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Jetski ride to Rise: Baste subs for Rody

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte skipped the jet ski ride to Benham Rise or Philippine Rise on Tuesday, but presidential son Sebastian Duterte and Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go did, the Palace said Tuaesday.

Go said he and Sebastian “represented” the President by doing the jet ski ride.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte’s trip to Philippine Rise to send off Filipino scientists who will conduct maritime research was both “symbolic” and “assertive.”

He made his remarks as Duterte was set to lead the sendoff to commemorate the 2012 United Nations declaration that the undersea feature was part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf.

Although Duterte did not show up during the trip to the Philippine Rise, Roque said the visit of Sebastian and Go was part of Duterte’s simple ceremonial sendoff for the team to begin the country’s first scientific research in the vast undersea plateau off Aurora province.

With a jetski ride, Presidential son Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte and Special Assistant to the President Christopher ‘Bong’ Go hold a sendoff ceremony for 50 Filipino scientists waho will conducat research on the vast expanse of the Philippine (Benham) Rise.

Duterte said Philippine Rise was part of Philippine territory and warned he would declare war against any foreign country going there without the Philippine government’s permission.

Philippine Rise is an offshore frontier facing the Pacific Ocean that is about 24 million hectares and is in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

Philippine security officials raised concern about intrusions when a Chinese ship was monitored criss-crossing the waters early last year, drawing public attention to the territory that some believe could be harboring gas and oil deposits aside from its rich fishing areas.

Roque said Duterte will send some 50 Filipino researchers who will study the resource-rich area.

China has converted three reefs in the disputed West Philippine Sea into artificial islands into military posts, but Roque said the Philippines did not relinquish any claim to any disputed region.

“We have always been putting down our feet. We have not surrendered our title, we have not relinquished our title, we maintain we have title,” Roque said.

DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña attends the 2nd Stakeholder's Meeting, Groundwater Management Plan for Zamboanga Presentation, MOA signing and Groundbreaking Ceremony of Ateneo de Manila University (PHOTO RELEASE)

DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña attends the 2nd Stakeholder's Meeting, Groundwater Management Plan for Zamboanga Presentation, MOA signing and Groundbreaking Ceremony of Ateneo de Manila University in collaboration with the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), the Ateneo de Zamboanga and the city of Zamboanga. The project is funded by NWRB and the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD).Zamboanga City.11May2018

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DOST sees ‘carrageenan’ as solution to rice sufficiency

by: Mark Djeron C. Tumabao

BALLESTEROS, Cagayan, May 17 (PIA) -- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has high hopes that the Cagayan Valley region will be rice sufficient in the next three years following the testimonies of farmer-beneficiaries and positive results of the ‘carrageenan’ application regionwide.

Carrageenan is an indigestible carbohydrate (polysaccharide) extracted from edible seaweeds which is used as an effective growth promoter and makes rice resistant to major pests.

During the Rice Harvest Festival at barangay Fugu in this town, farmer-beneficiaries were elated to inform the officials of DOST Region 2 that their yield significantly increased to approximately 18 to 40 percent after applying Carrageenan to their palays.

DOST regional director Sancho Mabborang said of the 3,000 hectares committed for carrageenan application, close to 1,000 farmers in the Cagayan Valley region have benefited since it was introduced in the region three years ago.

“Kung ito po ay magtuluy-tuloy, mas marami pong farmers ang magbebenefit dito. Ang tantiya ko po sa susunod na tatlong taon ay magiging rice sufficient na tayo,” Mabborang said.

He further said that ‘carrageenan’ is a product of the continuing research of the DOST aimed primarily at helping farmers to increase their yield.

“Dinala po natin sa field ang carrageenan at tuluy-tuloy po ang pananaliksik na ginagawa ng DOST. Napakaganda po ng mga datos na nakuha natin sa laboratoryo kaya ngayon ay ina-apply na natin sa field,” the regional director added.

Orlando Thomas, one of the farmer-beneficiaries here, said that aside from increasing the yield of farmers, carrageenan is also effective as pest controller as pests were being shooed after series of applications.

Thomas said during the first cropping for the dry season, his two hectares were planted with palay of which the one hectare was applied with fertilizer while the other one hectare was applied with Carrageenan.

“Nakita ko ang pagkakaiba ng palay na ginamitan ng abono at carrageenan. Sa carrageenan, bukod sa mas malusog ay umaalis ang mga peste gaya ng mga uod,” Thomas bared.

Evelyn Camacho, who received nine liters of Carrageenan from DOST, said she applied the product to her vegetable plants such as eggplant, okra and mung bean.

“Okay din naman po pala kapag gamitin ito sa mga gulay. Mas malusog at mas maganda ang bunga,” Camacho attested.

Mabborang committed to provide another batch of free carrageenan supply to farmer-beneficiaries here following their positive feedback.

“Ang amin pong tulong ay walang hinihinging kapalit. Ang gusto lang po naming makita ay mapakinabangan ninyo yung mga pananaliksik na ginagawa at ginastusan ng gobyerno. Kapag nakita po namin na inyong napakinabangan ay kumpleto na po ang aming trabaho,” Mabborang added. (ALM/MDCT/PIA-2)