4 minute read
Agri-transport system to rise in Mountain Province
DOST-PCIEERD Executive Director Dr. Enrico C. Paringit, DOST-CAR Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services Dr. Pepita S. Picpican, DOST-CAR ARD for Field Operations Services Engr. Angel L. Maguen, DOST PSTO-Mountain Province PSTD Alfonso K. Berto, Mayor of LGU-Bauko Hon. Randolf T. Awisan, CARTS Project Leader Engr. Janice Kaye L. Aquino, and President of Towaden-Bito Farmers’ Association (TBFA) Mr. Joseph Banias led the ceremonial groundbreaking and time capsuling.
■ MARY JOY FERRER
Advertisement
A
cable-supported tramline for transporting agricultural produce and farm inputs will soon rise at Monamon Sur, Bauko, Mountain Province.
The Department of Science and Technology Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) and DOST- Cordillera Administrative Region (DOST-CAR) led the groundbreaking of the Cableway for Agricultural Resource Transport System (CARTS) project in the area recently.
The CARTS project aims to develop and install an 800-meter cable-supported tramline intended for the transportation of agricultural products by highland farmers in the Cordillera. The project which was funded through the DOST’s Niche Centers for the Region (NICER) Program with a counterpart funding of 1.1M from the LGU-Bauko will bridge farms located along the Mt. Data Forest Reserve. It is expected to serve 20 farmers that produce potatoes, carrots, cabbage, bell pepper, Chinese cabbage, and other highland vegetables.
In Monamon Sur, farm produce is often transported through rivers, ravines, steep slopes or through manual hauling that sometimes damages the produce thereby decreasing its market value. Likewise, the difficult terrain of the upland communities hampered the fast and smooth transporting of agricultural produce and farm inputs from the isolated farms to the market road.
According to the CARTS project leader, Engr. Janice Kaye Aquino, the loading and unloading area of the tramline is 200 meters away from the nearest farm-to-market road. She also added that the CARTS system will be composed of a threetower tramline with an installed monitor, camera, and sensor to capture the real-time image of the carriage which can load 500kgs of agricultural produce. It will also be equipped with an electric motor that will automate the tram. Redundant safety features were also incorporated in the design for ease of operation and control.
With the tramline project, highland farmers will have safe and cost-efficient means of transporting their agricultural produce and increase farm yield through improved and innovative technologies.
DOST-PCIEERD Executive Director Dr. Enrico Paringit, during the groundbreaking, said that the project is a product of innovation that brings sustainable and resilient activities to the community.
“It will be beneficial in advancing the state of agriculture and providing sustainable sources of livelihood for residents living in remote communities,” Dir. Paringit added.
President of Towadan-Bito Farmer’s Association (TBFA) Joseph Banez gave his utmost gratitude to DOST and LGU-Bauko. “We are very thankful to the officials and those who are part of this project for giving us farmers our long dream of having a cable system to make our vegetable production easier,” he added. The TBFA is one of the direct beneficiaries of the tramline.
The said project is under the Program Boondock: A Mountain Engineering Center Towards Sustainable Infrastructure and Upland Water Security which aims to aid in the preservation of the region’s mountains amidst natural disasters and urbanization through innovative engineering solutions.
DOST-CAR assisted firm, community.......
“ “ I urge you to unleash your creativity; do not just think out of the box, rather, break the box. Let us not be content with our laurels, let us innovate, collaborate and keep the fire in your synergies.
Dr. Renato U. Solidum, Jr. DOST Secretary
Best CEST Community Award is the LGU Tublay headed by Mayor Armando Lauro. The Samahan ng mga Kababaihan sa Barangay (SAMAKABA) from Region VII clinched the 2nd place and LGU Gabaldon of Region III placed first runner up.
DOST-CAR has provided S&T interventions as early as 2013 thru the provision of community-based projects (CBPs) in Tublay, Benguet. Currently, there are total of five (5) CBPs in the municipality benefitting various organizations which include the Country Side Rainbow Association (CSRA), Ambongdolan Multi-Purpose Livelihood, Inc. (AMLI), Togoy Farmer’s Cooperative, Solo Parents of Ambassador Tublay, Association of Persons with Disabilities of Tublay (APWDT), among others.
The CEST program aims to improve the standard of living of economically challenged communities through its five (5) entry points namely (1) economic development, (2) health and nutrition, (3) environmental protection and conservation, (4) human resource development, and (5) disaster risk reduction and climate mitigation.
The national winners were accompanied by the DOSTCAR Regional Director Dr. Nancy A. Bantog and DOST PSTO-Benguet PSTD Dr. Sheila Marie Singa-Claver during the awarding led by Secretary Solidum, Former Secretary Fortunato T. Dela Pena, and USec. Mabborang.
from page 1
The JLM Farms received a plaque of recognition, a PhP50,000.00 cash prize as one of the finalists, and PhP100,000.00 as the national winner while the LGU-Tublay received a plaque of recognition and PhP 200,000.00 cash prize.
“May all the DOST regional and provincial offices set an inspiration to drive us to empower more lives especially disadvantage communities” emphasized by Secretary Solidum during his keynote message.
“Now with our new direction or battle cry #OneDOST4U, we continue to advocate utilization and transfer of available technologies from the research and development institutions down to the local government unit, communities, and industries.” USec. Mabborang asserted.
The awarding was part of the 2022 National Science and Technology Week (NSTW), an annual celebration of STI’s contributions to national development and a DOST platform in heralding S&T advocacy in the country.
Engr. Sancho A. Mabborang DOST Undersecretary for Regional Operations
