- 1 Oct –Dec 2018

A Quarterly Publication of Extension & Technical Services Division Oct –Dec 2018

Volume 15-2018 Issue No. 51

As of December 2018, a total of twenty-one

(21) sugarcane planters from the Pensumil

Mill District have received the first tranche of

the loan under the SRA-LBP Socialized

Credit Program of SIDA. The total release

amounting to P 1,214,200.00 comprises the

harvesting expenses which was reflected in

the Farm Plan and Budget submitted by the

planters. This is very timely since the milling

season in Pensumil would start on January

2019.

These planters who have received their loan

proceeds in December 2018 is the first batch

of applicants who have filed their loan

application as early as June 2018. The

remaining loan amount shall be released

based on the schedule in the Farm Plan and

Budget of the planters. The next batch of

applicants is expecting the release of their

loan soon.

The LandBank of the Philippines Camarines

Lending Center already issued a notice to the

Pensumil Mill management with regards to

Quedan assignment in favor of Landbank as

payment of the loan.— Maria Teresa Caballero

Happiness and pride are written on the faces of these sugarcane farmers from the PENSUMIL Mill District

who happen to be the first ever recipients of the SIDA’s Socialized Credit Program.

Bicol Planters are Maiden Recipients of SIDA’s

Socialized Credit Program

Based on available SRA data, during the last

quarter of 2018, most of the farms (mostly the

small ones, i.e., 10 hectares and below) in the

Luzon and Mindanao areas are planting or using

old/deteriorating varieties or mostly mixed

varieties on their sugarcane farms which attributes

to their low level of productivity. Meanwhile,

studies show that the use of High Yielding

Varieties (HYV’s) can increase the level of

productivity of sugarcane farmers by at least 12%.

(Continued on p. 5)

RAPID PROPAGATION OF SUGARCANE HIGH YIELDING VARIETIES IN THE MILL DISTRICTS OF LUZON and MINDANAO by Adel Catuira

- 2 Oct –Dec 2018

The Research, Development and Extension Division

staged its annual National In-House Review on October 8

-12, 2018 at the Hotel Acropolis in Quezon City.

The Best Paper competition was held on the third day

with 11 entries from the LAREC and LGAREC

researchers. The Best Paper was awarded to Mr. Rachel J.

Sarol with his study on ―Root Length Density,

Distribution and Yield Relationships of High Yielding

Sugarcane (Saccharum Officinarum) Varieties under

Sandy Soil Condition.‖ Mr. John Moises G. Relles with

his study on ―Association Analysis Developed Simple

Sequence Repeat (SSR) Markers to Fungal Disease

Resistance‖ garnered Second Place while Mr. Juval C.

Velasco’s study on the ―Performance of Selected Phil

2010 Series Sugarcane Varieties in Four Mill Districts in

Visayas‖ capped Third Place. This year’s panel of

evaluators include: Mr. Pablito Sandoval (former SRA

Board Member), Dr. Cielito A. Beltran (Director,

Department of Research and Development of the Tarlac

Agricultural University), Ms. Adoracion B. Armada

(Senior Science Research Specialist, Philippine Council

for Agriculture, Aquatic Resources Research and

Development or PCAARRD), Mr. Alvin L. Fontanil

(Agriculturist II, Focal Person for High Value Crops

Development Program, Department of Agricultural

Research) and Ms. Chiqui Padullon (Project

Development Officer, Bureau of Agricultural Research).

— Jessica Mora

SRA-RDE Holds Yearly

National In-House Review

LAREC’s Mr. Rachel Sarol (center) clinched the Best Paper

award out of 11 entries.

Mr. John Moises Relles of LGAREC (center) romped off

with the second honors in the Best Paper competition.

The Sugar Regulatory Administration recently

added another feather into its hat when the

Bureau of Agricultural Research presented the

AFMA R & D Paper Award to the research

paper titled, "Root Length Density,

Distribution and Yield Relationship of High-

Yielding Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)

Varieties under Sandy Soil Condition"

submitted by the team from the Luzon

Agricultural Research and Extension Center

comprised of: Rachel J. Sarol, Johnny Z.

Agsaoay, Laverne C. Olalia, Ma. Vina A.

Serrano, Benjamin G. Manlapaz, Agnes M.

Casupanan, Nestor C. Guiyab, Jessica M.

Mora . Said paper has been selected as

"Qualifier" during the 30th National Research

Symposium held at the Philippine International

Convention Center on November 7, 2018.

Indeed, it's another cause for celebration for

the agency.

BAR Cites SRA

- 3 Oct –Dec 2018

The SRA-GAD committee (Luzon and Mindanao) officially

commenced its training season where the various mill

districts were given separate seminars on Gender Sensitivity

(GST), Violence against Women and Children (VAWC) and

Disaster Risk and Reduction Management (DRRM).

CARSUMCO was the pilot area as the team of Mr. Marco

Soriano and Ms. Marissa Tiu visited the site on July 17-19,

2018 and rendered seminars for Block Farm beneficiaries of

Sto. Domingo, Piat. For the DRRM part, Cagayan

Municipality Engineer Randolf Maguigad and DRRPO Jan

Aris Aquino were tapped as the resource speakers.

Following suit was the team of Mr. Joseph Peter Gonzales

and Ms. Marissa Tiu for PENSUMIL on August 14-16, 2018.

The target audience were Block Farm enrolees from Bgys.

Sto. Niño, Del Rosario and Curry in Pili. Mr. Dwight Belza,

DRRC/CCA Committee-in-Charge, MAFC and former

MDRRMC head Atty. Rodolfo Bismonte were the invited

lecturers for the DRRM.

Tarlac was the next area to be visited on September 19-21,

2018. This time, Mr. Gonzales teamed-up with Ms. Tiu once

again as they gave GST and VAWC lectures to Block Farm

members of NCPAT, Colibangbang and the Paniqui

Sugarcane Planters Association. For the DRRM, Mr. Joseph

Macaraeg, Municipal DRRMO-OIC LGU of Ramos, Tarlac

was tapped as resource person.

Mr. Soriano and Ms. Tiu next trooped to Pampanga on

October 17-19, 2018 where they gave the seminars to

sugarcane farm laborers in the Luzon Agricultural Research

and Extension Center, sugarcane planters in Bgy. Dampe,

Floridablanca and Bgy. San Francisco in Lubao. Mr. Edgar

Dabu, head of the DRRM LGU in Lubao was the invited

resource speaker.

The Mindanao area was covered as well in October where

Mr. Raphael Henri Mundo and Mr. Soriano made the rounds

in Davao, Cotabato and Bukidnon and invited LGU

representatives from each area to talk on DRRM.

Don Pedro was the last mill district to be visited on

November 7-9, 2018

with Ms. Mafi Ramos

and Mr. Gonzales as

sub-team. Target

participants were

Block Farm

members of the Bgy.

Munting Indang

Sugarcane Planters

in Nasugbu as well

as planters from Bgy. Mataywanak in Tuy and another group

in Calatagan. Mr. Ronaldo Torres, Calatagan MDRRMO

along with his team agreed to render the lecture on DRRM.

Overall, it was another success for the SRA-GAD committee

as they were able to implement one of their salient projects

in their 2018 approved GAD Plan and Budget by the

Philippine Commission on Women.— Joseph Peter R.

Gonzales

SRA-GAD Stages GST, VAWC and DRRM Trainings

Mr. Joseph Gonzales lecturing on

the topic on VAWC.

Ms. Mafi Ramos as she differentiates

sex from gender to the enlightenment

of the audience.

Members of the Brgy. Munting Indang Sugarcane Planters in

Nasugbu, Batangas gamely pose for a photo op..

- 4 Oct –Dec 2018

SIDA FARM-TO-MILL ROAD PROJECTS

The Sugarcane Industry Development Act (SIDA) provides funds for Infrastructure Support projects to the sugar-

cane industry. The SRA identifies the priority road projects through the Mill District Development Council and

Mill District Officers assistance. Implementation of the projects is under the Department of Public Works and

Highways (DPWH) as the mandated agency for infrastructure programs. Since 2016, SRA and DPWH entered

into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and implemented the Farm-to-Mill Road projects. The following is the

status of the FMR projects:

The Infrastructure Program Committee, composed of

representatives both from the private and public sectors,

meet regularly to discuss priority FMR projects and

resolve issues in the implementation of FMR projects.

Sugarcane industry stakeholders especially the

sugarcane small farmers will benefit on these projects

by providing accessible concrete roads in the

transport of their canes from their farm to the sugar

mill. – Alex Galicia

STATUS as of December 2018 GAA

2016 2017 2018*

Appropriation (In PhP)

914,400,000.00

547,045,000.00

750,000,000.00

No. of Sites

In Kms. No. of Sites

In Kms. No. of Sites

In Kms.

Pre-implementation stage 9 9.95

Awarded but construction not yet started

1 0.70 8 11.23

Awarded but with site modification

Construction completed and ready for turn-over

32 48.59 26 14.805 1 0.615

Completed but sub-standard or need or undergoing repairs

4 9.56

Construction still on-going / Not yet completed

5 10.3 12 15.135 27 25.60

Not concreted 1 1.61

Cannot be implemented due to ROW issue

1 0.252

Not implemented by DPWH 1 2.12

Total 43 72.18 39 30.64 46 47.64

* Fund for the 2018 FMR projects was transferred to DPWH dated Oct. 10, 2018, in the amount of

P 112.5 Million representing the mobilization fee (15% of the 750M)

2018 FARM - TO - MILL ROAD PROJECT

Barangay Lucsuhin to Brgy. Quilitisan, Calatagan, Batangas

Construction On-going

DON PEDRO MILL DISTRICT

2018 FARM - TO - MILL ROAD PROJECT

Brgy. Mataywanak, Tuy, Batangas

Construction On-going

- 5 Oct –Dec 2018

In line with this, one of the SIDA-RDE projects

incorporated was the Rapid Propagation of

Sugarcane High Yielding Varieties for the various

mill districts of Luzon & Mindanao. The project

aims to address low productivity caused by the

unavailability of specifically adaptable HYV

planting materials to specific mill districts with the

establishments of nursery areas to the different

mill districts of Luzon & Mindanao. This SIDA

Project has a total allocated budget of Php

15,864,441 of which Php 13,482,929.00 (85%

utilization) has already been downloaded or

allocated to the various implementing

organizations in the 10 mill districts of Luzon &

Mindanao. The following are the distribution of

allocations and their implementers:

Rapid Propagation …. from p. 1

List of Beneficiaries for the RAPID PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF SUGARCANE HIGH-YIELDING VARIETIES IN THE MILL DISTRICT of Luzon & Mindanao

MILL DISTRICT

IMPLEMENTING AGENCY

APPROVED ALLOCATIONS

APPROVED ALLOCATIONS BASED ON

SIGNED MOA REMARKS

DON PEDRO Don Pedro MDDFI 1,566,684.00 1,566,684.00

For establishment, with CSO accreditation

BALAYAN Balayan MDDFI 2,163,822.00 1,836,702.00

• For preparation of Job Request and Purchase Request • Balance from the allocation waived

TARLAC Tarlac MDDCFI 1,125,200.00 1,125,200.00

• For preparation of Job Request and Purchase Request

ISABELA Isabela State University (SUC)

517,810.00 517,810.00

• Total allocation was downloaded to the proponent with funds from the COB (275,042). • 9 ha. Land prepared of which 1 ha. has planted of PHIL 99-1793

PENSUMIL

Tinangis Upland Farmers Consumers Cooperative (BLOCK FARM) 410,623.00

171,190.00

• Cut-back and distribution August, 2018

Guinaban Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BLOCK FARM)

170,856.00 • Established already

BUKIDNON

Bukidnon MDDCFI

6,765,285.00

4,698,540.00 • Established/planted 15 hectares

Sugarcane Farmers of Bukidnon Multi-Purpose Cooperative

1,281,420.00

• For establishment

Association of Bukidnon Sugar Farmers Inc.

-

For Compliance of the requirement: • Final Project Proposal • Work plan and Financial plan • Inspection Report

Sugar Producer Association of Bukidnon Inc.(COOP.)

-

• Farm and budget plan on fertilizer application is for review and to be certified by MDO. General Information sheet is for update.

DAVAO Davao MDDFI 1,070,727.00 1,070,727.00

• Cut back for 3 hectare established is on Feb. 2019

COTABATO Cotabato MMDCFI 1,043,800.00 1,043,800.00

• 3.08 hectare established

TOTAL 15,864,441.00 13,482,929.00 Remaining allocation of the

project 2,381,512.00

Ms. Ma. Teresa Caballero of the Pensumil Mill District

along with Sr. Agriculturist Adel Catuira witness the

maiden harvest of the Rapid Propagation project at the

Tinangis BF, Pili, Camarines Sur.

- 6 Oct –Dec 2018

TECHNOLOGY SEMINARS STAGED

In order to enhance agricultural technology awareness

in crop production for sugarcane, the Department of

Agrarian Reform together with the Sugar Regulatory

Administration conducted a series of seminars on

Sugarcane Production Technology– on October 2,

2018 that was participated in by 42 small farmers from

Balite, San Jose, Quezon, Bukidnon; October 3, 2018

with 43 small farmers of Kawilihan, Don Carlos,

Bukidnon; October 24, 2018, at Matampay, Kadingilan,

Bukidnon with a total of 43 participants and the last leg

was staged on November 15, 2018 at Cabadiangan,

Kadingilan, Bukidnon.

During the seminar, SRA agriculturists introduced

some of the new ways and techniques to increase the

yield production in sugarcane farming focusing on soil

management e.g. maintaining soil structure through

trash farming, proper cultivation, and the right timing

and amount of applying fertilizers to sugarcane.

INTERVENTIONS FOR BLOCK FARMS

One of the interventions in the SIDA Block Farm

Program is the provision of the Outreach Program for

the Sugarcane Industry (OPSI). This is an educational

training which hones knowledge and skills in sugarcane

production to help farmers increase their farm

productivity and efficiency. The Sugar Regulatory

Administration

(SRA) conducted

said training to

six block farms

in the Bukidnon

Mill District.

Composed of two

days, the seminar was staged for every block farm. It

was facilitated by the respective SRA officials divided

into two groups namely, Mr. Joel Ronario, Agriculturist

II and Ms.

Marissa Tiu from

Quezon City, Mr.

Wilfredo A.

Mapano, Senior

Agriculturist, Mr.

Ismael B. Braga,

Mr Hilario A.

Sarmiento , and

Mr. Donrick

Balacase for

Group 1 while

Mr. Adel V.

Catuira, Senior Agriculturist and Ms. Evelyn

Estanislao, BF Coordinator from Quezon City, Mr.

Edgar V. Aclao, Mill District Officer, Metchell B.

Alimbobong and Lorjune Boiser, Technical Officers,

and El Mark Jakosalem, Agricultural Technologist

complete the line-up for Group 2. The seminar started

on November 19 and lasted until November 24, 2018.

The first batch of OPSI was conducted on November 19

to 20, 2018. This was participated in by 30 P4MP block

farm members from San Antonio East, Don Carlos,

Bukidnon and 30 BUKICARB block farm members

from Maray-maray, Don Carlos, Bukidnon. The next

leg was on November 21 and 22 which was participated

in by 27 OAFLA BF members from North Poblacion,

Maramag, Bukidnon and 30 TOSJ BF members from

Kuya, Maramag, Bukidnon. Lastly, on November 23

and 24, 2018, 30 HMPC BF members from

Hindangon, Valencia City, Bukidnon and 30 LMPC BF

members from Lumintao, Quezon, Bukidnon were the

target participants.

SOCIALIZED CREDIT PROGRAM

MEETING CONDUCTED

The Socialized Credit Program or SCP is one

remarkable project of the Sugar Regulatory

Administration which aims to provide financial support

to small farmers. In this program, qualified applicants

will be given a chance to loan an amount of more or

less Php 100,000 per hectare with 2% interest per

annum.

Presently, there are 38 qualified applicants from

Bukidnon waiting for the response of the Land Bank of

the Philippines for the release of the loaned amounts.

This is indeed a big program under the SIDA Act of

2015 and thus, proper and strict implementation of rules

and regulations are observed.

In connection with this, a Socialized Credit Program

meeting was held on November 16, 2018 at the RTC,

BUSCO, Butong, Quezon, Bukidnon. It was attended

by the concerned stakeholders along with the mill

Ms. Evelyn Estanislao acting as re-

source speaker in one of the OPSI

trainings staged.

Participants from Kawilihan, Don Carlos, Bukidnon

eagerly listen during the seminar on Sugarcane

Production Technology.

- 7 Oct –Dec 2018

district officers and SRA staff.

SCP Chair Atty. Roland Beltran shed light on various

matters regarding the program namely the processes

and requirements needed, the protocol followed by

LBP under the SIDA Act of 2015 before releasing the

loaned amount, and the LBP as the one in charge in

collecting the quedan from the planters’ associations.

After the thorough explanation of the matter on hand,

there was an open forum to cater and address the

questions and concerns of the audience. There were

compliments, suggestions, and complains heard. One

of the participants complimented the program for its

aim to support small farmers that only asked for a 2%

interest per annum. But there was also one who

complained and suggested that for the convenience of

the planters, there should be less number of

requirements to be passed and that the loan be released

fast. All these concerns and questions were answered

and addressed by Mr. Wilfredo A. Mapano, Atty.

Roland Beltran, and a representative from the LBP.

FARM TO MILL ROAD (FMR)

PROJECT INSPECTED

In order to ensure the quality of the farm-to-mill roads,

on November 27, 2018, Engr. Normel Farajib from

SRA Bacolod and Engr. Ador Bacani of SRA LAREC

together with DPWH engineers (as the designated

engineering and construction arm of the State) and

select SRA staff conducted an inspection for the FMR

project of 2016 at Crossing Bida to Lumintao, Quezon

and Maramag to Oadi, Quezon, Bukidnon. The

purpose of the inspection was to validate if procedures

were properly done, completed and observed and to

examine if it passed the FMR qualifications.

During the inspection, there were problems observed

at Crossing Bida to Lumintao like road cracks and road

defects while in Maramag to Oadi, Quezon, no

problem was observed and the areas with defects were

repaired.

AWS RE-INSTALLATION CONDUCTED

For a faster and easier way to receive and transfer

weather data, SRA Engr. Francis David, Information

Technologist Mr.

Rolando Torres and

Agriculture Technologist

Mr. El Mark O.

Jakosalem along with

technical surveyors

recently conducted an

Automatic Weather

Station (AWS) re-

installation at the

Gamboa Farm in

Valencia City, Bukidnon.

During the procedure, the

defects with the data

logger were repaired and new cable wires were

installed. The data gathered by the AWS device are

very important to determine the rainfall and

temperature update since changes in the weather can

affect sugarcane production. With this updated and

new AWS, the SRA can greatly help farmers by

informing them with the sudden changes in the

weather status.

COA CONDUCTS

PERFORMANCE AUDIT

One of the indicators that an agency is doing its duties

and responsibilities well is through a thorough

evaluation of its performance. In connection with this,

Ms. Annaliza Reodigue and Ms. Pamela Enoc,

auditors from the Commission on Audit visited

Bukidnon on November 10-11, 2018 and conducted a

performance audit to the three 2016 block farms

namely, KISFO, SAKAMPU, and BARCC.

On said dates, the auditors distributed questionnaires

to the block farm members to evaluate the

performance of SRA with regards to the interventions

it gave, seminars conducted, and dissemination of new

varieties, etc.

Stakeholders got enlightened on a lot of things about the

SCP through the meeting held.

SRA personnel along with DPWH engineers during the

inspection of the FMR project.

SRA technical personnel

oversee the re-installation

of the AWS.

- 8 Oct –Dec 2018

Indeed, this validation is an opportunity for growth and

a reminder that the agency is doing a great job.

SRA-GAD SPONSORS GST, VAWC AND

DRRM SEMINARS

No one cannot predict when and where calamities

strike. It is imperative therefore that everyone must be

ready and prepared in case of emergency. One must be

aware of the basic and necessary measures to take in

order to avoid injury or worst death.

To shed light on such timely and relevant topic, Mr.

Marco Soriano and Mr.Raphael Henri Mundo of SRA,

Quezon City, together with a Local Government Unit

(LGU) representative from Pangantucan, Bukidnon

conducted a seminar on Disaster Risk Reduction

Management (DRRM) at Kuya, Maramag, Bukidnon

on October 25, 2018. It was participated in by the

sugarcane farmers of the Tribal Organization of San

Jose (TOSJ) Block Farm.

This seminar aimed to educate individuals on the

execution of basic safety steps when natural hazards

occur like earthquakes and floods and to reduce the

damage it cause.

During the

seminar, the

resource speaker

demonstrated

the different

procedures that

should be

undertaken

during natural

calamities. For

example, terms

such as ―Duck‖,

―Cover‖, and

―Hold‖ during

an earthquake were defined. Also discussed were the

safety measures before, during, and after the hazard and

the important things to prepare.

The participants

were glad that they

were able to attend

this kind of activity

in which they have

learned the do’s

and don’ts in

critical situations.

Indeed, this

seminar is of

great help to

the farmers of

the Tribal Organization of San Jose (TOSJ) block farm.

Meanwhile, on October 26, 2018, Mr. Soriano and Mr.

Mundo travelled to Hindangon, Valencia City,

Bukidnon to conduct a training on Gender Sensitivity

and Violence against Women and Children. Target

participants were sugarcane farmers and workers of

Hindangon CBFMFA. Here, the participants were

enlightened on various gender concepts and some basic

knowledge on what and how to address cases of

VAWC.

The DRRM seminar is truly one

effective way to handle natural hazards.

Participants listen attentively to Mr.

Marco Soriano as he lectures on GST..

Luzon & Mindanao Mill District Balita

M. Dina Padilla-Fernandez, PhD

Editor-in-Chief

Joseph Peter R. Gonzales

Managing Editor

Mafi Ramos Evelyn Estanislao

John Paul Antes

Contributing Writers

Adel V. Catuira Evelyn Estanislao Laverne C. Olalia

Field Reporters

Lito Caranguian

(Cagayan)

Joel G. Ronario

(Tarlac)

Zyrus Montiel

(Pampanga)

Celso Ersando

(Don Pedro)

Lucio Santiago

(Balayan)

Salvador B. Ocampo

(Pensumil)

Wilfredo A. Mapano

(Bukidnon)

Edgar V. Aclao

(Davao)

Ireneo F. Nuňez

(Cotabato)

Marissa Tiu

Reproduction and Distribution