Adaptability Trial of Adlai

"RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MAYOR, HONORABLE DARLENE MAGNOLIA R. ANTONINO-CUSTODIO TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT TO BE ENTERED INTO BY AND BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE- REGIONAL FIELD OFFICE 12 AND CITY GOVERNMENT OF GENERAL SANTOS REGARDING THE ADAPTABILITY TRIAL OF ADLAI UNDER MARGINAL AREAS OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY".

The City of General Santos City is an agricultural city is developing into an agri-industrial location. The development corresponds to the increase of population thus making most of the agricultural lands into residential lots. In addition, the rice production is not equally meeting the demand of the increasing population. While corn production is still expanding, much of these are appropriated for livestock feeds. Upland barangays in marginal areas of the city produces and consumes crops such as corn, banana and some rootcrops instead of rice because the planting materials are available and do not need more effort during production. This is why the Local Government of General Santos headed by the City Mayor, Hon. Darlene Magnolia R. Antonino-Custodio sees this fact and addresses this concern to its food security.

The commitment of the Department of Agriculture in finding ways and means to attain food security and sufficiency in the country leads to the discovery and exploration of the high potentials of Adlai as the best staple crop of both rice and corn whether in upland or rainfed areas.

What is Adlai? Adlai is related to rice which is technically a weed that is nutritious. Adlai is a good alternative to rice and corn. It is a freely branching upright herb that grows as tall as 3 feet and propagates through seeds. It is widely known as Job’s tears due to its tear-like shape of its grains that comes in color white or brown. The potential of Adlai production may well solve not only the City of GenSan but also the country’s chronic insufficiency as far as palay is concerned.

 Job's Tears

Several field trials on the adaptability of adlai are ongoing conducted by different research centers across the country. With the continuous research and development, recent findings shows that adlai gain more advantage to other staple food in terms of quality and nutrition content.

The City of Government of General Santos through the Office of the City Agriculturist in partnership with the Department of Agriculture is in high spirits in seeking additional source of food. This adaptability trial of adlai intends to avail and conduct field test evaluating the growth and yield performance of at least 3 varieties of adlai under the weather condition in the city.

With the meeting minds of the government officials, Hon. Eduardo D. Leyson IV passed a resolution at the 16th Sanggunian authorizing CM Antonino-Custodio to enter into a MOA with the DA. The project is to be implemented in marginal areas of the city particularly in the Barangays of Conel, Mabuhay, Upper Labay, San Jose, Sinawal, Olympog and Batomelong. The city’s project is in support to the High Value Crop Development Program (HVCDP) of the DA.

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RIC & 4H Club Achievement Day

The City Agriculturist Office organized a Joint Achievement Day with the Rural Improvement Club and 4-H Club of General Santos City last April 26, 2012 at the PBA Covered Court, this City.

What is 4-H Club? 4-H Club is a program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) wherein the main goal is to help the youth especially in the agriculture and fisheries sector to respond to everyday challenges in their respective communities. 4-H Club also builds revolutionary opportunities and implements community-wide change at an early age.

The Honorable City Mayor Darlene Magnolia R. Antonino-Custodio in delivering her Key Message

What is RIC?RIC stands for Rural Improvement Club. It is a non-government organization which is barangay based (rural). RIC is an effective and productive partner of the government in helping community development by uplifting the living standards of its active members.

the members of the RIC and 4-H Club from the different rural barangays in the city

The City Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio together with Hon. Eduardo D. Leyson IV and with some barangay officials, they graced the program and showed their utmost support to the club members.

City Mayor DA Custodio together with Hon. Ed Leyson IV and Bgy. Kagawad Melchor Gepte of Bgy. Labangal

City Councilor Eduardo D. Leyson IV also shared his key message

Kagawad Ed congratulated everyone present for showing their support and challenged the members to continuously become advocates of the government's agriculture, health, food and nutrition programs

PBA Covered Court was filled with very active members of RIC & 4-H Club

The Joint RIC & 4-H Club Achievement Day was full of activities participated by the members. With several activities lined up for them, they showed with full force as what can be seen in the photos. Different activities such as Cooking Contest, Modern Dance Competition, Singing Contest and Search for Ginang RIC 2012 and Search for 4-H Creative Attire Contest gave the audience an enthusiastic aura. Of course, the day would not be complete without the fun and lively parlor games.

participants of the modern dance competition

The participants were the center of the covered court full of people. Members and others present jostled to capture every move they make while admirers and supporters cheered every group/participant.

The 4-H Club Federation Officers with CM DA Custodio and Kagawad Ed Leyson IV

GSC 4-H Club Federation Officers

President: Irene C. Baguio

Vice President: Ronel P. Aceveda

Secretary: Ellen Gold S. Palma

Treasurer: Irene Hazel M. Limjap

PIO: Cliff Paciente

Induction of GSC 4-H Federation Officers

Hon. Ed Leyson IV with Bgy. Kagawad Melchor Gepte and Club Coordinator

Organized by the City Agriculturists and staff, expressed their heartfelt gratitude to all who in one way or another contributed to the success of the event. Special thanks to the members who have excelled in the different fields and those who made accomplishments in developing the agriculture and fishery sector and made significant impact on the lives of barangay communities.

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Press Statement:Maximization of PhilHealth Coverage

As the Vice Chairperson on Committee on Health and Sanitation, Hon. Eduardo D. Leyson IV is sharing this very important Press Statement Re: the maximization of PhilHealth Coverage in behalf of Hon. Marius Orlando A. Oco and Dr. Jose Orlando Acharon.

PRESS STATEMENT --- PLEASE READ AND SHARE
GSCH New Rates do not affect poor patients

Maximization of Philhealth Coverage

One of the main thrusts of SPPO No. 12-0853, Series of 2012, is to maximize the amount of Philhealth reimbursements arising from the services that the General Santos City Hospital (GSCH) renders to its patients. For instance, under the old scheme, the hospital daily room per day could go as high as P400.00. But since our previous room rate was only P180.00 per day, what the hospital could, then, reimburse from Philhealth was only THAT AMOUNT. But now, with the new rate, the GSCH can already reimburse P400.00 per day from Philhealth for the use of a hospital room, without exacting any amount from the patients. Entrenched in this scheme is an aggressive campaign to put all residents, especially the poor and the underprivileged, under the coverage of Philhealth in line with the Aquino Health Agenda (ATTA), calling for 100% Philhealth coverage.

Poor patients are not financially prejudiced

Poor patients, whether or not they are Philhealth members, are not financially affected by the increase in the rates of hospital services in the GSCH. They will pay almost nothing, or minimally, after they are classified as Class C1, Class C2, Class C3 or Class D patients. Under existing ordinances, Class C1 patients pay only 75% of the total hospital bills; Class C2, 50%; Class C3, 25%; and Class D, .0%. Moreover, the City Mayor’s Office, under City Mayor Darlene Magnolia R. Antonino-Custodio, the Congressional Office, under Congressman Pedro A. Acharon Jr., and the local offices of Senator Antonio Trillanes, IV, and other partylist groups are also extending assistance to poor patients in the GSCH to cover balances in their respective hospital bills. In addition, the city government has available indigent funds to cover hospital expenses of poor patients, after the extension of assistance as stated.

Conversion of hospital into an economic enterprise is a pro-poor formula

The conversion of the GSCH into an economic enterprise is a social justice formula intended to enable affluent social sections of the locality to subsidize those patients who are situated in the bottom of the social strata. We improve both the physical and human infrastructures of the GSCH to entice members of upper social classes to avail of our health facilities, and the revenues that the hospital may derive from these affluent paying patients can be rechanneled and used for the welfare and interest of poor patients. Thus, the city government merely pays its inherent role as insurer of social equity being a state instrument.

Raising funds for health and social services, without cost to poor patients

Our study shows that, though this measure, the city government can free up, at the very least, P90, 000,000.00 annually. Hence, the city government can make use of this gigantic amount to advance its various health, social, and economic programs that redound to the welfare and interest of the disadvantaged segment of the locality, without cost to the poor patients of the GSCH.

WE WILL BE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD HELP US IN DESSIMINATING THIS INFORMATION TO OUR PEOPLE.

DR. MARIUS ORLANDO A. OCO
City Kagawad /Chaiperson, Committee on Health
Sangguniang Panlunsod

DR JOSE ORLANDO R. ACHARON
Executive Assistant on Health
City Mayor’s Office

 

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Women's Month Celebration 2012

Last March 8, 2012 different women's group from the 26 barangays of General Santos City flock the GSC Oval Court to celebrate the 2012 Women's Month with the national theme dubbed as "Women Weathering Climate Change: Governance and Accountability Everyone's Responsibility".

City Councilor and Committee Chairperson on Women and Children

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