Problems are Opportunities (8): Raise Chickens for Eggs and Meat (Part 6)

March 7, 2014 | Filed under: Agriculture | Posted by: Larry Locara

Fast Growing Meat Type Chickens

Last week on our visit to the proposed Demonstration Farm of the Municipality of Mina, we met Mr. Gerry Suarnaba, a retired army man who lives just outside the perimeter fence of the farm. He gardens a small part of the area inside where he plants a variety of vegetables. What caught our attention were several chickens running around. The hen is a large meat type popularly called Kabir and the roosters were the asil types called locally as jolo. Gerry crosses the jolo males with the kabir hens and says that the offsprings are as fast growing as the kabirs and as resistant as the jolo or asils.

Being promoted as a free range chicken, the kabirs came into the country from Europe or Middle East where they are grown like the common white broiler chickens that we are familiar with. They were also selectively bred for performance, meaning that the breeders sought to improve the breed for fast growth and high meat recovery. Thus in close confinement and commercial operations, the kabirs may perform as well as the white broiler type can can be harvested in the same number of days it takes the white breeds to grow.

Kabir Eggs

Gold jolo with kabir hen

Red jolo with kabir hen

Gerry Suarnaba with a kabir hen

Municipal Agri Officer Xykster Pelaez holding a jolo cock

Kabir hen with newly hatched chicks

As a meat type free range chicken, the kabirs offer an advantage over the traditional native chickens we normally find in the rural areas. They grow fast, voraciously eats anything edible and can be as hardy as the native strains. They are also are docile and won’t stray away from their pasture when food is available. Unlike the native chickens which are flighty, kabirs can’t take off due to their heavy bodies and and short wing spans.

There are variations of the kabir breed. Other entrepreneurs have imported the Sasso from France a few years back and there are already breeders who specialize in selling day old chicks of this breed. There’s also the Sunshine free range chickens that looks like the sasso. Another breed is the naked neck chicken popularly called the cobra which originated in Eastern Europe, particularly from the Transylvania region also famous for the Count Dracula story. This breed is also known to be hardy and fast growing and is known to be made a parent line for free range chickens. The prominent feature of this breed is that its neck is devoid of feathers, thus it is popularly called a cobra chicken.

Breeding method for free range fast growing strains:

The basic method for breeding free range chicken is to cross totally unrelated breeds. In the case of Ka Gerry, he has jolo or asil brood cocks mated to his kabir hens. Since he has two cocks, he can mate the first cocks to the hens first then mate the next cock to the second generation of kabir x asil so that he comes up with fast growing range-adapted chickens. The resulting offspring will be as fast growing as the kabir hen but more resistant to weather conditions of the field. The same is true with other fast growing imported breeds like the sasso. They can be mated with the asils or other hardy large types of chickens.

There are also small farmers who do a reverse breeding program. They look for a large cock to mate with their small native hens and retain the resulting pullets for the next generation of breeding while selling the cockerels. Then on the next generation of breeding, they find another large rooster to replace the original rooster. Both methods are variations of hybridization where the objective is to develop strength in the individuals through complementation where the best characters of both parents are transferred to the offspring. (to be continued).

The dangers of modern chicken production

Modern chicken production strives to provide a constant supply of chickens and eggs to the consumers. The demand for both has led to the development of technologies for efficient production, from genetics to feeding, to disease control and to the inclusion of growth hormones in the diet or directly injected to the bodies of chickens. To enable layers to lay consistently and for more number of days per year, hormones are also included in the diets.

When antibiotics were first found to help fight disease in humans, animal scientists studied its applications in chicken and livestock production. By the 1950s, it was standard procedure to include antibiotics in commercial feeds and as a prevention measure, veterinary companies were selling soluble antibiotics coupled to vitamin-minerals as a standard supplement allegedly to boost immune systems and as a disease prevention mechanism.

The widespread use of antibiotics however has sown a wave of disease resistant bacteria where scientists scrambled to find new generation antibiotics just to check in resistant strains that do not anymore respond to the present types of antibiotics being added to the ration or to the water of chickens. These new antibiotics have also become more expensive that they have added to the production cost of both meat and egg type of chickens.

The need for efficient feed conversion and more eggs laid also led to the research of hormones and their use in livestock. By the late 1950s, the use of hormones became standard in the livestock industry and by the early part of the 1970s, a widely used synthetic hormone, DES (diethylstilboestrol)  had been banned due to findings that it increases the risk of cancer. The efficiency brought about by hormone use however has encouraged producers to continue the use of hormones in other forms and research in this line even intensified.

While the use of hormones is still widespread in large livestock like feeder or finisher cattle, poultry industry insiders contend that there is no need for hormones use in poultry, especially broilers which are harvested in less than 30 days now. They claim that the truth is that no hormones are used in poultry production. This is according to Dr Tom Tabler (Extension Professor), Jessica Wells (Extension Instructor) and Dr Wei Zhai (Assistant Research Professor, Poultry Science) of Mississippi State University Extension Service.

There are several reasons why broilers now. First is genetics: due to the competition, breeding companies breed the fastest growing strains and usually use hybridization which had been tested to produce fast growing and more resistant chickens. Geneticists now have produced chickens which grow to at least 1.2 kilograms in just 28 days.

Second is the new findings in nutrition that allow feed companies to produce the best quality feeds at the least possible cost without the use of additives. Each type or strain of chickens are also studied to determine their exact nutritional requirements so that there is no waste and that optimal growth is attained.

Third is that housing and other environmental requirements are now studied and the best possible growing environment for chickens are given. Concerns such as floor space requirements, ventilation, and other aspects are well taken cared of in the design of housing so that the chickens can grow at their fastest rate.

This new information should serve to somehow allay the fears of consumers on eating broilers or fast growing chickens. However, native chickens which are grown for a longer period tends to be more flavorful due to well developed tissues where glutamine, an amino acid that gives flavor had been fully developed. This is also the reason why for soups, older chickens are preferred while for fried chickens, the fast growing broilers are used.

Seniors and Still Full of Energy

March 28, 2014 | Filed under: Agriculture | Posted by: Larry Locara

Our visit to the on-going construction of a new farm to market road at Barangay Pandan, Dingle rewarded us with an insight on how senior citizens can still remain productive despite advancing age. Being in the countryside offers a big advantage to these people who can putter around their yard and exercise their limbs and muscles and thus prevent atrophy and debilitation.

Manong Manny Dator, a resident since birth of Brgy. Pandan is in his mid-70s and tapping the coconuts in his front yard is his way of spending his time. With about 6 coconuts planted close to each other, he has defied farming logic of close spacing where it is assumed that closely spaced plants will not bear fruits, or nuts in the case of coconuts. Just about 5 meters apart, his coconuts, the yellow dwarf variety once made popular by the Philippine Coconut Authority, are tapped for its sap or plant juice and either drank as tuba or fermented sap or directly made into vinegar.

Manang Regina Vilłasana holding her set 4kg rooster that came out of her native chickens

To make things easier for him, he has connected the coconuts with a series of big bamboo poles so once he is up tapping one floral shoot, he can proceed to the next palm without getting down, a tedious and painful task for him at his age. On a given day, his six palms produce not less than 5 liters, which if sold as fresh tuba or slightly fermented sap will sell for not less than P100.00, but will sell for P225.00 if fermented to vinegar in one month or more. Manong Manny ages his stocks of vinegar in a corner of his home lot where buyers can simply pass by and get their stocks. He has systematically arranged the bottles so that he knows instantly which bottles are already acidic and ready to sell.

With his family, Manny is getting his whole yard ready for a possible renovation into a home type resort and eating destination in the barangay. The soon to be completed road building project would now make his place easy to access and visitors can partake of clean healthful coconut sap drink, fresh young coconut, fresh vegetables and freshly killed native chickens. His vinegar sells for about P15.00 per lapad or the flat bottle originally containing rum, whiskey or brandy (330 ml.), while his tuba sells for about P20.00 per liter.

Nearby is Manang Regina Villasana who specializes in raising improved native chickens. Her stocks originally came from the darag strain now being popularized by the academe at WVSU and CPU. She complained that apparently that strain in synthetic and prone to diseases because of heavy inbreeding so she decided to do her own brand of breeding. She looked for fast growing strains and started again with the commercial day old chicks intended for growing to 1.5 kilos in 30 to 40 days. She chose the pullets to breed with a rooster from the darag batch and incubated the eggs through the surrogate hens that sit on eggs.

Manong Manny Dator beside one of the palms he taps for coco sap which naturally ferments to contain alcohol and further ferments to become vinegar

Every new generation, she selects same colored chickens to mate for the next generation. Now she has a brood of eight hens colored brown red just like the color of kabir chickens. They also approximate the size of these imported breed but her strain or breed is more resistant to diseases since their genetic make up is just like the darag chickens too. But her total population is never below 100 heads of all ages because of the regular batch that she sells. People already know her and go to her regularly to buy her native chickens. They find her chickens healthy and antibiotics free.

Manang Regina has a practical feeding method. She feeds her newly hatched chicks with a commercial ration for two weeks after which, she gradually shift them to her homemade ration she she herself makes. Once the chicks are ready to be ranged, she directs them together with the surrogate hen to the pile of leaves which she purposely collects and wets thoroughly so that termites will gradually colonize. Termites are excellent feed for chickens as their bodies are rich in amino acids and fats. Termites are also highly digestible. The surrogate hen teaches the chicks how to scratch and feed among the piles of leaves and other debris. Using this method, Regina not only saves on feed and management but also gives her chickens the best nutrition.

At her age, Regina is sprightly and full of energy because of the farm environment and the availability of vegetables that her family grows. Like any progressive farmer, she indulges in healthful food year round by growing them herself. She keeps abreast of the latest in farming because she is a member of the Community-based Participatory Action Research, a project of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit 6 under the able leadership of Director Larry Nacionales.

Problems are Opportunities (3): Raise Chickens for Eggs and Meat

Another of Yolanda's aftermath is the sudden disappearance of a table essential: the ubiquitous egg that's good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. And when they appeared, they have become expensive and unaffordable to the lower consuming class.

This problem however is an opportunity for those with a small space especially with a small area that can produce enough grass for forage. You can then raise a few heads of chickens for its meat or if you have the right breed, for eggs. If you have a small space in your front or backyard and are also engaged in small gardening where you raise plants for aesthetics or for food, chickens are an essential part of your system. Their manure is the most ideal organic fertilizer you need.

Breeds to raise:

Depending on your interest, you can choose from the many breeds available. If you have an interest for game fowls whose offsprings you can fight or sell to cockfighters, they are most ideal in the Ilonggo setting where cockfights are popular event and many earn from raising a few heads right in the yard. For decades now, Iloilo and negros are known as the game fowl center of the country where people go to buy quality game fowls, even those raised by small breeders and backyard raisers who breed to sell at a lower price.

Many of the residents of Villa Arevalo and the municipality of Oton engage in small scale game chicken raising for livelihood. While the stags or the cockerels are sold, the extra pullets and the eggs often go to the household pot o nourish the ever demanding nutritional requirements of the children in the family. It is said that in Iloilo, it is more profitable to raise game chickens than pigs. Yolanda had wreaked havoc on the gamefowl industry of Western Visayas while other typhoons have destroyed thousands of roosters in Luzon to the point that the demand for cocks and stags have practically doubled.

For dual purpose breeds, meaning, for eggs and meat, there are foreign breeds which were once imported by private individuals and by government but a few had remained mainly due to acclimatization problems. There also exotic breeds like the Egyptian, Kabir, Sasso and other but they suffered the same fate. Local breeds or the native chickens have endured several centuries of culture as they are part of the home or farm system. They subsist on feeds that they can forage and from table scraps thrown to them. But their basic weaknesses are that they are slow growers and become broody after only about 8 eggs laid.

Lately, there had been renewed attention of oriental chickens, particularly, the aseel or popularly called jolo. Jolo breeds are often used for naked heel fighting or locally known as “pauwak” where roosters are fought for one hour 30 minutes and those that are still standing up and pecking, win. However, the merits of the jolo breed goes beyond its prowess to withstand beating for one hour and a half. These are extra large chickens where the cocks weigh between 2 to 4 kilograms while the hens weigh from 1.5 to 2 kilograms. They are foragers and can subsist on limited and poor feed availability. Given a free range, they can scrounge around eating almost anything edible, from fresh tender nutrient rich plants, to worms and insects which are sources of proteins and amino acids for them.

They are also fast growers where at 50 to 60 days old, they can be slaughtered and would yield about 1 kilogram of meat. Their biggest asset however is their hens' capability to sit and hatch well. They are also good mothers and are fiercely protective of their brood. However, when hungry, they will also kill and eat their own hatchlings. Like native chickens however, they become broody or stop laying eggs and start to sit on their eggs when they have laid about 12 eggs.

Like all breeds, the farmer should strive to improve the jolo breed continuously. If he wants to improve it for egg laying, he can identify good layers in the flock and breed them to white leghorn males who are often passed in the streets as excess broiler chickens. White leghorns are known to lay as much as 320 eggs per year and in one spurt, they can lay up to 50 eggs before stopping for a few days then backl again. (to be continued)

Problems are Opportunities (2): Urban Gardening can be easy

Food particularly vegetables and meat had become scarce right after Typhoon Yolanda. Now that we are gradually recovering, another question cropped up: everything has become expensive. While once you can buy a slice of squash for P10.00, the smallest slice is now P20.00. A small bunch of leaf onions with 3 pcs., would now sell for P10.00, easily translating to P150 or more per kilogram of this necessary kitchen spice for Ilonggos.

Even indigenous nutritious vegetables like alugbati, tagabang, kulitis and lupo suddenly became scarce and when they reappeared, they cost like imported vegetables, leaving consumers with limited choices and getting into the habit of eating without vegetables in their diets.

But this should not be so. Even urban dwellers can have their fill of these health-giving vegetables right in the confines of their homes, albeit on a limited space. Every nook and cranny with ample sunlight can become growing areas for table essentials. One simply has to have the basic requirements for a good crop vegetables right at home.

Planting areas: the urban gardener's first hurdle is the place to plant or where to situate the planting area. Most vegetables need sunlight so the obvious place is where there is sunlight for most part of the day. So a place with at least 6 hours sunlight would offer the best location for the planting area.

Containers: Any container would do but for aesthetics, use uniform containers. For vegetables harvested within 30-60 days, a 3 to 5 liters container would be ideal. After harvest, one can simply pull out the vegetable and replace soil or at the very least add more organic fertilizers. For longer growing or frequently harvested vegetables, one can use larger vessels like the 10 liters to 20 liters pet bottles. Eggplants and tomatoes would grow best in 20 liters containers.

Soil media: Vegetables need the best soil for balanced growth which results to nutritious food. Chemically fertilized vegetables at most offer limited nutrients, mostly those that can be processed from the main or macro fertilizers like Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium and some bits of micro nutrients that results to large leaved plants but poor on nutritional value.

When organic fertilizers are used, plants grow slowly but its nutrition is complete, it would also offer large amounts of nutrients to the eater because of the complete nutrient profile it contains. This had been substantiated by many researches from past to present.

One basic mix that I often do is the 1:1 mix of organic matter and garden soil. If coconut husks are available, I chop them up and add them as the added 1:1:1 mix which makes the soil in the pot last longer and has much less compaction resulting to lesser frequency of soil replacement. With frequent watering with a weak solution of liquid fertilizers, the pot can hold several planting of vegetables.

To make one's own organic matter or fertilizer, one need not look far. He can start with organic kitchen waste and some other materials that can be composted like waste paper, cartons and similar materials, The easiest and fastest way to decompose organic matter would be to use the ubiquitous garbage bag, the black one since black absorbs the sun's heat better. Gather all the bio-degradable waste, wet with a solution of probiotics or the Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO) concentrate at the rate of 1 glass per 1 liters and water the waste matter. Seal tightly for two to three weeks and when you open it, it will smell a bit sweetish but the entire batch should already be black and decomposed. You can now expose this to open air so that the aerobic bacteria and fungus can now work on them for total decomposition. By the second month, it should be ready for use. By decomposing the biodegradable wastes that we generate, we accomplish two major triumphs: helping out the city government's waste disposal problem and make nutrient rich fertilizer at the same time.

One can also make his own foliar and liquid fertilizer from kitchen waste. Save the rice, fish and meat washings in a large pail. Measure a proportion of 2:1 of fish or meat washings to rice washings. The rice washing is good food for the lactobacilli which also feeds on the complex protein of the fish/meat washings to modify them into simple amino acids which also become nitrates that can be absorbed and utilized by the plants. One can add IMO to give more food for the bacteria for faster decomposition. Fish solutions are good sources of nitrogen to accelerate the growth of potted vegetables. To use, dissolve about a cup of the fish solution in 2-3 liters of water and water every week at the rate of 2-3 cups of the weak solution.

The use of earthworm manure or casting, popularly called vermi-cast as organic fertilizer is also recommended. One can get his seed stocks of the African Night Crawlers from any known source and start on a small area or even in pails. One feeds earthworms with semi decomposing vegetables and weed trimmings. They are relatively easy to grow but one has to watch for ants and pests that attack earthworms.

Vegetables to grow: Where there is an area where roots can penetrate deep into the soil, one can establish one or two malunggay (moringa) trees for a constant supply of fresh leaves. For potted vegetables, one rule of thumb that I discovered is that generally, one liter of rich soil can supply the requirements of vegetables for a month. So for lettuce, pechay and similar vegetables, a 1.5 liter pet bottle of cola is enough to produce a rich harvest within 30-40 days from planting. As soon as they are harvested, change the soil and plant another crop of these sub-tropical vegetables.

Kangkong, alugbati and kamote should be given a large container since they grow fast but exhaust soil nutrients fast. Alugbati is the heaviest consumer of soil nutrients. They are not good for container gardening unless you regularly water them and provide frequent fertilization either directly to the soil or through liquid application. Kangkong and camote leaves can be harvested every 7-10 days as they grow fast when right after harvest, they are dosed with liquid fertilizers. They can be productive for as long as six months before they are again repotted.

Eggplants and tomatoes are good pot-grown vegetables provided they are planted in a large pot, like 20-30 liters capacity. The used cement bag is good enough to grow an eggplant for as long as 6 months. They would fruit well especially when they are regularly fertilized. We had some eggplants that bore up to eight fruits simultaneously on a cement bag and was regularly fertilized with liquid manure tea.

Onions and chives which are grown for their leaves are among the popular vegetables to grow in small containers and pots. We usually grow them in 5x8 plastic bags or ½ the 1.5 liters pet bottles and in 60 days or so, we harvest 5-7 pcs per bottle or pot. We also regularly water them with a weak solution of manure tea or fish solution which hastens their growth and gets them to branch faster.

Yes, urban gardening is easy and one can get both physical and emotional satisfaction from growing one's food.

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: THE DINGLE (ILOILO) MODEL

Two major typhoons within a six years period was enough to put Dingle into a typhoon preparedness mode that enabled it to be prepared better for this latest super howler- Yolanda (International Code Name: Haiyan). Each of the two previous typhoons gave lessons and learning that brought the whole local government unit (LGU) into a higher level and resulted to zero casualty this time. Yet despite the system, “there were still rooms for improvements and unexpected situations not present in the previous calamities”, said its Mayor, Dr. Rufino Palabrica III, popularly addressed by his constituents as Doc Beloy. “This experience is again a lesson for us to further improve our series of protocols on disaster response and mitigation”.

Establishment of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center.

Utilizing one of the buildings in the compound of the municipal hall complex, the LGU set up its DRRMC where equipment and supplies were centralized. On call was bulk order of supplies that was to be delivered by suppliers given a 24 hour notice. These supplies included ready to eat food, easy to cook food, medical supplies and OTC medicines that can be dispensed upon request. Sacks of rice were also ordered from the local millers with the instructions to supply the best quality stocks. Sardines, the most affordable canned food was of the middle level quality, not too expensive and not low quality either. The rationale is that the evacuees are already suffering and to make them suffer more with the low quality rice they will be eating at the center is inhuman.

The Dingle DRRMC was also equipped with tools and equipment for use during disasters like a chain saw and axes, bolos, spades, crow bars and other digging tools wherein they can be withdrawn by authorized personnel upon just before the landfall of a typhoon and readied in the quick response vehicles for instant dispatch.

All LGU equipment that includes two loaders, a road grader, several dump trucks and a bulldozer are ensured to be at tiptop conditions all the time and upon information that an impending typhoon will hit the vicinity of the province, these equipment are doubly checked for operational reliability during clearing and rehabilitation activities.

Days prior to a typhoon a predicted by the national weather agency, PAGASA, The Mayor directs the DRRMC team to make rounds of the whole municipality to inform people and to document the whole municipality as basis for the before-and-after reports that will become a tool that will help the Commission on Audit make an objective assessment of the extent of damage and the cost of rehabilitation. This latter actions has served the LGU well in terms of liquidating its typhoon and disaster related costs and expenses.

Establishment and Commissioning of Barangay Emergency Evacuation Centers:

Right after Typhoon Frank where the municipality witnessed the deluge of evacuees to makeshift evac centers, each of the 33 barangay Chairmen was required by the Chief Executive to identify and fund a permanent evacuation center which is one of the classrooms of their barangay elementary or high school or the barangay hall itself. This evac center was then improved and readied for emergency so that given a moment's notice, its conversion is instant or immediate. In the center will be supplies like water and firewood, basic cooking utensils like big pots and large portable wood stoves. As an SOP, all these barangay-based evac centers were provided with supplies just before the entry of the tyohoon so that food and water is available during the worst period of the howler.

Building locally made boats for rescue operations.

The experience of Frank and Quinta opened the eyes of the LGU to the need for its own rescue boats. Quinta exposed the vulnerability of imported rubber boats popular with the armed forces and the navy. Dingle is full of bamboo stands which have multifarious uses, from food to housing materials and their sharp thorns and ends puncture these rubber boats, not only endangering the occupants but also destroying these expensive equipment. And in times of crisis, the army or the owners of these equipments receive so many calls that more often than not. Dingle is the last to be attended to. This situation drove Dingle to build its own rescue boats, by deciding on the right design and commissioning expert boat makers from a neighboring town to build them.

Brgy. Pandan was hit hard during Typhoon Frank where the leaders were not able to rescue people from the sitios that were isolated by the flood. This made them decide on an appropriate type of boat suited for their needs. A local welder who had previous experience in boat building was commissioned to build a catamaran based on the design that Brgy Chairman Neil Daraug innovated from the air boats of the Florida swamps. The resulting model was highly buoyant and despite its small size can easily carry 15 persons or 20 bags of palay. Its prime mover is a 15HP gas engine driving a propeller based on the design of blowers used to winnow rough rice. The boat can easily maneuver in shallow waters and can beat the strong flood currents rampant in the flooded areas of his barangay.

The success of the catamaran of Brgy. Pandan spawned two other copies built this time by former B member Wilfredo “Boy” Quinlat for the barangays of Ginalinan Nuevo and Abangay. Both saw action in the latest typhoon Yolanda. These two other boats figured prominently in the rescue and distribution efforts of the municipality, particularly in their respective barangays.

Organizing and Training of Rescuers and Responders:

Although Dingle is known to produce champion swimmers, it did not have its own water-bound rescue group until early this year when there was an unfortunate drowning incident where even the police was not able to respond to the drowning victims. Have they had the appropriate training, the drowning victims could have been saved. A group of Dingleanon expert swimmers and rescue trainors volunteered to train the volunteers identified by their respective barangay chairmen. Each barangay along Jalaur River sent their teams for a three days training that included water search and rescue and how to manage drowning victims. A set of call-up protocols was also drafted by the different teams and the overall management for call ups was in the hands of the head of the DRRMC.

More than 80 volunteers signed up and were trained. This effort paid off well during the recent typhoon where within minutes of the call up, each rescue team was already positioned in their respective barangays ready for emergencies. They also helped during the clearing operations where countless of trees fell mostly across roads and trails so that communities can immediately be reached either for flood related rescue or to carry in food and other supplies for the starving people.

Procurement of a high amperage generator.

The most crucial among the decisions of the municipal government was the procurement of a high generator, capable of generating power for the varied needs of the municipal hall and the health center so that even during massive black outs, the LGU can still operate and respond to the needs of the residents. While brown outs were a regular occurrence in the ILECO served areas in the province, the black out due to the massive damage to the power lines, rendered the whole town powerless. The first action done by the LGU was to open the doors of the hall to provide free cellphone and computer charging so that residents can charge portable lights, cell phones and other electronic gadgets.

The LGU was not only able to secure its premises with the bright lights around the municipal buildings, the lights also served as beacon for the residents in search of power and light during the pitch black situation for several nights after the typhoon.

Standard Operating Procedures:

Also crucial in the operation of the DRRMC is the institutionalization of the set of SOPs to be followed during disasters and emergency operations. These SOPs were regularly reviewed and drilled so that during actual conditions, execution would be smooth and automatic. Immediately after conditions have normalized, the new experiences will have to be added and a manual will now be formally written and launched.

Yolanda's Impact and How the DRRMC Acted:

While the government weather agency gave ample warnings about the strength of Yolanda, the residents and the LGU of Dingle was surprised by the actual wrath of the super typhoon. The howler hit the town so badly that many thought it was the end. GI sheets and even whole roofs flew. Strongly standing mahogany trees everywhere were felled with just a few gusts. Many trees and coconuts fell right on the houses. It was only after a day that flood waters started to rise which created even greater damage to flood prone communities. In Sitio Tampi, as always, water reached roof tops and this time though, the DRRMC was prepared to evacuate the roof-bound residents.

But the Dingle DRRMC underestimated this super typhoon. While it has its own chain saw, the need for many more surfaced right after Yolanda left. The sheer number of trees fallen on the roads and trails was such that there should be immediate action so that the roads are made passable and the town accessible for aid and for supply replenishment. So the LGU had to hire 4 more chain saws so that work on the roads will be faster.

The day after the howler, the LGU directed its personnel to do damage assessment and to determine the number of residents affected. The barangay chairmen were required to report by the hour for updates using every possible means to make contact. While damage assessment was being done, key personnel were also assessing where the the LGU and the DRRMC was weak so that it can immediately be rectified and new protocols and systems can be designed to meet these weaknesses better the next time.

While the rescuers, concerned citizens and LGU personnel worked hard, the LGU opened a soup kitchen that provided basic food and unlimited coffee 24 hours in support of the workers. The evac centers' supplies were also constantly replenished so that evacuees would not go hungry. Anticipation of the extent of damage and supply needs enabled the LGU to meet the requirements of the emergency.

Security was tightened so that no looting would occur. With everybody busy, the LGU did not anymore seek the help of the Army stationed in the municipality which had its hands full helping other more critical towns and communities.

Critical activities in the aftermath of the typhoon was carefully and deliberately mapped. First order was road clearing while simultaneously, food was provided to all evacuees. When flood waters continued to rise, the boats were positioned for immediate response and one boat was dispatched to supply flood bound residents in communities made inaccessible by the rising waters. Barangays which had their own rescue boats were also hard at work rescuing isolated families some of whom are already perched on top of their houses. This was where the catamarans were appreciated at it can get right to the spot where the residents were perched without fear of being punctured or capsized.

The LGU also did rapid assessment and immediately called for help to an NGO which had been supporting the town in various ways. Immediately the NGO released GI sheets and other roofing materials so that many of the evacuees can go home and repair their homes to protect themselves from possible rains that come after the typhoon. The LGU also released funds from its disaster relief assistance to cover more residents affected. It is now six days after the super typhoon and LGU has restored the town to 70% of its normal state. No lives were lost, there was substantial damage but together with its people, the LGU hopes to accomplish full restoration within a short period of time.

Lessons Learned:

1. Never underestimate the strength and the damage done by a typhoon. Even with the experience of the two previous strong howlers in just a few years of each other, the LGU realized that each typhoon has a distinct character and its damage may also be unique. While Frank and Quinta flooded the town heavily, the strong winds of Yolanda fell down so many trees that practically rendered many of the barangay centers and even the plaza bald. Where once the town was known as shady and green, the aftermath of the typhoon brought in harsh bright sunlight. The LGU has prepared in almost all aspects but when Yolanda left, the first work was to clear the roads of fallen trees and the LGU was not prepared for this since it only has acquired one chain saw and its heavy equipment operator doubled as chain saw operator so he has to leave the bulldozer to work on road clearing. The lesson learned here is that the DRRMC should also get chain saws ready for fallen trees;
2. Power outages is a regular phenomena during typhoons so while the municipal building has a generator and ample fuel, other areas experience black out. There is therefore a need to find alternative sources like solar power which runs on 12 volts batteries and can also be recharged using the chargers run on 220 volts AC;
3. While purified water can be bought, power outages will limit purification because water purification systems need power. There is a need for passive water purification akin to those used in war torn areas where dirty water can be purified through a series of passive systems. The DRRMC should be able to acquire such a system for emergency situation;
   
4.  We still have crude equipments and our rescuers suffer most. They do not have the right gears especially thermal clothes to keep them warm during long exposure to water and cold wind. They suffer the most and they are volunteers;

   
   

   5. High technology may work efficiently at optimum conditions but under crisis like a power black out, it is useless. This was the case of high tech gadgets and communications systems which were rendered inutile during the total power outage when trees fell on power lines and electric posts fell on its own. The LGU realized that it should have set up a back up system of the old reliable radio transceivers. Now in preparation for the next crisis, the repeaters will have to be repaired and reinstalled. Each barangay will now be required to acquire their own hand-held transceivers for easy communication with the municipal base located at the DRRMC.

ORGANIC PURPLE RICE FARMERS IN ZARRAGA, ILOILO

Shifting to organic rice farming had been a long arduous struggle for Mr. Osmundo Pedregosa and his neighbors in Brgy. Talibong, Zarraga, Iloilo. Being in the midst of hundreds of hectares of rice grown on conventional farming methods, it was a difficult shift not only in technology but also in the basic farming paradigms for the core group of farmers wanting to change for the better. Tatay Munding as he is popularly called not only because he was among the most senior in his group but also because of the leadership that he

always provided realized early that while he can convince the members of his core group to try and test the organic farming method being pushed by government technicians, their neighbors are not only hesitant and rather, they immediately rejected the new ideas and technology. “Organic rice farming involve more effort and expenses and the income increment may not be substantial and commensurate to the effort, as consumers may not immediately respond favorably to added prices or premiums that organic products are supposed to enjoy”, said Munding in response to the question on the marketability of organic rice. “They knew it was good for the health but the extra cost seems to be the limiting factor for them to make organic rice their staple”.

Organic rice production do not use easily bought or accessed chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides which had been fund to be poisonous to health of humans and animals. There are also chemicals used in farming that can affect humans even if they were ingested by animals because of the residues in the animals' liver and tissues are also accumulated in the internal organs of people ingesting these animals.

The technology on organic rice farming was introduced to the group at Talibong by the Iloilo Provincial Agriculture Office led by the team from the Research and Institutional Development Division headed by Mr. Elias Sandig. Early on, the team responded to the call of the Regional Field Unit VI of the Department of Agriculture headed by RED Larry Nacionales. The Iloilo PAO transferred the various technologies for Natural Farming like the preparation of various concoctions like the Indigenous Micro Organisms (IMO), Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ), Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ), Oriental herbal Nutrients (OHN), Fish/Kuhol Amino Acid (FAA/KAA). They also taught the group on other aspects like bio-security, biological pest control and other eco-friendly technologies so as to minimize pest infestation and contamination of toxic chemical in the rice products.

Indeed the efforts to shift to organic farming bore fruit but when harvest came in and the rice produced have to be sold, Tatay Munding and his core group encountered marketing problems. Consumers and traders simply treated their organic product in the same category as conventionally grown rice. They were hesitant to buy the more expensive organic red and purple rice. Red and purple rice are like the ordinary white rice sold except for the red/purple pigmentation that is said to add anti-oxidant action that boosts the immune system especially for weak people and those suffering from lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and cancer. But such properties are not appreciated by the majority of consumers who were offered by the group.

“We had a hard time introducing our organic rice in the market and we were happy that the Provincial Agriculture Office again stepped in where the technologists assigned also helped sell our rice in one (1) kilogram bags”, said Munding. Well-meaning advocates especially media, also helped by spreading the word that there is now organic rice available in Iloilo City. The group now known as the Talibong Organic Farmers' Association (TaOFA), registered with the Department of Labor and Employment also joined fairs and exhibits to showcase their organic rice. Somehow their inventory moved but every season they still have to sell the bulk of their products at the price of ordinary rice just to recover costs and have money for the next season's operations.

When the organic farming act (RA 10068) was signed, Pedregosa and his association welcomed this as this would be the vehicle by which they can finally ride to better times. But they then found that they encountered even more problems. It became more difficult for them to get their products certified as organic. The law provided for certain agencies and institutions as sole certifying agencies where have to pay at least P30,000.00 for their farms and their products to be certified as truly organic. Of course being Filipinos, and Ilonggos at that, their spirit of hospitality would mean added expenses for the group whenever the visitors come for evaluation. They said that they have no problems about following and institutionalizing the protocols in organic farming. Even additional requirements such as filter ponds to ensure that all chemicals can be filtered or rendered inactive, can be built. But the yearly fees as well as the hustle to get their farms certified may not be worth the effort. Good for rich farmers and corporations going into organic farmers but for them who can barely make both ends meets, such fees and long processes will easily disqualify them to be certified as truly organic. They said that they would rather stick to their existing protocols of natural farming and thus qualify their products as natural instead of organic.

“We were happy when the law was passed and the Department provided us with many opportunities to attend trainings and seminars on organic farming and how we can sell in the market. But it seems that the first step which is to ensure that our organic products qualify is the most expensive and the most difficult at the certifying agency nearest to us is in Negros and just imagine the expense incurred bringing them here. We don't object to the requirements which I think we can all fulfill or meet. We hope that the law can be more humane for us poor farmers”.

Their initial success and the unity they showed has given them attention and other farmers nearby are now gravitating towards them since they are now envious of the the successes they have achieved. From the funds they generated internally , they were able to buy their own mini rice mill and then invested in a bigger mill so that it can accommodate larger volumes when orders pour in. Being evaluated as strong and capable, the DA-RFU6 provided them with other equipment such as hand tractors, threshers and lately, a transplanting machine which answers their need for a speedy transplanting operation now that farm labor has become scarce and expensive. The members of TAOFA has accepted the recommendation of the Department for synchronized crop establishment and thus, transplanting should be simultaneous. “We are happy that DA is very supportive. We accept their technology of synchronous planting but if we need to plant our 60 hectares within the week, we need at least 100 people to do the work for the next seven to eight days, an impossible task to gather. The machine can help us as it would cut down the number of people we need to transplant our area within the small time frame needed for synchronous planting.

By the start of 2013, the group has now about 35 members and are tilling at least 60 hectares. New members have also started applying. Their market has gradually grown and can absorb more than 50% of their collective produce. Marketing is now both institutional and by each members who have found markets on their own, a move that they have also encouraged. Their activities and perseverance to pursue organic farming also caught the attention of many agencies, foremost is the DA-RFU6 that they became recipient of grants and aid such as machinery for rice farming. As early as 2008 however, Tatay Munding had invested on a small rice mill that can dehusk palay and preserve its purple color fully.

Yet they consider their success as just the first step. They still are continuously working for better yields, better varieties which are in much demand in the market and a stable premium market which can absorb the 200 metric tons of palay they produce collectively every season. With new members coming in, they project that their total produce would reach t least 300 metric tons in late 2013.

“While we are now mildly successful, we are still striving for more, hoping that we as a group will be able to grow together, provide better futures for our children and most of all, provide the consumers with safe, nutritious rice that we all deserve”, concluded Tatay Munding.

PICTURES:

01- Tatay Munding in green polo together with officers of TAOFA pausing in front of the mini rice mill with the larger mill's snout seen at the back;

02- A sumptuous meal of purple rice and “chicken binakol”, an Ilonggo chicken dish shared by the officers during their monthly meeting;

03- a one kilogram pack of purple rice