OTOP gaining grounds in RP

Friday, December 7, 2007 

Baguio City -- About a thousand small-to-medium-entrepreneurs (SMEs) and Local Government Unit (LGU) representatives attended the 1st National One-Town-One-Product or OTOP Summit that was held at the Philippine Trade and Training Center in Manila recently.

Ex-Governor Morihiko Hiramatsu of Oita Prefecture, Japan who is also known as the father of OTOP spoke on how they revitalized their "Isson-Ippin-Undo" or the One Village-One Product Movement and how they gained high praises both in Japan and overseas for their unique trade activities.

A 1995 recipient of Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, Hiramatsu surprised the summit participants when he illustrated how a simple product such as Shitake mushroom can become more profitable than manufacturing a motor car mentioning the top car maker in Japan as his basis.

Stressing the need for quality maintenance and consistency in the delivery of good products and services, Hiramatsu also presented key factors to a successful entrepreneurship and that is the abundance of raw materials and labor force to mention a few.

Governors Maximo Dalog of Mountain Province, Nestor Fongwan of Benguet and Flordella Diasen of Kalinga along with top officials and entrepreneurs of the Cordillera and other regions heard the first hand information from the OTOP originator himself.

DTI Undersecretary Carissa Cruz-Evangelista of the Regional Operations Group that coordinated the summit showed optimism and confidence that the OTOP program will deliver its expected part to poverty alleviation. Evangelista also underscored the intensified consciousness of all stakeholders in harmonizing plans and programs that will forge more linkages that would "mainstream into the realization of the program's goals".

As part of her report on OTOP, Evangelista said that DTI created, reinforced and sustained the vital links needed to run the program. Stressing that partnership with LGU executives paved and rolled out the implementation of the program, the Undersecretary reports that out of the 16 regional model OTOPs in 2004, the program now has a total of 1.145 municipalities and cities with 70% LGU participation to date. To ensure the success of the OTOP program, Evangelista finally added that DTI will intensify the advocacy efforts as the lead implementor of the program. (DTI-CAR) 

Agrarian Reform Communities

The Department of Agrarian Reform launched the Agrarian Reform Communities (ARC) in 1993 for its key program for national development. In the past, DAR has concentrated  mainly on the distribution of land to the landless farmers, while this is the core of any agrarian reform program, experience has shown that this is not sufficient to raise the quality of life of the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs). And that a strategic development was created which we call the ARCs wherein DAR has focused and realigned its priorities to wards the development of viable agrarian reform communities. It is the ARCs where DAR has been intensifying its interventions to increase farm production, improve household income and promote sustainable development. With ARCs, the Department, in partnership with other CARP implementing agencies, local government units (LGUs), non-government organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations (POs) have a structure for concentrating its resources and development efforts. Development interventions focus on Land Tenure Improvement (LTI) and Program Beneficiaries Development (PBD) to ensure economic, political, environmental and socio-cultural viability of the ARCs.       

In 1995, the President of the Philippines issued Administrative Order No. 194 for the adoption of the Social Reform Agenda (SRA) convergence policy and its operationalization, which is considered a milestone in the field of rural development. The Administrative Order identifies Agrarian Reform Communities, among others, as convergence areas where the various agencies and entities shall focus their resources, services and interventions. The key components of ARC development are: (1) land Tenure Improvement (LTI); Social Infrastructure and Local Capability Building (SILCAB); (3)Sustainable Area-based Rural Enterprise Development (SARED); and (4) Basic Social Services Development (BSSD) including Gender and Development.

The ARC concept: An ARC is a barangay at the minimum or a cluster of contiguous barangays where there is a critical mass of farmers and farm workers awaiting the full implementation of agrarian reform. The farmers and the farm workers will anchor the integrated development of the area.

VISION: A nation where there is equitable land ownership with empowered agrarian reform beneficiaries who are effectively managing their economic and social development for a better quality of life.

MISSION: To implement CARP through the distribution of lands and provision of support services in order to attain social equity and promote sustainable development.

The National Scene: Access to land is essential to ensure that rural growth will substantially benefit the rural poor. A highly inequitable distribution of productive assets, such as land, does not only limit the participation of the poor in production growth but also stifles the potential of the country to achieve long-term growth. For more than six decades, land reform has been (and is still) the constant battle cry in the Philippines. Agriculture contributed almost P485 billion worth of the nation’s domestic goods and services in 1997. Three-fifths (3/5) or about 49 million of the population live in the countryside and nearly half (19 million) of the labor force work in the agricultural sector.

At present, there are 6 out of very 10 Filipinos who continue to live below the poverty line due to inequality in income distribution, among others. More than half of the nation’s wealth is controlled by the richest 20% while the bottom half of the population gets only one-fifth. In 1997, 44% of the rural families are living below the poverty line especially the rice, sugarcane, coconut and corn farmers.

The Tasks: To empower the farmer-beneficiaries through the following processes: (1) landownership and control of productive resources through distribution of remaining 1.1 million hectares (nationwide) of land to farming families within five years and maintain the efficiency standard for resolving agrarian cases; (2) promoting and strengthening the social institutions at the community level and at different levels of governance by enhancing the capability of the program partners, intensifying agrarian reform beneficiaries development, consolidating existing ARCs and expanding the rural development interventions in non-ARC areas; and (3) increasing access to productive resources by working closely with the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), other line agencies and local government units (LGUs) towards a convergence of services to meet the needs of ARCs, better management and increase foreign assisted projects, establishment of a joint-venture business arrangement between farmers and agribusiness firms, meaningful partnership with autonomous societal actors in land reform and rural development undertakings.

Strategies: In the implementation of the above-mentioned tasks, the following strategies shall be utilized: (a) completion of land distribution; (b) convergence mwith DA, DENR, strategic line agencies and LGUs focusing on specific crops, commodities and integrated farming systems; (c) continuation of the ARC development by expanding to embrace all ARBs, especially those not included in the existing ARCs and convergence zones; (d) social marketing campaign; (e) organization development of the DAR bureaucracy.

The agrarian reform agenda is grounded on three equally important principles with respect to the rural sector: economic development, social justice, and political democratization. Consistent with these three distinct but related principles and congruent with DAR’s vision and mission, the implementation of the ARC Development Plan has to be enhanced and expanded to contribute to the achievement of food security, poverty reduction, and countryside development. /cds

Rotary Club of Tuguegarao-Citadel joins DAR Breast Cancer Awareness Forum

The Rotary Club of Tuguegarao-Citadel (RCT-CITADEL), in partnership with the Department of Agrarian Reform Ladies Association (DARLA), Department of Agrarian Reform Employees Association (DAREA) and GIVE2 LIFE Incorporated, held a Breast Cancer Awareness Forum and Free Breast Cancer Screening at the Department of Agrarian Reform, Regional Office No. 2, Tuguegarao City which was attended by more a hundred participants.

Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells in the body grow out of control. Cancers are named after the part of the body where the abnormal cell growth begins. Breast cancers are cancer cells from the breast. When breast cancer cells spread to other parts of the body, they are called metastases (when cancer spreads to another location in the body. For example, if breast cancer cells spread to the bone, this is called a "breast cancer metastasis"). Men can also get breast cancer. In men, breast cancer can happen at any age, but is most common in men who are between 60 and 70 years old. Male breast cancer is not very common. For every 100 cases of breast cancer, less than 1 is in men. Breast cancer is treated in several ways. It depends on the kind of breast cancer and how far it has spread. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biologic therapy, and radiation. People with breast cancer often get more than one kind of treatment: (1) Surgery. An operation where doctors cut out and remove cancer tissue; (2) Chemotherapy. Using special medicines, or drugs to shrink or kill the cancer. The drugs can be pills you take or medicines given through an intravenous (IV) tube, or, sometimes, both; (3) Hormonal therapy. Some cancers need certain hormones to grow. Hormonal treatment is used to block cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow; (4) Biological therapy. This treatment works with your body's immune system to help it fight cancer or to control side effects from other cancer treatments. Side effects are how your body reacts to drugs or other treatments. Biological therapy is different from chemotherapy, which attacks cancer cells directly; and (5) Radiation. The use of high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer cells. The rays are aimed at the part of the body where the cancer is located. It is common for doctors from different specialties to work together in treating breast cancer. Surgeons are doctors that perform operations. Medical oncologists are doctors that treat cancers with medicines. Radiation oncologists are doctors that treat cancers with radiation (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

The facts about breast cancer are: (1) All women are at risk. Approximately 70% of breast cancers occur in women with none of the known risk factors; (2) Only about 5% of breast cancers are inherited. About 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer will be the first to be victims in their families; (3) Breast cancer is the leading killer of women ages 35 to 54 worldwide. More than a million women develop breast cancer without knowing it and almost 500,000 die from it every year; (4) One out of four who are diagnosed with breast cancer die within the first five years. No less than 40% die within ten years; (5) The incidence of breast cancer has been rising for the past 30 years. And the supposed authorities and experts that should know, don't know why; (6) Risk factors are not necessarily causes of breast cancer. Enough evidence exist linking environmental pollution and contamination to cause breast cancer; (7) Mammography fails to detect as much as 20% of all breast cancer and as much as 40% in women under the age of 50; (8) Early detection does not prevent breast cancer. Avoiding and eliminating known causes will prevent breast cancer; (9) One out of eight North American women will develop breast cancer. The San Francisco Bay Area has the highest incidence rate in the entire world; (10) The Philippines has the highest incidence rate of breast cancer in Asia and is today considered to have the 9th highest incidence rate in the world today (Philippine Breast Cancer Network).

The forum ended with encouraging testimonies from breast cancer survivors followed by a free breast cancer screening for persons who are at risk of developing breast cancers which were administered by the doctors from the Give2 Life Incorporated, a non-government organization composed of doctors and medical professionals based in Metro Manila. /cds

Update on Rotary International's Polio Eradication Drive

The war against Polio continues… but the victory is now in sight ! The crippling disease that held the world to ransom in the 1950's and 1960's has almost been eliminated with those two tiny drops of oral polio vaccine, a well thought out strategy, large financial resources and the dedication and commitment of thousands of devoted volunteers and international health agencies.

Rotary International  is the volunteer arm of a global partnership dedicated to eradicating polio. In 1985, Rotary volunteers around the world embraced the fight against polio and 'POLIOPLUS' was born.

Till date, the PolioPlus programme has contributed US $610 million for the protection of more than two billion children. By 2007 the end of the programme, Rotary's contribution will touch more than US$650 million apart from the manpower, materials and individual support provided by 1.2 million Rotarians world wide.

Polio is a disease caused by a germ that lives in the throat and intestines. It is most often spread through contact with the stool (bowel movement) of an infected person. Polio germs can also be spread through food and water. The disease mainly affects children under 5 years old, but unvaccinated people of any age are at risk.

The following countries, however, have had imported polio cases or cases related to an imported case in the past 24 months: Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burma (Myanmar), Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Nepal, Niger, Somalia, and Sudan. Of these countries, Bangladesh, Benin, Burma (Myanmar), and DRC had previously been polio-free for over 4 years, and Kenya had been polio-free for over 10 years. The following countries are at risk for poliovirus importation because they are located near endemic or recently infected countries: Burkina Faso, Burundi, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Namibia, Rwanda, Togo, and Uganda. 

Tuguegarao rotary clubs act as co-conveners of Forum on Good Governance & Ethical Leadership

TUGUEGARAO CITY – The various rotary clubs in Tuguegarao, that is, Rotary Club of Tuguegarao-Citadel, Rotary Club of Tuguegarao-Rainbow, Rotary Club of Metro Tuguegarao, and the Rotary Club of Tuguegarao, co-convenors, along with His Execellency Most Rev. Diosdado A. Talamayan, DD, Archbishop of Tuguegarao, and other Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), held the FORUM ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ETHICAL LEADERSHIP at the Centennial Arch, Saint Paul University, Philippines (SPUP) at Tuguegarao City with Governor “Among” Ed Panlilio of the province of Pampanga as the main Speaker. Governor Grace Padaca of the province of Isabela was also in town on the eve of the Forum, but have to leave for Canada the next day.

The Forum highlighted the effects of poverty and the depressing state  of Philippine politics, the prevailing corrupt practices of government officials, and the need of the nation to re-examine the manner of choosing righteous leaders for elective public office. Governor “Among” Ed Panlilio narrated how he was elected by the people of Pampanga who rallied behind him and “owned” the movement of electing their candidate, then Rev. Father Ed Panlilio, into office. It was the people who believed in righteous leadership who worked hard and provided every need by sharing their time, talents and resources. He related the story that the Philippines is like a dirty toilet, that in order to clean it, you will have to enter the same in order to be able to clean it effectively. Thus his objective is to bring change into the political arena through good governance, that is, without the traditional and pervasive graft and corruption that is infesting our political system.

Governor “Among” Ed Panlilio also encouraged the participants to choose the right political candidates, preferably “from faithful Catholics and born again institutions.” He explained that good governance simply means, simple living, love for others, transparency, accountability, ecologically sound environment, active participation of the people against illegal gambling, and against corruption in local government, among others. He further explained that it is possible for the nation to attain progress and development if good governance is actually put into practice.

The forum was attended by hundreds of college students, businessmen and professionals, officials from the local government units, officers and members of various NGOs, and also officials from the national government agencies./Christian D. Sales

(More about this story: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/129955/Group-summons-Cagayan-Valley-youth-leaders-help-drive-for-political-reforms) ILAGAN, Isabela – Members of the political reform group Kaya Natin! have asked the youth in Cagayan Valley region to be part of the growing movement for good government. LINK

TUNGTONGAN TI AMIANAN

BAGUIO CITY, October 3, 2008 – The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in Northern Luzon convened the “Tungtongan Ti Amianan,” Ilokano for Conference of the North,” a solidarity conference on agrarian reform, which is aimed at strengthening and consolidating their commitment for the five-year extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). The conference was the result of the CBCPs consultations with farmers and other sectors of society. It was participated in farmers from regions 1, 2, and CAR, also present were local government officials, leaders and representatives of various peoples’ organizations, etc.

The Conference also revealed the results of independent studies that have shown CARP to have improved the living conditions of farmer-beneficiaries and other stakeholders, particularly, support services amounting to Php5.4 billion in investments consisting of physical infrastructure, basic service services, etc., were delivered to around 338 agrarian reform communities in regions 1, 2 and the Cordilleras which benefited 924 grassroots organizations. However, the tasks is not yet done as there is still a about 1.1 million hectares of agricultural lands still to be acquired and distributed to farmer-beneficiaries, among other things. Other concerns include resolution agrarian justice cases, provision of support services such as farm to market roads, expansion of irrigation services, improved access to agricultural technology, access to credit, and other analogous services./cds

Why Extend CARP?

Why Extend CARP?

 Contrary to opinions of some politicians who say that the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) has expired last June 10, 2008, this is not accurate since only the funding for the Land Acquisition and Distribution (LAD) component of the CARP may be considered to have expired, that is, until December, 2008. CARP implementation  is composed of several components, such as, land acquisition and distribution, there is also the support services component such as provision of irrigation facilities, post harvest facilities, farm to market roads (and bridges), increasing productivity and income, rural enterprises, access to credit, organizational management, gender and development, etc.

            Under the land acquisition and distribution component, around 1.1 million hectares have yet to be distributed after 2008. this requires additional funding because government has to pay the owners of the land before it can be distributed to the agrarian reform beneficiaries.

            Section 4 of Article XIII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that, “The State shall, by law, undertake an agrarian reform founded on the right of the farmers and regular farm workers, who are landless, to own directly or collectively the lands they till or, in the case of other farm workers, to receive a just share of the fruits thereof. To this end, the State shall encourage and undertake the just distribution of all agricultural lands, subject to such priorities and reasonable retention limits as Congress may prescribe, taking into account ecological, developmental, or equity considerations, and subject to the payment of just compensation. In determining retention limits, the State shall respect the right of small landowners. The State shall further provide incentives for voluntary land sharing.”

            Republic Act No. 6657 (CARP) therefore may be considered as the law implementing Section 4, Article XIII of the Philippine Constitution. However, it is simply ran out of funds. Hence, there is a need to appropriate funds for the same to implement the constitutional mandate on agrarian reform. If CARP is not extended, we will have no funds to acquire and distribute the 1.1 million hectares of agricultural lands in favor of the farmer-beneficiaries. Also, there are support services projects that have been approved but have been pending implementation because funding for these projects depend on the extension of CARP. These projects are already in the pipeline amounting to Php17 billion. We would also lose whatever we have gained in the fight against poverty in the rural areas, as numerous studies from independent institutions (not government) have found out through research that under the CARP, there have been improvements in the standard of living of Filipino farmers. The establishment and development of strategies such as the Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) made the fight against poverty a success.

            One significant CARP impact study was conducted by Dr. Arsenio Balisacan and his team of researchers, who concluded that there are more irrigated farmlands in ARCs than in non-ARCs, that the decrease in economic facilities are greater in non-ARC barangays than in ARC barangays; that barangays in ARCs have better access to markets; that barangays in ARCs have more per capita income expenditure than in non-ARCs; that non-monetary indicators of welfare (better quality of housing materials used, etc) showed there are more such households in the ARCs than in non-ARCs. More importantly, farmers in ARCs and non-ARCs who owned the land they cultivate showed that they have better per capita income, per capita expenditure, etc., than those who did not own the land they till. The study categorically showed that land ownership and control is very important in income determination.

            Although President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has declared in the 2008 State of the Nation Address (SONA) that CARP extension is a top priority, the outcome of the same still rest on the hands of the members of Congress. Will the fight against poverty in the countryside be sustained through CARP? The answer lies in Congress and they have up to the end of the year to show their concern for the Filipino farmers and their families. After all, social justice mandates that those who have less in life should have more in law. /Christian D. Sales