PHILIPPINES OFFERS TO EXPORT EGGS, DUCKS TO SOUTH KOREA

As South Korea reels from the devastating effect of a new Bird Flu outbreak, the Philippine Dept. of Agriculture has taken steps to support our Asian neighbour and ally by offering to supply its eggs, ducks and poultry requirements.

On Jan. 16, a team from the Bureau of Animal Industry led by Asst. Secretary Enrico Garzon will leave for South Korea to formally ask the South Korean government to give the Philippines market access for hatching and table eggs for both chicken and ducks.

It was the DA's agriculture analyst Maria Alilia Maghirang assigned in South Korea who sent me a memorandum earlier last week informing me of the immediate requirements for chicken and duck eggs in that country.

She said that one of the DA's contacts in South Korea alone needs 1.5-million eggs daily for industrial use and 300,000 chicken hatching eggs and 500,000 duck eggs every week.

"The South Korean government recently announced the lifting of tariffs on eggs and egg products temporarily starting 3 January 2017 due to the supply shortage of eggs and skyrocketing prices of eggs brought about by the mass culling of about 30 million chicken due to the spread of the H5N6 and H5N8 strains of the avian influenza virus in the country," Maghirang said in her report to the DA Secretary.

Quoting the Korea Times newspaper, Maghirang reported that the South Korean government has decided to facilitate the import process for eggs and egg products and subsidise the freight cost for these products from overseas.

The demand for eggs, dressed chicken and ducks is expected to increase further as the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration nears.

Aside from our genuine concern to help a long-time ally in this time of crisis, I am also looking at this development as a rare opportunity for the country to start exporting not only eggs but also dressed chicken and ducks to South Korea.

I intend to conduct further negotiations with the Ministry of Agriculture of South Korea and convince its officials to look at the Philippines as a steady and reliable partner which could supply their country with eggs, chicken and ducks in view of the recurrent outbreak of Bird Flu.

This could be the break that our poultry and duck farmers have been waiting for.

PRES. DUTERTE TRAVELS IN PAL ECONOMY CLASS

In the many Cabinet meetings I attended, President Rody Duterte has repeatedly reminded members of the Cabinet to travel "Economy Class" when flying locally.

Some people thought he was just joking.

But here is a photo which proves that the President himself is doing what his Cabinet members are told to do.

The President sleeps in the back portion of the plane from Davao to Manila while his loyal alter ego, Sec. Bong Go, stays awake watching his President.

Russian Navy Willing to Help Philippine Navy!

HAPPENING NOW: Zdravstvuyte Russian Military Ship Capt. is in the Philippines for a 7-day goodwill visit.

Russian Navy says they are willing to help the Philippine Navy in whatever way they can, be it training or equipment.

Russia eyeing joint military exercises with Philippines, China and Malaysia in the controversial West Philippine Sea.

PRES. DUTERTE AWARDS P60-M TO 2016 CLEANEST COASTAL VILLAGES

The campaign to stop illegal fishing and other destructive fishing practices goes to high gear with the award of over P60-million in livelihood support funds for the country's cleanest coastal communities by President Rody Duterte sometime this month.

The "Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan" (MMK) annual Presidential Awards is a program of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to promote sustainable and responsible fishing in the face of continued illegal fishing activities and dwindling catch by marginal fisher folks.

To qualify, the coastal towns must meet the five criteria set by the national selection committee of the MMK.

First, the coastal town must have no reported cases of illegal fishing.

Second, the town must have a declared and protected marine sanctuary.

Third, there must be a well-managed and protected mangrove area.

Fourth, the town must have a self-imposed closed fishing season which would coincide with the spawning season of the fish species found in its fishing rounds.

Fifth, the coastal waters and fishing grounds must be free of floating garbage and effluence flowing from factories or processing plants.

Regional winners who will receive P2-million each have been selected while the five finalists will be announced during the awards ceremonies expected to be held in Malacañang.

Of the five finalists, the MMK Presidential Awardee will receive P20-million, the first runner up P8-million and the second runner up P5-million.

The prizes will be given to the winning towns and could only be utilised for livelihood programs for fisher folks especially during the closed season for fishing, speed boats for the Bantay Laut members and activities aimed at stopping illegal fishing.

Undersecretary Eduardo Gongona, BFAR national director, said the winning towns will also be supported by the bureau with fiberglass fishing boats, fish landing and ice making facilities.

The top three winners of the MMK for 2016 will no longer be qualified to compete in the future search for winners.

The exact date of the MMK Awards will be announced as soon as Malacañang confirms the availability of President Duterte in view of his very tight schedules.

Here's the VIDEO of the campaign!

By Manny Piñol

PRES. DUTERTE PLEDGES P500-M FOR BICOL AGRI, FISHERIES REHAB

Pili, Camarines Sur - Just as soon as Christmas Day typhoon Nina left the Philippine territory and even before local residents could clear the streets of fallen trees and blown roofs, President Rody Duterte flew to two of the most devastated provinces in the Bicol Region - Catanduanes and Camarines Sur - and vowed immediate rehabilitation efforts with an initial commitment of P500-million for agriculture and fisheries.

The President arrived in Virac, Catanduanes at past 2 p.m. straight from Davao City and was joined by five Cabinet secretaries - Agriculture, Social Welfare, Energy, Education and Defense - and several undersecretaries in a short ceremony in the provincial capitol of Catanduanes in Virac town.

In Virac, President Duterte approved the allocation by the Dept. of Agriculture of P55-M for the immediate rehabilitation of the Abaca industry of Catanduanes, the release of rice seeds and fertilisers for about 5,000 hectares and the repair of fisheries instrastructure.

Typhoon Nina damaged 85% of the standing Abaca of Catanduanes which at 33,000 hectares is the biggest single producer of the natural fibre in the world today.

From Virac, President Duterte flew by helicopter to Pili, Camarines Sur where local officials led by Governor Miguel Villafuerte met him at the provincial capitol for a short ceremony.

The President initially committed P50-M in rehabilitation funds and seeds and fertilisers for the estimated 21,000 hectares of damaged rice farms.

But after his speech, when I showed him the updated report which was submitted to me while he was already speaking which indicated that the damage to agriculture and fisheries alone could reach P3-B, President Duterte said he was increasing his commitment to P500-M.

Of the amount, P300-M will come from the President's funds while the remaining P200-M will be sourced from the funds of the Dept. of Agriculture.

"I hope you could recover your bearing," the President told the crowd which gathered in front of the Camarines Sur Provincial Capitol even as he urged local officials to be conscious of the threats of climate change.

The President suggested that since the Bicol Region faces threats of typhoons being the country's first window facing the Pacific Ocean, people must learn to adapt.

He suggested that houses must have sturdy designs to withstand strong winds adding that "This is a reality which we must accept."

"Do not despair. Government will help. Life must go on. Recover your bearings," he told the crowd.

The President flew back to Davao City just before dark while the members of the Cabinet took an Air Force plane back to Metro Manila.

Today will be another working day.

By Manny Piñol

"They were lucky! I'd have killed them if I were there!" - Duterte to San Juan Drug Bust

"Talagang papatayin kita, mga p— ina ninyo, kayo ang ano ha... kagaya nu'ng sa shabu sa San Juan, masuwerte sila wala ako sa Maynila. Kung ganun karami isang bahay ng shabu, talagang papatayin kita. Huwag na tayong magdrama. Ako mismo, ako ang babaril kung walang ibang babaril." — President Rody Duterte

TYPHOON NINA DESTROYS CATANDUANES ABACA FARMS

Virac, Catanduanes - From the air, the extent of damage of Typhoon Nina which ravaged the Southern Luzon and Bicol Regions was evident in the hundreds of coconut trees whose tops were blow off by the strong wind.

Typhoon Nina, the strongest to hit Catanduanes in 10 years, hit the agriculture sector hardest virtually wiping out the thriving Abaca industry.

Governor Joseph Cua reported that of the 33,130 hectares of Abaca, a total of 27,936 hectares was heavily damaged.

Catanduanes is the world's biggest producer of Abaca finer, a natural fiber which is endemic to the Philippines.

It is estimated that Catanduanes earns P100-M from its Abaca industry.

Rice farms were also affected but provincial officials still have gather the extent of the damage.

Damage to fisheries is also still being validated.

President Rody Duterte is expected to arrive in Virac, Catanduanes at 2 p.m. today.

From Virac, he will proceed to Pili, Camarines Sur for another meeting with local officials.

Camarines Sur, home province of Vice President Leni Robredo, is one of the hardest provinces by Typhoon Nina.

By Manny Piñol