Monday, August 17, 2015

DTI turns over milking machines to dairy farmers in Nueva Ecija thru SSF scheme




SCIENCE CITY OF MUNOZ, Nueva Ecija, Aug. 4 (PNA) --The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has turned over milking machines to dairy farmers here under its shared service facility (SSF) program.

The beneficiaries of the DTI’s SSF milking machines are the farmer-trustees of the 11 dairy cooperatives being assisted by the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), which is the agency’s National Impact Zone (NIZ) under the Carabao Development Program (CDP).

The units consist of two double-bucket type milking machines and two milk cans, each with 40-liter capacity. The milking machines come in two types: electrical and gas engine-driven

The SSF grantees are the Nag-iisang Masikap Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative (PMPC), Pulong Buli PMPC, Bagong Pag-asa sa Bagong Talavera PMPC, Casile Dairy PMPC, Simula ng Panibagong Bukas MPC, Ayos Lomboy Dairy Cooperative, Buklod Producers Cooperative, KAPAGENA, Kabulihan Producers Cooperative, Dimasalang Sur Credit Cooperative, and San Vicente Dairy Producers Cooperative.

Dr. Peregrino G. Duran, team leader of the PCC dairy herd improvement-enterprise development program, said the maximum utilization of milking machine is highly recommended to keep it in good working condition.

Duran said that only the province of Nueva Ecija received the most number of milking machines under DTI’s SSF scheme.

Engineer Eladio N. Duran, DTI small and medium enterprise development division chief, said that any farmer-cooperator who wants to borrow unutilized units can submit a letter-request to DTI to avail of the equipment.

“You need to utilize the milking machine otherwise it will become rusty and eventually unserviceable. It is also significant for all of you to know the importance of regular milking of the animals to prevent mastitis and to boost its milk production potential,” Dr. Felomino V. Mamuad, PCC deputy executive director, reminded the farmer-trustees. (PNA)
RMA/zst/MEG/ps

Old rivals Umali, Joson meet, greet in wake of Ecija vice gov’s mom




Manny Galvez

CABANATUAN CITY – Political archrivals, Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali and former vice governor Edward Thomas Joson met and greeted each other during a chance encounter after several years in the wake of Vice Gov. Jose Gay Padiernos’ mom in Taguig City.
          Umali and Joson, eldest son of former four-time governor Tomas Joson III, came across each other at the wake of Francisca Garcia-Padiernos at the Heritage Park in Taguig Sunday night.
          The governor came to the wake with his wife, third district Rep. Czarina Umali while Joson came with his cousins, Board Member Rey Joson and Quezon Mayor Dean Joson.
          A board member who was privy to the meeting said the archrivals were cordial to each other and exchanged pleasantries after Vice Governor Padiernos sidled up to the governor and informed him about the presence of the Josons.
          The Umalis and Josons sat on two separate tables during the occasion which also saw the presence in separate nights of several high-profile visitors, guests and well-wishers, including Vice President Jejomar Binay, Sen. Nancy Binay and political leaders from the province, including Reps. Magnolia Antonino and Joseph Gilbert Violago, former allies of Umali.
          Antonino’s father Rodolfo, a former three-term congressman, is running for governor against Czarina.
          Governor Umali and Edward Thomas twice squared off in the bitterly contested 2001 congressional and the 2010 gubernatorial elections. Both times, Umali emerged victorious.
          It was Umali who ended the 48-year reign of the Josons at the Capitol when he defeated Edward Thomas’ uncle, former vice governor Mariano Cristino in the elections.
          Aside from beating Edward Thomas and Mariano Cristino, Umali also defeated Mariano Cristino’s wife, former four-term first district Rep. Josefina Manuel-Joson in the 2013 gubernatorial polls.
          In a talk with reporters, Umali downplayed the meeting, saying it has been customary on his part to meet and greet with people from the other political camp.
          “Yes, it was the first time we met after a long time. If he (Edward Thomas) was condoling with the family of the Padiernos, I, too, am condoling,” he said.
          He said that in the past, he has also come across the other Josons like Tomas III, Mariano Cristino and former congressman Eduardo Nonato and he had seen to it that they greet each other, in spite of their past political encounters.
          “I can’t be accused by anybody of being arrogant because I go out of my way to be cordial with them and with everybody,” he said.
          For his part, Vice Governor Padiernos said the meeting is a demonstration that political leaders in Nueva Ecija are one big family. “Irregardless of our political affiliations, still we are a family and that’s why politics can’t divide us,” he said.
          He said he was not playing politics. “If I would be playing politics, then I would have brought the remains of my Mom in my hometown in Gapan City but I did not,” he said. – Manny Galvez