Month: September 2013

They gathered trash of all sorts, mostly items made from plastic, wrappers and cups. They cut unkempt grasses and swept the ground. It was a bit tiring yet satisfying experience after seeing the results of their labor: a spic- and-span city.

 

This was the happy outcome of the participation of 31 staff members of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) in the observance of the “World Clean-Up Day” last September 20 at the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

 

Earlier, Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, issued Memorandum Circular No. 2013-92 enjoining the holding of a clean-up activity in cities and municipalities across the country “to lessen the retrograding effects of climate change.”

 

In response, Science City of Muñoz Mayor Nestor L. Alvarez issued a letter-appeal to the different agencies located within the City, barangay officials, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, non-government organizations (NGO’s) and non-government agencies (NGA’s) to participate in the city-wide clean-up drive.

 

Engr. June M. Mico, head of the City Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO) office, who was designated lead person of the clean-up activity, assigned the participating entities to various barangays as their adopted villages for the activity.

 

The PCC was assigned to Barangay Licaong. Barangay officials and 4Ps beneficiaries joined them in the activity and enthusiastically went about their clean-up chores.

 

Started at seven in the morning, the activity was completed after three hours of continuous work in the agency’s assigned spot.

 

A total of 317 staff of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) have completed a training course designed to uplift the “pioneering spirit” of employees to improve their work performance.

 

Conducted in eight batches from January to September this year, the mind-setting training was organized by PCC’s human resource development unit (HRDU) through Conrado Penuliar, human resource development officer, “to equip employees with positive attitude and better perspective in life.”

 

The HRDU coordinated with the Canaan Farmers Training Foundation Center (CFTFC), Inc. for the conduct of the said activity, which also offered the participants with core subject matters to attain the training objective.”

 

Venues for the training course were in different places. The PCC staff based in Luzon attended the training in Brgy. Gutad, Floridablanca, Pampanga, where the CFTFC headquarters and the training center are located. Those from Visayas and Mindanao attended the trainings in Panglao, Bohol and Central Mindanao University in Musuan, Bukidnon, respectively.

 

CFTFC president Kwan Soo Lee and CFTFC assistant director Neribeth Ignacio served as main resource persons. Their lectures and subsequent discussions focused on the Canaan pioneering history and spirit, strategies, living constitution, basic economy, community development and life towards Canaan.

 

Aside from group discussions and practical exercises, actual field work in a farm setting was undertaken. Sharing of experiences was also included in the training course. All told, the training essence was to let participants experience “real ways of living”, particularly to promote spirit of cooperation “to experience life and transformation”.

 

“If anyone has no transformation of mind, he cannot change his behavior, because behavior is controlled by the mind. If transformed, he can see himself better and is able to correct his old or unproductive mindset. Thus, he can see the world from a better perspective and be able to do things to help change the world,” Lee stressed in his opening messages for all the training batches. “Significant transformation requires discipline, training, and practice,” he added.

 

In the aftermath of the training, Guillerma Abay-abay, agriculturist II, one of the participants from the Visayas region, was quoted as saying:  “After the training, ang laki ng impact niya sa amin at sa buhay ko. Ngayon we implemented a physical fitness hour o bayanihan every week to apply the spirit of cooperativism sa aming office. Naging aware na din kami sa oras kaya nagkaroon na kami ng time management na dapat we have to work at least four hours bago kumain at nagkaroon na din ako ng time sa family ko. Hindi na puro work lang… (The training created a big impact on us and in my personal life. Now, we implement a physical fitness hour every week to apply the spirit of cooperativism in our office. We also became time-conscious and learned about time management wherein we have to work at least four hours before we eat. Now, I also have quality time for my family. It’s not only work that matters).”

 

For his part, Mario Delizo, field technician based in the Nueva Ecija area, declared: “Tumaas lalo ang self-idealism ko. Nagkaroon ako ng pag-asa kasi dati parang nilimit ko na ang sarili ko sa ginagawa ko noon. Ngayon, nakakita ako ng hope to improve further my services lalo na kaming mga project-based employees (My self-idealism was uplifted, I became hopeful unlike before when I limited myself to the tasks at hand. I saw hope in improving further my services as a project-based personnel.”

 

On the other hand, according to Dennis Cotillas of the dairy processing unit of PCC at USF in Ubay, Bohol, he has learned not to waste food anymore, and that “I need to be physically fit for my work and for the service I give to the people.”

 

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Region I recently extended a shared service facility (SSF) for carabao dairy processing worth some P800,000 to the Bantog Samahang Nayon Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BSNMPC) in Asingan, Pangasinan.

 

The BSNMPC, which is an assisted-group of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), received two soft ice cream makers, three chest-type freezers, two upright freezer/refrigerators and three milking machines.

 

The SSF Project is one of the flagship undertakings of DTI launched in 2012 in support of qualified and interested micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). It is aimed at hastening and increasing production capacities of the beneficiaries to improve product quality and enhance competitive footing in the global market.

 

Regional Director Florante O. Leal of DTI-Region I, Center Director Gloria M. dela Cruz of PCC at Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (PCC-DMMMSU) in La Union and Asingan Mayor Heidee G. Chua led the turnover ceremony dubbed “Launching of the Shared Service Facility (SSF) on Carabao Dairy Processing” held in Asingan, Pangasinan.

 

More than 70 farmers from different cooperatives attended the program along with other officials of DTI-Region I, officials from the local government units (LGUs) of the towns of Asingan, Sta. Maria, Umingan and San Nicolas, Pangasinan, and PCC staff members.

 

Coop chair Modesto Gabriel accepted the donations in behalf of the BSNMPC.

 

Pangasinan Governor Amadeo T. Espino, Jr., who was invited as a guest speaker for the program, was represented by Ranjit R. Shahani, provincial board member of the 6th district of the province.

 

Shahani spoke about how the processing equipment lot was acquired and the entities who made the project possible. He exhorted the coop members to ensure proper maintenance of the processing plant and its facilities in order to make it continuously operational and viable.

 

On the other hand, Dr. Annabelle S. Sarabia, PCC chief for operations, encouraged the local dairy farmers to continue their dairying venture and increase the production performance of their dairy animals in order to meet the required volume of milk needed by the processing plant to be fully operational.

 

The ceremony culminated with a guided tour of the BSNMPC processing plant and sampling of various carabao milk-based products. A sharing of coop experiences was also done.

 

Scientists and other technical staff of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) participated in a one-day seminar organized by the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) as part of its Science Seminar Series in Region III (Central Luzon).

 

Held on September 3, the activity was co-sponsored by PCC along with the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

 

The seminar topics discussed were “Capability-Building and Sustainable Biotechnology Information, Education and Communication for DOST and LGU Key Personnel,” “Orientation on Scientific Career System,” and “Ethical Standards for Researchers and Scientists for RDIs (research and development institutes) and SUCs (state colleges and universities).”

 

The speakers included Academician Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza, professor emeritus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) and executive secretary of NAST’s Scientific Career Council; Dr. Leslie Michelle Dalmacio, professor at UP-Manila; Dr. Apolinario Yambot, professor at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU); and Dr. Lerma C. Ocampo, senior science research specialist at PCC.

 

Wilfredo Sibal, technical services division chief of DOST-Region III, served as moderator of the open forum.

 

In her talk on the scientific career system, Mendoza, who is also NAST PHL secretary, focused on salient points of the merit system, and the qualifications and requirements in becoming a scientist as well as the benefits and incentives for scientists prescribed by the NAST.

 

“This orientation primarily aims to introduce the guidelines on the entrance to and/or conferment of rank in the Scientific Career System for anyone who aspires to become a scientist,” said Mendoza.

 

On the other hand, application, products, issues and concerns, including animal biotechnology were highlighted in the topic “Capability Building and Sustainable Biotechnology.”

 

Dexter Bautista of NAST said that the items discussed under this topic were relevant in raising awareness among the participants about modern biotechnology so that in return, when there are new technologies that come out which, among others, result in GMO products such as the BT corn, Golden Rice and others, the public can, in turn, be properly informed.

 

He added that this would hopefully address the public’s concern regarding the safety of GMO products commercially released for human consumption.

 

With regard to “Ethical Standards for Researchers and Scientists for RDI’s and SUCs”, Dr. Mendoza presented ethical principles and guidelines for Filipino scientists and researchers who conduct scientific researches or are involved in scientific work.

 

These principles and guidelines include the ethical use of science in Philippine society; conflict of interest; intellectual honesty; weighing the benefits of science vis-à-vis potential harm; commitment to professional development as scientists; development of students and other stakeholders; and the advocacy for scientific approaches.

 

Aside from the PCC staff, the one-day affair held at the PCC National Headquarters was also attended by scientists, science teachers and trainers and some local government unit (LGU) personnel from different parts of Region III.