Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Rice Straw Burning Is Wasteful

On my way to Iloilo City last week, I noticed that all rice straws on the rice paddies along the Altavas and Balete highway are left decaying. I noticed no burning of farm waste.
Indeed, by allowing the farm waste to decay as what is noticed in Balete and Altavas the farmers will save plant nutrients that maybe destroyed by burning, preserve soil fertility and improve the water holding capacity of the soil. This means enrichment to the soil favorable for food production.
This means the people’s compliance to the provincial ordinance banning the burning of farm waste like rice straw. Congratulations to Mayor Noemi C. Cordero and her municipal agricultural officers of Balete and to Mayor Kathryne Refol and her municipal agricultural officers of Altavas.

Population Program Worker

On the other hand, the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Libacao, Aklan abolished the position of Agricultural Technologist with salary grade 10 and it created the position of Population Program II with a salary grade of 07.
This abolition of the position of agricultural technologist seems to be untimely with the looming food crisis especially rice. The mayor, vice mayor and members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Libacao appear with less appreciation of the value of the agricultural technologist in their town.
Perhaps, Libacao is encountering acute population problem that the town badly needs a population program officer.
However, among the 17 towns of Aklan, Libacao is the biggest municipality and the people is very much dependent on farming for livelihood. Libacao produces several agricultural products like rice, vegetables, abaca, coconut and root crops among others. Libacao also produces livestock like cattle, carabaos and hogs. Perhaps Libacao wish to provide more health services to its booming population. But who will assist the farmers in their food and commercial crops production program?

Sand and Gravel

Our local leaders especially in Ibajay and Banga are still allowing the quarrying of sand and gravel. The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Banga has approved three (3) resolutions endorsing favorable approval to the SP Aklan for the extraction of sand and gravel in barangay Polo, Banga; Barangay Taba-ao, Banga; and Barangay Ugsod, Banga. Banga LGU officials do not seem to care to stop the soil erosion by the bank of the river resulting to the destruction of properties and sometimes lives.
LGU Ibajay has also favorably endorsed two resolutions that will allow the sand and gravel quarrying along the Ibajay river, Barangay Unat. Another quarry application of Ms. Carla T. Candari in the same barangay is also endorsed for approval.
How much income the quarry permitees pay to the barangay, and municipality where these quarries are located? How much does the province share? Observation tells us the sand and gravel fee paid to the LGU’s is too minute compared to the damage the people are injuring annually.
Should sand and gravel mining not prevented, it must be done with care to protect the environment. The volume must be limited to the volume needed by the people of Aklan, and proper recording and accounting be done. Better still if a periodic report concerning volume extracted with corresponding fees collected is provided the people. This will empower the people to participate in environmental protection. /MP