing the commitments of developers, NHA regional office estate management specialist head Dorcas Secreto said majority of the housing projects will be completed by end March 2017.

At least 6,089 houses have been occupied by recipients as of Feb. 13, 2017 out of the 8,422 completed units in 19 sites in the northern part of the city. Some 2,829 houses are now ongoing, according to NHA.

The central government aims to build 14,433 units for Yolanda survivors in this city alone.

"We have to make sure that developers are compliant to the marching order of the President to complete houses within the first quarter of 2017," Secreto said.

The Chief Executive promised to return to the city in March to check on the accomplishment of relocation for super typhoon Yolanda resettlement sites.

From the original completion target of July 2017, President Duterte asked government officials to get it done by March.

He also urged concerned officials, including cabinet members to resign if they fail to provide the basic needs of relocated families. These include provisions of electricity, water, livelihood, access road and livable houses for badly-hit families.

Secreto said with the absence of permanent water supply, the Department of Public Works and Highways and Leyte Metropolitan Water District will regularly deliver potable water to relocatees.

“It is better to place them in a site without enough water than in coastal areas highly vulnerable to impacts of natural calamities,” he added.

On Nov. 8, 2013, super typhoon Yolanda unleashed its wrath in central Philippines, killing around 6,300 people and leaving more than 4.4 million people displaced and homeless. The city, the regional hub of Eastern Visayas region, was considered as Yolanda’s ground zero. (PNA)
FPV/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

‘Yolanda’ housing dwellers get new multicabs for public transport

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 27 (PNA) -- The Philippine Disaster Relief Foundation (PDRF) has turned over 12 multicabs to local transport group here on Monday, to establish public transport at the city’s northern resettlement sites.

The multicab will meet the demand for more transport services for the northern part of the city, where most dwellers work and study in the city’s commercial district. The relocation site is about 16 kilometers from downtown.

PDRF, with funding support from the United Agency for International Development, partnered with Negros Women for Tomorrow (NWT) to operate a transportation business for families badly displaced by super typhoon Yolanda.

“NWT taught the group how to run the business aside from teaching them how to drive a multicab,” said PDRF president Rene Meily.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority initially certified at least five male residents in Tagpuro village as new drivers.

One of the trained drivers is Arturo Salcedo, a former seaman, whose family resides at Villa Sophia housing project said this could help sustain the daily needs of his family.

His family earns from operating a small community store provided by PDRF. Their income is not enough to support his family’s daily needs.

The additional muticabs, according to Salcedo, will bring more convenience to the riding public during rush hours.

“We are calling officials in the government to hasten the documents processing so that we can start operating this transport business needed by relocates,” the new driver said.

A multicab is a small light truck in the Philippines that is usually used as public transport. Just like jeepneys, they have fixed routes. (PNA)
FPV/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA/EGR

Leyte Dance Theater awes audience in hometown

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 25 (PNA) - The Leyte Dance Theater (LDT) showcased its showstoppers on Friday night at the “Salida” (a vernacular word which means show or performance), the highlight of the National Arts Month celebration in this city.

Fresh from their successful performance last month at the Festival of Festivals sponsored by Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) and the Courseline Learning Center in Hyderabad, India, the LDT, in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) was tapped by the city government of Tacloban for a show at Astrodome.

In front of more than a thousand spectators, LDT performed their showstoppers Sarimanok and Singkil - two dances that showcase the great culture of Maguindanao.

According to its artistic director and choreographer Jess de Paz, in celebration of the National Arts Month, the group always makes it a point to celebrate the wonderful world of dance.

“That even with LDT's world class status, it has always bowed its head to where it comes from,” De Paz said.

The world-renowned choreographer, who studies at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York, described the performance as “richly visual, emotionally stirring, truly riveting, intense, flippant, pleasantly endearing and, artistically awesome in its totality.”

The dance group has produced top choreographers, which formed groups in Eastern Visayas and across the country. One of its noted LDT graduate is Douglas Nierras of the Powerdance.

The group, according to de Paz has passion to spread love and peace through cultural exchange and culture identity.

“LDT's humble beginning has never ceased to inspire, to share, to open up opportunities to the less fortunate dance enthusiasts who are not able to afford formal dance training,” de Paz said.

"Salida" presented the culture and the symbolic interpretation of Philippine traditions and ideologies, the life and aspirations of Filipinos in diverse cultural settings.

The goal of spreading passion for the art of dance shows that art has the ability to transcend boundaries and build bridges of understanding.

It also has the ability to inspire to rise above the mundane and strive to create a fertile ground from which peace and understanding among peoples can flourish!

The national government declared the month of February as National Arts Month. This year, the NCCA Sub-Committee on Arts has come up with a theme for the celebration: Malikhain, Mapagbago, Filipino.”

The theme underscores the creative power of the arts and its role as a catalyst for change. It also highlights arts as a reflection of the nation’s soul and from it our pride of being Filipino.

The Leyte Dance Theatre is composed of dancers coming from different places of Eastern Visayas who are either living or studying in Tacloban City.

Aside from representing the Philippines as Ambassador of Goodwill/Culture, it won the Grand Championship Award in Malaysia, 2009, during the International Folklore Festival Competition and garnered also the Best in Choreography, Best in Music and Best Male Dancer awards. (PNA)

RMA/SQM/VICKY C. ARNAIZ

DOH-Eastern Visayas intensifies info campaign on meningo

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 25 (PNA) -- The Department of Health's (DOH) office in Eastern Visayas has stepped up its campaign against the spread of meningococcemia in the region after the disease killed a six-year-old girl in Carigara, Leyte last January.

The health office has urged parents to take extra precaution and seek immediate medical attention if their children suffer from bacterial diseases.

It also provided prophylactic antibiotics to relatives and people who came in contact with the young victim.

Meningococcemia is a blood infection caused by the Neisseria Meningitides bacteria, which can live in a person's upper respiratory tract without causing visible signs of illness.

According to the DOH, this disease is characterized by a sudden onset of high fever for 24 hours, stiff neck, convulsion in some, delirium, altered mental status, vomiting, cough and sore throat.

Other respiratory symptoms include pinpoint rashes that become wider and appear like bruises starting on the legs and arms, large map-like, bruise-like patches, severe skin lesions that may lead to gangrene, and unstable vital signs.

The disease may spread through common everyday activities such as crowding, living in close quarters like dormitories, and kissing. It can also spread through contact with a person's respiratory discharges from the nose and throat.

Transmission of the bacteria occurs through airborne respiratory droplets expelled by infected people or through healthy asymptomatic carriers.

Meningococcemia is highly infectious and progresses rapidly, resulting in death within hours if not immediately recognized and treated.

For prevention and control, the health office advised the public to avoid crowded areas, stay away from meningococcemia patients, maintain a clean environment, and avoid sharing utensils, water bottles, cups, or anything else that has been in the mouth of an infected person.

It also suggested that people increase their resistance by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a nutritious, well-balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate rest and sleep, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol. (PNA)

 CVL/SQM/Franchette May M. Tolibas (OJT)

12-hour power shutdown to hit parts of Leyte, entire Samar Island

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 25 (PNA) -- Nearly half of the Eastern Visayas region’s households and businesses will suffer 12-hour power interruptions on Sunday (Feb. 26) due to the transfer of conductors from the emergency restoration system (ERS) to permanent towers.

The entire Samar Island and some parts of Leyte, including the regional capital, will experience a power outage from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines’ (NGCP) said in a notice dated February 24.

The outage will disrupt Saturday activities of 349,609 households and business establishments in Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and some parts of northern Leyte. The figure represents 44.59 percent of the region’s 784,069 total connections as of last year.

“As part of Yolanda-related activities, there will be transfer and replacement of lines from its temporary structures to permanent towers,” the NGCP said.

As an immediate remedy after the monster typhoon, NGCP constructed ERS structures to temporarily replace the damaged backbone.

Specifically, works are concentrated on the transfer of phase AB conductors from the ERS to tower 24-31 and replacement of phase ABC conductors from tower 33-35 along Ormoc-Babatngon 138 kV line.

Of the 349,609 households and businesses affected, 60,098 are covered by the Leyte II Electric Cooperative; 68,223 by Northern Samar Electric Cooperative; 57,611 by Samar I Electric Cooperative; 75,362 by Samar II Electric Cooperative; and 88,315 by Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative.

The power supply in Eastern Visayas is generated solely from the Leyte Tongonan Geothermal Field, which has a total capacity of 699.4 megawatts, more than enough to supply the region's power requirements. (PNA)

CVL/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

DOLE: Gov’t ready to help E. Samar workers affected by mining suspension

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 25 (PNA) -- The Department of Labor and Employment's (DOLE) regional office here said the government is ready to assist about 2,000 workers in three mining firms in Eastern Samar that will likely be affected by the closure order from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

DOLE regional director Elias Cayanong confirmed that thousands may be displaced due to closure directives for TechIron Mineral Resources Inc., Mt. Sinai Mining Exploration and Development Corp., and Emir Minerals Corp.

These firms have been operating in mineral-rich Homonhon Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

Cayanong visited Homonhon Island last week to meet with the management of the mining firms and their workers for profiling and needs assessment.

The labor department has yet to complete the assessment and come up with a list of workers from each of the three mining firms.

“For those ordered for suspension, the DENR directed to use their workers in the rehabilitation of mine sites, which is one of the conditions to be complied before lifting the suspension order. This is to ensure that workers remain employed despite the suspension of mining operations,” Cayanong said.

The government will also hire affected workers in the massive reforestation project, the National Greening Program.

DOLE meanwhile will provide assistance to displaced workers through its integrated livelihood and emergency employment program and adjustment measures program.

Cayanong also encouraged affected workers to venture into the processing of ginger and cassava with the existence of plantations in the island.

Recently, Environment Secretary Regina Lopez ordered 28 mining firms in the country to shut down their operations due to environmental law violations.

In the case of Homonhon, environmentalists have confirmed the discoloration of water in heavily silted rivers and seas near the mines.

Records of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau show that two of the mining firms in Homonhon had stopped their operations ahead of the crackdown on destructive mining.

Only TechIron Mineral Resources continued to operate. The company kicked off its chromite mining in December 2015, covering 1,500 hectares.

Mt. Sinai, which obtained a mining permit in 1997 for 510 hectares, ceased to operate six years ago due to low global prices of chromite, according to MGB records.

Emir Minerals Corp. stopped its operation to mine nickel in 279 hectares in August last year. (PNA)
CVL/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

USAID donates ‘butterfly houses’ in Tacloban

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 24 (PNA) -- The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Philippine Disaster Relief Foundation donated “butterfly houses” to the city government as temporary shelter for residents badly hit by natural calamities.

The turnover on Friday is one of the highlights of the culmination of the Building Resilient and Economically Adept Communities (BREACH) program for communities badly hit by super typhoon Yolanda.

The BREACH project supports the development of transitional communities with provisions for individual shelter units, access to basic services, transport system to facilitate mobility of goods, people, and economic opportunities, and capability building on disaster preparedness for the beneficiary community.

The culmination was held at San Jose Central Elementary School.

One of the main initiatives is the construction of “butterfly houses” to the city government.

The butterfly house is a steel-framed housing structure that can be folded for compact shipping and storage, and unfolded into an immediately livable structure. It can be quickly sent to its target areas and can be set up in less than five minutes.

Tacloban disaster risk reduction and management office chief Brando Bernadas said butterfly houses are a big help to the city’s disaster preparedness program.

The city government will build a warehouse in Abucay village for the storage of 240 butterfly houses for emergency situations.

Prior to the turnover to the city government, 50 units were used as temporary shelters in Suhi village for families living in coastal communities.

“There is a transfer of technology to the city. We will be trained on how to handle the materials so we can sustain the quality,” Bernadas said.

Nobell Isabelo, BREACH project technical coordinator, said a team from the local government has been trained to maintain and set up the donated butterfly houses.

“They need to have proper training on proper maintenance, usage, installation and on what equipments and skills they need for them to be able to respond quickly,” Isabelo said.

Businessman and founder of Butterfly.PH, Rogelio Santos, Jr. who was present at the turnover ceremony, said that he designed the butterfly house to ensure that whenever a disaster strikes, it can be quickly deployed to places where it is needed most.

“I congratulate Tacloban because you are the first local government in the Philippines that has this kind of system. This will not only benefit the city, but also gives hopes to your neighbors. 

When they are in trouble, you can go there and help them rebuild,” Santos said. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA/EGR

Cops tag Maute group member as mastermind in Leyte town plaza blast

PALO, Leyte, Feb. 24 (PNA) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has tagged a Muslim convert and Maute group member as mastermind in the Dec. 28, 2016 Hilongos, Leyte town plaza bombing that injured 35 people.

The PNP-Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) identified the suspect as Jake Anthony Macuto, 26, a “Balik Islam” convert who has been conducting preaching activities in Dolores, Eastern Samar since 2015.

PNP filed on Feb. 22, 2017 multiple frustrated murder charges before the Office of the Assistant Provincial Prosecutor in Hilongos town against Macuto and three John Does.

The three were seen by some witnesses accompanying Macuto hours before the explosion.

Police deputy regional director for operations Sr. Supt. Allan Cuevillas, SITG Commander said Macuto is also one of the suspects in planting an improvised explosive device outside the US Embassy last year.

Cuevillas said the information provided by the Muslim community in Hilongos town helped in their investigation and identification of suspects.

“This also helps in ending speculations that members of Muslim community in Hilongos are involved in the bombing incident,” Cuevillas added.

The official hopes that more witnesses will come out after the filing of charges against the suspects.

Muslim extremist group have been using “Balik Islam” convert in their terroristic activities since they could easily mingle with other people. Their physical appearances and way of speaking are not traceable to being a Muslim, according to the police.

Cuevillas added that they are now waiting for the court to issue a warrant of arrest against Macuto so they could release his pictures to media for people to help in identifying his present location.

With this development, PNP Regional Director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar said they are monitoring activities of “Balik Islam” converts in the region.

“Based on our intelligence report, Muslim communities in the region are not involved in terroristic act, but there are “Balik Islam” who have the tendency to become members of Maute because they are more aggressive than other Islam believers,” said Beltejar.

Over 1,000 people were watching the boxing match at the town plaza when the first bomb hidden under the water tank exploded at 9 p.m. A few minutes later, the second bomb hidden near the stage exploded, but it didn’t cause much damage because the bomb’s blasting cap failed to open.

As people ran in different directions, even bumping against the wall at the plaza, 32 people, mostly children and farmers were sprawled on the floor..

President Rodrigo Duterte visited the blast victims at the Hilongos District Hospital and gave cash assistance of PHP5,000. The mayor’s office, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Philippine Red Cross also extended assistance to the 32 victims.(PNA)
FPV/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA & VICKY C. ARNAIZ

DepEd Southern Leyte launches partnership project

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 24 (PNA) – The Department of Education has launched a banner project in Southern Leyte to enhance partnership with different stakeholders in carrying out education program.

DepEd Eastern Visayas Regional Director Ramir Uytico acknowledged the full support given by both education and government officials along with other stakeholders in the implementation of Project Ugmad, the local term for cultivate.

The department’s Southern Leyte division launched the banner project on Thursday night.

"If there is collaboration and shared decision-making among educational stakeholders, our problems would no longer be about those children from those schools. It would now become our problems, our schools, and our learners,” Uytico said in his speech at the Southern Leyte Coliseum in Maasin City.

“The presence of your local chief executives…is very empowering. I am very happy to know that we share the same vision and dedication to put the needs of every child at the center of everything that we do," he added.

Project Ugmad is just one of 13 division banner projects under Project LEAD (Lead, Empower, Achieve, through Data-driven Decisions) in the region under the new leadership of the regional office.

Lyna Gayas, senior education program specialist and division information officer-designate in Southern Leyte division, said 25 banner projects from 25 banner schools are also launched under Project Ugmad.

As cited in its project proposal, Project UGMAD Southern Leyte “aims at achieving high quality learning outcomes in Southern Leyte through empowering and supporting the schools and the learning centers in introducing and implementing instructional innovations where the learners and other school stakeholders are actively engaged.”

It added that each of the 297 elementary schools, 41 secondary schools, and 182 learning centers “shall implement a banner project wherein their learners and other stakeholders will actively and meaningfully engage themselves in the implementation of the K to 12 Curriculum.”

The project focuses on innovation in the contextualization of the lesson, its implementation, and assessment, along with classroom structures and management of learning resources. (PNA)
FPV/SQM/RONALD O. REYES/EGR

Leyte, Samar remain peaceful amid halt in peace talks with Reds

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 23 (PNA) -– The Philippine Army reported that Eastern Visayas region remained peaceful despite the termination of peace talks between the government and communist rebels.

Army’s 8th Infantry Division commander Brig. Gen. Raul Farnacio said Leyte and Samar provinces have been spared by recent atrocities of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Farnacio attributed the situation to the fact that one of the key rebel leaders in the region is a priest, who is also searching for genuine peace. The official is referring to Fr. Santiago Salas, the National Democratic Front (NDF) Eastern Visayas spokesperson.

“Fr. Salas adheres to the peace agreement of the negotiating panel and there is a big chance that they are really pursuing peace, once and for all,” he said.

“I believe that he is aware of the consequence that warring parties had brought to the region, especially to worsening poverty incidence in Samar provinces.”

Farnacio noted that even in Western Visayas where rebels are led by a priest, there are no atrocities as well.

Although there were reported tactical moves by rebels, the official said no violence had been perpetrated by communist rebels recently unlike in other parts of the country where there are attacks, abduction of soldiers, and burning of equipment.

Recently, three NDF leaders in the region have conveyed their intention to continue with the peace talks.

Samar provinces have been a stronghold of armed rebels due to its terrain consisting of densely forested mountainous areas, high poverty incidence, and issue of widespread landlessness, 

according to a 2013 study of William Norman Holden of the University of Calgary in Canada.

Since the early stages of the rebellion, Samar Island has been considered to be a rebel stronghold with 11 percent of all NPA-related incidents having taken place in the three provinces, the same study revealed.

The NPA launched its first tactical operation in the country in Calbiga, Samar in 1974, when it ambushed an army scout patrol and seized a number of their weapons. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA

Ormoc gov’t sets stricter rules on cockfighting

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, Feb. 23 (PNA) - The city government here is stepping up its anti-illegal cockfighting drive down to the village level.

Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez wants to stop all forms of illegal gambling in his city, especially the unlawful cockfighting, traditionally held days before fiesta celebrations in villages.

Gomez recalled that the previous administration allowed cockfighting down to the 110 villages and even granting permit for up to five days of cockfighting ahead of fiesta.

“If we will allow having cockfighting in all villages, including sub-villages, we might have cockfighting all year round in this city,” Gomez pointed out.

Cockfighting is a brutal blood sport that encourages roosters to fight to their deaths.

Ormoc City has two cockpit arena identified as lawful venue. The city will only give permit to cockfighting event in villages, but only during the day of fiesta celebration.

Under Presidential Decree No. 1310, a town or a city with more than 100,000 population is allowed to have two cock fighting arenas. Based on the 2015 census, Ormoc City has a total population of 215,031.

Illegal numbers game and other form of illegal gambling may also exist in Ormoc, according to Gomez, but his focus is more on curbing illegal cockfighting because this is one of the most common causes of marriage problems.

“Husbands go home with nothing to give to their wives because they all lost their money in gambling,” the mayor added. (PNA)
BNB/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA/EGR

NEDA Region 8 links teenage pregnancy to poverty

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 23 -- The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has tagged teenage pregnancy as one of the causes of poverty in Eastern Visayas region.

While there is no official statistics linking poverty and early pregnancy, NEDA Eastern Visayas Regional Bonifacio Uy said teenagers who drop out of school and raise children have more chances of suffering economic difficulties.

“If a teenager will become pregnant, she might not be emotionally and financially ready to support her child. She will need assistance from the government, hence, more resources will be devoted to her,” Uy explained.

Early marriages and child bearing affects school survival rate, according to NEDA. If they quit school, chances of getting good jobs are low.

Such is the case of food vendor Mayla Tabones, 39, a resident of T. Claudio village here. She was just 18 when she gave birth to her first child.

“I am a single mother with three children. I have to double my income to feed and send them to school,” said Tabones, who earns an average of PHP250 daily from selling.

The mother sees herself as an accomplished educator had she finished college.

In Eastern Visayas, 9.7 percent of females aged 15 to 19 are already mothers, according to the 2014 Young Adult and Fertility Survey.

Teenage pregnancy is closely linked to poverty and single parenthood, according to the study.

The growth in single parent families remains the most significant reason for increased poverty. In the region, 78.9 percent of teenage mothers are single parents.

The region posted a 38.7 percent poverty incidence in 2015. That means 38 out of every 100 persons in the region are impoverished or their income are below the basic monthly requirement.

Based on estimates, there are 1.75 million people in the region tagged as poor in 2015. This is lower than 1.88 million poor people in 2012. (PNA) 

FPV/SQM/Felgin C. Silagan (OJT)

Biliran town promotes alternative grain

CABUCGAYAN, Biliran, Feb. 22 (PNA) -- The local government unit of this town is into cultivation of a grain variety called “adlay,” an alternative staple food.

The propagation of this grain, which kicked off last year, is part of the local government’s food security program since the town has no vast area for rice cultivation.

This will also provide livelihood opportunities to poor families, according to Mayor Edwin Masbang, who got the 1,000 kilograms of adlay grain for planting from Northern Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center in Malaybalay, Bukidnon.

About 70 hectares of farm in the town out of the initial 100 hectares target have been planted with “adlay.”

Cabucgayan has 2,905 hectares devoted to farming, representing 59.63 percent of the town’s total land area.

“Unlike rice and corn, land preparation for “adlay” is only once with a maximum harvest up to four times in two years’ time,” Masbang said.

“The production is cost efficient because it doesn’t need irrigation unlike rice and corn. Its yield is at 2,000 to 4,000 kilograms per hectare after four to five months. The grain can be stocked up to 10 years,” Masbang explained.

Unlike rice, it takes longer for an adlay consumer to fell hungry because of its high food energy content.

The grain can also be processed into a breakfast cereal and as main ingredients in the preparation of local delicacies, hence, providing additional income to farmers.

The grain has a market value of PHP300 per kilogram or six to seven times higher than the cost of rice.

“Adlay” is a tall grain-bearing perennial tropical plant of the grass family native to Southeast Asia and grows in higher areas where rice and corn do not grow well.

The grain bears tear-shape grains and harvested, pounded, threshed, and winnowed when matured. It is served just like rice, but takes a bit more time to cook due to its larger size.

The grain is also used as medicine in some parts of Asia like China. (PNA)

LAP/SQM/RTA/EGR