Negros Oriental

City dwellers urged to undertake urban gardening

By Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY, July 13 (PIA) -- Residents in cities such as Dumaguete are encouraged to take up urban gardening in view of the diminishing available space in residential areas for backyard gardening.

The Provincial Agriculture Office here introduced “Orocan gardening,” named after the company that produces plastic containers such as pails, drums, pitchers, and basins.

In a forum held Wednesday at the Sidlakang Negros Village here, provincial agriculturist Gregorio Paltinca said that with Orocan gardening, vermicast or vermicompost could be placed inside plastic pots along with fertile soil.

“This way, we can plant vegetables like eggplants, tomatoes, Chinese cabbage, and even kangkong in our own homes,” said Paltinca.

Interested household owners can approach any of the barangay agricultural development centers (BADCs) in their areas or the Provincial Agriculturist Office where technicians can assist in starting their own urban gardens.

Urban gardening can address the decreasing daily vegetable intake of Filipinos.

According to Dr. Edgardo Barredo, action officer of the provincial nutrition council here, studies show that in the latter part of 1978, Filipinos consumed 145 gm of vegetables per person everyday. In 2008, it was discovered that the Filipinos’ daily vegetable consumption decreased to 110 mgm per person.

The figures for Central Visayas are even lower with an estimate of only 102 grams of greens per day for each person. (RMN-PIA7 Negros Oriental)

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Filipinos eating lesser greens

By Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY, July 13 (PIA) -- Vegetables abound in the country, and yet Filipinos are eating less and less of the green, leafy foods.

Studies show that in the latter part of 1978, Filipinos consumed 145 gm of vegetables per person every day. In 2008, it was discovered that the Filipinos’ daily vegetable consumption decreased to only 110 mgm per person.

The figures are lower for Central Visayas. According to Negros Oriental Provincial Nutrition Council Action officer Dr. Edgardo Barredo, Region 7 residents only consume 102 gm of vegetables per day.

Health experts in Dumaguete City find this alarming, in view of the increasing number of deaths caused by lifestyle diseases or ailments that could have been avoided by the daily intake of vegetables and fruits.

Barredo, in a forum held Wednesday to mark the province’s celebration of Nutrition Month this July, disclosed that cardiovascular diseases rank as the 6th leading cause of diseases in Negros Oriental for the past five years.

Heart-related ailments are also among the top leading causes of deaths in the province for the same period, followed by cancer, renal disease, and chronic pulmonary diseases.

This is based on data submitted to Barredo’s office by the 25 towns and cities in the province.

Negros Oriental’s vegetable sufficiency level has been growing over the years, with 45 percent sufficiency in 2002 and 75 percent in the past few years, said provincial agriculturist Gregorio Paltinca.

He said the province has been implementing several programs geared towards ensuring vegetable sufficiency here, such as the establishment of the award-winning Barangay Agricultural Development Centers (BADC) and the Gulayan at Palaisdaan Alay sa Kabataan (GPAK).

Both programs are Galing Pook awardees, GPAK in 2005 and BADC in 2004, said Paltinca.

“It’s an irony because we are living in a country with abundant supply of vegetables and yet we are not consuming enough of these,” said Prof. Michelle Naranjo of the Silliman University Nutrition and Dietetics in the same forum.

She added that in Dumaguete City alone, there are 1,000 children recorded to be malnourished. “This is preventable because malnutrition is caused by micronutrient deficiency, which can be found in plants,” said Naranjo.

She noted that many pregnant and lactating mothers in the city are also anemic because they are not eating enough vegetables.

Both Barredo and Naranjo urged Filipinos to eat the required intake of greens to prevent lifestyle-related diseases.

The recommended fruit and vegetable intake, according to Naranjo, is three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits everyday.

“That means one half-cup of green, leafy vegetables and 3/4 cup of non-leafy greens such as squash, bitter melon, and sayote,” she explained. (RMN-PIA7, Negros Oriental)

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DTI invites Siquijor to Tourism Green forum in Bohol’s Sandugo

By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR, July 13 (PIA) -- The local office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is inviting entrepreneurs and other interested persons from Siquijor to a one-day Tourism Green Forum at the Metrocentre Hotel in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

The forum, said DTI director Nimfa Virtucio, is a side activity of the annual Trade Expo dubbed 'Sandugo in Bohol' from July 25 to 29 that highlights green technologies for tourism.

“Adopting green growth is a worthwhile venture for the Philippines because this enhances opportunities for everyone especially the poor to participate more fully in society and thus improve their quality of life,” Virtucio said.

Topics to be presented during the forum include Green Architecture and Structures for Tourism, Energy Strategies for Tourism, Water and Waste Management, and DENR Green Initiatives for Tourism.

More than 80 Filipino exhibitors have signed up for the 2012 Sandugo Regional Trade Expo at the Island City Mall, Tagbilaran City, according to a PIA-Bohol press statement earlier.

This year’s Sandugo Trade Expo banners the theme “Greening Products, Winning Markets,” and features innovative creations from micro, small, and medium enterprises in Central Visayas as well as other neighboring provinces of the region.

A major highlight of the trade expo will be the special settings which will feature three different perspectives – Green Technologies for Tourism, the Raffia Country Branding Program of DOST, and a Showcase of Crafts and Processed Food in the region, said Ma. Elena Arbon DTI Bohol director in the report.

Arbon said unique products in Central Visayas, including those under the One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippines that make use of indigenous raw materials and local ingenuity, will also be highlighted.

In this year’s trade exposition, local organic produce will also be displayed, she said.(RAC-PIA 7, Siquijor)

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NegOr Nutrition Council says eat veggies to prevent lifestyle diseases

By Jennifer C. Tilos

DUMAGUETE CITY, June 13 (PIA) -- The Negros Oriental Nutrition Council urged every family in the province to eat more vegetables not only to prevent lifestyle diseases but to curb malnutrition among children.

In a Kapihan forum to mark the Nutrition Month celebration, assistant provincial health officer Dr. Edgardo Barredo said lifestyle-related diseases are the top leading cause of death which could have been prevented if one keeps eating vegetables including quitting smoking.

Dr. Edgardo Barredo pointed out the importance of vegetables as main sources of minerals and vitamins and defense against noncommunicable diseases such as heart failure, cardio vascular, diabetes, cancer, among others.

The health official cited that vegetable consumption in Central Visayas (CV) is only 102 grams per person per day which is also the highest malnutrition rate in CV.

In the same forum, Silliman University, Nutrition and Dietetics (ND) department dean Michelle Naranjo said the ideal daily intake of vegetables and fruits is at least five servings or cups a day.

Naranjo said since the province has an abundant supply of vegetables, she encouraged everyone to consume home grown vegetables such as malunggay, saluyot, kangkong, kamote tops, and ampalaya as sources of micronutrients and vitamins the body needs.

Sharing their learning, nutrition students hold yearly community cooking vegetables demonstration in Dumagute City as Naranjo underscored the importance of vegetables in one’s daily diet.

Naranjo cited some reasons of poor intake of vegetables like preference for fast foods and instant foods, lack of knowledge on nutritional and health benefits of vegetables, difficult in preparing veggie meals, among others.

However, provincial agriculture officials said by planting and eating vegetables not only support local farmers but also promote healthy diet and long life. (mbcn/JCT-PIA7, Negros Oriental)