Steady Vegetable & Agri-aqua Supply

By Venus G. Villanueva

A report from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), Kalibo, Aklan revealed that several kinds of vegetables sold in the market had reduced in prices, while a steady supply of other agriculture and aquaculture products remains readily available in the markets this February.

Municipal markets in Aklan monitored by OPA for the report included Kalibo, Malinao, Lezo, Numancia and Makato.

The report showed that vegetables which are not locally-produced in Aklan reduced in prices, like the Baguio beans, which last month cost P50-60 a kilo, but could be bought now at P35-50 a kilo. Cabbage, a month ago cost P60-70 a kilo, now it is at P35-40. Carrots cost P70-80 per kilo last month, now it sells at P60-70 per kilo. Sweet pepper cost P90-200 per kilo last month, now it is at P80-125 a kilo.

Supply and prices of rice in the markets also remain steady, according to the report. Farm gate price of palay is now at P8.60 – P11.50, NFA rice is now sold at P18.25 a kilo while commercial rice prices range from P22-29 per kilo.

Currently, the province of Aklan is implementing various agricultural programs such as the hybrid rice program, the high-value commercial crops program, the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) or Kasalikasan Program, the Palama-yanan, and the National Farming System Program. This move of the provincial government under Governor Carlito Marquez is to make Aklan self-sufficient in agricultural commodities, and to supply the needs of Boracay Island as well as that of other neighboring provinces.

According to Gov. Marquez, Aklan remains a rice supplier with a 63,459.19 metric tons consumption against a 146,691 metric ton production.

“We produce more than what we eat,” Marquez stressed in his recent State of the Province Address.

The support and assistance of Aklan State University (ASU) in Banga, Aklan; the Philippine Rice Research Institute; the Agricultural Training Institute; the Department of Agriculture in the regional and national levels; and Aklan’s agriculture personnel are acknowledged by Gov. Marquez in Aklan’s agricultural development efforts.

He cited the Palamayanan Program as one example of government assistance to poor, marginal farmers, especially those in the uplands, which was implemented through the help of ASU and Philrice.

Aklan PESO Continues To Source Local,
Overseas Jobs For Aklanons

The Provincial Employment Service Office (PESO), Kalibo, Aklan continues to generate local and overseas jobs for Aklanons.

Records from the PESO, Kalibo, Aklan, headed by Manager Vivian Solano, revealed that in 2007, a total of 166 Aklanons were deployed to various countries like Hongkong, Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai, Cyprus, Kuwait, Taiwan Caribbean and middle east countries, remitting substantial amount of dollars which has helped improve their economic and financial status.

For local employment, PESO has facilitated the hiring of 1,072 Aklanons by local business establishments in Aklan and other parts of the country as resort and restaurant personnel, construction workers and office personnel.

Also, through PESO’s assistance, 400 Aklanon students were employed by the province under the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) otherwise known as Summer Job of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). SPES helps the students earn some amount of money for their expenses during the opening of classes and to teach them the dignity of labor by working for 30 days.

“They were paid P864,000 at P2,160 each as the 60 percent counterpart pay of the province. The DOLE paid the remaining 40 percent of the 200 students in the total amount of P530,136 at P2,664 each,” Solano said.

Meanwhile, with the feared economic recession affecting the United States of America which might have a spillover effect on the economy of the Philippines especially the dollar earnings of the OFWs, the government launched the hedging program of the Development Bank of the Philippines.

The hedging would protect the earnings of OFWs against fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, particularly by the strong peso. This hedging program for OFWs consists of the voluntary foreign exchange insurance fees that protect OFWs from a strengthened peso.

The DBP representatives are going around the Filipino communities and are giving more information about this facility through the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). /MP