Ubi cluster farming method

to solve diminishing farmers

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Feb 13 (PIA) – With recent development still unable to draw young farmers into farming, agriculture authorities are now seeing cluster farming method as a measure to still peg increases in ubi production with the diminishing number of farmer adopters.

Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry Pamugas, during the recent Kapihan sa PIA allocated for the biggest agri fair festival in January admitted, there are fewer and fewer farmers into ubi production despite promises of handsome returns in the crop that is largely identified with Bohol.

There used to be many farmers clearing and planting ubi in small patches of forests who contribute to the over-all crop production, now, not only are they few, most are getting older and older with only a few younger generations picking on the industry, Pamugas, who led the 21st Ubi Festival in Bohol shared.

Faced with an ever increasing year-round demand for a seasonal crop, Pamugas said they have to find ways to supply the demand and in fact, make ubi farmer a lucrative industry to attract the younger farmers.

What we are doing now is to set up cluster farms, where few farmers jointly cultivate much larger farms, and use better technologies like plot farming, instead of the usual hill side farming, Pamugas said.

Traditionally grown on dug and organically prepared holes, ubi farmers have to clear secondary outgrowths, sometimes in destructive kaingins to convert forests and shrubs to ubi farms.

Now however, agricultural studies have shown that as long as there is enough gradient to drain water away from the vines, ubi can be grown in flat farms.

Indeed we used to have more farmers, but they plant only some few holes, now with lesser farmers, what we did was help them plant more in a cluster farm method.

Already tested in farms in Ubay, Carmen and in Corella, cluster farming has allowed Bohol to gain larger ubi-cultivated lands than before, Pamugas reported at Kapihan sa PIA.

The radio forum, set a couple of days following the opening of the annual Ubi Festival at the old Tagbilaran Airport, Pamugas added that this year, they noted a bigger harvest compared to the previous cropping.

Ubi kinampay, the aromatic purple variety commands the highest price, followed by the reddish violet Baligonhon varieties to the white varieties.

Sold at an average of P90-120 a kilo, a fist-sized ubi can be chopped into 6 sitts, each one capable of growing into more than a kilo after seven months.

Among those that farmers ascribe to as plant and forget crops, ubi is planted between April to June and is harvested from November to January.

A crop with a noticeably shorter shelf life, technologies have been put up to process ubi into powder, when four to five kilos of raw ubi can produce a kilo of ubi power which can be stored much longer.

Ubi is reportedly among the crops that the Spaniards used to shipped to Europe via the Manila Acaculco Galleon Trade, and has captivated the tastes of the white men. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

MODERN UBI FARMING TECHNOLOGIES. With the cluster farming method adopted for plot farming ubi, many expect the harvests next year to be considerably more, for Bohol to be able to cover the diminishing number of ubi farmers and the lack of young farmers getting enticed by the supposedly lucrative crop. (PIABohol/GACY)

SHORTER SHELF LIFE. Ubi may have a shorter shelf life when sold as raw but when it is processed for food like these on display during the UbiFestival, this extends the availability of ubi year round. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

3 day old infant, 20th COVID

death, as cases soar to 124

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Feb 13 (PIA) – A three day old infant brings corona virus disease (COVID) related deaths in Bohol to 20 this week, and the risk of the dreaded virus infecting locals creep higher and higher everyday as authorities note some 124 active cases, February 13.

As to how the infant, who was reportedly born premature and was confined in the neo-natal section of an unnamed hospital here, could have been afflicted has baffled medical workers.

Suspicion of contaminated hospital equipment has been among the suspected method of the infant getting the disease, but there has been a reportedly a study and investigation being undertaken to explain the infant’s death.

Of the 124 cases, 74 percent or 92 of these cases are of people who got infected of the dreaded virus from unknowingly mingling with persons who were supposed to be in self isolation, but are stubborn enough to heed the calls to stay at home.

With these unknown, asymptomatic people moving around, the possibility of further increasing the local transmission remains high, and with Valentines pushing people to go out and celebrate the love day outside, the possibilities of spreading the disease even more goes exponentially higher.

The 124 active COVID cases recorded a day before Valentines Day, also comes with six new cases with a high probability that these too are from local transmission.

The day records 92 cases from local transmission, the remaining 26 cases brought in by Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROF), Locally Stranded Individuals (LSI) and Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APORs).

On the daily COVID report which the Bohol Inter Agency Task Force shared Saturday night, in its 8:00 PM update, it showed the town of Dauis leading in local transmission with 41 cases, followed by Ubay at 25 and Tagbilaran City, with 13 local transmission cases.

Other cases of local transmission are from 2 Maribojoc residents, 1 Baclayon resident, 2 Panglao residents, 2 Loon residents, one Pilar, one Lila, One Candijay resident and tow health care workers from Mabini.

Meanwhile, the six new cases which have not yet been determined as to their source of transmission come from three Ubay residents, one Bilar APOR, one Bilar LSi and one Loboc LSI.

Of the 26 cases brought in by Boholanos or by APORs from outside Bohol, majority or 17 cases are from returning LSIs: (Ubay, Panglao, 3 Tagbilaran City LSIs, Valencia, Bilar, 5 Inabanga LSI,s Baclayon, Loay and Balilihan).

The rest are APORs (Tagbilaran City, Candijay, Cortes, Clarin and 2 Dauis APORS). The day also recorded 2 Mabini ROFs and an Overseas Filipino worker from Maribojoc.

Since March of last year too, BIATF reported some 57,002 Boholanos who were LSIs, OFWs, ROFs and APORs who have been accepted back in Bohol, with or without consideration of the risks they bring in.

Since then too, Bohol has tracked some 830 recoveries from the disease. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

OVER 74%. Take extra precaution when stepping out February 14 and the next week. The probability that an asymptomatic COVID positive person could be standing beside you in an elevator, behind you at the grocery counter or the one woure meeting at the malss activity area is hiher than high, so taking the health and safety protocols are alsways in order. (PIA Bohol)

Balik sa Bohol online sale

Gives 70% tour discounts

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Feb 13 (PIA) – Enjoy massive discounts and great once-in-a-lifetime offer as Bohol puts up its first ever tourism campaign after coronavirus disease shut down its premier economic activity in March of last year.

Balik sa Bohol, the online sale which starts February 21 and ends in March 14, is now a selling anthem from possibly a last song syndrome for tourists stepping off from the memorable river cruise one lazy afternoon.

Participated in by 13 resorts, hotels and tourism accommodation establishments, one adventure park, and 6 local tour operators all which have earned their Department of Tourism (DOT) Certificates of Authority to Operate, or the local government permits and each holders of the Ultimate Bohol Experience (UBE) seal, Balik sa Bohol Online Sale group promised to make tourists’ return to Bohol equally as exciting and memorable if not more than the past experience, organizers said.

First of Bohol’s possible many tempting offers for tourists to come, the online sale is supported by the DOT, Tourism Promotions Board, Asia Pacific Airlines, DOT 7, Balik sa Bohol came at a time when Bohol has announced the need for only a negative COVID test results via the cheaper saliva-Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), a confirmed booking for accommodations and the Bohol Tour QR Code.

Balik sa Bohol sale buyers need to log on to https://traveloco.ph/balikbohol to get as much as 70% off on room rates, tours and other allied tourism services on their visit to Bohol.

The offer is also good for Boholanos in Bohol, according to Governor Arthur Yap.

Everyone buying the Bohol visit and tour however has to be guided by the tourist bubble concept.

By tourist bubble concept, it means that a COVID negative tourist has to stay together with his group, travel only on travels organized by a DOT accredited tour operator on board a DOT accredited transport provider and go to tours only in designated stops, never straying away from their established itinerary.

It may be recalled that as early as November 15, 2020, Bohol has allowed tourists who attend meetings, incentives, conventions and conferences and exhibits (MICE) and events to come to Bohol in the travel bubble concept.

A few days later, following the same concept, Bohol again issued the same to free and independent travelers.

This is as long as the tourist can present to Bohol a negative COVID test results via an RT PCR and the test taken 72 hours before flying to Bohol, he can present a confirmed hotel booking and has a registered Bohol Tourist QR Code.

This is in efforts to bring back the brisk tourism activities that has fed so many Boholanos who are working in the different tourism services designed to make a Bohol vacation as seamless and as memorable as can be.

Already being seen by the DOT as among the country’s leading new normal destinations, Bohol sits with Palawan and Boracay, according to PTB Atty Antonette Velasco.

In recent developments, with the molecular RT PCR test a bit more expensive and possibly holding tourists from truly enjoying a break from being detained in their homes, Bohol has okayed the use of saliva RT PCR and in fact, allows tourists to stay longer than five days and go off their tourism bubble when they can present a negative COVID in a repeat saliva RTPCR on their fifth days of stay here.

With a negative COVID test result on his repeat test after his fifth days of stay here, a tourist can already even go out of his travel bubble, according to Executive Order No 9, issued last week. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

BALIK SA BOHOL. For the first time after almost a year, Bohol opens an irresistible offer of up to 70% discount on accommodations, tours and other services to bring back the local tourists and relive their experience in Bohol. Set in COVID times, the tourists however need to follow new normal protocols and travel in tourism bubbles, as the pandemic has also allowed Boholanos to develop more interesting spots. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

TRAVEL BUBBLE. Tourists to Bohol can travel to sites and destinations that have been granted by DOT the Certificate Authority to Operate, or LGU permitted and UBE Seal grantee from the provincial government, as long as they do not veer away from the tour itinerary provided by their DOT-accredited tour agent and travel only in designated areas like Lamanoc caves in Anda with DOT-accredited transport providers. (rahc /PIA-7/Bohol)

No more free ASF disinfection

For vehicles crossing to Bohol

CORTES, Bohol, Feb 13 (PIA) – They may have crossed Bohol borders after getting free car wash and disinfection then, but now, vehicles owners crossing to Bohol from Leyte and Mindanao will soon have to shell out some fees for the vehicle wash and disinfection.

This, as measures to make sure African Swine Fever (ASF) could not enter Bohol gets reinforced and strengthened to make sure protection and prevention from entry of the dreaded virus which is fatal to hogs is sustained, without bleeding local ASF funds dry.

Among the leading preventive actions and in compliance with the Executive Order No. 56 series of 2020 which established the quarantine regulations in the entry of livestock cargo, livestock container vans, poultry and fishery feeds and raw materials for feeds into Bohol, as well as Executive Order No. 3 series of 2021 which totally bans hog transport vehicles and livestock container vans from entering Bohol, the disinfection which is now implemented even to private vehicles can only happen after visible animal wastes are washed off the vehicles.

A thorough washing to make sure that even private vehicles from Leyte and other areas where there are reported outbreaks can not bring in the virus, this has also slurped anti ASF program funds fast.

Afraid that the heaping costs of equipment, water and disinfectants could cripple some other program components, Bohol Provincial veterinarian Dr Stella Marie Lapiz hinted that to make the mandatory disinfection sustainable, authorities should start exacting fees for the port services before their vehicles can go out of the port and move elsewhere in Bohol.

Done together with a strong border control, sturdy policy support and the constant practice of biosecurity measures as well with information and education communication advocacy on risky coastal towns and barangays, Bohol’s anti ASF measures have also been getting string support from hog industry stakeholders from small backyard growers to large scale farm operators.

In fact, on the matter of washing and disinfection of all vehicles entering Bohol, even if these are not loading hogs, with Bohol now totally banning the entry of non-Boholano owned hog transport vehicles via Executive Order No. 3, series of 2021, a team os now being composed to man the washing and disinfection services.

“Vehicle owners, when left on their own to wash their vehicles, may not do so as thoroughly and it could still bring in the virus through its hard to reach areas, that a local team who will be trained which areas in the vehicle to clean, would be a better alternative, so a much better disinfection becomes more effective, Dr. Lapiz explains during the consultative meeting.

Meanwhile, Marlito Uy, owner and general manager of Marcela Farms has also pledged help to the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian’s ASF Program, even as he donated high pressure car washers to facilitate the task of a more efficient disinfection.

Marcela Farms, which has its main farm in Lourdes Cortes, keeps nearly 40,000 heads in their farm, and a single case of ASF here could potentially decimate the whole population.

With an annual production of over 50,000 metric tons and with backyard farmer raisers producing the 82 percent of the entire figure, any hog disease can potentially wipe out local hog population and send many families to hunger.

Dr Lapiz also reports they have requested the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for a supplemental budget for the ASF programs.

The program has also a standby fund of P2 million earlier allocated for the Provincial SAF response. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

BEFORE THEY CAN GO HOME. Hog containers and transport vehicles from Bohol would have to be given a complete dousing carwash and disinfection against ASF before then can be allowed to drive out of the ports, as Bohol puts stringent measures against ASF. (PIABohol.manilatimes)

STRENGTHENING BORDER CONTROL. Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz, Bohol Provincial Veterinarian calls on Boholanos, especially in coastal communities, to help the province against the entry of small crafts bearing live pig, pork and processed pork. (PIA Bohol)

Bohol still ASF-free, PCG to

deploy sniffing dogs in ports

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Feb 11 (PIA) – Bohol is still African Swine Fever-free (ASF).

And to keep it that way, the Provincial ASF executive committee is putting up watch dogs at ports, to sniff out small amounts of pork meat, raw or processed pork that could be brought in by passengers crossing from Leyte.

Provincial veterinarian Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz during a stakeholders’ online consultation this week bared the possibility that locally stranded individuals (LSI) from Leyte and Mindanao, as per tradition when travelling, could bring in cooked adobo, or anything pork based to consume during the trip, not knowing that such act would be illegal in Bohol.

The problem with this and with the pandemic is that port authorities and quarantine personnel would have no way to find out if an entering passenger LSI or APOR is carrying cooked or raw pork, unlike then when the authorities can get closer to the passengers.

To fill in and plug the possible gap where potential breach could happen, the Philippine Coast Guard in Bohol is putting up starting Monday February 15, a K9 sniffing dog at the port of Ubay and possibly Jagna, to screen passenger’s hand-carry items, Coast Guard sources said.

Moreover, the Department of Agriculture’s Veterinary and Quarantine Services officer in Bohol. Dr. Marielle Abisado has urged shippers for Bohol to simple deny meat shipments which do not have the necessary documents.

Shippers know that it will be screened in Bohol and it will either be shipped back to origin or disposed here, the official who oversees the cargo inspection at the city port said.

As early as 2019, Bohol Governor Arthur Yap, who used to be agriculture secretary, issued Executive Order No 7, 8 and 22 series of 2019, putting up a temporary ban on the entry of live hogs, pork meat related products whether war, cooked or processed, frozen boar semen from Luzon and Mindanao.

Such is to make sure the fatal hog disease is barred from crossing to Bohol and possibly ruining the multi billion peso industry in Bohol.

According to the Provincial Veterinarian, Bohol produces about 50,501 metric tons of pork meat, about 82% of these is contributed by about 50,000 hog growers and producers who are mostly backyard raisers.

During the recent ASF stakeholders’ online meeting February 8, 2021 which gathered small scale hog growers and their representatives, large scale farmers, animal feeds suppliers and distributors, agriculture officers, town veterinarians, veterinary quarantine services of the Department of Agriculture and Office of the Provincial Veterinarian staff, with the media representatives, Dr. Lapiz appraised Boholanos of the current situation and the impending threat of the swine disease in Bohol.

Even then, she aired what Governor Arthur Yap has been calling: tighten border security measures some more, keep bio security measures and further spread useful information to allow small hog growers to be aware of the consequences of unreported cases of suspected ASF.

This as the AFS has already hit 10 regions, 34 provinces and 332 municipalities in the country.

Few weeks ago, reports of the outbreak of the highly fatal hog disease in Abuyog Leyte sent the Bohol ASF Executive Committee into heightened alarm, considering that the affected province, the first province hit in the Visayas, is just one boat ride away.

The spread of the Leyte outbreak went on a northward direction, now affecting not just Abuyog but also Javier, MacArthur, Lapaz, Dulag, Tan-awan and Palo. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

FIGHTING THE SPREAD OF ASF WITH DOGS. Bohol’s ASF Council now uses sniffing dogs to seek pork meat or processed pork meat in passenger’s hand carry items, considering that inspection personnel are barred from getting close for social distancing purposes. (PIABohol/PCG)

ADVISE TO SHIPPERS. Veterinary Quarantine Services Inspector Dr. Maria Eleonor Abisado has asked shippers to deny undocumented pork meat and processed products becuse they would be shipped back or disposed of at the pier so as to make sure no such vector for ASF makes it way to Bohol. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)