Surfing is becoming popular in Davao and an emerging sports that many enthusiasts explore the waters here.  International sports stores, Roxy and Quicksilver, started organizing events here to activate surfing. With Davao as very strong in adventure tourism, the sports tourism is also growing.  


Int'l sports brand manager promotes surfing in Davao (Sports)‏

DAVAO CITY (PNA) -- An international sports store brand manager here is promoting surfing as growing sports in the Davao Region.

Dino Gilladoga, brand manager for Roxy, Quicksilver and Delsey, said there are many surfing enthusiasts here and it is high time this was developed.

The internationally known stores are under the PRIMER Group of Companies

.

Primer is a consortium mainly engaged in the retail and distribution of the world's top consumer brands and products where its retail authority has grown to over 80 premium brands, 100 free-standing concept stores and over 600 consignment doors in the Asian region.

Gilladoga said with Davao as very strong in adventure tourism, they also wanted to be part of the growing sports tourism industry here.

“They want to activate surfing which is our main goal," he said.

He said there is growth for expansion as well because the Davao market is big.

There are already groups which had been doings sports event like this he said but not that wide and they wanted Davao on top of their list.

He said they are coordinating with the Philippine Surfing Federation and part of their long term planning is to make the sports big in areas like Davao, Luzon, Siargao, La Union and Samar and in other areas that have potentials for surfing.

"We are looking at the waters of Davao Oriental for this project and in other potential areas here," he said. (PNA) hbc/PrixDignaDBanzon/ldp/utb

Southern MIndanao is known also for its agri products and banana is the No. 1 export products of this area.

Major market of this exportable banana is China but this market imposed stringent policies that caught the producers by surprise making it hard for them to enter the (China) market.

In the meantime that this sector is still on the process of meeting the new market requirements, banana trees continue to produce fruits and yet no available market where to ship the products. 

The producers then started looking for options and instead of the fruit going to waste, the banana growers started promoting Cavandish bananas in the local market and sometimes they supply public elementary schools with ripe bananas to school children for free in support of the school's feeding program.  Here's a story I write about the status of  the banana industry here ...   


Davao small banana growers group promotes cavendish bananas in the local market

DAVAO CITY, July 6 (PNA) -- The Federation of Cooperatives (Fedco) in Mindanao, which is composed of small banana farm growers in the island, is considering the local market after their export of cavendish bananas to China remains unstable.

Fedco president Rene Dalayon said with their plan of exploring the local market, they will be assisted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) under the Department's livelihood program for new businesses.

Dalayon was interviewed during the company's 13th anniversary activity at SIR Elementary School and Bucana Elementary School where they delivered truck loads of ripe bananas and distributed the fruit to over 2,000 pupils in both schools.

Dalayon said the activity was to promote fresh cavendish bananas in the local market especially to kids even as he said that they would like to encourage consumers to patronize the fruit.

"This is also one of the steps that we would like to do to help the small banana growers," he said.He said in their talk with DOLE XI, they proposed for the establishment of a ripening room that will make the shelf life of bananas longer than by just using Ethrel that is being practiced in the market here for ripening of fruits and other agri products but with shorter shelf life.

"But when the bananas are placed in the ripening room, it will prolong the shelf life for up to 40 days," he said.

Fedco is composed of 15 cooperatives and in Davao Region it operates in Davao City, Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley Province. The total area in the island consisted of 4,000 hectares.

Its biggest market is China where they deliver some 1.2 million boxes every week.

Fedco is among the active members under the Davao Region's Banana Industry Cluster where it earned the support of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Program.

JICA supported Fedco with establishing export markets that paved the way for small banana farm growers to directly export their bananas.

Fedco used to sell their produce to big companies but they leveled up as direct exporters in 1999 in Japan. 

The Japan market is still ongoing but with very limited volume for highland bananas, and a few in the Middle East, making China as their primary market.

Dalayon said although other exporters had resumed entry to China, still the number is limited.He even said that others resorted to chopping the trees while some are forced to sell the box at a very low cost compared to the export price of 5 dollars per box. 

Per box weighs 13.5 kilos of 80 fingers. Meanwhile, Dalayon said they have started renegotiating with their Middle East market and hopefully would resume business by first week of September.

But he said they cannot go full shipment of their produce there because they have to compete with other exporters as well considering that big banana companies export their bananas to the Middle East.

"We can get a share perhaps and ship about 50 percent of our volume of production," he said.Just like what President Aquino has been saying, he said they are also exploring other markets like the US.(PNA)FPV/PrixDDBanzon/ldp/utb

We are almost in the last quarter of the year ... let's see how My City did well 

this year ... we'll check this out on what year-ender stories will gonna be tackled.  

This year I wrote this story when the year started based on the projection of a  

Feng Shui expert ....and I'm sharing you this ...

Feng Shui expert says 2012 good year for DC

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 23 (PNA)  -- The Year of the Water Dragon 

for 2012 is a good year for the island Mindanao and the City 

of Davao.

Feng Shui expert Master Richard Yu, who flew in this city on 

Monday courtesy of SM Davao to conduct forum about the classic 

school of thoughts on Feng Shui and the Chinese Lunar New Year, 

said "lots of good things will happen in Mindanao area and there 

will be less disaster here".

But he said there are lots of work to be done especially pertaining 
to issues of attaining justice and peace.

And because of hard work that Davao City will be doing this year, 
a lot will happen more next year.

He said things will start here especially in Davao City because in 
this city will be the start off point with many good things that will be realized in the southern part of the country this year.

"And next year you will reap the fruit because of your hard work this year," he said.

Yu has been conducting fora and consultancy for the past 9 years. 
He worked formerly at the National Statistics Office, Manila with his educational background in Engineering, but decided to come up 
with his own and landed in Feng Shui analyses, which he had been exposed to when he was a kid where he said his father also practices 
the craft.

Meanwhile, he said for as long as gambling will not be tolerated 
here like what is going on in Las Vegas and Macau where gambling 
is legalized, then peace is going to happen in your city.

“Just pay particular attention to symbols 1, 6, 8 and 4 with 1 which 
stands for the start that is going to happen this year in Davao City, 
6 stands for wealth where many could be found in Manila and 
Davao is very near to that source and 8 symbolizes tremendous 
wealth happening in China, an area very near our country and 4 representing investments which Davao City 
is going to corner this year,” Yu said.

He said for as long as the people work for it and believe in it, then something positive is going to happen and because of change peace 
will be achieved here.

Davao, which is an agriculture base area, he said is perfect in the 
Year of the Water Dragon because of the combination of water, 
earth and wood.

He said more food production will be achieved here as against other 
areas in the country like Luzon which will be threatened with lack 
of supply.

Yu, who follows and studies symbols, culture and tradition that 
was passed on from the olden Chinese, said his analyses of the 
Feng Shui are computed based on Science and Math.

He also said this year is also good on anything cultural as well as 
on education.

But prayer he said complete one's luck as luck has three parts, 
the God Luck that could be achieved through prayers, Man Luck 
through interaction with other people and Nature Luck that is 
brought about by plants.

On the other hand, Davao City celebrated the Chinese New Year 
with rituals, prayers and the countdown which celebration happened 
at Magsaysay Park until midnight of January 23.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who led the Chinoy in the celebration here, took the opportunity for thanking the Chinese 
community for the unceasing support to the people of Davao 
most especially during calamities and disaster.

The activity at the Park was capped with the release of 290 Chinese lanterns where the Mayor, who took part in the lighting and releasing 
of her lantern, accompanied it with her wish for prosperity and 
peace in Davao City.

The releasing of the Chinese lanterns last night was for the first time 
held in Davao City. (PNA) rsv/Prix Digna D. Banzon/ldp 

Chinese lantern photos courtesy of Bing Gonzales ... thanks !

 (Included in my articles about My City) 

I'm sharing this article I wrote about a project of a student of the Philippine Eagle ...

Davao student wins international award  on determining sex of Phil Eagles

Completing a research project while still in high school about determining the sex of Philipine Eagles, this 16 year old boy from Davao City competed in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and won in the competition.

Jovani Tomale traveled to Reno, Nevada in May to present a computer program that detemine the sex of a Philippine Eagle and took home 2nd Special Award from the American Statistical Association (ASA).

Tomale, now an SM Foundaion scholar and studying accountancy freshman of the Ateneo de Davao University, formulated the computer software during his senior year at Davao City National High School with the supervision of Aristoniel Cabonilas, research consultant and Vladimer Jobayashi of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao.

He said he learned during one of their field trips at the conservation breeding facility in Davao that the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) had a problem determining the sex of Philippine Eagles.

 He designed a computer program  which systematically determines the sex of a Philippine Eagle using the eagle’s weight, height, age, etc. using the data from the PEF as basis for the program.

PEF research coordinator Jayson Ibanez said data from eagles whose sex are already determined were entered into a software and the results were promising as it did not return a single incorrect finding.

Tomale’s software competed against the works of more than 1,500 exceptional high school students from more than 50 countries.

He said he hopes that his study helps the Philippine Eagle Foundation on increasing the dwindling number of Philippine Eagles.

The software is yet to be adopted by PEF and has not been tested on a newly hatched eaglet even as Ibanez said that Tomale’s work is a welcome addition to the PEF’s variety of tools on its conservation work.

PEF biologist Ana Mae Sumaya said the tool is really a big help in their conservation considering that they just estimate whether the eaglet is male or female but failed on many occasions.  The other method is for them to wait for the eagles to reach sexual maturity which is at five years for female and seven for males by then the sex of the eales is easily detemined by observing breeding behavior through males mount while females ift their tail feathers to allow copulation.

Right now there are 35 eagles at the PEF conservation site with 17 females and 18 males.

PEF communications manager Tatit Quiblat on the other hand said one Philippine Eagle occupies 7,000 hectares of forest but with the status of our forest now there is not enough for everyone because based on data they gathered the country is losing about 270,000 hectares of forest and this is an alarming figure.

She also said the Philippine Eagle is in the global list of endangered species and PEF’s aims to get the bird delisted.

“This is our indicator for success and we want to increase the population of the eagles,” she said.

She said they embark an Adoption Program and right now they have 17 benefactors even as she said that the eagles in the wild also need to be monitored.

To adopt an eagle would cost a benefactor P100,000 each year whether in captivity or in the wild saying that they need to monitor also eagle’s nest and put protective measures as well like supporting forest guards and others.

She urge the public to help in saving the eagle and the forest as well by reducing the threats in the environment.

(Prix B. Banzon) (Included in the stories I write about Environment)

Growing plants and loving them ...

At home I grow flowers, palms and other ornamental plants. I just love growing these plants.  If there is such a green thumb, then you can count me in.

Anything that I plant, the next day it is "up and about". I know this is a gift. I thank God for giving me such because in my small way I could help the environment by continuously growing plants and keeping the surroundings green.

Right in my home I could enjoy the beauty of nature and because of the plants and the trees here, birds come and visit us every day. Butterflies also come. And my mornings include among others, listening to chirping birds that rest on branches of trees and bushes around the house. 

At home while I'm writing birds keep me company just like this birdie that dropped by as if checking on me what I was busy with. Resting in a branch I took this photo upclose. This birdie so smart as if the birdie was ready for the pictorial !

Nature really is something different that one has to sincerely appreciate and it must come from the heart. My place is not that big but I just planted different plants.

I also appreciate the new technology and with my camera, my tablet and sometimes my mobile phone I see to it that I took photos of the flowers that show up from time to time in my garden and many others which caught my attention and interest, those which I can view from my bedroom window or in the veranda perhaps the rainbow, the clouds, rain, the sun, the moon. Oh so beautiful , I tell you.

Sharing you some photos so you'll have an idea what's in my garden ...

What a wonderful world we have and I'm so endlessly grateful !

Thanks for the visit  ...

D Farm is a blessing to us ...

After the Sunday morning Mass today, we did a quick visit to D Farm and talk to Nong Iko, our farm man, and his wife, Manang.

The couple help us in the farm, they tend the plants and watch over hired workers during harvest time.

Life in the farm is simple and they are happy.

D Farm is very near our residence in downtown Davao City. It can be reached by car in 30 minutes.

We got to know of the property when I was preggy with our first born.  And it was love at first sight that we decided to acquire the land.

However, we were busy that time with our respective jobs and had not given it full attention.

We just leave it that way and good that we have Nong Iko and Manang to help us in D Farm.

Hubby talking to Nong Iko

I was talking to Manang here. 

But there is something in D Farm that we are happy about.

We are blessed to have acquired this.

We are blessed to have found this.

Why ? because we are able to share this blessing to others.

D Farm is in a community in Mahayahay in Tugbok, Davao City.

There are water pumping stations in this sitio and the neighboring areas that the Davao City Water District had established.  The water that is brought down to residences, business establishments, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, in downtown areas.

But the community was left waterless despite the source of the water in their place. There were negotiations with the city water district that the residents of this community tap water connections with DCWD.

The nego took some time.  It went for years. It was difficult for them because they fetch water in pails when the source is within their area and yet could not be provided connections.

If I'm not mistaken it was after 20 years that the DCWD opened a project and they considered the barangay to put up another pumping station.

The water district was scouting for an area but none of the residents agreed to have in their property a pumping station. The price was too low and yes it was too low indeed ... with a 100 pesos rate per sq. meter, as if it was just a runaway price ... it was a giveaway price.

We didn't know about this.  It took awhile but when we learned about it, without hesitation we agreed ... because what was in our mind was the opportunity that we could share to others ... this source ... that nature continue to give us. We wanted to help ... we cannot afford to leave our neighbors and the people not sharing what we have ... so this pumping station in our property.

Water pumping station

It was a happy feeling talking to people in the community and they still remember our gesture of letting DCWD put up a pumping station in the property that we own.

I forgot about it already, but this morning, an old lady brought back to us that time that they were all happy having water right in their homes, in the kitchen, in the bathrooms.

Our next step is to maximize the production of D Farm.  Projects are being planned and for implementation within the next four months.  We wanted to give jobs to people, so also we can help them. And with God's grace, we are grateful as we count our blessings each day !

Road to D Farm