SIMBULO ng ating bansa ang ating mga bandila at tuwing ito ay nakikitang nakawagayway sa ating mga tanggapan ay nagkakaroon tayo ng pakiramdam na lalo nating kailangang mahalin ang ating inang bayan. Ngunit sa maraming tanggapan ng pamahalaan ngayon ay tila ba waring napapabayaan ang ating mga nakawagayway na mga bandila. Makikitang mga sira sira na ito, punit at marumi ang karamihan.
Hindi naman ganoon kamahal ang bagbili ng bandila sa ating mga bookstores pero sa mga malalayong lugar sa bansa na limitado ang access sa mga mapagbibilhan ng bandila at pamalit sa sira, punit at maruming watawat maari naman nila itong labhan at tahiin.
Ang suliranin ding ito ang nag udyok sa mga makabayang Filipino na pinangunahan ng National Historical Commission of the Philippines na simulan ang isang kampanya para sa malilinis na bandila sa buong bansa at sinimulan nila ito sa punong tanggapan ng Philippine National Police sa kampo Crame kamakailan.
Pangunahing nagmamahal sa ating bandila ay ang ating mga armed services sa gobyerno gaya ng pulis, at militar, sila ay yaong mga taong masasabing ang isang paa ay nasa hukay sa tuwing gagampanan nila ang kanilang tungkulin at sila ang mga kawaning tunay na handang ibuwis ang buhay para sa bandila.
Ang nasabing programa ng gobyerno at ng NHCP ay gagawin nila sa buong bansa at uunahin lamang ang punong tanggapan ng pulisya, isusunod ang mga pagamutan, kampo ng militar, paaralan atbp. Sinaksihan ang programa ni Police General Oscar Albayalde, Pinuno ng Philippine National Police.///Michael Balaguer, 09333816694, michaelbalaguer@yahoo.co.uk

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DOST-PCAARRD welcomes its newest R&D consortium, MAARRDEC

The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) approved the creation of the MIMAROPA Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (MAARRDEC) during its 4th Special Directors’ Council meeting held last March 12, 2019.

MAARRDEC is now officially the 16th R&D consortia, which will focus on the region’s agriculture, aquatic and natural resources R&D concerns addressing specific needs such as in biodiversity, (e.g, Tamaraw conservation), and marine and freshwater ecosystems.

Its establishment recognizes the unique socioeconomic and geographical features of its five provinces – Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan (MIMAROPA) which remain largely agricultural and coastal. Its island provinces as either major or emerging tourism hubs with the potential to drive economic growth through agri-aqua and ecotourism development.

As an R&D network, it aims to address key challenges in the region’s AANR sector through strategic R&D, capability building and governance, R&D utilization, and policy analysis and advocacy; serve as a venue for joint planning, monitoring, evaluation, and sharing of resources through collaborative interventions among member agencies; and harmonize and synchronize R&D activities and efforts for broader impact to the region.

The new consortium has 11 member agencies with the Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology (MinSCAT) as its base agency. The member agencies include the Occidental Mindoro State College, Marinduque State College, Romblon State University, Palawan State University, Western Philippines University; and MiMaRoPa Regional Offices of the Department of Agriculture (DA), DOST, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and DA-Agricultural Training Institute.

MAARRDEC will be led by Dr. Levy B. Arago, Jr., MinSCAT President, as its first Regional R&D Coordinating Council Chair. Dr. Maria Concepcion L. Mores, MinSCAT Vice President for RDE, will serve as the Consortium Director (Joel Eneristo A. Joven, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services).

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Monsanto PH, Catholic Women’s League extend support
to abandoned elderly in Laguna
Monsanto Philippines recently partnered with the Catholic Women’s League- Immaculate Conception Parish of Los Baños (CWL-ICP) to reach out to the abandoned elderly of Bahay ni Maria in Calamba, Laguna. Monsanto employees together with the officers and members of Catholic Women’s League brought cheer to the elderly residents by giving love donations and serenading them with songs.
Monsanto’s Corporate Engagement Lead Charina Ocampo said “we exert effort to reach out to marginalized groups such as abandoned elderly and people with disabilities because they are an integral part of our society. We interact on a personal level and not just provide donations because they also have emotional and psychological needs.”
The employees together with the members of CWL-ICP entertained the residents with a short program and shared a pleasant meal with them. Monsanto also donated hygiene kits, pillows, and sacks of rice to the residents.
Sister Queenie, one of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Fatima who have been taking care of the ‘Lolas’ at Bahay ni Maria, said “we are indeed thankful to Monsanto Philippines and CWL-ICP for taking their time and effort to visit us and bring joy to our Lolas.”
The Catholic Women’s League is a Roman Catholic lay organization whose objectives are to be of moral and religious influence to society in general. President of CWL-ICP Los Baños Chapter, Ms. Millet Catedrilla also expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to partner with Monsanto Philippines for such a meaningful cause. “It is our first time to do an outreach activity in partnership with a private company and we are very glad that we were able to extend assistance to the elderly residents of Bahay ni Maria with the help and initiative of Monsanto Philippines,” Ms. Catedrilla highlighted.

Meanwhile, Monsanto Philippines sells Bt corn which is a transgenic crop. It may be recalled that in 2009, a Vatican study endorsed transgenic crops. The study stated “in light of eight years of experience with growing transgenic crops, many additional field trials, and many additional published research reports, the conference concluded that the scientific evidence is overwhelming that transgenic crops improve the lives of the poor and offer additional significant improvements in their lives in the years to come.”
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Monsanto Philippines partnered with the Catholic Women’s League- Immaculate Conception Parish of Los Baños (CWL-ICP) to reach out to the elders of Bahay ni Maria in Calamba, Laguna. During the visit, Monsanto employees together with the members of CWL-ICP serenaded the residents with some songs, while also donating basic necessities such as hygiene kits, pillows, and sacks of rice.

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About Monsanto Philippines
Monsanto Philippines is a local unit of Monsanto, a Fortune 500 global power company with a diverse portfolio of advanced biotechnology products produced in 404 facilities in 66 countries. To date, Monsanto Philippines has four facilities spread out across the country, which includes its head office in Alabang, a Refuge-in-a-Bag (RIB) Plant and cold warehouse located in Bulacan, and an R&D station in Mindanao. The company also has partnerships with the Philippine government through the Department of Agriculture as well as the local scientific and academic communities in the promotion of modern agricultural biotechnology. To learn more, please visit www.monsanto.ph.

About Monsanto
Monsanto is committed to bringing a broad range of solutions to help nourish our growing world. We produce seeds for fruits, vegetables and key crops – such as corn, soybeans, sorghum, canola, and cotton – that help farmers have better harvests while using water and other important resources more efficiently. We work to find sustainable solutions for soil health, help farmers use data to improve farming practices and conserve natural resources, and provide crop protection products to minimize damage from pests and disease. Through programs and partnerships, we collaborate with farmers, researchers, nonprofit organizations, universities and others to help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges