DepEd Sec. Luistro visits Ligao LGU-funded school buildings

DepEd Sec. Armin Luistro (4th from left) a recently completed school building at Ligao East Central Elementary School. He was joined by Assistant Schools Div. Superintendent Ma. Luisa P. Samaniego (far left), Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua (2nd from left), Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez (3rd from left), Regional Ramon Fiel Abcede and representatives from DepEd Division office. Photo courtesy of City Government of Ligao

Before proceeding to the Department of Education (DepEd) Grand Summit at Albay Astrodome, DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro visited some of the LGU-funded school buildings in Ligao City on 14 July 2015. Accompanied by Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez, Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua, Regional Director Ramon Fiel Abcede of Deped Region V, Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Ma. Luisa P. Samaniego, together with the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Sec. Luistro went to Ligao National High School, DepEd City Division Office, and Ligao East Central School to check on the state-of-the-art facilities.

As Sec. Luistro tours around the Ligao National High School campus, Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez explains the developments that were made in the campus. LNHS' Principal Mrs. Carmelita A. Sinson also shared the plan to replace old facilities in the school.

Sec. Luistro was also impressed by the reports presented by the local government regarding the budget allocation for the construction of the school facilities. He was surprised to know that school buildings were constructed at lower costs without compromising the quality and design of the facilities. One of the projects that were showcased includes the recently completed school buildings for the Ligao Community College which only cost 23 million pesos. Congressman Gonzalez also suggested to Sec. Luistro the construction of two-storey school buildings to maximize the use of school sites.
Written by Lala Peñafiel

Ligao City holds 3-day workshop on Forest Land Use Planning

Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez talks before the participants of the 3-day workshop on forest land use planning.

The City Government of Ligao in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 3rd Congressional District of Albay, and Deutsche Geselschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, is currently holding a three-day workshop on Forest Land Use Planning on 1 July 2015 and will continue through 3 July 2015. Officials from different barangays and the local government were among the stakeholders in the workshop.

The government conducts forest land use planning to properly allocate and manage forest and forestlands (FFL) as natural resources. Likewise, the planning aims to balance the production activities and protection of forest and conservation of biodiversity. The Forest Land Use Plan (FLUP), an expected output from the workshop, shall be integrated in the LGU’s Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUP) [1].

OIC-CENR Officer Marlon S. Francia of DENR Regional Office V said that the goal of forest land use planning is to preserve the forest and biodiversity, and attain a sustainable economic growth despite the increase in human population, land conversion, and globalization.

Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua seeks the cooperation of the stakeholders to actively participate throughout the three-day workshop as this will ease the flow of planning and production of the mandated FLUP.

[1] FMB Technical Bulletin No. 2 Forest Land Use Planning. Forest Management Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, FMB Building, Visayas Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines. April 2014

Written by Lala Peñafiel 

Young leaders of Bicol gather for 2015 Leadership Congress

Young leaders consisting of pupils and students from different schools division in the Bicol Region gathered for the 2015 Regional Leadership Congress for Supreme Pupil and Supreme Student Government Officers and Leaders at Ligao City on February 26-28, 2015.

Young leaders from different division in Bicol gathered during the Congressman's Night on 27 February 2015.

With the theme, “Responding to the Needs of Adolescent Issues and Concerns; Equipping Leaders’ Skills in Reaching Out to Peers,” the young leaders, guided by their teachers, share and discuss best leadership practices of effective leaders.

The leadership congress is an annual gathering of elected Supreme Pupil Government (SPG) officers and Supreme Student Government (SSG) officers of the current school year. This event is also a venue for pupils and students to develop their knowledge and skills as future leaders of their localities and of the country.

“Leaders are prime movers of the future,” said Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez on February 27 during the Congressman’s Night. He further said, 

“Without leaders, where shall we go? we would know where to go, how to proceed, and how to do things a little better, which where people like you who take the lead to take the initiative, to take the sacrifice, to be able to come up and to lead people to watch progress and to watch improvement of our educational systems in our schools.”

Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez on young leaders: "Leaders are prime movers of the future"

The participants of the leadership congress consist of 715 delegates from 13 divisions in the Bicol region.

'Hablon' features Bicol artists' theatrical performance of Ibalong

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is holding this year’s National Arts Month (NAM) in different localities of the country. With the theme, “Highlighting Local Cultural Genius to Promote Pride of Place,” the NCCA partnered with local government units, schools, and non-government organizations to feature creativity, performance, and artistry of local talents and highlight the rich and diverse culture of the country.

One of the highlights in the 2015 NAM is the Hablon: Habi ng Sining Sa Paaralan at Komunidad held at Ligao City on February 21-26 wherein local artists, university-based cultural organizations, and students of the Special Program in the Arts in the Bicol Region come together to conduct forums and workshops, and showcase their creativity and artistry in theater, dance, visual arts, literature, and music.

"Hablon is derived from the Bicol verb 'habol' which means 'to weave.' Hablon is also a well-known character in the Ibalong epic-fragment who invented the weaving process and later on taught this to the natives. The weaving of ideas and practices, which will culminate in the staging of the play ‘Tatlong Libong Bayani ng Ibalong’ to be performed by local artists.”*

To cap off the five-day event, local artists and students from Ligao City, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Masbate, performed their creative pieces at the City Gymnasium of Ligao.

The 2014 National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) Champion, Voice Chorale of the Ligao National High School made an opening performance with their own musical rendition of tourism-themed songs including "Piliin Mo and Pilipinas."

Local artists from Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, and Masbate performed a stage play of "Tatlong Libong Bayani ng Ibalong"

Local artists, students, and university-based cultural organizations from Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Masbate performed a theatrical stage play of "Tatlong Libong Bayani ng Ibalong" with a modern twist in the story. 

Hablon is one of the projects launched for the 2015 NAM that aims to promote local talents and take pride on the rich culture of country. Instead of conducting the yearly Philippine Arts Festival, the NCCA decided to celebrate this year's NAM by tapping areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

"Because it is in our cultural icons and traditions, in our talent and artistry that we build a sense of pride in being Filipinos, and in living in this nation we call our own"*

Written by Lala Peñafiel

__________________

*excerpt from the 2015 National Arts Month: Highlighting Local Cultural Genius to Promote Pride of Place.

National Commission for Culture and the Arts

LTO inaugurates new district office at Ligao City

From left to right: LTO Regional Director Atty. Noreen Bernadette San Luis-Lutey, Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez, Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua, and LTO Assistant Regional Director Vincent Nato graced the ribbon cutting ceremony. Photo credit: Keith Ruivivar

With its new-found home in a more convenient and safer location, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) inaugurated its new district office at Sta. Cruz, Ligao City on 23 January 2015.

In an effort to bring excellent services to the constituents of Albay 3rd District, the LTO District Office is now located in a more comfortable and strategic location along the national highway at Ligao City. LTO Regional Director Noreen Bernadette San Luis-Lutey said that they will soon be sending teams to all the municipalities in the 3rd District to conduct LTO Caravan and introduce the new office in Ligao City.

Atty. San Luis-Lutey also tagged the new district office as "the best district office in the Bicol region".She also raised the challenge to the district office's head, Mr. Noel Barbacena, to achieve excellent performance particularly in implementing the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA)Watch.

Aside from establishing a new facility, LTO also aims to achieve faster transactions and alleviate red tapes. "In the age of Internet, people cannot simply wait. Every process has to be streamlined, and that is what we are trying to do- streamlining the process and cutting red tapes," said Atty. San Luis-Lutey.

Atty. Noreen San Luis-Lutey said that LTO-Ligao City is the best district office in the Bicol region. 

The City Government of Ligao will continuously work with LTO and other government agencies to achieve their common goals and extend the services not only to the Ligaoeños but to the constituents of the 3rd District of Albay. Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua also sees the establishment of the district office as a blessing not only to the transport sector but also to the small entrepreneurs as this will bring opportunities for them to establish business in Ligao City.

To express their deepest gratitude, the LTO District Office named one of their function halls after Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez to give honor to his untiring support to the office and notable contributions that lead to the success of the project.

Meanwhile, Congressman Gonzalez expressed his deepest gratitude to President Noynoy Aquino for his efforts in organizing the country. "Our building here is a living example of how the President is managing the resources of the country...this really is a good example of the real honest-to-goodness 'Matuwid na Daan'," said Congressman Gonzalez. He also acknowledged the efforts of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya with their significant role and immediate action that contributed to the successful establishment of the facility in Ligao City.

Furhthermore, the LTO awarded the Municipality of Guinobatan a plaque of gratitude for being the home of the district office for five decades. Atty. San Luis-Lutey also promised to maintain Guinobatan while helping Ligao City become one of the most outstanding districts in the country. "We will make Ligao City one of the most outstanding districts, not only in Bicol region, but probably in the entire Philippines," said Atty. San Luis-Lutey.

Written by Lala Peñafiel

PhilRice launches Rural Transformation Movement; highlights new technologies on Farmers Field Day

As a continued effort to improve the economic status of rice-based farming communities in the Philippines, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) launched its new campaign, Rural Transformation Movement (RTM), at the PhilRice Bicol Station, Batang, Ligao City on 11 November 2014. Simultaneously, PhilRice Bicol held a Farmers Field Day highlighting new technologies and farming equipment.

RTM aims for transformation rather than transmission,
said RTM campaign leader Dr. Ronan Zagado

The RTM aims to achieve a "holistic, inclusive, and sustainable growth in the rice-based communities," said Dr. Ronan Zagado, RTM Campaign Leader. The campaign is in line with PhilRice's Gusto Namin Milyonaryo Kayo campaign that promotes the P1 million profit per hectare per year. The campaign also supports President Noynoy Aquino's goal on alleviating poverty, generating high income, and increasing production of crops to achieve rice self-sufficiency in the Philippines.

Dr. Zagado pointed out that RTM is a campaign that aims for transformation rather than transmission. Instead of the usual one-way dissemination of information, RTM is a process of changing the perceptions, practices, attitudes, and life chances of farmers through rice-based agriculture to achieve sustainable growth in the rice farming areas.

RTM will also involve behavioral intervention, according to Dr. Zagado. While PhilRice provides technical assistance and develops rice farming technologies, farmers also need to maintain a positive attitude towards learning new techniques and strategies and contribute to their own success. 

The Palayamanan Plus, a modified rice farming system to increase the production of rice and other crops with high market value, and the Nucleus Estate Strategy (NUESTRA) are among the strategies that will be employed during the campaign. The nine stations of PhilRice will serve as nuclei wherein research and development begins. The stations will also provide farmers with technical assistance, inputs, and machinery requirements. Communities surrounding the stations will adopt the technologies developed by PhilRice. The process will continue until more communities are reached. This strategy creates the "ripple effect" wherein communities influence other surrounding communities. 

Dr. Zagado also stressed that "partnership is imperative". Aside from PhilRice, State Universities and Colleges, and Regional Integrated Agricultural Research Centers can also serve as nuclei.

SIGN OF SUPPORT. Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez and former Ligao City Mayor Linda P. Gonzalez, who were tagged as the Father and Mother of PhilRice Bicol showed a continued support to the efforts of PhilRice.

Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua said that
the City Government supports PhilRice in achieving
the goal of RTM.

Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez of Albay 3rd District, who is also tagged as the Father of PhilRice Bicol, said that RTM is a big step in transforming the society into a very productive economy. Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua said that 84% of Ligao's total land area consist of agricultural land which makes farming a major activity in the city. Hence, the City Government of Ligao is allocating funds to prioritize the needs of farmers. Having PhilRice Bicol established in Ligao, local farmers become the primary beneficiaries of technologies.

As PhilRice launched its new campaign, new technologies were showcased during the Farmers Field Day. The Integrated Rice-based Agri-Bio Systems (IRBAS) featured Vermiculture and the Mushroom House where Oyster mushrooms are produced. The Learning Center features the actual scenario of plant growth. The Azolla production is a new technology that PhilRice Bicol started last month. In addition, the Palayabangan, the 10-5 challenge, also showcased the rice fields of contenders. The Palayabangan is a competition that targets a production of 10 tons of rice with only P5/kilo cost of production. Farming equipment developed by PhilRice were also displayed during the event.

PhilRice showcased new technologies and farm equipment during the Farmers Field Day.

PhilRice will continue to develop and implement technologies in the future as more components will be added to IRBAS such as poultry raising and fish pond. The City Government of Ligao is also establishing infrastructures and facilities like irrigation canals to improve the farming operations in the area.

Photos and Story by Lala Peñafiel

Farmer stories proved PhilRice's "P1M profit per hectare per year" campaign a success

Read Mang Carte's story in PhilRice Magazine
 Ripples of Change, p.17

As PhilRice Bicol sets sail to achieve the target profit of one million pesos (P1M) per hectare per year, the success is indefinite until the first implementation of the Integrated Rice-based Agri-Bio System (IRBAS) project-based business has been completed and the target profit has been achieved. While success cannot be determined at this early stage of implementation, stories of farmers marked a positive outlook towards a positive result.

In the April-June 2014 issue of the PhilRice Magazine titled Ripples of Change, success stories of farmers who benefited from PhilRice's campaign were featured, elaborating their life-changing farming experiences and how they reach the one million-peso target profit.

One of the featured stories in the magazine was of Ricarte "Manong Carte" Corpuz' of Ilocos Norte. Manong Carte earns P719,700 from planting hybrid rice for three (3) croppings in one hectare for one year. He also plants corn and mungbean which accounts for an income of P50,000 and P187,000 from planting watermelon. He also raises cattle which gives him an income of P47,000 and P92,000 for raising pigs.

Read Mang Carte's full story and how he was able to earn more than a million in one year and other stories in Ripples of Change. An online version of the magazine is embedded below.

Read other issues of PhilRice magazine here.

Written by Lala Peñafiel

Reference:
Parac, E. (2014). The 'I's in a Million Earning. PhilRice Magazine Ripples of Change. Philippine Rice Research Institute, Volume 27, No.II. Pages 16-17.

PhilRice Bicol sets sail to target P1M profit per hectare per year

Despite being one of the top producers of rice in the world, targeting rice self-sufficiency remains a challenge in the Philippines. To address this concern, the Philippine Rice Research Institute is continuously developing programs and technologies that will improve rice farming in the country.

One of the recently developed projects is the Integrated Rice-based Agri-Bio Systems (IRBAS). This 2014, the project is set to be tested in all branches of PhilRice including the Bicol station situated at Batang, Ligao City.

IRBAS aims to target rice self-sufficiency by increasing the production of rice and other crops with high market value. The project will implement the diversification of crop production, explore the potential of rice-based products, and venture in on mushroom production and vermicomposting.

The project also aims to achieve a target profit of P1M per hectare per year which will be derived from the three components of IRBAS: rice-peanut production, mushroom production, and vermicomposting.

Rice-peanut production

Photo source: http://www.almanac.com/image/peanuts-natural

Rice is established in two cropping season each year (wet and dry) in most of the irrigated rice fields in most of the local farming communities. For each year, instead of producing only rice, PhilRice will be diversifying the cropping system by planting peanuts in between the cropping seasons. This will be referred as Rice-peanut-rice production.

Agricultural Engineer and IRBAS focal person Melanie Aileen de Peralta said that PhilRice initially planned to use mungbean instead of peanut. However, their studies reveal that peanut has higher market value, is easily produced, and has more by-products compared to mungbean.

Peanut is usually sold by street vendors as fried, steamed, and sugar-coated. Peanut is one the most affordable finger food snacks in the Philippines and very appealing to the taste of many people. Peanut butter, a by-product of peanut, is also widely-used for cooking pastries, viands, desserts, and most often for sandwiches.

Mushroom production

Rice straws (right) serve as substrate for 

growing Kurakding (left)

Another component of the IRBAS project is the mushroom production. PhilRice Bicol is now starting its mushroom culture at the station using the Kurakding, a local variety of edible mushroom. Kurakding is suitable to produce due to the environmental condition of Ligao that is favorable to its growth. There is also a potential for a wider mushroom production in the local area according to de Peralta as there is high demand of edible mushroom in Metro Manila but very little supply.

The Kurakding is also popular to local residents as it is used for preparing vegetable dishes with coconut milk and makes Bicol express more special and flavorful.

PhilRice will be using rice straws as substrate for growing Kurakding. This will avoid wastage and burning of rice straws which will also reduce the production expenses.

Vermicomposting

The third component of the IRBAS project involves the production of “organic fertilizer from biodegradable materials (e.g. plant residues and animal manure) through the action of earthworms”¹. This is referred as vermicomposting.

Similar to the mushroom production, rice straw and food wastes such as vegetable peels will be used as substrate for the vermicomposting. The vermicompost or the fertilizer produced from vermicomposting can be used to fertilize agricultural lands or can be sold in the market as added income.

The income that will be generated from the three components will determine the success of the project, which is to achieve the target profit of P1M.

The IRBAS project, implemented as a business, is being carried out initially at the station as PhilRice Bicol is in the process of developing a model farm. Dr. Reynaldo Castro, branch manager of PhilRice Bicol, said that they are using the nucleus-estate strategy (NUESTRA)² in which projects technologies developed are tested at the station and will be implemented in the nearby farming communities upon successful testing. The strategy can also be seen as a ripple effect in which the projects are implemented starting at the center (PhilRice branch) towards the surrounding communities.


The IRBAS is expected to end on April 2015. According to de Peralta, additional components that involve raising ducks, cows, and other farm animals will be included in the succeeding years of the project implementation.

Written by Lala Peñafiel

References:

¹ Intensified Rice-based Agri-Bio Systems (IRBAS) Project Protocol. Philippine Rice Research Institute.
___________
² More information about NUESTRA on PhilRice magazine, Ripples of Change.

PhilRice Bicol to start “kurakding” production at Batang, Ligao City

Rice straws (right) serve as substrate for growing

kurakding (left)

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Bicol station will begin its mushroom production this September as part of the implementation of the Intensified Rice-based Agri-Bio Systems (IRBAS) project. The IRBAS project is an improvement of the previously implemented project, the Palayamanan, and now being referred as the Palayamanan Plus. IRBAS was developed to increase the production of rice and other crops with high market value. The project also targets the P1M profit per hectare per year.

Mushroom production is one of the three components of the IRBAS project. PhilRice Bicol will pilot the first Kurakding culture at the station in Batang, Ligao City. To lower the cost of production and avoid wastage and burning of rice straws, the rice straws will be used as soil or the substrate where the mushrooms will grow.

Kurakding is most suitable to produce due to the environmental condition of Ligao that is favorable to its growth. Aside from this, Kurakding has high market value in the local area, according to Agricultural Engineer Melanie Ailen de Peralta, focal person of the IRBAS project at PhilRice Bicol.

Kurakding is usually cooked with coconut milk and vegetables and served with rice.

Kurakding is usually cooked with coconut milk and vegetables and is considered as one of the favorite local dishes in Ligao and in nearby towns. De Peralta sees the potential of mushroom production in Ligao as there is high demand of edible mushrooms in Metro Manila but very little supply. The success of the mushroom production will contribute to the ultimate goal of reaching the P1M target profit per hectare per year.

Written by Lala Peñafiel

References:
Intensified Rice-based Agri-Bio System Project Protocol. Philippine Rice Research Institute

PhilRice-Bicol inaugurates warehouse and seed processing facilities; celebrates Farmers Field Day

ON STAGE: (left to right) PhilRice Executive Director Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco, Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua, RTD for Operations and Extension Elena delos Santos, Albay 3rd District Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez, Former Ligao City Mayor Linda P. Gonzalez, and PhilRice Board of Trustees Dr. Teodoro Mendoza

Being one of the newly constructed Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) station, PhilRice-Bicol inaugurated its warehouse and seed processing facilities, and celebrated Farmers Field Day on June 2, 2014. The celebration highlighted the role of PhilRice Bicol in helping farmers achieve high income and high production. The event was themed “PhilRice Bicol: Satuyang Bag-ong Katabang sa Pag-abot Kan 1-Milyon Kita Kada Ektarya Kada Taon [PhilRice Bicol: Our new partner in achieving 1-Million income per hectare per year]”

Regional Technical Director for Operations and Extension of DA-RO5 Elena de los Santos said that despite being the smallest branch of PhilRice, the Bicol station has the potential for rice-based Agri-Biosystem. She also stressed that the establishment of PhilRice Bicol at Ligao is favorable to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

However, former Ligao City Mayor Linda P. Gonzalez lightheartedly disagreed, as it is more favorable for Ligao to be the home ground of PhilRice Bicol. She said that since the time of former Mayor Fernando V. Gonzalez- now Congressman of Albay Third District- it has already been planned to have PhilRice Bicol situated at Ligao City. Through the collaborative efforts of local government officials and personnel, the station was successfully established at Batang, Ligao City on March 25, 2010.

Mayor Linda Gonzalez also sought the agreement of PhilRice on the potential of PhilRice-Bicol to become one of the central experiment stations by achieving additional experimental fields.

PhilRice Executive Director Eufemio T. Rasco also shared significant information on the best starting point in rice farming. He explained the importance of mushroom vermiculture and the use of nucleus state strategy in which the agricultural services are initially offered on the surrounding barangays.

Furthermore, Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez also emphasized the importance of technology transfer which is one of the primary roles of the PhilRice Bicol. Farmers should be guided with the knowledge and skills on the application of technology innovations. It is then the role of PhilRice Bicol to facilitate the technology transfer from and to stakeholders in order to achieve high production and high income.

Congressman Gonzalez, being a representative of Albay in the Congress, also expressed his commitment in helping PhilRice-Bicol fulfill its mission and develop agricultural research in Bicol.

PhilRice-Bicol focuses on rice research with emphasis to climate change. However, Dr. Reynaldo Castro, branch manager of PhilRice Bicol, said that the station also covers areas of rice research that address the needs of Bicol farmers.

Related articles:

PhilRice Bicol: Opening opportunities for Bicolanos and the agricultural sector

PhilRice Bicol station operates at Ligao City

PNP Region 5 conducts Investigation Summit at Ligao City

The five-day seminar-workshop titled, Investigation Summit PRO 5, was conducted by the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) at the Ligao City Gymnasium.The seminar-workshop has started last February 17 and will end on the 21st.

The Investigation Summit aims to improve crime investigation, thereby increasing the conviction and apprehension rate. In an interview by TV Patrol Bicol's Eric Baldo, PSSUPT Arnold Ladea Albis, Deputy Regional Director for Operation at Police Regional Office (PRO) 5, said that part of the workshop will be gathering data from different law enforcement agencies to increase crime statistics.

More than 600 PNP officials including provincial directors and Chief of Police from different stations in Bicol have participated in the event.

Among the speakers of the seminar and workshop are PSINSP Brian Theo P. Borja, PSUPT Arnold Ardiente, PSSUPT Rosvi C. Manulid, and staff from DIDM. The first two days were allotted for lectures and plenary discussion including topics on electronic systems and applications (i.e e-Rogue Gallery System, e-Wanted Persons Information System, and e-Subpoena), and standard procedures in performing investigations. The remaining days, on the other hand, were dedicated on workshop focusing on validation of crime incidents.

As the host of the regional event, Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua also gave a message during the event.

Related Links:
The Official Website of the Police Regional Office 5

Ligao City to build a wider and modern City Hall

The Ligao City Hal buildingl is currently located at Sta. Cruz,

Ligao City

After almost 200 years, Ligao City is finally on its way to build a wider and modern City Hall to provide a convenient space and better government service to the people. Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua and Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez took the effort in providing a better location for the local government to conveniently and efficiently serve the public.

The new City Hall will be located at Binatagan, Ligao City and is expected to occupy a wider space compared to the current City Hall. According to Mayor Patty Gonzalez-Alsua, all offices in the current City Hall will be relocated to the new building.

The construction, however, has not yet started since the local government is still in the process of looking for an architect who will design the building. "Naghahanap na kami ng architect ngayon for the layout. Definitely gagawin nating modern yung loob. [We are currently looking for an architect to design the layout. Definitely, we want the interior to look modern.]" said Mayor Patty Gonzalez-Alsua.

With the establishment of new facilities such as the Land Transportation Office (LTO) District Office, and the Ligao Community College (LiComCo) campus, and other emerging projects, Ligao City will definitely get even busier moving towards development.

PhilRice Bicol: Opening opportunities for Bicolanos and the agricultural sector

The establishment of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Bicol station at Ligao City paved the way to many opportunities for Bicolanos especially those in the agricultural sector.

Through the initiative of Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez, the PhilRice Bicol Station was successfully established and inaugurated on March 25, 2010 at Batang, Ligao City. Aside from the geographical advantage of Ligao City, the local government also maintain a strong support and partnership with PhilRice, making Ligao City the best location for the PhilRice Bicol.

Opportunities for farmers and investors

As a new established station, PhilRice Bicol is inviting farmers to come and see the rice farming technologies available in the station. These technologies include the Leaf Color Chart (LCC)1, a tool for identifying the right amount of fertilizer to apply in the field, and different varieties of seeds for seed growers.

The station also provide training for farmers by partnering with the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI). They also provide rice farming advice in which the researchers and rice farming experts can visit the field and provide solutions for the problems encountered by farmers. While farmers are being trained as seed growers, the station also provide them income by buying the seeds they produced one peso higher than the commercial price.

Dr. Reynaldo Castro, branch manager of PhilRice Bicol, also stated the need for manufacturers of the technologies that they developed. "We have a lot of new machines developed. And we are looking for manufacturers to be accredited," said Dr. Castro.

New PhilRice Bicol station operates at Ligao City

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Bicol Station was established at Batang, Ligao City on March 25, 2010 to focus on minimizing the adverse effects of climate change in rice production including typhoon, flooding, and drought.

According to Dr. Reynaldo Castro, branch manager of the PhilRice Bicol, most of the research and development projects of PhilRice Bicol lean towards climate change but the scope of all research, training, and development depends on the needs of the farmers.

Ligao City is almost at the center of the region which makes it easier to visit even by the people from the island provinces, said Dr. Castro. Through the initiative of the Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez and former Ligao City Mayor Linda P. Gonzalez, the PhilRice Bicol Station was established at Ligao City. "I think the key to success to [a] government project is the cooperation and, of course, the support of the local government. And that is present in Ligao," said Dr. Castro.

With the establishment of the new station, we look for more livelihood, business, career, and academic opportunities for farmers, investors, and agricultural students.

The PhilRice Bicol Station was established under the leadership of Secretary Proceso Alcala of the Department of Agriculture, in line with President Noynoy Aquino's agenda on targetting rice self-sufficiency.

The PhilRice Central Experiment Station is located at the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija headed by Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco Jr. Visit the official website of the PhilRice at philrice.gov.ph for more information.

Related Links:
Official website of the Ligao City
Official website of the Philippine Rice Research Institute