MINDANAO DAILY T H E P U RV E YO R O F T R U T H , J U S T I C E , A N D D E V E LO P M E N T
Volume VI, No. 256
Website: www.mindanaodailynews.com
Thursday
P15.00
April 6, 2017
Take the USAD model, guv urges cacao farmers By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN Contributing Editor
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur—Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza has called on cacao farmers in Caraga region to take the three-month social preparation model of the Upland Sustainable Agri-forestry Development
Rebels torch trailer ruck in Makilala
(USAD) program of the provincial government which he believed could help them improve their yield. Plaza has outlined the success behind his pet USAD program implemented in Agusan del Sur since 2013 of which has now started to improve the lot of impoverished farmers in the
hinterland villages in his talk during the Regional Cacao Industry Cluster Roadmap Localization. The governor said USAD farmers which grow cacao, rubber, fruit trees and other high yielding crops underwent the tedious social preparation stage when they learned proper agricultur-
al technologies including land preparation before the provincial government distributes the high-quality seedlings. He admitted USAD was the province’s last ditch effort that encourages multicropping farming to its enrollees. Enrollees See FARMERS, page 7
By Carolyn O. Arguillas of MindaNews
MAKILALA, North Cotabato--A trailer truck loaded with bananas was “intentionally burned” by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) along the national highway here Monday night. Police reports reaching Mayor Rudy Caoagdan said unidentified armed men believed to be members of the NPA “intentionally burned” a trailer truck of the Cowboy Trucking of La Frutera, Inc. at around 7:45 Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza in light moment with munici- p.m. Monday along Sitio pal agriculturists of Agusan del Sur. Photo courtesy of Flortam, Barangay Batasan. The burning came The container van contained nearly 1,200 boxes of bananas for export to the Middle Nonoy Grado, Provincial Public Information Office of Agusan del Sur
See rebels, page 7
East, Japan and South Korea. MindaNews photo by Carolyn O. Arguillas
Plan to postpone SK, barangay polls draws mix reactions
ZAMBOANGA City––President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to postpone the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and barangay elections drew mixed reactions from village officials here. Although Liga ng mga Barangay president Jerry Perez favored the post-
ponement of the barangay election, three barangay chairpersons said otherwise. Perez said he supports the postponement of the election “so that the incumbent barangay officials can finish all the projects they lined up in their respective areas.”
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dictorian vows to influence Moro youth vs extremism/p.2
“It (postponement) is in our favor, especially those who desire to continue to serve their respective barangays,” Perez said. However, he said the President’s decision to postpone the barangay elections should be backed by a congressional act.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers has filed House Bill (HB) No. 5359 seeking to postpone the SK and barangay elections to May 2020, and subsequent elections to May 2023 and three years thereafter. HB 5359, once approved, will also allow the Presi-
dent to appoint barangay officials. Sta. Maria Barangay chairperson Los Elli Angeles said the election should be held on October 31 as scheduled, as he feared they will not be appointed due to political affiliation. Barangay officials, who
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farm, faith rolled into one tourism offering/p.3
should be apolitical, are forced to join political parties, especially that of the incumbent city or town officials, or else their barangay will not receive any projects, it was observed. “There will be no problem as long as there See reactions, page 7
Speaking out nShould Duterte be allowed to appoint barangay officials/p.4