School-On-The Air Graduation Day

26 farmers from Umingan who are engaged in mango production a part of the 1,113 farmers coming from the 25 participating City and Municipal Local Government Units of Pangasinan graduated to the School-on-the-Air(Sanayang Pangradyo sa Agrikultura)on Suatainable Mango Production conducted by the Agricultural Training Institue-Regional Training Center last March 4,2015 at the Provincial Agriculture Office (PagO) Covered Court,Tebag East,Sta. Barbara,Pangasinan.

The School-on-the-Air  started its airing time last November 4,2014 over the local radio station DZRD Sonshine Radio 981Khz located at Dagupan City,Pangasinan.The program was aired every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:00  To 6:00 in the morning.The farmer-graduates were under the direct supervision of the attending SOA Coordinator Vilma Lapuz-Abalos.

The highlights of the activity was the awarding and distribution of certificates,medals,awards,citations ad cash prizes  to the outstanding graduates by Ms. Antonieta J.Arceo,Chief Information Services of ATI, BM and Liga ng mga Barangay President Amado “Pogi” Espino III, BM Danilo Uy, Dr. Annie Bares of DA RFO I, Cecnter Director Rogelio Evangelista and OIC Provincial Agriculturist Dalisay Moya.

The farmer-graduates were able to learn modern technologies on Mango Production though listening to the radio.It is an effective way of empowering the farmers by giving them the chance to learn even without leaving their homes and farms. The said activity was supported by the Local Government of Umingan headed by Mayor Eldred P. Tumbocon.

Contributed by:

Vilma Lapuz-Abalos

Agricultural Technologist

Mmunicipal Agriculture Office

First Garlic Techno Demo Field Day in Umingan

The First Garlic Techno Demo Field Day of 14 participating Cities and Municipalities was held in Umingan,Pangasinan on March 23,2014. The said activity was initiaated by the Department of Agriculture –Regional Field Office I headed by Director Valentino C. Perdido Jr. in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture Provincial research and Experiment  Center headed by  Gilbert D.Rabara,DVM and Engr. Rosendo So of ABONO Partylist.

A trial demo on a 100 sq m area was conducted in 14 Cities and Municipalities of Pangasinan namely ,Alaminos, City, Bayambang, Malasiqui,, San Carlos City, Mangaldan, Alcala, Bautista, Villasis, Urdaneta City, Pozzorubio, Rosales, Natividad, San Quintin and Umingan,it is a first on the province of Pangasinan since  the province is not  a garlic growing area. The purpose of the trial demo is to see if it is feasible to grow garlic in Pangasinan. Based on the results presented by each participating municipalities, if garlic is considered white gold in the Ilocos Region it will be the white diamond of Umingan.  Meaning,garlic growing is feasible in the province. . A techno forum followed after the presentations to give way to the questions,suggestions and comments of the participants to the said activity.

Regional Executive Director Valentino C. Perdido gave his commitment to expand the 100 sq m Techno Trial to forty (40) has.  on the next cropping season. ABONO Partylist  through  Engr.  Rosendo So   will provide the farmers the inputs on a Plant Now Pay Later scheme. And they are going to buy back their produce at a prevailing retail market price.

Former  5th District Representative attended the event and signify his intentions to help the future garlic growers of Pangasinan.

Contributed by:

VILMA LAPUZ-ABALOS

Agricultural Technologist

ROTARY CLUB OF SAN DIEGO PARADISE VALLEY MEDICAL CAMP 2015

One thousand two hundred sixty six (1,266), that is the total number of patients served last Sunday, March 1, 2015 during the Global Medical Mission (medical, dental. optical, minor surgery & circumcision) of Rotary Club of San Diego Paradise Valley in partnership with the Local Government Unit of Umingan.

Medical, Dental & Optical Missions were held at the Municipal Auditorium while Circumcision and Minor Surgeries were held at our Rural Health Unit I.

There was a brief program right before the conduct of the Medical Mission. Those who gave messages include:

                        Hon. Eldred P. Tumbocon, CE-GE – Municipal Mayor

                        Hon. Alain P. Rabang – Municipal Vice Mayor

                        Hon. Neil B. Andaya – Municipal Councilor/Chair, Committee on Health

                        Dr. Linda Tillotson – President, Rotary Club of San Diego Paradise Valley

                        Mr. Gabriel Perpetua – Medical Director, Rotary Club of San Diego Paradise Valley

                        Ms. Femie Villaflores Cupit – Past President, Rotary Club of San Diego Paradise Valley

Ms. Femie Villaflores Cupit is originally from Brgy Pemienta, this municipality. She was the one who facilitated for the medical mission to be conducted here in loving memory of her brother Alex (sunog baga of Home along da riles of ABS-CBN). The just concluded medical camp was already their second here.

After the medical camp, dinner was served at Bulls ‘n Bears followed by the awarding of Certificates of Appreciation to all Rotarians who served. Mayor Eldred P. Tumbocon headed the awarding ceremony. Our First Lady, Madame Camila M. Tumbocon also graced the awarding and brought different native cakes for the visitors to take home.

In the name of the Local Government Unit of Umingan, our sincerest gratitude to all Rotarians headed by Mr. Gabriel Perpetua (Medical Director) and Dr. Linda Tillotson (President) who served in this medical mission. Thank you also to all personnel from our Municipal Health Office headed by Dr. Michael T. Trinidad and to all employees under the Office of the Municipal Mayor.

      

         Highest Validation Rate, Most Institutionalized Conduct of C/MAC Meetings and Best in Compliance. These are the recognitions being awarded to us by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office, Region I. These awards were given on December 16, 2014 at Plaza del Norte Hotel and Convention Center, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte during the conduct of the Pantawid Pamilya Program Implementation Review for CY 2014.

           Special thanks and commendations are now on the way to the people behind these recognitions:

                    Municipal Links:

                                    Winalen G. Austria – from Bugallon, Pangasinan

                                    Clarissa Joy C. Camara – from Ifugao, Mountain Province

                                    Janine F. De Guzman – from Lingayen, Pangasinan

                                    Erlinda C. Catabay – from Anda, Pangasinan

           

                     Social Welfare Assistants:

                                    Christine Ann M. De Vera – from Bayambang, Pangasinan

                                    Roselle C. Ancheta – from Bauang, La Union

Umingan Extends Sympathy to Casem Family

        The Local Government Unit of Umingan headed by the Local Chief Executive, Mayor Eldred P. Tumbocon, wishes to extend sympathy and condolences to the bereaved family of the late GENARO DE LEON CASEM, who passed away on October 22, 2014 at Philadelphia, USA

Umingan is DTI Awardee

            Regional Director FLORANTE O. LEAL and Provincial Director PETER O. MANGABAT of the Department of Trade and Industry awarded a check amounting to One Million Four Hundred Seventy Nine thousand pesos (Php 1,479,000.00) to the Local Government Unit of Umingan. Said fund under the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (BUB) 2014 will be used for the project “Kakayahang Pangkabuhayan sa Umingan”. This is a Shared Service Facility. This project is conceptualized due to: 1) the abundance of squash as prime agricultural product of our so-called Marlboro country in the hilly areas of the municipality; 2) as a support facility for the establishment of One-Town-One-Product (OTOP); and 3) because of the trend on health and wellness wherein people  became conscious on the nutritional value of the food they eat. The LGU saw the potential of the project to create employment for women and to assist farmers market their produce.

            This Shared Service Facility will be housed at the Umingan Livelihood and Training Center, which the LGU will construct at Brgy. Lauren and will be used by United Farmers and Women’s Association of Umingan (UFAWA) and other accredited CSO’s. They will make veggie noodle and veggie-bread products.

            This project aims to:

1.      Serve as venue for product development of different agricultural products

2.      Serve as a training facility for interested individuals to gain knowledge about food processing

3.      To improve standard of Umingan products including our OTOP

4.      To spur livelihood activity among unemployed women and out of school youth

5.      To augment household income through food processing

6.      To supply nutritious foods for the Supplemental Feeding Program of the LGU.

Umingan’s Soybean Trial Demo

The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research through the Ilocos Integrated Agricultural Research Center (ILIARC) in collaboration with the Local Government Unit of Umingan through its Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center  initiated a 1 ha. Techno-Demo on Organic Soybean Production.

Mr. Gil M. Infantado of Poblacion West, Umingan, Pangasinan is the first farmer to try organic soybean production in Umingan who allocated 1 hectare for the trial. He was awarded with 50 kgs. of soybean seeds last September 3, 2014 for this purpose.

Soybean is known for its high protein content not to mention the different medicinal properties.Soybean is included as one of the priority commodities under the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP).It is known as a good source of dietary fiber and it contains anti-cancer and anti-flammatory factors,it also contains components that aid in the prevention of osteoporosis, heart diseases, and diabetes. Among other beans (mungbean,peas, and beans, soybean has the highest protein content. In the Philippines, soybean production is only concentrated in Surigao del Sur and Negros Oriental,that is why a big portion of our soybean needs every year is being imported from other countries. Soybean also plays a vital role in the agricultural system. Just like mungbean, it is a nitrogen fixing plant

Aside from its numerous health benefits, soybean is also an important crop in an agricultural system because of its capability to fixate nitrogen that is present in the air. “The symbiotic relationship between the nitrogen-fixing bacteria [in the root nodules] and the host legume plant provide nitrogen to the agricultural system.

A hectare of organic soybean could fix 300 kilograms of nitrogen in the soil, and only 40 % will be utilized by the plant during its growth cycle. The remaining 60% will stay in the soil and can be utilized by the next crop planted in the field.

The Local Government of Umingan through its FITS Center is in full support in this endeavor. FITS Staff are now preparing  for activities to support the Organic Soybean Production in Umingan. Seminar on the health benefits derived from soybean, production, processing and marketing is in the making.