Melamine was put in milk because it can enhance the protein ingredients of the product.

I was watching this morning at Asian Business News, Singapore. It was reported that owners of dairy companies disclosed that as early as August, the melamine contamination was already known by the Chinese authorities but it was not disclosed due to Beijing Olympics! Apparently, the Chinese officials got bothered by their conscience and eventually leaked to media but international media got hold of it in September or late August only.

Reports of babies falling ill due to contamination was reported late last year. The original culprit, The Sanlu Group was reported to the chinese authorities in December 2007! Officials from the government are saying Sanlu failed to act on consumer complaints so why didn't they release the information to the public? Of course, The Olympics. What's a few innocent lives compared to The Olympics Games? What's the health of thousands of babies compared to how the chinese government want to portray themselves to the world? What does human rights mean to the chinese government? Nothing, they don't care about its own people, just their egos and trying to prove themselves on the world stage. Well, they got the stage to themselves now, and all for the wrong reasons.

The thing is, why buy a branded/ expensive milk when you can buy cheap but toxic and deadly milk from China:lol:

:lol: and then don't worry about the population issue:nuts:


anyway, hope all brands of milk and other dairy products will to be tested soon to calm consumers.

2 Chinese drinks positive for melamine


By Edson C. Tandoc Jr.
INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 12:02:00 10/03/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) Two of 30 China-made milk and milk products have tested positive for melamine content, health authorities said Friday.

The two dairy products are Greenfood Yili Fresh Milk and Mengniu Drink, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told a press conference.

The thing is, why buy Chinese milk products if you can buy a Philippine made Magnolia fresh milk which is good quality and safe to drink?


The problem is...even our local manufacturers are using raw materials from China. So we can never tell actually, unless the list is released by BFAD. And based on the local daily a while ago, the list is yet to be released. But encouraged private parties to do their own testing using the laboratories that are accredited by BFAD.

Anyway as for HK, it is different from China! HK have our own dairy companies such as Dairy Farm. In fact milk products coming in from Mainland China are rarely sold in most local supermarkets.

^^ but Yili prodcuts before were widely available in HK, anyway, i'm sure they're pulled out from the shelves.

It's still scary since a local private testing company based in Quezon City had 14 products from China tested positive for melamine.

^^ but Yili prodcuts before were widely available in HK, anyway, i'm sure they're pulled out from the shelves.

It's still scary since a local private testing company based in Quezon City had 14 products from China tested positive for melamine.

Either that or I don't pay too much attention to these brands. I just get a local Dairy Farm or Kowloon Dairy milk and I ain't experiencing anything strange!

Here are the list of milk products tested in The Philippines that are proven negative for melamine

1. Anchor Lite Milk
2. Anlene High calcium low fat milk UHT
3. Bear Brand instant
4. Chic Choc milk chocolate
5. Farmland skim milk
6. Jinwei Drink
7. Jolly Cow pure fresh milk
8. Kiddie Soya Milk Egg Delight
9. Lactogen 1 DHA infant formula
10. M&M milk chocolate candies
11. M&M peanut chocolate candies
12. Milk Boy
13. Nestogen 2 DHA follow-up formula
14. Nestogen 3 DHA follow-up formula
15. Nido 3+ prebio with DHA
16. Nido Full Cream milk powder
17. Nido Jr.
18. No-sugar chocolate of Isomalt 2 Oligosaccharide
19. Nutri Express milk drink
20. Pura UHT fresh Milk
21. Snickers fresh roasted in caramel nogut in thick milk chocolate
22. Vitasoy soya milk drink
23. Wahaha Orange
24. Wahaha Yellow
25. Want want Milk Drink
26. Windmill Skim Milk Powder

Undergoing tests

1. Anchor Wam Frootmilk Drink Mango Magic
2. Anchor Wam Frootmilk Orange Chill
3. Anchor Wam Frootmilk Strawberry Spin
4. Dutch Lady Pure Milk
5. Jollycow Slender Lowfat Milk
6. KLIM Install Full Cream Milk Powder (1.8kg)
7. Meiji Hokkaido Azuki (Red bean ice Cream)
8. Meiji Ujikintoko (Red bean and green tea frozen confection)
9. Mengniu Original Drink Milk
10. Mengniu Pure Milk
11. Milk chocolate bars/china
12. Milk chocolate candies/china
13. Monmilk breakfast milk walnut milk beverage
14. Monmilk high calcium low fat milk
15. Monmilk high calcium milk
16. Monmilk milk deluxe pure milk
17. Monmilk pure mil
18. Monmilk suan suan ru sour milk beverage (mango flavor)
19. Natural choice milk ice var
20. Nespray
21. Nestle carnation calcium plus non fat milk powder (1.6kg)
22. Nestle chocolate flavor ice cream cone
23. Nestle dairy farm pure milk
24. Nestle vanilla flavor ice cream cone
25. Nutri-express 15 nutritional elements (blue, red and orange label and cap)
26. Nutri-express milk green apple
27. Prime roast cereals 28gm
28. Strawberry sorbet
29. Trappist dairy low fat yogurt drink
30. Vita fresh milk
31. Yili High calcium 250ml
32. Yili High calcium milk 1L
33. Yili High calcium low fat milk beverage
34. Yili low fat milk 1L
35. Yili milk
36. Yili puremilk 250ml
37. Yili puremilk 1L
38. Yinlu Milk Peanut

POSITIVE

1) Jolly Cow Slender High Calcium Milk
2) Greenfood Yili Fresh Milk
3) Mengniu Drink

i heard on tv patrol that chinese businessguys are saying that milk consumption are regaining sales again....

propaganda?

Correct assumption.

And local citizens don't have so much choice, except to buy their locally made milk.

Well, there is nothing a cow can do, if it is feed with melamine fortified plastic straws instead of grass...The result : Milk from the cow are also melamine fortified.

I wonder if consumers really purchase those Chinese brands included in the list of black listed dairy products. Of course I would just buy those written in English noh. Banning those milk products is a good thing too. There are other brands which are tried and tested and are said to have dietary benefits. Consumers shouldn't settle for less.

actually there is a choice and that is the best thing that this melamine issue has brought to the world...to encourage mothers to go back to the natural way and that is breasfeeding.

actually there is a choice and that is the best thing that this melamine issue has brought to the world...to encourage mothers to go back to the natural way and that is breasfeeding.

Question is: How can a mother find a time to breastfeed her baby if she is so occupied in finding ways to make ends meet? A lot of factories are having long working time, thus, making working mothers occupied with work (no work, no pay).

For rich family, this is not a problem.

sir/maam we are in era already where you don't necessarily have to directly breastfeed. a mother can suck and store her milk and put it in the ref for her baby's consumption

sir/maam we are in era already where you don't necessarily have to directly breastfeed. a mother can suck and store her milk and put it in the ref for her baby's consumption

Pardon me for my ignorance... :)

All i know is the actual breastfeeding...And i prefer actual breastfeeding :)

mothers just have to adjust with the times...you see as you said we have a lot of working moms nowadays. the baby would still be drinking mom's milk so i think it's the same better than worrying which brand of milk is poisonous or not

mothers just have to adjust with the times...you see as you said we have a lot of working moms nowadays. the baby would still be drinking mom's milk so i think it's the same better than worrying which brand of milk is poisonous or not

I understand and agree with your point. Breastmilk is still the best...Nothing can replace it... :)

^^i second the motion:D

breastmilk is still best for babies and up;)

^^i second the motion:D

breastmilk is still best for babies and up;)

As far as i know, this is only beneficial for boys only. Girls who may try to breastfeed after 3 years old, will experience urge to like girls than boys... :)

Super OT na ako...Back to topic...Hehehehhee

Pardon me for my ignorance... :)

All i know is the actual breastfeeding...And i prefer actual breastfeeding :)

Natawa naman ako dito :lol::lol::lol:

The government should empower the BFAD to test products sourced from other countries before they are sold in the market. Manufacturing companies should also be compelled to fully disclose the source of their raw materials. We also need to crack down on smuggling.

Either that or I don't pay too much attention to these brands. I just get a local Dairy Farm or Kowloon Dairy milk and I ain't experiencing anything strange! You do not experience anything strange albeit you may had unwittingly imbibed melamine because its effects are long term and children are more prone to its ill effects. It lodges in ones kidneys and develops into kidney stones. Its ok, it can be treated with an operation if detected on time and if one has the money and time for an operation. :lol: Besides, the milk brand you mentioned don't seem to be on the list. The main culprit seems to be the bloody Yi Lin milk company.

:sly: Remember, the parents of the 54,000 affected children are from the poor and the lower classes on the mainland. Their double whammy is that they can hardly afford an operation and they only have one child. Awful, awful, awful indeed...

Chinese herbal injection suspended after 3 deaths
10/09/2008 | 01:38 PM

BEIJING - China has suspended the sale and use of an herbal injection used to treat heart disease after six people suffered adverse reactions and three died.

The State Food and Drug Administration said in a notice posted late Wednesday that the six suffered "serious ill effects" after being injected with an extract from an herb called Ciwujia produced by Wandashan Pharmaceutical.

The SFDA isolated two problematic batches and urged immediate nationwide reporting of any adverse effects.

A man who answered the telephone at Wandashan's marketing department in Heilongjiang, in China's northeast, said the company had stopped selling the herbal injection and had sent the two batches to the SFDA for testing.

The man, who would give only his surname, Luan, said Wandashan has used Ciwujia in its products for more than 30 years without a problem. Luan said the injectable form of the herbal remedy was a relatively new product.

"I haven't heard of any bad reaction of this injection before," Luan said.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the injections are often used to help treat thrombosis and heart disease.

It said the six began to feel cold and vomited, with some going into a coma, after they were injected at the No. 4 People's Hospital in Honghe prefecture in the southwestern province of Yunnan. Three died on Monday, Xinhua said.

China's pharmaceutical industry is highly lucrative but poorly regulated, resulting in companies trying to cash in by substituting fake or substandard ingredients. In recent years, a string of fatalities blamed on counterfeit or shoddily made medications have been reported.

The troubles also extend to regulatory bodies. Last year, amid an uproar over the safety of Chinese exports, the country's former top drug regulator was executed for taking millions of dollars in bribes to approve substandard medicines, including an antibiotic that killed at least 10 people. - AP

Chinese herbal injection suspended after 3 deaths
10/09/2008 | 01:38 PM

BEIJING - China has suspended the sale and use of an herbal injection used to treat heart disease after six people suffered adverse reactions and three died.

The State Food and Drug Administration said in a notice posted late Wednesday that the six suffered "serious ill effects" after being injected with an extract from an herb called Ciwujia produced by Wandashan Pharmaceutical.

The SFDA isolated two problematic batches and urged immediate nationwide reporting of any adverse effects.

A man who answered the telephone at Wandashan's marketing department in Heilongjiang, in China's northeast, said the company had stopped selling the herbal injection and had sent the two batches to the SFDA for testing.

The man, who would give only his surname, Luan, said Wandashan has used Ciwujia in its products for more than 30 years without a problem. Luan said the injectable form of the herbal remedy was a relatively new product.

"I haven't heard of any bad reaction of this injection before," Luan said.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the injections are often used to help treat thrombosis and heart disease.

It said the six began to feel cold and vomited, with some going into a coma, after they were injected at the No. 4 People's Hospital in Honghe prefecture in the southwestern province of Yunnan. Three died on Monday, Xinhua said.

China's pharmaceutical industry is highly lucrative but poorly regulated, resulting in companies trying to cash in by substituting fake or substandard ingredients. In recent years, a string of fatalities blamed on counterfeit or shoddily made medications have been reported.

The troubles also extend to regulatory bodies. Last year, amid an uproar over the safety of Chinese exports, the country's former top drug regulator was executed for taking millions of dollars in bribes to approve substandard medicines, including an antibiotic that killed at least 10 people. - AP

Tsk...Tsk..:ohno::ohno::ohno:

What's wrong with them? Why they always try to cheat the consumers?

sir/maam we are in era already where you don't necessarily have to directly breastfeed. a mother can suck and store her milk and put it in the ref for her baby's consumption

lol. Sorry, I had a different visual register of the mother sucking her own milk.

Pardon me for my ignorance... :)
All i know is the actual breastfeeding...And i prefer actual breastfeeding :)

^^i second the motion:D

breastmilk is still best for babies and up;)

As far as i know, this is only beneficial for boys only. Girls who may try to breastfeed after 3 years old, will experience urge to like girls than boys... :)

Super OT na ako...Back to topic...Hehehehhee

:lol:

I wonder if consumers really purchase those Chinese brands included in the list of black listed dairy products. Of course I would just buy those written in English noh. Banning those milk products is a good thing too. There are other brands which are tried and tested and are said to have dietary benefits. Consumers shouldn't settle for less.

That's what I'm wondering about too. Why buy those you can't read or those with Chinese characters and Chinese-sounding words? Sa pangalan pa lang parang di mo na alam dapat kung anong content nun or what diba? Nakakatawa kasi puro purong Chinese brands yung blacklisted, I mean most of them are Chinese brands talaga.

As regards the fact (it is indeed a fact now) that Chinese goods are always of poor quality, consumers should now take this in consideration to avoid purchasing such products. It's unsafe right now to purchase anything made in China. :lol:

lol. Sorry, I had a different visual register of the mother sucking her own milk.



:lol: i don't know how to call that but mothers here are using that tool already.

^ sucking machine. :lol:

Anyway, there is now a photo circulating of Angelina Jolie breastfeeding. It's quite endearing.

That's what I'm wondering about too. Why buy those you can't read or those with Chinese characters and Chinese-sounding words? Sa pangalan pa lang parang di mo na alam dapat kung anong content nun or what diba? Nakakatawa kasi puro purong Chinese brands yung blacklisted, I mean most of them are Chinese brands talaga.

As regards the fact (it is indeed a fact now) that Chinese goods are always of poor quality, consumers should now take this in consideration to avoid purchasing such products. It's unsafe right now to purchase anything made in China. :lol:

and if a product label is in foreign characters that means it is smuggled and when it's smuggled it didn't undergo any testing and of course unsafe for consumptions.

:lol: i don't know how to call that but mothers here are using that tool already.

^ sucking machine. :lol:


^^ breast pump :)

Huwag bumili ng pagkain sa Divisoria, nandon yung mga unsafe na smuggled goods.

The greedy importers should stop smuggling unsafe food products.
Chinese eggs have been found to contain melamine from the feeds mixed with melamine. If eggs are contaminated so are the chicken meat. The meat products should also be tested. In fact all kinds of food products should be tested.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7728605.stm

Timeline: China milk scandal
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7720404.stm

Dangerously high levels of the industrial chemical melamine have been found in powdered baby milk and other dairy products in China, sparking worldwide safety concerns. The BBC looks at how the saga unfolded.

10 Sept: China reveals that 14 babies fell ill in Gansu province over the previous two months. All drank the same brand of milk powder. Cases start being reported around China.

12 Sept: Sanlu Group admits that its milk powder was contaminated with the toxic chemical melamine.

13 Sept: Production halts at Sanlu Group. Nineteen people are arrested.

15 Sept: Beijing confirms two babies have died. Vice-President of the Sanlu Group apologises to the public.

19 Sept: Melamine is found in ordinary milk from three well-known dairies. One of the firms involved - Mengniu dairy - recalls all its products.

22 Sept: Toll of ill babies rises to 53,000, and the death toll to at least four. The head of China's quality watchdog resigns, becoming the first national leader to step down because of the scandal.

23 Sept: Countries across Asia start to either test Chinese dairy products or pull them from shops.

26 Sept: The EU bans Chinese baby food with milk traces. Sales of the popular sweet White Rabbit are halted after tests detect melamine.

29 Sept: Cadbury recalls products in Asia after tests find traces of melamine. Reports say 22 people have been arrested in Hebei province, suspected of introducing melamine into the supply chain.

15 Oct: Nearly 6,000 infants remain in hospital across China for kidney diseases. Six are in a serious condition.

21 Oct: About 1,500 racoon dogs bred for their fur on a farm in China die of kidney failure after eating feed tainted with melamine.

23 Oct: Six more people are arrested in connection with the tainted milk scandal.

26 Oct: Hong Kong authorities discover eggs produced by Dalian Hanwei Group's eggs contain melamine. They are pulled off the shelves.

30 Oct: Two more egg brands from Shanxi and Hubei provinces are found to contain melamine.

31 Oct: State media admit that melamine is probably being routinely added to Chinese animal feed.

2 Nov: A Chinese official insists the egg scandal is an individual case and clamps down on illegal producers of feed.

14 Nov: The US issues a nationwide "import alert" for Chinese-made food products.

^^ many believe that the outbreak of the tainted-milk scandal could have been earlier than Sept.10...in beijing alone, hundreds of cases of babies hospitalised due to kidney infection were reported as early as July, and some journalist actually reported on the case...but remember that that was days prior to the opening of the olympic games, so whoever who wants to make a noise out of the anomaly would be usually silenced in a tightly controlled mainstream media of China...they won't want another embarassment after the riots in tibet, will they? specially not after when the earthquake in sichuan has just saved the games from future humiliations.

RP tops list of drug users; Government t challenges UN report (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/jan/09/yehey/top_stories/20090109top1.html)

The Philippines ranked No. 1 in Southeast Asia as the country with the most number of drug users based on the 2008 World Drug report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), however, is not convinced about the finding.

Based on the UN report, prevalence of amphetamine abuse in the Philippines was found to be at 6 percent of the population aged 15 to 64 years old. Amphetamine is a “racemic compound or one of its derivatives [as dextroamphetamine or methamphetamine] frequently abused as a stimulant of the central nervous system but used clinically especially as the sulfate or hydrochloride salt to treat hyperactive children and the symptoms of narcolepsy and as a short-term appetite suppressant in dieting.”

The number for the Philippines is far greater than that of second-placed Thailand with 0.8 percent, followed by the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, or Laos with 0.7 percent, Cambodia with 0.6 percent and Myanmar and Vietnam each with 0.2 percent.

The report said that from the 20,000 drug users in the Philippines in 1972, the number climbed up to 6.7 million in 2004, meaning that one in every 29 Filipinos aged 10 to 44 was on drugs.

It added that the preferred illegal substances of Filipinos were methampethamine hydrochloride, popularly called “shabu,” and marijuana.

Not believable

The UN report, however, was disputed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief, Dionisio Santiago, who on Thursday said there could be some errors in the data submitted to the UN by the Philippines’ Dangerous Drugs Board and which were made as basis of the report.

Santiago announced that he would commission an independent research group to conduct a new survey in order to correct the alleged errors contained in the data that the drugs board had given to the United Nations.

The alleged errors, he said, could have arisen from the UN report concluding that 6 percent of Filipinos aged 15 to 64 were drug abusers, when that number could have wrongfully included those who have tested and tried illegal drugs only once.

Santiago branded the UN report as unfair because, he said, comparing the population of the Philippines (around 90 million) with that of China (more than one billion), chances are there were more users in China than in the Philippines.

Push for death penalty

He raised the need to reimpose the death penalty even only on those individuals who would be proved guilty of drug trafficking.

Sen. Francis Escudero is stopping short of meting out capital punishment to the traffickers and their supposed backers in high places.

Instead, he batted for identifying and seeking the prosecution of government lawyers who may have become protectors of drug rings.

Toward that end, Escudero said, the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, which he heads, would review heinous-crime cases, the hiring and firing of prosecutors, the rules on inhibition and the track records of prosecutors on drug cases filed and dismissed. The review, he added, will start once Congress resumes its session on January 19.

Philippines Looking at World as Potential Halal Food Industry (http://www.prminds.com/pressrelease.php?id=6876)

The Philippines has been focusing its efforts to get a significant share in the global halal food industry which is growing stupendously, says RNCOS report.

With Muslim population of 18-20 Million, the domestic market for halal food products is largely untapped in the Philippines, according to our new research “Philippines Food and Drinks Market: Emerging Opportunities”. Besides the domestic consumption, the country is aggressively eying other regions with sizable Muslim population to benefit from the rapidly growing halal food industry all across the world.

The government is continuously making its efforts to develop halal food industry for domestic as well as export purposes. In line with this, the department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has laid out marketing plans, consisting of joint partnerships between the government, business and the Muslims, each supporting the other, says an analyst at RNCOS. It is also making studies on Muslim consumption patterns.

The country is also pushing for the establishment of halal food corners in all supermarkets, groceries and food-related retail outlets in the country by 2009. It is also planning more overseas trade shows, product sales and marketing, and the promotion of Halal certification among exporters to create markets overseas.

The most important markets, the report has identified, for Philippine Halal food include the Middle East and ASEAN countries, which have the largest number of Muslim population in the world. The report has also identified various areas of halal food industry, which are important from investment point of view.

“Philippines Food and Drinks Market: Emerging Opportunities”- an updated edition in RNCOS’ research gallery - provides extensive research and thorough analysis of the food and drinks industry of the Philippines. It gives an insight into the consumption patterns among Filipinos across various food and drinks segments. These include meat, milk, fruit, vegetables, coffee, alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, etc.

This research study provides five-year industry forecast while evaluating industry facts which are supporting the growth of different segments. For instance, health drinks market in the Philippines is on surge due to expanding young population, rising income and a greater exposure to healthier and safer cuisine. This report will help the clients in analyzing the opportunities, challenges and drivers critical to the growth of the industry.

Sending OFWs bits of home in a can (http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20090111-182665/Sending-OFWs-bits-of-home-in-a-can)

A pioneering enterprise, which introduced the first canned “laing” to the ready-to-eat food market, is coming up with another Filipino native dish to boost its product line—the canned “pinakbet.”

The traditional concoction of mixed vegetables and shrimp fry is MoonDish Foods Corp.’s (MFC) second acquisition from the Department of Science and Technology.

“[We were able to acquire it] during the first quarter of 2008,” said Ana Manrique, the company’s co-founder.

Just like MFC’s other products, the canned pinakbet’s main market is the Filipino working population abroad. “OFWs are under-served of local products, so that’s our edge [in having them as our main market],” Manrique, 51, said.

With the help of Rufino, her husband and business partner, and Julia, her daughter and export manager, the company has already delivered several shipments to the United States and the United Kingdom on trial orders.

World food market

“I’m happy that we were able to penetrate the US, Australia and Japan markets,” said Manrique. “They have very strict regulations.”

MoonDish currently exports as much as 70 percent of its products to Europe, Canada and the Middle East. These include canned “laing” (taro leaves cooked in coconut), “puso ng saging” (banana heart), Bicol Express, “camansi” (breadfruit), “ginataang ampalaya (bitter gourd cooked in coconut),” “tuyo (dried fish)” and “bagoong sa gata (shrimp paste cooked in coconut).”

Local consumers, however, were treated to an early sampling of the canned “pinakbet” during the product’s “soft launch” at the International Food Exhibit held at the World Trade Center last May.

The introduction had worked to the Manriques’ advantage. “There was some feedback on the bitterness of the ampalaya,” Manrique said, “so we have improved on that.”

No chemical additives

And just like the other canned products, the canned “pinakbet” has no chemical or artificial preservatives. “There are no chemical additives; I want the food to be safe,” Manrique said. The family’s concern is not only for the product’s taste but also for the health benefits that go with it.

With its canning technology, MoonDish has been able to keep the canned “pinakbet’s” shelf life at two years. Its “laing,” on the other hand, can be stored for 21 months at most.

A fisheries graduate of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, Manrique was first involved in the food industry through baking, not canned goods. She and her husband, a mechanical engineer, sold goodies like crinkles, brownies and cupcakes in their bakery, Moonbake Breadhouse, named after the Moonwalk Village in Las Piñas City where they reside.

In 1997, the Asian financial crisis hit them hard, forcing them to look for other sources of livelihood. “We were just looking for fallback products for our crinkles,” Manrique said.

Their search led them to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, a DOST attached agency, which encouraged them to try commercializing the “laing.” Now, almost 10 years later, the same institute still helps the couple with their newest canned venture.

Helping small farmers

In return, the Manriques are helping small farmers and other people. “We’ve helped many farmers, from [those making] rice to taro,” Manrique said.

So far, MFC has been tapping a farmers’ cooperative in Quezon for their supply of raw materials. “Now we are developing another cooperative in Bicol,” Manrique said.

Even with the high and steady demand for their products, the Manriques believe they still have a long way to go before hitting it big. “Maliit lang ito (This is just small),” Julia said, referring to their 1,000-square-meter factory in Taguig City.

Although they tried to advertise two years ago in print and radio, the Manriques have stuck mostly to trade shows and food samplings for publicity. “We’re still a small enterprise,” Manrique reiterated.

Still, with not much competition and “more compliments than complaints,” MFC dominates the local production of canned vegetables. For now, the family business concentrates on making affordable and conveniently packed traditional Filipino vegetable dishes that anyone can eat—anytime, anywhere.

Ecstasy use in RP rising; Shabu prices up sharply, sales at P1 billion per day (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/jan/19/yehey/top_stories/20090119top1.html)

The trade in crystal methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu” in the Philippines has grown into a P1 billion-a-day industry, but the drug has now become more expensive, making it “the poor man’s cocaine no more,” antinarcotics officials and international drug reports said.

The price of shabu has doubled to between P8,000 and P10,000 per gram since law enforcers dismantled several “mega-laboratories” in 2006 and 2007.

But government successes in curbing shabu production have been offset by another problem: Users are now turning to the amphetamine-type stimulant “Ecstasy,” which sells for P750 to P800 per tablet, and cocaine, which sells for P2,500 per gram, the kinds of drugs that were seized from “Alabang Boys” Richard Santos Brodett, Jorge Jordana Joseph and Joseph Ramirez Tecson by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in separate entrapments in September.

The 2008 World Drug Report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said the Philippines “continues to have the world’s highest estimated annual methamphetamine prevalence rate” at 6 percent of the population. Officials from the anti-drug agency and the Philippine National Police said in separate interviews that nearly 200 kilos of shabu are sold every day at a wholesale price of P5 million a kilo or P1 billion a day.

The UN report said methamphetamine use in the Philippines has actually declined. “Accomplished ang mission namin. Walang gumagalaw. May psychological warfare—active and passive [We have accomplished our mission. The syndicates are immobile. There is an ongoing psychological warfare, both active and passive],” anti-drug agency Director General Dionisio Santiago said of the shabu syndicates.

But with the antinarcotics crackdown over the past years making shabu more scarce and its price steeper, users are now turning to cheaper alternatives and producers shifting to other modes of production.

Antinarcotics officials from the agency and the Philippine National Police reported an increase in the use of Ecstasy or methy*lenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), a drug favored by the rich now trickling down to the middle class. The 2008 World Drug Report has also noted a rising level of cocaine consumption in the Philippines.

Marijuana still popular

Locally grown marijuana, however, remains the “alternative drug of choice” for shabu users whenever prices of synthetic drugs escalate, according to the anti-drug agency. It is also known as the “starter drug” for teenagers.

Demographic data from drug rehabilitation centers nationwide in 2007 indicate poly-drug use among patients, almost one-third of whom were high-school students.

The agency reported confiscating a veritable spread of drugs from the “Alabang Boys” —shabu, cocaine, Ecstasy, marijuana as well as diazepam or Valium.

In 2006 and 2007, law enforcement agencies raided and dismantled a dozen clandestine “mega-laboratories” that produced shabu in industrial quantities of 1,000 kilos or more in one cycle.

Shabu factories

Law enforcers also arrested several big-time lab operators, among them Chinese who did not speak a word of English or Filipino and who turned out to be the shabu chemists. The chemists took care of “cooking” the shabu and were “embedded” in these labs.

These days, shabu is produced in “large-scale laboratories” that churn out just one-tenth or 100 kilos per production cycle, as well as smaller ones that are easier to dismantle. These labs have also moved to rural and “remote rural areas” in Luzon and Visayas to escape detection. All six major raids on shabu labs last year were outside Metro Manila. They were in La Union, Pampanga, Masbate and Bicol.

The chemists, meanwhile, no longer stay in the labs but just come to the Philippines as tourists, staying only for a week to “cook” the shabu and leaving as soon as production ends and the syndicate has gotten its share—usually one-fourth of the output—in cash, a national police official said.

Law enforcers said the chemists are essential to the operation since the Chinese refuse to “transfer” this skill to Filipinos. The Philippine labs also acquire the hydrogenator, cylindrical equipment used in shabu manufacturing, from the Chinese.

What China leaves to its Philippine counterpart nowadays is the importation of the precursor materials, particularly ephedrine, a basic component in cold tablets that is sourced from India and China. India is said to produce better-quality ephedrine. A hundred kilos of ephedrine can yield 70 kilos of shabu.

The new arrangement makes it more difficult for antinarcotics operatives to detect the labs. “You have to recruit a member of the syndicate to know the location of the lab and the production date,” the national police official said. “You need a deep penetration agent.”

Shabu imports up

The drop in local shabu production has also caused a rise in shabu importation from China, anti-drug and police officials said. From Yunnan province in China, the shabu travels to the Guangxi, Guangdong and Fujian provinces and Hong Kong before ending up in the Philippines.

Shabu arrives at different ports around the country, packed in a variety of containers less likely to be checked, including large giant ornamental jars sold in furniture and ornamental shops in malls, or even inside expensive imported cars.

One source said the new strategy of syndicates is to shun the “traditional ports” in Cavite, Navotas, and Dingalan in Aurora, preferring instead the less prying eyes in private ports in Zamboanga and Jolo. Using speed boats, illegal drugs are distributed to various destinations or abroad.

Part of the shabu shipped to and produced in the Philippines makes its way to South Korea, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the US (including Guam) and Canada, according to the 2008 UN World Drug Report.

Since the late 1980s, Ecstasy has been popular among showbiz denizens, the rich and young expatriates in the Philippines. The UN report said Ecstasy users make up 0.2 percent of the population aged 15 to 64.

Antinarcotics agents have said that drugs like Ecstasy are distributed to users at local high-end bars and restaurants, and during concerts. “We are watching [the] international concerts. Illegal drugs are present in these events,” a source said. The source said they have identified these international performers who “carry Ecstasy from Europe.”

"Hug drug"

Ecstasy is imported, chiefly from the US and the Netherlands, said the operatives. But they cited intelligence reports that the drug is now being locally produced in minute quantities on an experimental basis, but of poor quality.

Ecstasy from the Netherlands, on the other hand, is sourced from contacts in Thailand and Malaysia, said anti-drug and police officials.

One law enforcer said some Ecstasy pills that come from the United States are stuffed into DVD and VCD shipments, the cases lined with carbon paper to prevent detection by X-ray machines. These parcels are then mailed to the Philippines, with “many of them” successfully reaching their local destinations, he said.

Ecstasy is also known by the following street names or slang: Adam, E, Roll, X, XTC, Dolphin, Cream Honda, Clover, Twin heart, Red hook, Pink dolphin, Blue mushroom, Playboy, Mickey mouse, Pink arrow.

Ecstasy has been called the “hug drug” because users like being touched. Medical researchers have observed that users said they “experience feelings of closeness with others and a desire to touch others.”

“Recently, we found out that different brands have different effects. Some brands heighten sexual desire while some have the effect of giving one a ‘high’ for days,” one source said.

Pharmacologically considered as a stimulant, Ecstasy and its variants enhance mood and increase energy level, “producing intensely pleasurable effects” even allowing users to dance for hours. Once its effects wane, users descend into depression and anxiety, and have sleep disorders.

Others effects include uncontrollable teeth clenching, disappearance of inhibitions, blurred vision, increase in heart rate and blood pressure, and either chills or sweating. Seizures are a possibility.

“The stimulant effects of the drug enable users to dance for extended periods, which when combined with the hot crowded conditions usually found at raves, can lead to severe dehydration and hyperthermia or dramatic increases in body temperature. This can lead to muscle breakdown and kidney, liver and cardiovascular failure. Cardiovascular failure has been reported in some of the Ecstasy-related fatalities,” one medical pamphlet said.

Other party drugs

The veterinary anesthetic ketamine has also emerged as a “party drug” among some bar habitués. A horse tranquilizer, it is popularly known as “kets” or “ketabu” and induces psychedelic or hallucinogenic states. A number of Ecstasy pushers also deal in ketamine, said anti-drugs officials.

A US State Department report said ketamine is being converted from its legal liquid form to the illicit crystal form in the Philippines and exported to other countries in the region.

Cocaine, produced from the coca leaf grown in South America, has not gained much following in the Philippines. More so with heroin, which is produced chiefly in Afghanistan and Myanmar.

But law enforcers said the country has become a transshipment point for heroin and cocaine as a growing number of Filipinas in their 20s and 30s have been turned into “drug mules” by international syndicates. Also last year, counternarcotics agencies were alerted to cocaine smuggling through a port in northern Luzon.

Cocaine and heroin trafficking in Southeast Asia is handled chiefly by West Africans based in Thailand and Malaysia, in particular Nigerians, they said. Legitimate recruitment agencies hire Filipinas for “jobs” in these neighboring countries, with some ending up as girlfriends of the traffickers.

The powder-form drugs are concealed in false bottoms of carry-on luggage, packs of feminine sanitary towels or candy boxes that get past airport X-ray machines. They are flown into the Philippines and turned over to another Filipina. The latter then flies to another country, including China, usually on a Philippine airline, and hands the shipment over to a member of the syndicate.

About one to 1.5 kilos of cocaine or heroin is transported per voyage, for which the “drug mule” is paid $1,500 to $3,000.

Filipino “drug mules” have been arrested in China and Hawaii airports for heroin possession.

An anti-drug agency official said the canine squad has limitations in detecting illegal drugs at the country’s ports. “A dog that is used to sniffing two grams of drugs may get confused when exposed to a kilo or a ton,” he said.

The dog also becomes ineffective when it is tired, he added.

Mechanics manning X-ray machines at the country’s port fare no better than the dogs. Most are untrained in drug detection and have admitted that they cannot tell an illegal drug even if they come across one, the official said.

The country’s ports also have a different priority. “They are more concerned with explosives than drugs,” he said.

Benguet veggie farmers on frost-watch (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090117-183894/Benguet-veggie-farmers-on-frost-watch)

The weather in this vegetable-growing province has been exceptionally cold this month and farmers here are on a frost-watch as the temperature in upland towns dropped to 6 Celsius on Friday.

But agriculture officials have allayed fears of massive frosts—the white powdery layer of ice formed when air temperature falls below the freezing point of water—occurring in Benguet.

They said strong winds have helped defuse potential frosts happening in the major vegetable-growing areas, except in some farms sited between mountain slopes.

“But there is no damage to speak of. There may be frost on some farms that are difficult to be reached by sunlight early in the morning but they are small and isolated cases,” said provincial agriculturist Lolita Bentres.

On Friday, the weather bureau in Baguio recorded the temperature at 8.8 Celsius, slightly higher than the 7.5 degrees recorded in the city on Thursday morning.

Benguet’s upland vegetable-growing towns usually experience colder weather than Baguio, usually 2 to 3 degrees lower. True enough, on Thursday and Friday, the temperature went down to 6 degrees. The reading was taken before sunrise by the agriculture office in Atok town.

Little Alaska

Bentres said she has not received any reports of frost occurring in the most sensitive areas of the province—the villages of Balili in Mankayan town, Paoay in Atok, Madaymen in Kibungan and Natubleng in Buguias.

These areas, known as Benguet’s “Little Alaska” for being the coldest at this time of year, are the ones often hit first when massive frosts have occurred in the past.

Fred Rufino, the Atok agriculture officer, said spots of frost hit Barangay Paoay on Thursday but these were isolated. These are small farms located along slopes or deep areas not easily reached by sunlight, he said.

“The farmers are also busy preparing their land for planting so there would be no alarming damage to the vegetables if frost should occur,” he said.

Homer Teliaken, barangay chair of Madaymen, said the weather was exceptionally cold on Thursday but there was no frost.

He said strong winds in the morning helped ease the cold. “But even the breeze was so cold that we had to wear scarves to cover our faces,” he said.

He said some farmers are worried that frosts may occur if the cold temperature persists.

Asano Asan, the agriculturist at Buguias, said no frost occurred in the barangays of Natubleng and Sinipsip, believed to be the town’s coldest areas

US stocks rise on Pfizer-Wyeth deal, home sales data (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/145996/US-stocks-rise-on-Pfizer-Wyeth-deal-home-sales-data)
01/27/2009 | 12:12 AM


NEW YORK – Wall Street grew more optimistic Monday on news that the drugmaker Pfizer will acquire rival Wyeth for $68 billion and a surprise jump in sales of existing homes in December.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose more than 130 points and broader indexes jumped more than 2 percent.

Pfizer's move offered investors reassurance that dealmaking could still take place in a difficult recession. And a report from the National Association of Realtors that sales of existing homes rose rather than fell in December stirred hopes that lower prices and falling interest rates are helping eat away at a glut of homes with "for sale" signs.

Investors also placed bets on beaten down financial stocks after Standard & Poor's reaffirmed its ratings on General Electric Co., which has a large financial services business. The company last week posted disappointing fourth-quarter results that stirred fears it could see its credit rating downgraded. That could have weakened the financial standing of those that hold the company's debt.

Mixed news from big companies weighed on corners of the market. Downbeat comments from Caterpillar Inc. about the health of its business curbed the advance in the Dow industrials compared with broader indexes. Caterpillar reported that its fourth-quarter earnings fell 32 percent and that it would lay off workers and cut executive pay. The maker of heavy equipment said it would offer buyouts to 25,000 employees in the U.S.

Caterpillar lost 7 percent after reporting a sharp drop in economic conditions and plunging commodity prices left the company "whipsawed" in the fourth quarter after a strong start to 2008.

Investors found comfort in the Wyeth acquisition. The combined company will have 17 products that each have more than $1 billion in annual sales. But beyond the implications for the drug industry, the $22.5 billion in financing put up by banks for the combination is another sign that the credit markets are slowly starting to improve after locking up following the mid-September bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. That failure left lenders hesitant to extend credit.

Still, not all deals are going through. Rohm and Haas Co. said Monday that Dow Chemical Co. scrapped its planned acquisition of the company, which was expected to close Tuesday.

There was other bad news for the economy. The Home Depot Inc. announced plans to cut 7,000 jobs and close its smaller Expo chain as the company struggles with the weak housing market.

McDonald's Corp. posted better-than-expected profits but said earnings and revenue fell from a year earlier. Same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, rose worldwide and in the U.S., where the company's low-prices have been a draw for consumers worried about the economy.

"It's almost like a teeter-totter right now," said Alan Lancz, money manager at Alan B. Lancz & Associates. "Earnings season is always treacherous in this kind of global economic environment with all the uncertainty."

In midmorning trading, the Dow industrials rose 134.69, or 1.67 percent, to 8,212.25.

Broader stock indicators also rose. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 17.53, or 2.11 percent, to 849.48, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 30.72, or 2.08 percent, to 1,508.01.

Stocks ended last week with losses of more than 2 percent as companies' results weighed on the market.- AP

I don't think Pfizer has Nutritionals division. And since the buy-out will be for all divisions of Wyeth, it has to create a new division to place S-26 and Promil brands into.

That's the drawback of being with multinational companies with clear competitors! The risk of merging, acquisition and buy-out is always there. And when your task becomes redundant, it's time to say your byes.

^^

Unless they will make a viagra fortified S-26 and Promil :lol:

Starbucks: Goodbye pricey coffee, hello instant (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/02/14/09/starbucks-goodbye-pricey-coffee-hello-instant)
Reuters | 02/14/2009 11:46 AM

LOS ANGELES - Starbucks Corp is moving into the instant coffee market as it works to shake off its reputation as a seller of pricey coffee drinks.

The Seattle company plans to unveil Via instant coffee on Tuesday and to make it available next month.

Starbucks said the new drink item was 20 years in development and replicates the taste of Starbucks coffee. A trio of single-serve Via packets will sell for $2.95 and 12 packets will be priced at $9.95.

The move pits the company, which already sells its coffee beans in grocery stores and in its own shops, against giant food sellers with established instant coffee brands. They include Nescafe maker Nestle and Sanka seller Kraft Foods Inc.

Instant coffee, which Starbucks said has a $17 billion global market, was more popular decades ago in the United States and remains a staple in parts of Europe and Asia.

In the latest quarter, the United States contributed $2 billion of the company's $2.6 billion in total revenue.

Move to value

Starbucks started paying the price for building too many stores at around the same time that the US economy hit the skids. Its customers are visiting less often and some have switched to brewing coffee at home in a bid to save money.

"Starbucks is trying to go where the customer is," said Telsey Advisory Group analyst Tom Forte.

Forte said the move fits with the company's recently announced plan to offer breakfast food and coffee drinks at a discount.

That move landed as fast-food giant McDonald's Corp has been adding lower-priced espresso drinks to its already dominant breakfast business.

Starbucks is "giving a customer an opportunity to experience the brand at a lower price point," Forte said. "The company is being aggressive in trying to generate sales in an increasingly weak economic environment."

Since its business began slowing in late 2007, Starbucks has closed more than a thousand stores, cut staff and reworked its menus.

Last year it rolled out loyalty programs and began offering discounts on purchases -- particularly during its slow afternoon hours.

William Blair & Co analyst Sharon Zackfia, who said she wanted more details on the new product and the company's plans, said she was keeping expectations in check.

"I don't think it's going to move the needle much one way or another ... I would be pleasantly surprised," Zackfia said.

mas mahal pala ang shabu kaysa cocaine :nuts: P8k/g vs. P2.5/g. Looks like it's the other way around now. coke is the poor man's shabu :nuts:

‘Rat parts’ found in pasta sauce (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/02/19/09/%E2%80%98rat-parts%E2%80%99-found-pasta-sauce)
By JONATHAN MAYUGA, Business Mirror Correspondent | 02/19/2009 6:23 PM


The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) is now investigating a complaint filed by an employee of the network giant ABS-CBN who claimed that the tomato sauce that his wife used in cooking contained what appeared to be a “heart of a small mammal” suspected to be that of a rat.

The complaint filed by Mario Bautista of Bacoor, Cavite, and an employee of the ABS-CBN Bayan Foundation, is now being heard by the Bfad in Quezon City.

Bautista said the entire family was traumatized after discovering that the tomato sauce they used to cook spaghetti last year was contaminated with rat parts.

He said his wife, Marilyn, and children were hospitalized after suffering from severe headache, dizziness and vomiting.

According to Bautista, his wife discovered what appeared to be a small animal’s innard inside the pouch of a Del Monte tomato sauce she bought at the Puregold grocery store in Imus, Cavite.

He said, “Kahit takot ay naglakas ako ng loob na tingnan ang lalagyan ng sauce at nakita ko ang isang bagay na nasa loob ng pack. Ang bagay na ito ay mapusyaw na puti na tila goma at solido.”

Unknown to Bautista, his family earlier ate their lunch cooked by Marilyn using the same Del Monte tomato sauce.

According to Bautista, his wife did not notice it, thinking that the product is clean and safe, as it is supposed to be.

The following day, the children experienced stomach pains and were taken to a hospital for treatment, he said.

Bautista had the object found in the tomato sauce pack examined by the UP Los Baños laboratory, which determined that the tomato sauce is indeed contaminated. In its histology report, the laboratory said “three tissue samples processed and examined showed features characteristic of a heart of a “small mammal.”

Such presence of tissues, according to UP Los Baños, can indicate presence or increase of protein level in tomato sauce such as that sold by Del Monte, which advertises that its tomato sauce has no protein or has zero protein level.

But other Del Monte tomato sauce pouches belonging to the batch covering the one bought by Bautista also had protein based on the findings of the Central Analytical Services Laboratory of the National Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH) in UP Los Baños.

Findings indicate that the Del Monte tomato sauce with sample code A-BB0812091F8 purchased by Bautista had the highest protein level of 1.47± 0.07-percent crude protein, while two other Del Monte samples with codes B-BB081909GF8 and C-BB081209HF6 had 1.09± 0.03 percent and 1.11± 0.02-percent crude protein.

Bautista warned, “Dapat na hindi basta isantabi ang bagay na ito dahil sa milyun-milyon ang naniniwala sa mga produkto ng Del Monte. Ang produktong ito ay kinakain ng tao at maaaring magdulot ng kapamahakan o di may ay kamatayan, kaya dapat maaksyunan agad.”

Because of this, he said, he will ask the Bfad to order the pullout of the said Del Monte products from grocery stores, particularly batch BB08129IF8.

A trade department official said that in this case, the Bfad will take the lead role in ensuring consumer protection that investigation and measures to protect the consumer are addressed.

In issues of food and drugs safety, the official said the BFAD is in charge because the trade department does not have the facilities to do that and has to rely on the BFAD on these types of cases. (With M. de Leon)

EU to aid ASEAN to improve foodstuff hygiene deficiencies (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=442849&publicationSubCategoryId=200)
Updated February 23, 2009 12:11 PM


KUALA LUMPUR (Xinhua) -- The European Union would give technical aid to any ASEAN country to help improve hygiene deficiencies which could prevent the exports of their foodstuff to the EU, local newspapers said on Monday.

EU's main concern was the safety of all food exported to the EU for human consumption, European Commission Health and Consumer Protection director-general Jerome Lepeintre said.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was a major food exporter to the EU, he told reporters last weekend at a one- day forum on EU-ASEAN cooperation on Codex food standards in Kota Kinabalu, capital of the Sabah State in East Malaysia.

Stressing that Codex standards benefited both the EU and ASEAN, he said that ASEAN countries like Malaysia and Thailand were already active in that respect, while Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam were lagging.

Lepeintre also said that all food must be labelled as such if they contain genetically modified organisms, something which the United States has resisted.

Drug suspects seek review of habeas plea (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090223-190574/Drug-suspects-seek-review-of-habeas-plea)


MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) The three suspects from prominent families tagged in a controversial drug case will file a motion for reconsideration of their habeas corpus petition before the Court of Appeals Monday afternoon, their lawyers Felisberto and Jacqueline Verano said.

The appellate court a few weeks ago dismissed the consolidated habeas corpus petitions seeking the release of Richard Brodett, Jorge Joseph, and Joseph Tecson from the custody of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency PDEA).

The lawyers for the respondents argued that Brodett, Joseph, and Tecson should have been released from PDEA custody after state prosecutors found no probable cause to charge them with drug trafficking as early as December.

Felisberto said the appeals court cannot use the waiver signed by the three allowing for their detention while the case is undergoing preliminary investigation as a justification.

"The moment the case is dismissed, the waiver is no longer in effect," he said.

"[The] waiver is only good the moment the case has been subjected for preliminary investigation," he added.

The appellate court’s Special 13th division said the three suspects failed to establish one of the requisites for habeas corpus to be granted -- illegal detention.

It also said that, even if State Prosecutor John Resado recommended dismissal of the drugs case against the three suspects, this was still subject to automatic review by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez.

Napolcom probes cops linked to drugs, syndicates (http://www.mb.com.ph/MAIN20090225148957.html)


The National Police Commission (Napolcom) yesterday announced it is looking into the suspected involvement of some Philippine National Police personnel in the protection of manufacturers, pushers and syndicates of illegal drugs.


Napolcom officials said the move is in line with the commission’s efforts to cleanse and further professionalize the PNP.

Napolcom teams have been formed to conduct not only random drug tests among policemen but also to investigate the involvement of some of the country’s law enforcers in the illicit drug trade, according to Napolcom vice chairman and executive officer Eduardo Escueta.

Escueta said the commission en banc has issued Memorandum Circular No. 2009001 on the formation of drug test teams or tap the drug test centers to conduct random drug tests on uniformed personnel.

"At the same time, the Commission will conduct intensive investigation on the involvement of PNP personnel in the protection of manufacturers, pushers and syndicates of illegal drugs and similar substances, as well as in the manufacture, distribution, sale, or illegal use of drugs," Escueta said.

He echoed the earlier pronouncement of Interior and Local Government Secretary and Napolcom chairman Ronaldo Puno that "refusal of any PNP personnel to submit himself or herself to random drug test shall constitute insubordination or violation of the said Memorandum Circular and will warrant dismissal from the service or imposition of disciplinary sanctions as prescribed by law."

The Commission also promulgated and prescribed rules and regulations like the "One-Strike Policy" to fight the eradication of illegal drugs in the country.

"The ‘One-Strike Policy’ on illegal drugs shall be strictly enforced in all provincial, city and municipal command levels of the PNP for purposes of determining administrative liabilities under the principle of Command Responsibility," Escueta added.

The "One-Strike Policy" states that when an illegal drug laboratory, drug den, distribution center or warehouse containing drugs, ingredients or paraphernalia used in the manufacture of illegal drugs is raided or discovered by another law enforcement unit, the local PNP chief shall be immediately relieved.

PDEA buy-bust operation a farce, says DOJ (http://abs-cbnnews.com/nation/01/06/09/pdea-buy-bust-operation-farce-says-doj)

State prosecutors on Tuesday said anti-narcotics did not conduct a legitimate buy-bust operation against the so-called Alabang Boys whom they arrested in September 2008.

State prosecutors who dismissed the drug case involving Jorge Joseph, Richard Brodett and Joseph Tecson presented their report before the House of Representatives, which is investigating the alleged bribery try on justice and drug enforcement officials.

Senior State Prosecutor Philip Kimpo said there were so many defects in the procedure of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

PDEA Director Dionisio Santiago, however, denied Kimpo's allegation and said the operation was legitimate.

"Our poseur buyer was alone but we had a group on standby that will close in on the quarry upon getting a signal. It was not a single man team. How could we make an arrest when he was talking to two people? He would be overpowered. There was an arresting team with the pusher-buyer," he told congressmen during Tuesday's hearing.

Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez, meanwhile, said the prosecutor's statements that the PDEA operation was a farce is a very serious allegation and implies that the PDEA fabricated its story.

The House is investigating allegations that the families of the "Alabang Boys" bribed prosecutors to dismiss drug charges against them.

The Department of Justice dismissed the case last month, saying there was not enough basis to charge the three who were arrested for carrying Ecstasy and sachets of cocaine and marijuana.

PDEA legal chief Alvaro Lazaro, meanwhile, expressed shock over the resolution released by State Prosecutor dismissing the Alabang Boys' case.

Lazaro refuted Resado's assessment that the buy-bust operation was a farce and the arrest of the drug suspects was illegal.

He also pointed out that Resado assured him that they had a solid case against the Alabang Boys.

DDB conducts own probe

The Dangerous Drugs Board said it is conducting its own investigation of the bribery scandal hounding the Alabang Boys drug case.

DDB chairman Tito Sotto said President Arroyo ordered him to look into the PDEA's allegation that they were offered P50 million to dismiss the case against Brodett, Joseph and Tecson.

"We have to look into the possibility whether the bribery is true or not and who are the people behind it, who should be charged with bribery and things like that. That's about it," he said.

The families of the suspects have accused the PDEA of merely inventing the bribery claim and are filing charges of arbitrary detention and libel against PDEA chief Santiago.

Sotto said lack of coordination between PDEA and the justice department is to blame for the Alabang Boys bribery controversy. He said there is a need to revise the structures of government agencies handling drug cases to improve their coordination.

PDEA bats for Asia-Pacific drug body (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20090225-191035/PDEA-bats-for-Asia-Pacific-drug-body)

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has called for the creation of a regional drug task force to clamp down on the operation of international drug gangs recruiting mules in the Asia Pacific.

PDEA chief Dionisio Santiago made the call in his keynote address before the 14th Asia Pacific Operational Drug Enforcement Conference, an anti-drug summit that gathered some 26 delegations in Tokyo, Japan, last week.

The PDEA proposal called for the creation of a multinational task force based in Thailand but with desks in member countries.

“The task group will facilitate information exchange and intelligence sharing to come up with effective and efficient countermeasures,” said the PDEA in a statement.

Santiago expressed concern over the operation of drug syndicates recruiting mules to deliver drugs to clients in other countries, among them China and European countries.

Most of the groups are known to be led by West Africans.

Mules, among them Filipino women out of jobs overseas, are known to be recruited into the syndicates through promises of free travel and good pay.

Couriers are told to hide contraband in their bags and bodies. Some are even known to swallow pills containing drugs. There have also been cases when travelers become unknowing couriers.

“International drug groups in Asia, the Middle East and South America employ Africans who recruit unsuspecting travelers in need of money as drug couriers. It is sad to note that those caught transporting illegal drugs will suffer the death penalty even if they did not know they were carrying such dangerous substances,” the PDEA said.

Last year, some 240 Filipinos, mostly women, were arrested in various airports for carrying drugs.

‘Rat parts’ found in pasta sauce (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/02/19/09/%E2%80%98rat-parts%E2%80%99-found-pasta-sauce)
By JONATHAN MAYUGA, Business Mirror Correspondent | 02/19/2009 6:23 PM


The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) is now investigating a complaint filed by an employee of the network giant ABS-CBN who claimed that the tomato sauce that his wife used in cooking contained what appeared to be a “heart of a small mammal” suspected to be that of a rat.

The complaint filed by Mario Bautista of Bacoor, Cavite, and an employee of the ABS-CBN Bayan Foundation, is now being heard by the Bfad in Quezon City.

Bautista said the entire family was traumatized after discovering that the tomato sauce they used to cook spaghetti last year was contaminated with rat parts.

He said his wife, Marilyn, and children were hospitalized after suffering from severe headache, dizziness and vomiting.

According to Bautista, his wife discovered what appeared to be a small animal’s innard inside the pouch of a Del Monte tomato sauce she bought at the Puregold grocery store in Imus, Cavite.

He said, “Kahit takot ay naglakas ako ng loob na tingnan ang lalagyan ng sauce at nakita ko ang isang bagay na nasa loob ng pack. Ang bagay na ito ay mapusyaw na puti na tila goma at solido.”

Unknown to Bautista, his family earlier ate their lunch cooked by Marilyn using the same Del Monte tomato sauce.

According to Bautista, his wife did not notice it, thinking that the product is clean and safe, as it is supposed to be.

The following day, the children experienced stomach pains and were taken to a hospital for treatment, he said.

Bautista had the object found in the tomato sauce pack examined by the UP Los Baños laboratory, which determined that the tomato sauce is indeed contaminated. In its histology report, the laboratory said “three tissue samples processed and examined showed features characteristic of a heart of a “small mammal.”

Such presence of tissues, according to UP Los Baños, can indicate presence or increase of protein level in tomato sauce such as that sold by Del Monte, which advertises that its tomato sauce has no protein or has zero protein level.

But other Del Monte tomato sauce pouches belonging to the batch covering the one bought by Bautista also had protein based on the findings of the Central Analytical Services Laboratory of the National Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH) in UP Los Baños.

Findings indicate that the Del Monte tomato sauce with sample code A-BB0812091F8 purchased by Bautista had the highest protein level of 1.47± 0.07-percent crude protein, while two other Del Monte samples with codes B-BB081909GF8 and C-BB081209HF6 had 1.09± 0.03 percent and 1.11± 0.02-percent crude protein.

Bautista warned, “Dapat na hindi basta isantabi ang bagay na ito dahil sa milyun-milyon ang naniniwala sa mga produkto ng Del Monte. Ang produktong ito ay kinakain ng tao at maaaring magdulot ng kapamahakan o di may ay kamatayan, kaya dapat maaksyunan agad.”

Because of this, he said, he will ask the Bfad to order the pullout of the said Del Monte products from grocery stores, particularly batch BB08129IF8.

A trade department official said that in this case, the Bfad will take the lead role in ensuring consumer protection that investigation and measures to protect the consumer are addressed.

In issues of food and drugs safety, the official said the BFAD is in charge because the trade department does not have the facilities to do that and has to rely on the BFAD on these types of cases. (With M. de Leon)

Rat on fetuccini everyone? :lol:

RP to gun for anti-drug rally record (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090227-191434/RP-to-gun-for-anti-drug-rally-record)

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippines will bat for a Guinness world record when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo leads 500,000 elementary and high school students in what is hoped to be the biggest march against illegal drugs, Malacañang said Friday.

Arroyo will lead the march dubbed the Batang Iwas Droga [Youth Against Drugs] or Bida March, to the Quirino Grandstand along Roxas Boulevard on March 21, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said.

“We hope to earn for the country a place in history and a shot at a Guinness world record,” Remonde said.

Last month, Arroyo named herself the country’s anti-drug czar and took charge of the government’s counternarcotics campaign in the wake of a bribery scandal at the Department of Justice (DoJ) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Remonde said Arroyo would remain anti-drug czar “for as long as it is necessary to put every agency’s acts together.”

“That is in the process now, it won’t be for long,” he added.

PDEA taps communities vs illegal drugs (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090227-191385/PDEA-taps-communities-vs-illegal-drugs)

MANILA, Philippines – As part of its intensified campaign against illegal drugs, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) will be employing a new strategy: community mobilization, Director General Dionisio Santiago said Friday.

This new strategy, Santiago said, would educate community leaders and residents on the different modus operandi of local and international drug syndicates.

This information, he said, would make communities more resistant to illegal drug activities and would promote “non-patronization” to make drug syndicates unwelcome in any locality.

This new approach was developed by PDEA during its three-day strategic planning activity at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, said Santiago.

On Friday, Santiago also signed a memorandum of agreement with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to closely monitor the entrance and exit of goods in the ports.

“Our main objective is to pre-empt possible exploitation of the Subic Bay Freeport into becoming an ‘open port’ for illegal drug activities. The original purpose of the free-ports is to facilitate free-flow of legitimate goods and capital – not to present easy access for illegal drug syndicates,” Santiago said in a statement.

Part of the agreement includes random and regular drug inspections by both PDEA and SBMA of suspicious vessels and aircrafts to prevent smuggling of illegal drugs and other paraphernalia.

“We will make sure no illegal drug activities get past our watch. One by one, we will barricade every possible exit and entry points of illegal drugs,” Santiago said.

PDEA, Subic to tighten drug watch (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/197408/pdea-subic-tighten-drug-watch)
By Aris R. Ilagan

The leadership of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency yesterday forged a memorandum of agreement with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to safeguard the Subic Bay Freeport from illegal drug smuggling.

"Our partnership with SBMA is a big step towards sealing off possible entry/exit points of illegal drugs into and out of the country. Our main objective is to preempt possible exploitation of the Subic Bay Freeport into becoming an open port for illegal drug activities.

"The original purpose of the freeports is to facilitate the free flow of legitimate goods and capital — not to present easy access for illegal drug syndicates," PDEA Director General Dionisio Santiago said.

Santiago and SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza signed the memorandum of agreement to block the transshipment of illegal drugs, controlled precursors and essential chemicals at the freeport.

Under the MoA, the PDEA and SBMA personnel will jointly undertake random and regular inspection of suspicious vessels and aircrafts for illegal drugs in finished form and to prevent the diversion of controlled precursors and essential chemicals for local manufacturing.

After the MOA signing, Santiago attended the closing ceremonies of a three-day strategic planning activity of PDEA at the freeport which was focused on the theme, "Confronting Challenges with Synergy and a Plan".

Santiago said the strategic planning was meant to synergize all efforts, programs and activities of PDEA nationwide in a bid to further strengthen the agency’s campaign against illegal drugs.

PDEA operation was ‘legitimate’ (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090302-191893/PDEA-operation-was-legitimate)
By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez

MANILA, Philippines -- The arrest of drug suspects Jorge Joseph and Richard Brodett Jr. at the posh Ayala-Alabang subdivision in Muntinlupa City in September last year was a “legitimate operation” by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), village security officers told the House of Representatives Monday.

“It was [a] legitimate [operation],” Alvin Ballares, one of the security officers of the Bulldog Security Agency who was on duty at the time, told the House committee on dangerous drugs during the continuation of its hearings into the so-called “Alabang Boys’ bribery scandal.

Joseph, Brodett and Joseph Tecson, all scions of prominent families, were arrested for allegedly peddling high-end drugs.

Their case became controversial following allegations that bribes had been offered for prosecutors to dismiss the case against them.

Ballares and Romeo Javier, chief of security, told the House committee that the PDEA agents had a mission order and coordinated with them.

Ballares also said he saw PDEA agent Jigger Juniller aim his gun at Joseph after the latter had been arrested.

”Nagmamakaawa siya kasi tinututukan [He was begging for mercy because a gun was aimed at him],” Ballares said of Joseph.

He also said Joseph asked him to call his aunt.

Joseph, who was present at the hearing, along with Brodett and Tecson, again invoked his “right to silence.”

The village security officers and PDEA agents were invited to the hearing to shed light on the details of the buy-bust operation that led to the arrest of the three suspects, who claimed they were manhandled and that the operation was not legitimate.

Chemicals for shabu found in house (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20090302-191952/Chemicals-for-shabu-found-in-house)
By Tonette Orejas

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Philippines -- A house rented by a Chinese national in a posh residential village here yielded chemicals and equipment known to be used in the making of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride).

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) confirmed finding the materials during a search on the house in Essel Subdivision, Barangay (village) Telabastagan here past 5 p.m. Monday, the agency’s Central Luzon chief Jose Rayco told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net).

The search was covered by a warrant issued by Judge Adelaida Ala-Medina at 3 p.m. also on Monday, Rayco said.

Rayco could not yet give details of the inventory, which was ongoing as of posting time.

The place reeked of the chemicals’ foul smell, he said, adding that they had yet to find newly manufacture shabu in the house.

The PDEA applied for the search warrant on Sunday, when the caretaker of the house complained to Victor Viray, the brother of the house's owner.

Viray said the caretaker was worried a fire could break out because the tenants kept the lights on around the clock.

The house has been rented by a certain Carla Arevalo since Sept. 1, 2008, according to Rayco.

Arevalo and her Chinese companion, who was unidentified, could not be located, Rayco said.

The neighbors were not privy to the activities of Arevalo's group.

The steel gate to the house is 10 feet high while the laboratory is in an airconditioned room.

It was the fourth suspected shabu laboratory found in Pampanga since late last year.

The first one, which posed as a hollow blocks factory, was in a remote village in Floridablanca. The others were discovered in two houses in nearby Angeles City. Six Chinese men were arrested in the last two raids in December.

Looming corn shortage (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/march/06/yehey/opinion/20090306opi1.html)

Two developments in the agriculture sector dramatize to what lowly depths the crafting of policy has plunged. First is the Ebola-Reston virus that affected a hog farm in Pandi, Bulacan. Second is the real threat of a yellow corn shortage.

Using all known economic benchmarks, the yellow corn shortage is the bigger, more important problem. Government attention should focus on averting a shortage because yellow corn is our second most important crop after rice.

The Ebola problem, while a real health and animal science concern, is confined to an area in Bulacan. It does not affect humans and does not have the making of a calamitous epidemic. Not yet at least—for a pig farmer was found to have been positive for Ebola-Reston last week. But one must also agree that photos of pink pigs being culled look more dramatic than parched cornfields.

Yes, the Ebola Reston problem has gotten all the attention and focus, abetted no less by the incessant media coverage, including the shrill fear mongering of ill-informed and misinformed AM radio commentators, some of whom, in the real world, cannot distinguish between a boar and a sow.

Impact of shortage all-encompassing

In this dismal science called policy-making, the minor problem that is long on fear mongering gets the real attention. The threat of a yellow corn shortage, which can abruptly slow down the production of pork, poultry, beef, eggs and cultured fish—and would inevitably lead to jacked up costs of these basic commodities—has not been given the serious attention and focus it deserves.

The first one, at its worst, will affect hog farms in one province, which is not even the hog capital of the country. The second one will affect Filipinos across the country that consume the important food items dependent on yellow corn. A yellow corn shortage is all-encompassing. It will affect our food exports, our local food supply, our GDP and just about everything related to the national economy.

The contrasting impact, however, is lost on makers of state policy. It is about time to reverse this and assign priority where it is due.

What should be done?

What should be done to avert the looming yellow corn shortage? This is not a complex problem and a menu of solutions is available.

First, corn production technologies, which are used right now at experimental corn stations, should be mass propagated. These pilot areas can yield as much as eight metric tons per hectare of yellow corn. Ordinary farmers cannot produce as much, with their production average ranging from 4.5 MT per hectare to five MT per hectare.

The massive use of modern technologies will immediately result in a great leap in yellow corn production.

Second, there are vast tracks of rich farmlands still stuck to the old ways—such as raising sugar—which yields little profit and involves a one-year cycle. These areas should instead be converted into yellow corn farms.

This conversion should start in the sugar lands of Central Luzon, especially Pampanga and Tarlac, which are the most prodigious producers of hog, chicken and eggs right now.

The thrust should be this: the centers of hog, poultry and egg production should be major production centers of yellow corn.

The national target should be at least 7.5 million metric tons this year and corresponding yearly adjustments in the production targets should be made after 2009.

This can be done, quickly (yellow corn’s production cycle is 110 days) and at little cost. The P42-billion agricultural modernization program can be tapped to fund the miniscule funding requirement of increasing our yellow corn yield.

But success in yellow corn production can be attained only after we have shaken off our pre-occupation with fear mongering and prioritize what should be our real priorities. Our urgent policy concerns cannot be dictated by the fertile imaginings of the hawkers of fake Apocalypses.

Formation of corn research body mulled (http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW030309/content.php?id=055)
By Romer S. Sarmiento

KORONADAL CITY — A research body for the development of the country’s corn industry is vital to addressing tightening corn supply, a lawmaker from Central Mindanao, one of the country’s major corn producing regions, said in a statement yesterday.

MINDANAO accounts for 40% of the country’s corn yield.

North Cotabato Rep. Emmylou T. Mendoza pushed for the creation of a corn research institute (CRI) that will operate under the Department of Agriculture to ensure that the country’s future requirements of corn are adequately met.

"We should dedicate a whole new institute to draw up a comprehensive corn research program, build up production, improve the economic condition of farmers, and expand livelihood opportunities in the countryside," said Ms. Mendoza, whose home province is one of the country’s leading producers of corn.

Under her proposal, the CRI would serve as hub of all corn research and development initiatives by the public and private sectors.

Zaldy M. Boloron, corn coordinator of the regional Agriculture department, welcomed Ms. Mendoza’s proposal to establish a national corn research center. "There’s a need to put up a center that shall consolidate researches for the development of the corn industry," he said in an interview yesterday.

Mr. Boloron said the regional office here of the Agriculture department has at least five corn research stations in four areas across Central Mindanao. He noted that corn production in the region dropped 7.9% to 1.117 million metric tons (MT) last year from 1.213 million MT in 2007.

This moved the region to third place, next to Cagayan Valley and Northern Mindanao in production. In 2006 and 2007, Central Mindanao was the country’s number two corn producer. Ms. Mendoza warned the country will face severe corn shortages in the future if corn productivity remains at current levels.

She cited growing demand for corn for food, feed and industrial use and the declining plantable land area as among the factors that threaten future corn supply in the country. In pushing for a high-technology research institute for corn, Ms. Mendoza pointed out the country has already several public and private research institutes for rice.

Early this year, she noted that tight supply brought local corn prices to P25 per kilogram (kg) from P13.50/kg. The scarcity prompted the Department of Agriculture to allow up to 200,000 metric tons of corn imports for delivery this month for use by poultry and hog growers and feed millers, she said.

Next to rice, Ms. Mendoza said that corn is the country’s second most important crop. It is the staple food of about 20% of the population, and the main component of livestock and poultry feed. Over 2.5 million hectares of the country’s arable land are planted to corn, which support more than 600,000 farm households nationwide. More than 40% of the country’s annual corn output comes from Mindanao.

Due to the rising cost of inputs and the lifting of the tariff on feed wheat imports that compete with domestic corn, local farmers grouped under the Philippine Maize Federation Inc. expect this year’s production of the grain to fall short of the Agriculture department’s 7.8-million MT target.

Last year, the country produced 6.95 million MT of corn — about 1.01 million MT short of the Agriculture department’s original 7.96-million MT target and only slightly higher than the output in 2007.

Ms. Mendoza attributed currently inadequate corn output on farm inefficiency. She pointed out that while experimental stations are able to yield up to eight tons per hectare, farmers in the field are able to produce only three to 4.5 tons per hectare. She also warned that corn farms are being degraded by rapid soil erosion. "Left unchecked, this will further contribute to declining productivity levels," she said.

^^ sounds very reactive rather than proactive. these lawmakers are always reacting when the crisis hits us and will later claim the fame for being able to figure the solution to the problems. :ohno:

First, the banks that are lending Pfizer the takeover money for Wyeth are also the ones who have taken the US Government Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) bailout funds. And now the Obama administration is lifting the ban on stem-cell research where Pfizer itself is getting into to explore the potential of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells (where ordinary cells like those taken from adult skin are coaxed into behaving like embryonic stem cells). Wyeth for its part is also doing biopharmaceutical research.

Smells like Obama is into drugs...:scouserd:


Obama stem-cell pledge revives volatile debate (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/world/03/08/09/obama-stem-cell-pledge-revives-volatile-debate)
Agence France-Presse | 03/08/2009 11:27 AM


WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama is due Monday to scrap a ban on federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research, a move already delighting scientists and vexing conservatives.

Following up on his campaign promise, Obama will sign an executive order to reverse the ban introduced by his predecessor George W. Bush eight years ago.

Since August 9, 2001, researchers using new human embryos have had to look to the private sector for funding.

Disgruntled scientists vociferously opposed the ban, which they said hampered the quest to cure debilitating diseases.

Scientists aim to use stem cells to reconstruct organic tissue and replace any type of damaged cells.

They also hope research into cell regeneration will eventually lead to a cures for Parkinson's, diabetes, paralysis and other degenerative diseases.

Embryonic stem cells are primitive cells from early-stage embryos capable of developing into almost every tissue of the body.

But the research has proven controversial. The cells used are taken from human embryos in the initial phase of their development, and the embryos are usually destroyed in the process of extracting the cells.

Bush argued that destroying human embryos in order to conduct scientific research crossed a moral barrier and urged scientists to consider other alternatives.

But Irving Weissman, Director of the Stanford Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, told AFP the move would put the United States back at the forefront of medical research.

"It was unusual for Americans to ban a line of biomedical research that has such promise for understanding and treating diseases for ideological reasons.

"America classically has aggressively pursued research that has the potential to impact medicine.

"Now with the lifting of the ban on funding... President Obama has removed politics and ideology from the funding of research."

Weissman said he hoped the newly invigorated research "will lead to better understanding of human disease."

Peter Wilderotter, president of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation -- named in part after the late Superman star -- also welcomed the move.

"By removing politics from science, President Obama has freed researchers to explore these remarkable stem cells, learn from them and possibly develop effective therapies using them."

Actor Christopher Reeve died in 2004, nine years after he was paralyzed in a horseback riding accident. His wife died in 2006. The foundation funds research into spinal cord injuries.

But the move was far from universally welcomed.

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council described it as "yet another deadly executive order by President Obama."

Perkins said that to "open the door to direct taxpayer funds for embryonic stem cell research that encourages the destruction of human embryos is a slap in the face to Americans who believe in the dignity of all human life."

John Boehner, the Republican leader in the House of Representatives, said government money should be used to fund alternative stem-cell research that does not involve destroying an embryo.

"Republicans enthusiastically support adult, cord blood, and pluripotent stem-cell research that have shown so much promise in recent years," Boehner said.

"The question is whether taxpayer dollars should be used to subsidize the destruction of precious human life.

"Millions of Americans strongly oppose that, and rightfully so."

But his fellow Republican, Senator Orrin Hatch, supported Obama's move.

"This research enhances, not diminishes, human life, and the president deserves credit for making that possible," Hatch said.

"I strongly believe that being pro-life means helping the living by allowing critically important and ethical medical research to go forward."

Food prices stable despite global crisis—DA (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090310-193311/Food-prices-stable-despite-global-crisisDA)
By Izah Morales

MANILA, Philippines – Despite the global economic crunch, basic food prices at public and private markets have remained stable, an official of the Department of Agriculture said.

“We have a cyclical demand pattern. During December, we have high demand on food, therefore, prices increased. But towards the first quarter of the year, it normalizes. That’s why prices are going down,” said Evelyn Tedon, chief of the Metro Manila Operation Center, Bureau of Agricultural Statistics in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net.

In a released statement, assistant secretary Salvador Salacup said that regular milled rice was priced at P30 per kilo, refined sugar at P36 a kilo; washed sugar at P34; and brown sugar at P30 compared to its price last February.

Despite the ebola-reston virus that hit a farm in Bulacan, the price of pork has remained between P170 and P180, Tedon told INQUIRER.net.

“On the supply side, kaunting kabawasan lang kasi sa Bulacan lang naman ‘yun [there’s just a slight reduction because that was only in Bulacan]. Our source of pork for Metro Manila also comes from General Santos, Batangas, and Bicol,” said Tedon.

But Tedon told INQUIRER.net that the ceiling price of pork dropped from P195 last week to P 190 this week.

“There is a P 5 decreased. For Catholics, the lent season is here. That’s why there’s a change in consumption patterns,” said Tedon.

Aside from lent, the lower consumption of pork could be attributed also to the summer season, said Tedon.

“Mainit na kasi tapos kakain ng baboy [It’s summer that’s why people refrain from eating pork]. Health conscious na rin ngayon ang consumers [Consumers are now health conscious],” said Tedon.

For poultry products, dressed chicken is sold at P 120 per kilo and a medium-sized egg at P 4.50 per piece. On the other hand, beef rump costs P 240/kilo while brisket is priced at P 180/kilo.

For fish, alumahan or Indian mackerel decreased its price from P 140 last month to P 120/kilo. Tilapia or St. Peter’s Fish (P 90), bangus or milk fish (P 110), galunggong or Mackerel Scad (P 100) have the same prices as last month.

Salacup said vegetable prices have also dropped.

From a price of P 60 last month, red onion can now be bought for P 50/ kilo while sitao (string beans) and ampalaya (bitter gourd) are sold at P 50/kilo compared to its January price of P 60.

Eggplant and potatoes are now also being sold ate lower prices, being sold at P 25/kilo and P 35/kilo, respectively.

Meanwhile, prices of mango and papaya are stable at P60/kilo and P 70 per piece.

Jack 'n Jill goes Japanese (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=447356&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
Updated March 11, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Jack ’n Jill introduces a new product called Potato Chips Salmon Sushi, the latest delightful addition to its line of international cuisine-flavored snack treats.

Made from 100 percent all-natural potatoes, Jack ’n Jill Potato Chips Salmon Sushi potato chips has the unique flavor of salmon sushi that can be enjoyed in 22g buddy pack or in 60g family pack, which is ideal for sharing.

Bring out the fun-loving snacker in everyone with the new Jack ’n Jill Potato Chips Salmon Sushi. Head to the nearest grocery, supermarket and convenience store to relish the goodness of fresh potatoes made even more delicious with the flavors of the Orient.

For another delectable no-frills snacking treat, try Potato Chips International Cuisine Nori flavor in buddy and family packs.

P34.2-M marijuana destroyed in Cordillera (http://http://www.gmanews.tv/story/152146/P342-M-marijuana-destroyed-in-Cordillera)
03/10/2009 | 07:59 PM

MANILA, Philippines — Anti-drug operatives in the Cordillera region destroyed some P34.2 million worth of marijuana plants in Kibungan town in Benguet province Tuesday.

Radio dzRH reported the burning followed four days of drug eradication operations by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Police Regional Office-Cordillera.

Operatives destroyed 165,440 fully grown marijuana plants and 27,800 seedlings during the operations.

PDEA Cordillera spokeswoman Tessie Sarmiento said the eradication operations were conducted March 4 to 7 in 26 areas in Kibungan.

The Dangerous Drugs Board said the drugs destroyed were valued at P34.2 million. - GMANews.TV

160 nabbed in 1 week of anti-drug operations (http://http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090311-193552/160-nabbed-in-1-week-of-anti-drug-operations)
By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 14:51:00 03/11/2009


MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF) arrested 160 persons in just a week as it intensified the campaign against illegal drugs, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno said on Wednesday.

The PNP-AIDSOTF has also filed some 145 cases in court, the result of 38 buy-bust operations from February 28 to March 6, Puno said, quoting AIDSOTF Director Raul Bacalzo.

Over this period, police conducted 84 raids and discovered four marijuana plantations.

The PNP-AIDSOTF also confiscated P835,013.70 worth of illegal drugs, consisting of 293 pieces of marijuana plants; 7,658 grams of marijuana; 127.73 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu; 50 bottles of Menthodex syrup; and other substances such as Diazepam, Nubain and solvent; and assorted drug paraphernalia.

Puno said the biggest drug bust happened in Metro Manila, during which more than P230,000 worth of marijuana (184.48 grams) and methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu, 51.724 grams) was confiscated.

Saluyot can earn a fortune (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=448475&publicationSubCategoryId=77)

Don’t look now, but the once “lowly saluyot” can earn a fortune for an enterprising farmer.

In one regular season (up to seven months), a saluyot grower can earn a net income of P411,349 per hectare, according to a cost and return analysis done by University of the Philippins Los Baños (UPLB) researchers.

To set up a one-hectare saluyot farm, one needs an initial investment of P228,651 to cover labor cost, materials needed, and fixed costs, UPLB researchers Dr. Rodel Maghirang, Ma. Luisa Guevara, and Gloria Rodulfo computed.

In a season, one can harvest 80,000 bundles of saluyot per hectare. At a cost of P8 per bundle, one can gross P640,000.

To promote production of this green leafy vegetable, the Los Baños-based Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCARRD) and DOST Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SET-UP) has published a “Saluyot Production Guide.”

Scientifically named Cochorus olitorius, it is popularly known as saluyot (Ilokos), tugabang (Bisaya), bush okra (English), jute mallow or Jew’s mallow, jute, and nalta.

Named molokheya in Egypt where it known to have originated, it is widely cultivated in the Sub-Sahara wet regions and North Africa’s drier areas.

In 2006, the 692 ha planted to saluyot throughout the Philippines produced 1,949 tons, reported the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (DA-BAS).

Top producers are Ilocos (particularly Pangasinan) (213 ha) and Western Visayas (154 ha). BAS noted, however, that “market gardens around Metro Manila are increasing and are more productive.”

The UPLB researchers said that saluyot can be harvested 30 days after transplanting by cutting the crop at 20-25 centimeters from the ground. The plants are harvested at one to two weeks interval for up to seven months.

The most common outlets of saluyot harvest are local markets. But some commercial uses of the crop have been discovered.

About 15 years ago, saluyot became a “food fad” in Japan after Japanese health buffs found that it was a low-calorie food and rich in Vitamin A and minerals such as iron, calcium, and protein. They used dried saluyot powder as an ingredient in meals and soups.

DOST’s Dr. Lydia Marero once reported: “Saluyot leaves are rich in beta carotene for good eyesight, iron for healthy red blood cells, calcium fro strong bones and teeth, and vitamin C for smooth, clean skin, strong immune cells, and fast wound-healing.”

Actually, powdered dry saluyot had been produced mainly to cater to expatriate Filipinos, particularly Ilocanos, in the United States and Middle East. But it later found a large market in Japan.

Among those who ventured into this income-generating activity a decade ago was the Central Luzon State University (CLSU), which produced powdered saluyot and exported it to Japan.

BFAD tests more local peanut butter (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090317-194565/BFAD-tests-more-local-peanut-butter)
By Dona Pazzibugan

More peanut butter products manufactured locally are up for testing for salmonella poisoning, according to the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD), which is expected to issue public advisory within the week.

BFAD Director Leticia Gutierrez said some peanut butter products tested negative for salmonella, but she did not identify them, adding that they would only issue a recall order for products found to be contaminated.

On March 12, BFAD, on its website, announced the recall of Yummy Sweet and Creamy Peanut Spread, 224 grams and 490 grams, with batch numbers 3040905 and 11240810 and expiration dates of 9/04/09 and 5/24/09.

The food regulatory bureau said the two batches tested positive for the salmonella bacteria that causes typhoid fever, diarrhea and gastrointestinal diseases.

Yummy is manufactured locally by Samuya Food Manufacturing Inc.

“Do not eat the peanut spread products covered by the batch number identified. Throw them away in a manner that prevents others from eating such products,” the BFAD said in its advisory.

Other batches of Yummy Sweet and Creamy Peanut Spread, however, have tested negative for salmonella, Gutierrez said.

Food supplier sees upbeat growth in Cebu (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=449763&publicationSubCategoryId=108)
Updated March 19, 2009 12:00 AM


CEBU, Philippines - As Cebu tourism continues to thrive, a supplier of a wide line of food and beverage products that caters to a high-end market segment remains optimistic with its operation amidst the threats of the economic crisis.

In an interview with Audrey Fernandez Salazar, the head for sales and marketing of The Artisan Gourmet Chef, she said that they continue to bank on the thriving tourism industry in Cebu.

The Artisan Gourmet Chef started operations in October of last year and serves as the marketing arm of the Cebu Country Farmers Market Inc. (CFM) which has extensive experience in running all aspects of food and beverage management systems in the Philippines.

Salazar said that currently they are looking at intensifying their operations in their commissary in Canduman which has state-of-the-art equipments.

She said that right now, they have not yet fully maximized the full capacity of the commissary as they have not yet increased their volume of orders.

“The commissary can produce more than what we sell. There is still so much room for growth for the company and we have not yet fully maximized our equipments which are geared for mass production,” added Salazar.

She said that they are targeting to penetrate the whole Visayas region and so far they have already started to capture the Bohol, Camiguin and Cebu markets despite being a new player in the wholesale food business.

She said that right now, their volumes depend so much on the orders of hotels and resorts which heavily depend on its occupancy rate.

Salazar said that February has been a lean month for them because major hotels and resorts also have lean occupancy rates.

But since summer is fast-approaching, Salazar is optimistic to get more business as occupancy rate for major hotels and resorts are expected to also increase.

“We are now starting to intensify our operations as we have also started to maximize our importation. We are not competing with lower-end brands in the market because we have our own market base but we are looking forward to increasing our hold in this segment through tapping more dealers, deli shop owners, canteen operators. We are also innovating and developing new products that can serve the mass-based market segment,” said Salazar.

This year, The Artisan Gourmet Chef is targeting to achieve a three million peso per month mark and so far their maximum sales is still around P1.7 million, said Salazar.

The company is an affiliate of the M. Lhuillier Group of Companies, which also owns The Gustavian.

The Artisan Gourmet Chef markets and distributes a wide range of processed meat products such as imported meats, hams, cold cuts and sausages.

It also has a wide deli and dairy line, which is comprised of imported cheeses, sauces, condiments and creams.

Right now, they have started with the importation of beers from Belgium, which is part of their beverage line.

The company’s bakery line is also starting to penetrate restaurants, hotels and resorts supplying bread products like buns, rolls, bagels, pita bread and among others. – Rhia de Pablo

Philippines ready to export organic products (http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view/20090320-195149/Philippines-ready-to-export-organic-products)
By Riza T. Olchondra

MANILA, Philippines — A program to convert 400,000 hectares of traditional rice lands into organic farms will produce enough organic rice to meet domestic and international demand, anofficial of non-profit group La Liga Policy Institute said

“If a one-hectare rice farm produces 3.5 tons of organic rice, the 400,000 hectares will produce over a million metric tons. The increased supply could also help make organic rice more affordable to more people and not just the middle class and high-income market,” La Liga managing director Roland Cabigas said in an interview.

“The production will be enough to supply current demand for niche markets here and we can also export. In fact, someone from Singapore has expressed interest in direct trade. We want to encourage this,” he said.

Cabigas said the Department of Agriculture (DA) http://www.da.gov.ph/wps/portal, nongovernmental organizations and farmers had met on the timetable of conversion from 2009 to 2010.

“As per DA, the process will start after the April harvest. Farmers will be trained in organic farming around May or June in preparation for conversion,” he said.

A combination of rain-fed upland farms and irrigated lowland farms will be converted.

Those located in fourth- fifth- and sixth-class municipalities will be given priority, Cabigas said.

He said the target was to increase organic rice production to the national benchmark of 3.8 tons a hectare.

The local market for organic products is estimated to be worth about $10 million, the Philippine Development Assistance Program Inc. (PDAP) said.

PDAP said about 40 percent of current production is exported and the rest is consumed locally.

PDAP executive director Jerry Pacturan said in an earlier interview that more benefits would be realized if all 2.5 million hectares currently planted with certified seeds would go organic.

He said that by doing so, the rice farming sector could save at least P50 billion a year. The savings could then be used for food security projects.

There are only 14,000 hectares of rice farms using organic methods, although most operations have not been certified, Pacturan said.

Conventional rice farms, meanwhile, occupy 4 million hectares of land nationwide.

Pacturan said that conventional rice farming uses up to P31,000 per hectare per cropping for farming implements alone, including non-organic fertilizers.

On the other hand, organic farming requires just P17,000 a hectare and this covers organic fertilizers and pest repellents.

Labor costs are the same at about P5,000 per hectare per cropping.

“The savings add up to about P14,000 per hectare for one cropping. Even at just P10,000 per hectare, when realized from 2.5 million hectares currently planted with government-certified seeds, that adds up to P25 billion per cropping, and we average two croppings a year. That could go to farmer education, technology transfers, buying shredders, and other programs that will help us achieve food security in a sustainable way,” Pacturan said.

The PDAP was founded in 1986 as a consortium of Filipino and Canadian nongovernmental organizations developing community-based projects to help reduce poverty and inequity in the Philippines.

Filipinos eating more rice than ever (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20090327-196611/Filipinos-eating-more-rice-than-ever)

Did you know that each Filipino now eats at least two and a half cavans of rice every year?

Latest data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics showed that in 2007, the per capita rice consumption in the country was 126.84 kilograms (50 kg is equal to one cavan).

The figure is 31 percent higher than the 97.05 kg or a little less than two cavans per capita consumption of the staple food 10 years ago.

On a daily basis, each Filipino now eats at least 347 grams of rice.

“To me, this is quite high because we now have several fast food chains and other food for snacks,” said Cipriano Santiago, director of the Department of Agriculture in the Ilocos.

But he said this may be because Filipino snacks are mostly rice-based, such as rice cakes and arroz caldo (chicken porridge).

The high per capita rice consumption, he said, is one of the reasons the Philippines continues to import rice.

“Based on our data, the whole nation has a rice [production] deficiency of 8 to 10 percent. That’s why we import,” he said. “Now, if our per capita consumption continues to increase, our [rice production] deficiency will also increase.”

Santiago said he was not stopping people from eating rice but the Department of Agriculture was focusing its efforts on increasing increase rice production.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, who opened the Pangasinan Farmers’ Agri-Expo 2009 here recently, said the 2 percent annual population growth rate was also a factor why the country’s rice production was not always enough for everybody.

“Even if we have a bumper harvest, our population continues to grow. Every year, we have an additional 1.8 million people and our farms are not increasing in size,” Yap said.

He said for 30 years, the government did not invest in agriculture, especially in irrigation.

“We can feel this in Pangasinan. You have 178,000 hectares [of rice fields], but only 51 percent of it is irrigated,” Yap said.

Pangasinan is the country’s third-largest rice-producing province, next to Isabela and Nueva Ecija.

Yap said President Macapagal-Arroyo has directed him to fast track the implementation of agricultural infrastructure projects in the country to increase productivity.

He said the government released P300 million last year for the Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project in Pangasinan. This year, he said the government is giving another P300 million for repairs of irrigation facilities.

He said the bidding for foreign development financing for the P11 billion re-regulating pond of the San Roque multipurpose dam project will be opened.

Once completed, some 34,500 hectares of rice fields in eastern Pangasinan will be irrigated.

BFAD: US-made pistachio products recalled (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090402-197538/BFAD-US-made-pistachio-products-recalled)
By Dona Pazzibugan

Possible risk of Salmonella contamination

MANILA, Philippines--The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) has issued an advisory warning the public against a number of US-made pistachio products that have been recalled or withdrawn in the US market because of possible risk of Salmonella contamination.

The government regulatory agency posted the list of recalled products in its website, www.bfad.gov.ph.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently investigating Salmonella contamination in pistachio products sold by the California-based company Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc.

“The BFAD is working closely with the pistachio importers and distributors (and) immediately initiated the conduct of sampling of imported pistachio and pistachio-containing products, and will determine if there is Salmonella contamination,” BFAD Director Leticia Gutierrez said.

BFA warned consumers not to eat the recalled products and to “postpone eating other pistachio containing products until information becomes available about whether that product may be affected.”

BFAD clarifies ban on pistachio (http://mb.com.ph/articles/201694/bfad-clarifies-ban-pistachio)
By JENNY F. MANONGDO

A week after issuing a ban on pistachio products, the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) Tuesday clarified that only pistachio products sourced from the US are covered by the ban.

Department of Health (DoH) and BFAD officials led by Secretary Francisco T. Duque III and BFAD executive director Leticia Barbara Gutierrez conducted an inspection of supermarkets Tuesday to ensure
that pistachio-based products sourced from Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc. in the US are no longer being sold.

Last March 31, the US FDA and the California Department of Public Health reported that they are investigating pistachio products sold by Setton Pistachio because of salmonella contamination.

On April 1, BFAD and DOH released the list of some 42 brands of pistachio and pistachio-containing products that are covered by the ban.

Tuesday, BFAD and DOH reiterated their recall on Setton Farms Premium California Roasted Salted Pistachios imported by Duty Free Philippines and Setton Farms Roasted Salted Pistachios imported by Andalucia Trading Co. Inc.

"Our recall order is for importers who get their pistachios from Setton. They should not be importing from the US," Gutierrez said in an interview.

BFAD: Ban covers only pistachios from US (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090408-198495/BFAD-Ban-covers-only-pistachios-from-US)
By Dona Pazzibugan

MANILA, Philippines—Not all pistachio nuts and products containing pistachio are being recalled from stores and supermarkets, the head of the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) has clarified.

BFAD Director Leticia Gutierrez said they have so far only banned pistachios imported from the United States, specifically those from the California-based company Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc., whose pistachios were found to have been contaminated with Salmonella.

According to Gutierrez, other pistachio and products with pistachio like ice cream that are available locally could have sourced their pistachios from Spain, Switzerland or even Thailand. The BFAD said the pistachio products imported from countries other than the US have yet to be tested for Salmonella contamination.

The agency warned consumers to “postpone eating other pistachio-containing products until information becomes available about whether the products may be affected.”

“For the sake of public safety, we advise the public to avoid any pistachio products in general. Just like in the US, it’s a blanket instruction,” Gutierrez said.

“We’re still getting samples of these (other pistachio products) and checking them in our own laboratories,” she added.

With less than 300 personnel, the food safety regulatory agency does not have the manpower to scour all the markets nationwide to collect samples of available pistachio products and then test them immediately for Salmonella.

This is why, said Gutierrez, they have directed their recall order to all registered pistachio importers, who have been asked to report if they have sourced their pistachios from Setton and to inform their distributors to take their products off the store shelves.

“Our recall order is directed at importers who got their pistachios from Setton. Since the importers know where they have sold the pistachios, they should tell these distributors to recall their products,” Gutierrez said.

It pays to go organic (http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20090412-198851/It-pays-to-go-organic)

The organic industry, like its harvest in sweltering summer, is still growing despite the harsh economic climate.

This was shared by a group of green-minded entrepreneurs in a recent gathering of organic food producers at the EchoStore in Serendra Piaza, Taguig City.

Industry leaders and new converts to the green side brought fresh ideas to the table and offered insights to this cottage industry.

“It’s ever growing,” says Mara Pardo de Tavera, who started the organic buzz in the metro 15 years ago with her company, the Organic Galaxy. “People are now going for quality to get the full value of their money.”

And there’s room for 30 to 40 percent growth so far, she added.

“When people tell me ... there’s a crisis, I really find it hard to believe, because every Sunday, people still buy like crazy,” she added, citing the number of people who flock to her Sunday Market on Legaspi Street, in Makati City.

Rosalina Tan, an organic fertilizer producer also for the last 15 years, shares the same sentiment, although she prefers to focus by region.

“Mommy Lina,” as Tan is fondly called, is the founder of the Organic Producers and Trade Association with nationwide organic farmer members.

She adheres to the organic marketing principle to “buy organic produce closest to the community and meet the local demand.”

“We want to concentrate on the regions and then in Manila,” Tan said.

Avoiding middlemen

Pardo de Tavera agreed, saying that they can help the farmers better if they “avoid middlemen,” and if they can provide a system where farmers themselves “supply in a regular market.”

When organic produce are made accessible in every region, this means a decrease in carbon footprint since lesser fuel will have been used in transporting the harvest to the market.

The Philippines is also known to export its processed organic products to India, China, Vietnam, and even the United States, Japan and Europe.

From muscovado sugar and malunggay (Moringa oleifera)-based beauty products to lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) spa oils, the list goes on, showing the Filipinos’ ingenuity in bringing nature’s rewards in environment-friendly packages.

The state-run Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, the main carrier of Philippine harvest to other countries, reported a slower growth for exports this year due to the economic downturn.

Citem reported that the export of organic products peaked in 2000. However, a consensus has been reached that, although growth may be slowing down, there has been no decline in total volume.

Impediments

The organic movement also faces a different set of problems in terms of production. Since they do not use pesticides and chemicals in their products, the crops are handled differently compared to conventional harvests.

“We’re going to feel the crunch because the weather is strange now,” said Pardo de Tavera. “It’s raining when it shouldn’t be raining. That affects production.”

For Essencia Lemon Grass oils producer Lilia Pelayo, people who were unaware of her organic ways posed a different problem.

She said that she was asked to leave her land in Kalinga Apayao because the locals thought she was a treasure hunter in the highlands.

She said she had to relocate her plant to Cagayan, where the climate is also suitable for lemon grass production.

Another main concern is the certification. Many organic producers find it difficult to mass produce because “there are a lot of impediments—certification is expensive [and] there’s farm history where you ask the farmers to sit and write,” Pardo de Tavera said.

According to Tan, the process has three phases: “We should start in conversion, then transition, then be certified. But in the current market accreditation, there is a section that one cannot label a product organic unless certified.”

Determined to make the organic movement relevant to Filipinos, Pardo de Tavera and Tan are among the pioneers of bringing organic food production to Metro Manila.

They both advocate and provide an alternative among all natural food selection. Their families support them in their quest for going all-natural.

Going mainstream

The awareness is now growing into the mainstream consciousness. In fact, a number of new organic lifestyle converts have also turned green living into their livelihood.

Joy Dimabuyu of DS Pinoy Moringa is one of them.

She traveled for two years around the country. She was assigned to remote areas and had root crops for merienda since there were no restaurants.

When she got back to Manila, she craved for fresh produce.

Dimabuyu’s approach is different: she incorporates awareness in her clients to avoid a bandwagon approach to the business. She teaches her clients to grow their own wellness garden, with malunggay as the star crop.

She has processed malunggay, turning it into capsules, soaps and even hair spa.

The organic movement is now part of her being.

“If you are what you eat and you don’t know what you eat, then you don’t know who you are,” said Dimabuyu.

http://www.gmanews.tv/webpics/infotech/chart3.jpg

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines imported pork products in 2008 from nine of at least 12 countries where the North-American influenza or the so-called swine flu virus have reportedly spread.

Data culled by GMANews.TV from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) showed that last year, the Philippines imported a total of 85,531 metric tons (MT) of pork products from 24 countries. The figure is five percent of the gross supply of 1,691,515 MT of pork last year.

Eighty-three percent of the total imports or 70,900 MT came from these nine countries reportedly stricken with the virus: United States (26,274 MT); Canada (20,536 MT); France (8,672 MT); Germany (6,521 MT); South Korea (5,138 MT); Spain (3,487 MT); Great Britain (151 MT); Brazil (97 MT); and New Zealand (24 MT).

US is biggest pork supplier

Thirty-one percent of last year’s total pork imports came from the US. Canada ranked second with 24 percent of total imports, followed by France cornering 10 percent, and Germany with eight percent.

Fifth was South Korea, with six percent of total Philippine imports in 2008. Sixth was Belgium with five percent of total imports or 4,694 MT.

Seventh was Spain with 4 percent of total imports, followed by Denmark with 3.8 percent to 3,275 MT; Netherlands with 2.8 percent to 2,452 MT; and Australia, the 10th largest supplier with 1.7 percent of total imports to 1,471 MT.

Pork products imported last year were composed of carcasses and half-carcasses of frozen swine, hams, shoulders and cuts, pork bellies, fore-ends, swine liver, offal, bacon, dried pork skin, sausages containing pork, and luncheon meat.

Data from the BAS showed that in 2008 each Filipino consumed 14.88 kilograms (0.014 MT) of pork or a total of 1.34 million MT for 90,457,200 Filipinos.

Expanded ban

The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) might expand the coverage of the temporary ban of pork imports to include other affected areas besides US, Canada, and Mexico.

DA Secretary Arthur Yap said the agency “may add to that list after today. (Tuesday, April 28)." He added that the suspension of pork imports would be implemented in areas where there had been an outbreak.

Besides US, Canada and Mexico, other countries reportedly affected by swine flu were Spain, New Zealand, UK, France, Israel and South Korea.

A statement from the Animal Health Organization or the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) said the virus, which has indications of swine, avian influenza and human virus, showed no evidence that it is contracted by eating pork.

The OIE also said the illness should be called “North American influenza," based on its geographic origin, instead of swine influenza because the "virus has not been in animals to date."

The organization pushed for “urgent scientific research in order to know the susceptibility of animals to this new virus."

Manila has suspended all pork importation from affected US states, Mexico, and Canada to prevent the entry of the virus in the Philippines.

“The better side of prudence tells us to impose the ban. But we assure consumers that Philippine pork is safe to it. We have not contacted the virus yet and we hope it will not reach our country," said Yap.

Supply from Mindanao

Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Director Davinio Catbagan said the Philippines would likely replace its imported pork requirements with supply from Mindanao and other 10 countries that are free of the virus.

Catbagan said the BAI would coordinate with the Bureau of Customs and other airport and seaport authorities to stop the entry of pork products that were shipped out from the three countries following the onset of the human infection.

The bureau will coordinate with the Philippine Ports Authority along with airlines and shipping companies on tightening border controls in international airports and seaports.

The BAI is also imposing stricter biosecurity measures and farm accreditation systems as well as strengthening quarantine checkpoints to prevent the transport, and ensure the proper disposal, of sick pigs, so these animals do not end up in the human food chain. - GMANews.TV (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/158958/RP-imported-pork-from-nine-swine-flu-hit-countries-in-08)

More veggies, fruits, less meats (http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20090502-202618/More-veggies-fruits-less-meats--DoH-chief)

Why wait until September to get your swine flu vaccines? Right now, you can be well armed against the new H1N1 flu virus strain. Just eat more fruits and vegetables, and fish instead of meat and get your daily doses of vitamins A, C, E and zinc.

This was what Health Secretary Francisco Duque III urged the public to do during radio interview broadcast Thursday morning. Filipinos should focus on strengthening their bodies’ immune systems (magpalakas ng resistensya) to help them avoid the flu or its worst effects.

Duque’s interview with broadcaster Korina Sanchez at dzMM was part of the DoH’s campaign against swine flu. In terms of global monitoring, the World Health Organization has raised the Alert Level on swine flu to 5. Level 6 would mean the flu would have reached pandemic levels.


Immune boosters

Former DOH secretary Jaime Galvez-Tan, in a separate interview with Inquirer Health/Science, advised Filipinos to do the following as part of their own personal efforts to “boost their immunity against viruses”:

Get daily doses of 10,000 units of Vitamin A, 1,000 mg of Vitamin C, 400 international units of Vitamin E, 30 mg of Zinc, 200 micrograms of Selenium and 1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil, three times a day.

Galvez-Tan, who is a vegetarian, also added that a person should take one teaspoon or 3,500 mg of sinta herb or andrographis and paniculata as tea three times a day, and lagundi tea three times a day.

Galvez-Tan also shared more advice:

• Limit your intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates.

• Sleep seven to eight hours a day.

• Eat dark green leafy vegetables and vegetable shoots and fruits, and high fiber foods.

• Engage in physical activity, but take 8 to 12 glasses of water a day.



Abuse of the body

Duque stressed during the radio interview that, especially during these times, individuals should not be abusing their bodies by not getting enough sleep and they should avoid alcohol and stop smoking.

In an text message to Inquirer Science/Health, Mario Capanzana of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute said: “In general, vitamins may help prevent risks for infection.”

“Taking Vitamins A, C, E and Zinc are more of a preventive measure than a cure,” he said.

Duque also advised people to wash their hands thoroughly. “If possible, for as long as a ‘happy birthday’ song,” he quipped.

Earlier, the DoH released an advisory asking people to temporarily refrain from “making beso-beso” (bussing on cheeks as a form of greeting) or to shake hands when they meet with other people. The public had also been advised to avoid reporting for work if they didn’t feel well, and to refrain from frequenting crowded spots. They were also reminded to practice the “cough and sneeze etiquette”: Cover the nose and mouth with hanky or tissues while coughing or sneezing.

According to the WHO Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response, Phase 5 or Alert Level 5 is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus in at least two countries in one WHO region. While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.

As of 18:00 GMT of April 29, nine countries had officially reported 148 cases of swine influenza A/H1N1 infection. The US government has reported 91 laboratory confirmed human cases, with one death. Mexico has reported 26 confirmed human cases of infection including seven deaths.


Lab-confirmed cases

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths—Austria (1), Canada (13), Germany (3), Israel (2), New Zealand (3), Spain (4) and the United Kingdom (5).

Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO website on a regular basis.

The WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders. It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities.

There is also no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products. Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.

In Pakistan, medicine costs a fraction of RP’s (http://http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/05142008/headlines07.html)
By Lyn Resurreccion
Opinion & Science Editor

KARACHI, Pakistan—A popular brand of paracetamol costs more than P2 a tablet in the Philippines, while a generic brand costs only the equivalent of less than 40 centavos in Pakistan.

Another tablet, an alendronate that is taken to prevent osteoporosis when calcium could not be absorbed by certain patients, costs more than P800 a tablet in Manila. In Pakistan? The same brand name, the same everything, costs only the equivalent a little more than half.

To satisfy my curiosity, I bought some of the above-mentioned medicines from a drugstore in Karachi. Indeed, they are much, much cheaper. Although I’m not sure if our own cheaper-medicines bill could result in drug prices equal to Pakistan, I hope it will at least significantly cut the very high prices charged Filipinos.

I was also struck by the fact of many pharmacies in Pakistan dispensing only locally produced generic drugs. The foreign-branded alendronate I bought for a little more than P400 in Karachi only costs P87 a tablet if a generic, or only one-tenth of the P800 for a foreign-branded tablet in Manila.

It is no surprise that Pakistan takes great pride in its lower-priced medicines, so that its Ambassador to the Philippines, Muhammad Naeem Khan, advised six Filipino journalists, invited to Pakistan, to compare the prices of medicines in Pakistan with Philippine prices before they leave.

The Philippine government through the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) started importing medicines from Pakistan in 2005 to provide cheap medicines to Filipinos through its Botika ng Bayan program.

From $2.5 million in 2005, imports jumped to $4.5 million in 2006, described by Philippine Ambassador to Pakistan Jimmy Yambao as a “spectacular increase.”

It has also heightened objections from the multinational pharmaceutical companies operating in the Philippines that several times attempted to block the importation.

Yambao rejected the idea that the Pakistani-made drugs are cheap because they are fake or substandard. He stressed that he and former PITC head Roberto Pagdanganan had visited Pakistani pharmaceutical plants and they saw how “high standards” mark their manufacturing operations.

He said one reason why pharmaceutical products may be cheaper in Pakistan is because they could manufacture the equivalent of the foreign brands in spite of the foreign ones being patented. Pakistan—as some African countries also have—has defied the patent protection in the name of ensuring the health of its people, many of whom are poor.

It is popular knowledge that medicines are much more expensive in the Philippines because the multinational drug companies have strong control of the industry, including pricing. It is also popularly known that they add public-relations expenses such as bringing doctors to conferences here and abroad or give out free tickets and accommodations and other such promotion activities.

A news report had said that an Asean survey showed the retail prices of medicines in fellow Asean member-nations Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are 40 percent to 70 percent lower than in the Philippines.

The Philippine Senate and House of Representatives for some years have struggled to pass their respective versions of a cheap-medicines bill but intense lobbying—including rumors of huge payoffs—by foreign pharmaceutical firms have blocked the attempt in several Congresses. At one point in the House deliberations, PDP Laban Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr. of Makati City demanded the ouster from the gallery of a drug industry lobbyist for passing him a note giving subtle instructions to question the quorum. He has since aggressively fought for diluting the foreign drug lobby influence in the final version of the cheap-medicine bill, which now awaits the President’s signature.

The present 14th Congress has finally been able to pass such a bill that has been already ratified by the bicameral committee—on the eve of May 1 Labor Day “as the legislature’s gift to the people.”

Titled “Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008,” the bill seeks to bring down the price of medicine by encouraging more competition in the local pharmaceutical market through the parallel importation of quality but cheaper medicines.

It also seeks to help the local generics industry by amending the Intellectual Property Code and strengthening the regulatory powers of the Bureau of Food and Drugs against substandard medicine.

Data culled by GMANews.TV from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS)

LMAO. Shows how retarded media is. FYI, you don't get swine flu from eating pork just because it has the world swine in it.

RP to use new rice varieties to cut imports (http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view/20090604-208785/RP-to-use-new-rice-varieties-to-cut-imports)


MANILA, Philippines--Farmers are to be given access to three new varieties of rice that should help the country slash imports and produce more at home, a research group said Thursday.

The International Rice Research Institute developed grain, one of which can withstand floods, while one can survive drought and another has a high salt tolerance.

The Philippines, a nation of 90 million people and the world's biggest rice buyer, was forced to ramp up imports and even ration handouts to its poorest neighborhoods last year as prices spiked at near-30 year highs.

"In the Philippines about 400,000 hectares (988,386 acres) of rice-growing land is affected by salinity, and in any year up to 370,000 hectares can be flood-affected," said David Mackill, leader of the team that developed the three varieties.

"Both these conditions can completely destroy a rice crop or decrease yield," he said in a statement.

"Yield is also reduced by drought that occurs in upland and rain-fed areas where rice is not irrigated. Having rice varieties that can cope with difficult growing conditions such as flood, drought and salinity will be particularly helpful for poor farmers who rely on marginal land to grow their rice."

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates Filipinos eat an average of more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of rice each per year.

With the population increasing, demand for the staple continues to grow.

No cocaine in Red Bull, says PDEA (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=474943&publicationSubCategoryId=63)


MANILA, Philippines – The first batch of Red Bull energy drink samples examined by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has tested negative for cocaine but PDEA chemists have yet to complete tests on other brands.

The complete results will be released on Monday.

PDEA Director General Dionisio Santiago said yesterday based on the initial report from their laboratory service, samples of Red Bull Supreme
submitted by a pharmaceutical and health shop were negative for cocaine.

“We are still testing the numerous samples that were submitted by the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) and we expect to release the results by Monday,” he said.

“While the initial results have already been released, PDEA joins its counterparts from the BFAD in warning the public to exercise extreme caution in consuming energy drinks pending the final results of the tests on these products.”

PDEA laboratory personnel are still working on samples of other energy drink brands, Santiago said.

Last Thursday, the BFAD asked the PDEA to examine Red Bull samples manufactured in Thailand after receiving reports that these contain cocaine.

Some supermarkets have decided to stop selling Red Bull to protect consumers in case the tests yield positive results.

BFAD director Leticia Gutierrez said the agency is coordinating with the importer of Red Bull to determine if its Thailand office gets the products from its main office in Austria.

“Our deputy director, Emil Polig, is getting in touch with the importer to know where Thailand gets the products,” she said. “I’m waiting for his report.”

The public should refrain from taking Red Bull energy drink pending an official notice from BFAD about its safety, she added.

Largest ensaymada unwrapped in Malolos
By CZARINA NICOLE O. ONG
September 9, 2009, 7:00pm

The yearly celebration of “Singkaban Fiesta,” held from Sept. 8 to 15, might have kicked off to a rainy start, but even that didn’t dampen the spirit of the festivities.

One of the highlights for the Sept. 9 celebration was the Fiesta Ensaymada (a Spanish pastry). Touted as the country’s largest ensaymada, over 30 Bulakeños started preparing the enormous pastry at 11 pm last Tuesday, Sept. 8.

“The largest ensaymada idea is the brainchild of Bulacan Gov. Jonjon R. Mendoza. Following last year’s longest pastillas, we decided to prepare another pastry which Bulacan is known for – the ensaymada,” shares Obet Saguinsin, Department Head of the Provincial Cooperative and Enterprise Development Project.

The ensaymada, which was on display at the Capitol Gymnasium in Malolos, is 40 feet in diameter, comsisting of 15,254 individual ensaymadas from seven different bake shops in Bulacan -- Barasoain Bake Shop, Eurobake, Enlin’s Bakeshop, Fernando’s Bakery, Heaven’s Delight, Mavi’s Bakeshop, and Pandelites Bakeshop Inc.

“Excited talaga ako sa Singkaban sion of classes in both elementary and high school levels in five villages, which included Dampalit, Niugan, Catmon, Tinajeros and Maysilo. The heavy rains flooded parts of Malabon.

Fiesta,” Mendoza said. And seeing the huge pastry on television made him remark the strength and resiliency of Bulakeños. “Tunay na mapagyayabang ito ng mga Bulakeño.”

For the dough alone, 5,500 eggs were used, along with 300 kilos of milk, 60 kilos of yeast, and 600 kilos of flour. For the toppings on the ensaymada, the seven bake shops made use of 5,400 grams of butter and sugar, plus 20 kilos of cheese.

The whole endeavor was said to have cost about P350,000, Saguinsin said.

This year’s fiesta theme is “Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas, Husay ng Bulakenyo’y Walang Kupas.”(Yesterday, today and tomorrow: TheBulakeno’s talent does not fade).

The week-long celebration willso include a Wedding Fashion Show, Alay Lakad, Kapit-Kapit sa Pistang Inipit, SOS Biak Na Bato Concert, Lechon Festival, La Bulaqueña: The Pageant, Kenyo Run Again, Gawad Galing Kawani, Pistang Bulacan, Fireworks Exhibition, and more.

Disaster food, anyone? (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=517202&publicationSubCategoryId=77)

Following the evacuation of thousands of families after two storms ripped through the country, the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) released data on three food products it developed specifically for disasters and calamities.

Instant noodles fortified with squash, instant cream soups, and the compressed food bar “are stopgap measures to prevent the onset of malnutrition” in evacuation centers and areas affected by disasters and calamities, DOST-FNRI science research specialist Salvador Serrano told The STAR.

He said what makes these products suitable for disasters is that while the formula for each product is protected by a patent, they can all be made using readily available materials and packaged using “household level technology” using a portable sealer.

“Depending on the situation, you can make the products on site or use thicker (foil) packaging to make them suitable for airdrops in areas isolated by landslides or floods,” Serrano said.

He said local government units, in order to prepare for the worst, may contact DOST-FNRI chief Dr. Mario Capanzana. The DOST-FNRI can then forge a memorandum of understanding in order to teach the LGU’s workers how to make and pack each product.

Serrano said the products were developed in 1998, but no LGU has adopted the technology, either “because there were no resources or there was no will” to do so.

“Compared to other conventional food items used in disaster feeding operations (sardines, noodles, canned goods), these food products are relatively cheaper to produce, especially in bulk,” he said.

Serrano said these products are light and portable, but energy dense, and one piece or packet addresses one-third of the Required Energy and Nutrient Intake (RENI) for the day, and none of the products have monosodium glutamate.

Compressed food

Serrano said the compressed food has a taste and texture similar to polvoron, and can be eaten dry or prepared into porridge by just adding hot water.

“Compressed food is part of military food rations during operations and civilian missions. It is a ready-to-eat cereal-legume based nutritious food with milk, vegetable fat and sugar. The product is one of the best forms of products in times of disaster or calamity because it is light, compact, convenient to handle and store and easy to distribute,” according to a product description provided by the DOST-FNRI.

Each 30-gram piece provides 448 kilocalories, which represents eight percent of the day’s energy needs for children four to six years old. It also provides 16 percent of the children’s protein requirement for the day.

Instant cream soups

The DOST-FNRI developed two flavors for the instant cream soup powder, squash and mongo.

“Soup is an integral part of the Filipino diet because it awakens the taste buds, conditions the appetite and flushes the food smoothly down the throat. Aside from being an opening and intervening side dish, the FNRI transformed and developed cream soups suitable for energy and nutrition rehabilitation,” the agency said.

The DOST-FNRI said since the cream soups are in powdered form, they are “easy to handle and transport.” Evacuees can simply add the 30-gram pack in 250 milliliters of water, and consuming this soup will satisfy 28 percent of the protein and seven percent of the energy a four to six-year-old child needs for the day.

About 100 grams of the squash soup provides 347 kcal, while the mongo soup provides 373 kcal. The shelf life of the soup is about eight to nine months.

Instant noodles

DOST-FNRI says its version of the instant noodles for disaster feeding is “enriched with beta-carotene naturally present in squash. The product is a blend of wheat flour, carrots and onion leaves. Addition of hot boiling water to the product in cup will give a nutritious hot chicken-flavored noodle soup.”

A 25-gram serving, which can be packed in styropor cups, will provide 16 percent of the energy and 20 percent of the protein needs of a four to six-year-old child.

“The competitive advantage of the product over those available in the markets is its high nutritive value,” the DOST-FNRI said.

The agency said that 100 grams of noodles will provide 1.2 milligrams of beta-carotene.

The DOST-FNRI recommends that the noodles in cups be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. “Stored under these conditions, the beta-carotene content of the product will be within the recommended level for a period of four months,” the agency said.

The Philippines triples its rice yield (http://www.scientistlive.com/European-Food-Scientist/Technology/The_Philippines_triples_its_rice_yield/24125/)

In the last fifty years, the Philippines has more than tripled its rice yield, while the world average rice yield has increased only about 2.3 times.

Despite being criticized as a poor rice producer because of its status as the world's biggest rice importer, the Philippines has actually done remarkably well in raising its rice yields from 1.16 tons per hectare in 1960* to 3.59 tons per hectare in 2009**.

In 2009, Philippine rice yields were actually lower than the previous two years due to the damage done by the tropical storms "Ondoy" and "Pepeng". In 2007, average rice yields topped 3.8 tons per hectare and in 2008 they were 3.77 tons per hectare**.

Rice yields in the Philippines are also higher than those in Thailand, the world's biggest exporter of rice, where yields over the last few years have been around 3 tons per hectare*.

"The Philippines has enthusiastically taken up rice science technologies that have helped farmers dramatically increase their yields," said Dr. William Padolina, deputy director general for operations at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

"Filipino farmers have adopted more than 75 IRRI-bred high-yielding rice varieties since 1960, have greatly improved their fertilizer and pest management strategies, and are implementing water-saving technologies," he added.

IRRI was established in the Philippines in 1960 following a hunt throughout Asia that identified Los Baños in Laguna as the most advantageous location for an agricultural research program to expand food production in Asia. Los Baños was seen as an emerging hub of agricultural science and economics and the government of the Republic of the Philippines was supportive of research, teaching, and extension programs to improve farm management.

"This year, IRRI is celebrating its 50th anniversary," said Dr Padolina. "During our 50 years we have established some important and productive partnerships with institutions such as the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the University of the Philippines Los Baños that share our goal to help alleviate poverty through improved rice production."

According to estimates from the United States Department of Agriculture, the average world rice yield in 1960 was 1.84 tons per hectare and in 2009 it was forecast at 4.24 tons per hectare.

Dr. Padolina acknowledges that the Philippines could improve its rice yields even more and said that he was confident that "the Philippines will continue to support rice research as a way of ensuring food security for Filipinos, to help lift local rice farmers and consumers out of poverty, and in turn improve the entire economy of the country.

"IRRI is also dedicated to delivering rice science innovations specifically suited to Philippine conditions that are of practical use and value to Filipino farmers," he added.

In May 2008, the Philippine Department of Agriculture and IRRI signed a Memorandum of Agreement on Accelerating Rice Production in the Philippines.

Last year, IRRI released eight new rice varieties in the Philippines as well as Nutrient Manager for Rice, a Web-based tool that helps farmers make wise fertilizer decisions. Also, in the International Rice Genebank housed at IRRI, 4,670 rice samples from the Philippines are conserved, including 4,070 traditional varieties, 485 modern varieties, and 115 wild relatives - all are available to share with Filipino farmers and scientists.

Despite price cuts, Philippines is attractive market for pharma (http://www.pharmatimes.com/WorldNews/article.aspx?id=17430)

While BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) makes the most headlines when talk turns to the potential of emerging markets, the Philippines is also very attractive for drugmakers, an analyst has told PharmaTimes World News.


Maura Musciacco, a healthcare analyst at Datamonitor, authored a report recently noting that 78% of the population in the Philippines has health insurance coverage and in 2008 the market was worth $2.1 billion. 
"The prices of medicines in the country are some of the highest in the region, ranking second to Japan”, she says “but with 14% of the Filipino population living below the poverty line of $1 per day…this makes patient access a major challenge".

Ms Musciacco notes the performance of some of the big pharma players in the Philippines, saying that GlaxoSmithKline generated sales of $174 million in 2008, although sales growth has slowed in recent years, growing 3.7% in 2007–08. She told PharmaTimes World News that in March 2009 (before the government imposed price ceilings) GSK voluntarily cut the price of a number of its major drugs by 30%-50% as part of its expanded access initiative which is expected to impact sales growth in the short term.

However, the combination of its ‘health pass’ programme, which helps to subsidise insurance coverage for poor Filipinos, and the voluntary price cuts, means that GSK has “already begun reaping the benefits, with a 15–40% increase in the volume of certain reduced price brands in the first half of 2009. Ms Musciacco adds that this business model differentiates GSK from its peers “and it is expected to create considerable success and maintain its solid position in the future”.

As for Pfizer, which posted sales of $163 million in 200 in the Philippines, its acquisition of Wyeth will add considerable volume to the merged company, given that the latter generates almost three times Pfizer’s volume. However, the government-imposed price cuts on 21 essential drugs will affect several big sellers, including the cholesterol blockbuster Lipitor (atorvastatin), the blood pressure treatment Norvasc (amlodipine) and the antibiotic Zithromax (azithromycin), she says.

Despite double-digit sales growth in 2008, Pfizer has temporarily frozen hiring and lowered advertising expenses in response to the challenging operating environment in 2009, Ms Musciacco says, but notes that in July 2009, it embarked on a one-year partnership with the Government Service Insurance System, allowing government employees and pensioners to buy medicines at a 40% discount. “This is a welcome move as it will increase access to affordable medicines, a priority for the Philippine government,’ she says, and the deal is likely to boost Pfizer’s volume “as this enhances the doctor-patient relationship by ensuring patients adhere to their course of medicines, boosting compliance”. She adds that “by compromising on price, Pfizer is guaranteeing its customers come back”.

Ms Musciacco says the second round of price cuts should be finalised in a week or two as their scope and size are still being discussed. The Philippines is shifting towards a generics-based market, she notes, telling PharmaTimes World News that the country “offers great opportunities for companies selling branded generics, whether sold by branded or generic players”.

The analyst concluded by saying that “big pharma is now opting for a high-volume and low-price strategy via a tiered-pricing model to capitalise on the emerging markets”. This way, “they can compete with the unbranded generics sold in these markets (which are sold at rock-bottom prices) with the added bonus that branded generics can charge more as promising quality and authenticity”.

guys, sinong nakakaalam ng Botika ng Barangay? ok ba na business yun?

Roxas to pursue cheap meds in all drug stores (http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=13&sid=&nid=13&rid=261594)

MANILA, March 1 (PNA) -- Vice-presidential race frontrunner and Liberal Party candidate Senator Mar Roxas Monday assured Filipinos that cheap but quality medicines will be made available in all drug stores nationwide if he and his standard bearer Senator Benigno S. Aquino III would win in May 10.

"Balewala ang murang gamot kung hindi ito makakarating sa bawat sulok ng ating bansa (Making prices of medicines cheaper would be useless unless our poor people can buy them from their nearest drugstore)," Roxas said following the release of the second list of essential drugs by the Department of Health (DOH) as an addition in the inventory of medicines subject to Government Mediated Access Price (GMAP).

At the least, the government must ensure cheaper medicines are made available through drugstores subsidized by the government, Roxas said.

Aside from pursuing the lowering of prices of more essential medicines, an Aquino-Roxas administration will also put up more "Botika ng Bayan" and "Botika ng Barangay" outlets all over the country and allot more funds for the importation of cheaper medicines from drug-manufacturing countries.

A second list of essential drugs presented by Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral to Roxas last Friday included medicines for bladder and prostate disorders, anti-depressant, anti-psychotic, anti-cancer, anti-asthma, anti-coagulant, anti-glaucoma, anti-hepatitis B, antibiotics and kidney failure maintenance.

President Arroyo last year signed Executive Order No. 821, which imposed price cuts on five essential medicines: Amlodipine (anti-hypertensive), Atorvastatin (anti-cholesterol), Azithromycin (anti-biotic, anti-bacterial), Cytarabine (anti-cancer) and Doxorubicin (anti-cancer). The prices of 16 other essential drugs were also slashed under EO 821 under the voluntary price reduction system. (PNA)

^^ it is a nonsense promise
we don't need them to win for those to happen.. coz it's already happening.. wth

Halal food served for Islamic delegates, newsmen
MANILA, March 15 (PNA) –- To cater to the gastronomic needs of Islamic delegates, organizers of the Special Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Meeting (SNAMMM) in Manila said they are serving Halal food for them.

Halal products are food and non-food items sanctioned under Islamic law as ritually fit to be sold or served to Muslims.

Conference Spokesman Claro Cristobal said the organizers have instructed Via Mare Restaurant, the official caterer of the event, to serve halal food for the Islamic delegates from Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Indeed, halal food was served when the Philippines News Agency (PNA) news team had lunch on Monday at Via Mare on the second floor of the secretariat building at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

For over 30 solid years since it opened its very first Via Mare Seafood Specialty Restaurant on September 5, 1975, it has been steadily growing and continuing to be a front-runner in the restaurant and catering industry.

The PNA news team ate fish fillet and vegetables with rice and drank fruit juice and water at the Via Mare outlet. Pita bread (a leavened bread) and hummus (mustard mayonnaise) are served in hotels where delegates are billeted.

Islam has laws regarding which foods can and cannot be eaten and also on the proper method of slaughtering an animal for consumption, known as “dhabihah.”

However, if there is no other food available, then a Muslim is allowed to eat non-halal food. Surah 2:173 of the Quran states:

"If one is forced because there is no other choice, neither craving nor transgressing, there is no sin in him. Indeed, Allah is forgiving, merciful."

Some of the forbidden food and drink under Islamic laws are pork meat, blood and liquor. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=12&sid=&nid=12&rid=264328

Making durian a heavenly fruit for all Filipinos (http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23063:making-durian-a-heavenly-fruit-for-all-filipinos&catid=53:agri-commodities)

“It smells like hell, but tastes like heaven.”

That’s one way the durian fruit has been curiously described by some. But think about it: Does hell have any smell? And for that matter, does heaven have any taste?

For first-timers, the stink usually overpowers the fruit’s heavenly taste, making it difficult for ordinary gastronomists to ingest.

The durian’s smell has been a major setback in marketing the fruit among Luzon and Visayas consumers. But those who have been to Davao and tasted the fruit have overcome the stink, they now love to eat the fruit and look forward to another delightful durian-eating experience.

There is an art to eating durian. It entails gradually tasting the fruit, getting used to the smell and, eventually, becoming fond of it.

“First-timers are advised to begin eating durian in processed form and to eat the fresh fruit in stages,” said Ceasar Falcatan of Dalisay Sweets International, one of the country’s leading fruit processors.

Processed durian products include ice cream, shake, pastille, candies, jam and pastries.

“It is only after getting used to the fruit’s distinct aroma that consumers will begin to appreciate durian’s delectable taste,” Falcatan said.

Another way of introducing durian to would-be consumers is through varieties with mild aroma, such as Puyat, Duyaya and Chanee.

Durian growers also want to correct the negative notion that durian can cause hypertension and diabetes.

The fruit has high nutritional value. It is rich in potassium, vitamin A, phosphorous and magnesium, which are essential nutrients needed by the human body.

Others regard durian as a “hot fruit” because of its so-called aphrodisiac effect.

Although durian is gradually gaining popularity among consumers in other parts of the country, the Filipino’s annual average consumption of durian is only 200 to 300 grams, much lower than our Thai counterparts, who consume 15 kilos per year, and Malaysians, who eat 8 to 10 kilos.

One way of increasing durian’s domestic consumption is through expanding its markets outside Mindanao. Tapping other markets will also help avoid a supply glut and help farmers earn more.

Former agriculture secretary Arthur Yap, in a consultation with the local fruit industry, said there is a need to open up new markets for Davao fruits, particularly durian, as an oversupply of the fruit will result in unhealthy competition among local producers and traders.

“If you cannot sell your durian here [in Mindanao], you can always tap the buyers in major cities, as they have the purchasing power to buy high-value fruits,” Yap said.

A study, titled “Consumer Preference for New Markets of Durian,” revealed that there are potential and promising markets in Luzon and the Visayas, particularly urban centers in Metro Manila and Cebu.

Conducted by researchers Melani Provido and Jessel Cardines, both of the Department of Agriculture in the Davao region, and Sylvia Concepcion of the University of the Philippines in Mindanao, the study aimed to look at the durian commodity value chain and how to meet the discriminating taste of potential durian consumers.

The study reported that almost half of the consumers interviewed tasted durian first in fresh form when they were visiting Mindanao, particularly Davao City.

Important factors being considered by consumers in buying durian are the taste, price and firmness of the pulp. Most of the consumers also expressed their willingness to pay P5 to P10 more for a durian fruit just to be assured of its quality.

However, producers are not willing to spend more to provide consumers with what they perceive as important factors, citing the high cost of basic farm inputs as a main reason for their inability to do so.

Researchers said there are six levels in the durian marketing chain: producer, trader, transporter, processor, institutional buyer and end-user or consumer. Although producers can also function as traders and transporters, most of them are content to sell their produce to traders.

Another interesting finding of the study was the high demand of durian during Ramadan, or the fasting month among Muslims consumers. Eating the fruit early in the morning enables them to endure whole-day fasting owing to its high-nutrition content.

“If durian producers would like to earn more, they must go beyond production. They have to exert effort to create their own market outlet to maximize their profit. Farm-gate prices usually range from as low as P12 to 15 per kilo during peak season. Farmers can actually sell their produce directly to consumers and enjoy a much higher price of at least P30 a kilo,” said Larry Miculob, a noted durian grower and officer of the durian industry council in the Davao region.

Since the study revealed that most consumers in Luzon and the Visayas are not aware of the various durian varieties, Miculob said producers and traders must be honest and aim for total customer satisfaction.

“You have to give them the right variety. If they want durian with a sweet, creamy and no fancy taste, give them Puyat and Arancillo,” he said.

Aside from consistency in quality and supply, one of the interesting recommendations of the study is for Davaoeños to help expand the market for durian.

“Davaoeños can take part in promoting durian by enticing a visitor, whether family members, relatives or friends from other parts of the country, to taste durian whenever an opportunity arises. This is the practical way for consumers outside Mindanao to eventually be fond of the fruit,” the researchers said.

Durian is a fruit well-loved by Davaoeños. But for the industry to sustain its growth, the rest of their countrymen must realize that one doesn’t have to be a Davaoeño to love durian.

Philippines set to become food safety hub of ASEAN
Posted on April 6th, 2010

The Philippines is being eyed to become a food safety hub in South East Asia with the $2-$5 million Traceability Center for Agro-Industrial Exports (TRACE) being put up here by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The Philippine Trace, or P Trace, will be the South East Asian counterpart of the Egyptian Trace, or E Trace, earlier put up by UNIDO which has already become the food safety center in the African-Mediterranean area.

Projected to be completed within three years perhaps beginning June this year, it will be completed over a shorter period of time than the five-six year period that it took to establish E Trace.

“There’s a growing interest in food traceability, and this has an impact on all exporters of food products from the Philippines to Europe. If you don’t have a traceability system, you can’t export to Europe,” said Gerardo Patacconi, Quantity Standards and Conformity head of UNIDO’s Trade Capacity Building Branch, in an interview at a P Trace forum.
Patacconi cited Carrefour and TESCO, a British merchandising retail chain which is third largest global retailer just next to Wal-Mart and Carrefour, no longer accept suppliers that do not have food traceability systems.

The food safety center will enable Filipino exporters of food products to Europe and other developed countries like the United States and Japan to sustain and raise export to Europe.

Food traceability involves the use of food safety certification like the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), Halal certification, and technologies.

This is in order to control transport of contaminated food and also trace the origin of food that proves unsafe to human health and effectively stop the sourcing of food from this origin.

The P Trace which is part of UNIDO’s Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) will train food safety experts in the country in E Trace in Egypt.

“The idea is to establish food safety competency in each crop. Each crop will have its own system to manage the supply chain,” said Patacconi.

The P Trace can make the Philippines a center for training of other potential food safety experts in the region.

Philippines confirms six new cases of swine flu

Jul 12, 2010, 10:22 GMT
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/health/news/article_1570170.php/Philippines-confirms-six-new-cases-of-swine-flu

Manila - Six school children have contracted the H1N1 influenza virus in a northern Philippine city, the health department chief said Monday.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona said the three boys and three girls were elementary school pupils in Candon City in Ilocos Sur province, 285 kilometres north of Manila.

Ona assured the public that there was no need for people to be alarmed.

'H1N1 is already in the Philippines,' he said. 'Consider it as part of our daily lives. I want to assure the public that the Department of Health is on top of these things.'

Ona said that health officials were closely monitoring the cases.

'It may or may not spread but we are continuously monitoring it to find out the real picture of H1N1,' he said.

The department noted that all confirmed swine flu cases in the country have been mild, with all patients recovering fully.

Worldwide, 214 countries and territories have reported confirmed cases of H1N1, including more than 18,311 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

Medicine quality in Philippines and region strengthened with Philippine FDA's accreditation
USAID/USP's promoting the quality of medicines program provided support to the Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines

Rockville, Md., July 12, 2010 — In an effort that will contribute to raising the quality of medicines in the Philippines and surrounding regions, the Laboratory Services Division (LSD) of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has attained the internationally recognized accreditation for testing and calibration laboratories, International Organization for Standardization/ International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) 17025:2005. The FDA celebrates this achievement with its partners who assisted the laboratory in earning accreditation, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Promoting the Quality of Medicines (PQM) Program, implemented by the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP).

"This is a milestone not only for the FDA, but for the people of the Philippines and the surrounding region," said Ms. Maria Lourdes C. Santiago, M.Sc. M.M., chief, LSD. We are demonstrating our commitment to public health by adherence to international standards for laboratory quality management. We greatly appreciate the timely support from USAID and PQM, which allowed us to anticipate and address issues prior to the formal accreditation process."

Added Ms. Nancy Tacandong, director, FDA, "I am thankful that USAID and PQM came at an opportune time and helped FDA in gaining accreditation. Filipino consumers and export industries stand to benefit from this achievement of the FDA."

PQM staff conducted training at the Philippines FDA on Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), Dissolution testing, and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis focused on the fixed-dose combination anti-tuberculosis (TB) medicine containing pyrazinamide, rifampicin, isoniazid and ethambutol. One of the main goals of this training was to equip analysts at both the main FDA site and the satellite laboratories in Cebu and Davao with the necessary analytical skills to determine the quality of anti-TB medicines in the Philippines.

The Philippine Accrediting Organization (PAO) awarded the FDA ISO/IEC accreditation for a wide scope of chemical and microbiological testing. This accreditation, recognized as the industry's top standard, validates that the FDA can provide valid and trustworthy data to the Department of Health, helping to ensure the quality of medicines to the country's citizens.

The PQM Program has provided technical assistance to the FDA since 2006 and established a medicines quality monitoring program for anti-TB medicines in the Philippines through funding from the USAID/Philippines Mission. According to Dr. Patrick Lukulay, director of the PQM Program, "I'm gratified that the LSD has earned accreditation from an international standards body. Through the PQM Program, USAID and USP are dedicated to helping national laboratories in developing countries improve public health through a science-based focus on medicines quality. To further this, USP headquarters will host visiting scientists from the LSD later this year to provide training on advanced quality lab techniques."

USAID is an independent agency that provides economic, development and humanitarian assistance around the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States. The PQM Program, implemented by USP, is a cooperative agreement with USAID that works to improve medicine quality in developing countries. The program focuses on the availability of high-quality medicines to treat life-threatening diseases including HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Lack of access to quality-assured medicines is a major public health threat throughout much of the world.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-07/up-mqi071210.php

Study: Drug costs to push millions more into poverty
By JANE NEPOMUCENO
September 2, 2010, 7:34pm

If you live in a third world or, worse, an impoverished country, you may be used to getting not the best services in everything. You live along or just a little above the poverty line and you seek to find solutions to problems like food and basic human necessities on a daily basis. You can’t even afford to get sick.

Apparently, this situation is about to worsen. A recent study of the Laurens Niens’ team at Erasmus University Rotterdam showed that tens of millions of people in low and middle income countries would be pushed below the poverty line by buying common but vital medicines.

The drugs studied were a salbutamol inhaler, used for the management of asthma, glibenclamide, a common diabetes drug, atenolol, which belongs to a drug class commonly known as beta-blockers and is used to treat high blood pressure, and amoxicillin, a broad spectrum antibiotic. These medicines, at present, are already unaffordable to hundreds of millions.

According to a Reuters report, the team analyzed the number of people who would be pushed below an income level of $1.25 or $2 a day – poverty indicators used by the World Bank – by paying for four important, widely used medicines.

The Dutch researchers, whose work was published in the Public Library of Science (PLoS) Medicine journal on Tuesday, said their findings showed that greater effort is needed to encourage the use of cheaper generic drugs in poor countries and to ensure more medicines are made available through the public sector.

In the Philippines, five common but expensive medicines were put under price regulation in 2009 by the Malacañang through Executive Order 821.

These drugs included antihypertensive drug amlodipine, anti-cholesterol drug atorvastatin, the antibiotic/antibacterial drug azithromycin, and the antineoplastics/anticancer drugs cytarabine and doxorubicin.

EO 821 is aided by Republic Act No. 9502, known as the “Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act” or simply the Cheaper Medicines Act, which gives the Department of Health (DoH) the power to impose hefty administrative fines and penalties on any person, manufacturer, importer, trader, distributor, wholesaler, retailer or any other entity who violates the maximum retail price.

Senior citizens in the country are also given a 20 percent discount and exemption from paying the value-added tax from medicines through the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.

But even with a few exceptions, millions of Filipinos may still be pushed below the poverty line as predicted by the study, considering that the Philippines belongs to a number of middle income countries and has a struggling health care system. (With a report from Reuters)

source (http://www.mb.com.ph/node/275268/)

FAO sees volatile commodities market
By Marianne V. Go (The Philippine Star) Updated September 12, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) foresees a “more volatile” commodities market in the years ahead, even as it assures that it does not see a repeat of the 2007-2008 food crisis at this time.

However, according to FAO assistant director-general for economic and social development Hafez Ghanem, the FAO is “closely” monitoring the world food situation, acknowledging that “the picture could, however, change if there is another shock to supply, for example due to more bad weather, or if government policies lead to increased anxiety in the market, provoking panic buying.”

Even so, FAO is calling for a special meeting on Sept. 24 of the Inter-Government Group (IGG) on Grains and IGG on Rice to discuss the current situation and what countries should do in the medium-term to enhance their preparedness for future episodes of volatility.

The Philippines, which is a rice-growing country and is now the world’s No.1 importer of rice, is expected to send a delegation to attend the IGG on Rice.

Global rice production this year, according to the FAO, has been revised downward and now stands at 467 million tons, five million tons lower than the June 2010 forecast.

Much of the revision, the FAO said, was the consequence of lowering of the forecast for the crop about to be harvested in Pakistan, where floods have hit the two major producing provinces, but also revisions in China, Egypt, India, Laos and the Philippines.

Despite the adjustment, FAO assured the new production estimate would still translate to a three percent increase in world rice output from 2009, a historical record.

Global supplies (production plus opening stocks) are also foreseen to be much more ample than they have been for the past three years.

As such, the FAO said although prospects for world rice consumption and stocks in 2011 were negatively affected by the downward revision in world output, they are still foreseen to increase compared to the 2009 estimates.

The FAO warned though that floods in Pakistan, the fourth largest rice exporter in 2009, could negatively affect rice trade this year and in 2011, with international rice flows foreseen to fall from 30 million tons in 2010 to 29 million tons next year.

The FAO rice outlook is of special concern to the Philippines which has become a net importer of rice and which imports its rice from Vietnam, Pakistan and Thailand.

Good news: No meat-price hikes during holiday season

Written by Max V. de Leon / Reporter
Wednesday, 15 September 2010 12:23

GOOD news for the coming holiday season: local meat processors do not expect their prices to increase for the rest of the year.

An official of the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (Pampi) told the BusinessMirror that for the past few months, the costs of pork, packaging materials, distribution and marketing remained stable and this situation is expected to continue in the coming months.

What’s more, the official said, the hog raisers have not yet advised the Pampi that they would be increasing their prices.

“Traditionally, by early September, the hog raisers would already be advising us of the increases in the prices of pork. But they haven’t and that’s good news,” the official said.

Pork usually makes up 40 percent to 70 percent of processed-meat raw materials. But for ham and bacon, the raw material is 100-percent pork, the official said.

Earlier, the hog raisers complained about a surge in pork importation that could result in a glut in the domestic market.

Zosimo de Leon, chairman of the National Federation of Hog Farmer, Inc. (NFHFI), had told the BusinessMirror that pork imports jumped to more than 120 million kilograms from January to August 24 this year, the highest since 2005.

As a result, some imported hog parts are now being sold at P47 per kilo or less in the wet markets.

Also for 2010, NFHFI officials estimated that hog production might grow by 5 percent to 1.97 million metric tons from the 1.877 MMT produced in 2009.

As for packaging materials, the Pampi official said there was no foreseen increase in the next 30 days.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/economy/1333-good-news-no-meat-price-hikes-during-holiday-season

Entrepreneur emeritus

Teodoro L. Ferrer
President
Generika Drugstore


American financier and statesman Bernard Baruch has been quoted to have said, "Age is just a number, a cipher for the records. A man can’t retire his experience. He must use it." These words seem to be prophetic for Teodoro L. Ferrer who, after working for the Ayala Group for over 30 years, was planning to retire at 60, put up a small business, and take it easy. Little did he know that establishing Erikagen, the company that owns the Generika Drugstore trademark and business model, would keep him busier than ever.

Mr. Ferrer put up Generika Drugstore in 2004 when branded medicine dominated the retail drugstore industry. He muses that neither he nor his business partner and nephew-in-law, Julien Bello, had any prior experience in the retail or pharmaceutical industries. Their primary motivation was simply to bring affordable but effective medicine closer to the masses. A survey showed that low-income people were the ones doubtful about generic medicine -- thinking that it would be a waste to spend the little money they have on what they perceived may not be effective. "This was the thinking six or seven years ago. We thought, why don’t we do something about it? And why not put up something more meaningful that would help society?" says Mr. Ferrer.

While targeting lower-income buyers when it first started, Generika caters to all consumers. Half of its products are from local manufacturers and the rest are imported from India, the US, Europe and Malaysia. The company promotes the use of generics but branded medicine still make up 20% of their total sales. Mr. Ferrer explains that it takes time to persuade customers to shift to generics, "When customers come in to buy a branded product and you don’t have it, they just leave. If you have branded medicine, they buy it and then they come back. You can have another chance to talk to them and ask them to try generics. Then he can tell another customer that he’s using generic medicine and get other people to try it."

The first four years of the business charted a steep learning curve for Mr. Ferrer and his Generika team. Learning from mistakes, challenges and opportunities, he slowly grew the business. With 16 company-owned stores in 2008, the company started franchising operations. "We delayed the launch of our franchises because we invested a lot of time on the manuals, on developing our point of sale (POS) and building up our organizational structure to be able to handle the franchise outlets. We put a great deal of emphasis on training ... We don’t accept franchise applications easily. We don’t leave our franchisees to sink or swim on their own. Our philosophy is that we consider every franchisee as a business partner for the long-term," Mr. Ferrer emphasizes.

As of July 2010, there were 100 Generika stores in Luzon, of which 16 are company-owned and 84 are franchise outlets. By the end of 2010, the company aims to have 140 outlets. Early next year, Generika will begin opening stores in Visayas and Mindanao. Mr. Ferrer expects the company to have nearly 1,000 stores in five years. "Our vision is to build a national chain. It was clear from the beginning. If we were going to do this, why not do it in a big way? After all, many communities all over the country still do not have access to affordable medicine," he says.

To foster growth and streamline operations, three other companies were formed -- Actimed Distribution, Inc., Generika Franchising Services Corporation and Novelis Solutions, Inc. Actimed sources products and distributes them to company-owned and franchise stores and other accounts. Generika Franchising markets the Generika business model and provides management and operational support to franchisees. Novelis develops POS and other software applications for the Generika companies and drugstores.

As a divergent growth opportunity from his original Generika concept, Mr. Ferrer expresses excitement over their POS system and says that they are hoping to market it to other companies and industries. "Currently, it’s only used in our stores. However, some of our franchisees have expressed interest in applying it in their other businesses. Seeing an unexpected opportunity here, I wonder if we could market it outside the Philippines. There’s China, India, all the emerging economies. Of course there are other software applications available, but these cost millions and are geared towards the big companies. What about the little guys, the small and medium companies?"

To ensure that the company stands out in the huge pharmaceutical market and to combat any misconception about generics, Generika focuses on providing value-added services that support and educate consumers. Among their offerings are a loyalty card, patient counseling, free blood pressure monitoring, blood sugar screening, free delivery service for a minimum P300 purchase, and a centralized customer database to be launched in late 2010. Using their current customer database, the company can monitor and remind customers of their remaining medicine supply and ask if they need Generika to deliver replenishment supplies. With a centralized database, it will be easier for the company to keep track of their customers’ orders regardless of the location.

"A successful business needs customers who keep coming back. For them to do that, they have to be happy with your products and services. But to have happy customers, you need happy employees, especially in retail because they are the ones talking to the customers," Mr. Ferrer says.

To sustain better medical care and quality of life for the community where they operate, Generika ties up with a provider so they can offer free consultation and affordable mobile diagnostics. In franchisee-led consultations, Generika provides four doctors, free medicine and volunteers who are company employees. They also hold a Generika Awareness talk to educate people about generics. Generika also participates in medical missions sponsored by other organizations.

After four years in the business, Mr. Ferrer and the company started reaping industry recognition for their efforts. The Drugstore Association of the Philippines (DSAP) awarded Generika Drugstore with the DSAP Quality Award as the National Winner in the Drugstore Chain Category in 2008. In the same year, Mr. Ferrer was recognized as one of the Top Ten Outstanding Entrepreneurs by Entrepreneur Magazine. Generika received the Best in Franchise Support and Most Promising Franchise for 2009 also from Entrepreneur Magazine. In 2009, five Generika Drugstore branches garnered the Bureau of Food and Drugs Quality Seal Award, with the drugstore’s Soledad branch emerging as the overall winner for the drugstore chain category, besting bigger and more established drugstore chains.

For this so-called retiree, there is no slowing down. Weekdays are spent in the office and weekends are spent traveling for store inaugurations around Luzon. But he isn’t complaining. Mr. Ferrer is happy that, at 65, he still gets to do meaningful work. He encourages other retirees to put up their own business, "You can never be too old to make a difference. You can still set up your own business, be successful, and do something for everyone... especially something that would benefit the community."

The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. Official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operating on behalf of the Air-France KLM Group in the Philippines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. The winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 will be announced on 12 October 2010 at an awards banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines will represent the country in the World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 in Monte Carlo, Monaco in June 2011. The Entrepreneur Of The Year is produced globally by Ernst & Young.


http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=17925

After glut, NFA now sees rice shortage next year :bash:

abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 09/17/2010 5:21 PM | Updated as of 09/17/2010 5:21 PM

MANILA, Philippines - After reporting a glut in rice supply this year, the National Food Authority (NFA) now warns that the country could experience a rice shortage if neighboring countries fail to sell them the food staple next year.

The NFA earlier said Vietnam, India and Pakistan have refused to export rice because of decreased rice yields.

NFA Administrator Angelito Banayo said only Thailand has committed to sell rice to the Philippines but at increased prices of $435 per metric ton. He assured that there will be enough supply to meet domestic demand this year.

The Philippines, the world's biggest rice importer, bought as much as 2.47 million tons of the staple to fill its requirements for 2010.

Dr. William Padolina, deputy executive director of the International Rice Research Institute, warned that government must work ahead of time to solve the 10% to 15% expected shortfall in rice supply next year. He said the 2% annual growth in the country's population is also affecting rice sufficiency.

Padolina said the Philippines has been invited to a United Nations Food Agriculture Organization meeting in Rome, Italy on September 24.

Entry of cheap chicken imports threatens poultry industry

Written by Philip Lustre / Special to the BusinessMirror
Saturday, 18 September 2010 10:08

Cheap chicken imports, which are 40-percent cheaper than local chickens, have been flooding the Philippine market, threatening the domestic poultry industry.

Government data show that chicken imports for the first six months of 2010 have reached 49.4 million kilograms (kg), which comprise 73.4 percent of the total chicken imports of 67.3 million kilograms in 2009.

If this trend remains, chicken imports may double this year, as consumption is expected to increase in the fourth quarter.

According to official data, chicken imports have risen steadily: 28.1 million kg in 2005; 32.7 million kg in 2006; 45.0 million kg in 2007; and 45.8 million kg in 2008.

Official data indicate that cheap chicken imports could eat nearly 20 percent of the domestic market.

The entry of cheap-chicken imports have adverse effects on the domestic poultry industry, especially the broiler subsector, where 45-day and 60-day chickens are harvested for sale in the local market.

Data show the domestic market consumes about 600 million kg of chicken meat a year, of which about 500 million kg come from the local poultry growers and the rest are imported. Per-capita consumption is placed at 8.25 kg.

Local poultry industry leaders have warned that if the entry of cheap chicken imports remains unabated, the local market would be adversely affected.

At the rate the cheap-chicken imports have been entering the local market, the threshold for commercial viability has been breached, industry leaders have warned.

Chicken imports are 35 percent to 40-percent cheaper than locally produced ones. They usually come from the US. Their cheap price is a result of the huge government subsidies to poultry and livestock growers and the economies of scale, which their producers have developed.

They are being imported and served by fast-food joints like Jollibee, McDonald’s and KFC, among others.

They usually come in parts and not in whole. Imported chickens are mostly oversized chicken legs, thighs and wings.

The chicken breast part remains in the US market, being the choice cut because of its reported low cholesterol content.

Also, fast-food joints generate a big part of their income from those chicken imports and not from hamburgers, of which the income is said to be miniscule.

On the contrary, other fast-food joints, retailers and restaurants use local chickens. These include Mang Inasal, Max’s, Aristocrat, Andok’s Baliwag, Mang Bok’s and Sr. Pedro, among others.

Two issues confront cheap chicken imports: health and taxation.

The oversized nature of those imported chickens indicate they are heavily fed by power feeds and antibiotics to make them grow faster and bigger, and resist diseases.

Some independent studies indicated that the heavy power feeds and antibiotics have become health hazards to consumers since they found their way to the chicken meat, and were linked to diseases.

Also, imported chickens are said to be resistant to bacteria, mainly because of the heavy antibiotic input.

The second issue is taxation. Chicken imports enjoy zero duty, but importers have to pay the 12-percent expanded value-added tax (E-VAT). Although the choice cuts of chicken cost are sold at between $1 and $1.10 per kg in the US market, the price of chicken imports has been undervalud at $0.54 per kg for the choice cuts.

Those chicken legs, thighs and wings, which are not choice cuts, are further undervalued at the landed cost of only about P60 per kg. Since the P60 per kg is the basis for the computation of the E-VAT, the government loses a lot of revenues.

Domestic poultry growers have claimed they have the capacity to meet increases in local demand. Even without the chicken imports, local growers said they can readily meet the 10-percent to 15-percent annual increase.

Domestic poultry growers are already complaining of the huge capital outlays for their business. Although many of them are contract growers, they have to spend a lot to build their facilities.

It has become a crucial matter of scale, which local producers believe puts them at a disadvantage. If a grower could only have 10,000 heads, he is regarded as very small grower. He has to have facilities that could accommodate at least 100,000 heads to stay viable.

Local poultry industry leaders have been asking the government for a dialogue on the issue.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/1433-entry-of-cheap-chicken-imports-threatens-poultry-industry

Join the pros

THE MORE MEMBERS, the better for the purposes of the organization, at least as far as the culinary organizations are concerned -- for them it’s a livelihood, not just a lifestyle.

Les Toques Blanches (LTB) Philippines limits itself to industry practitioners, but nevertheless, since being founded in the 1980s, it now has a roster of over 150 hotel and restaurant executive chefs, F&B, culinary professionals, teaching chefs, gourmet food and wine purveyors. Membership is open to all those qualified, provided that they are "at least 25 years old, a culinary professional and will be active and supportive of the association in our projects."

Chef J Gamboa, LTB Philippines director for education, e-mailed BusinessWorld that If there’s a social function for LTB (such as the "Chef’s Tables" every two months), usually it doubles as a fund-raising activity for the scholarships they give out (to date, they support 65 scholars).

Most of these chefs are either manning a kitchen, running a restaurant (or several food establishments), or managing a school, and are normally busy.

They also have special dinners, but for training purposes only, if they have a competition to prepare for -- part of their mission is to "promote the Filipino culinary professional to the rest of the world" and a landmark moment was in 2007 when they won the Best of the Best and Gold Medal for the Gourmet Team Challenge competition at the HK International Culinary Classic, a first for the country.

Similarly, the Pastry Alliance of the Philippines (PAP) has been winning awards abroad, the latest being eight medals from the 2009 Hong Kong International Culinary Challenge. Founded in 2008, PAP now has close to 400 members (100 are very active) -- these are not just industry practitioners, but also housewives (some with their own seasonal home kitchen pastry business), writers and students. The extra thrill for the latter is they get to be mentored by pastry art "superstars" the likes of chefs Peachy Juban and Penk Ching.

"It’s not all about competition, or making friends, it’s more of learning... we have a lot of talented chefs but they’re stuck, luma (old) style because they aren’t able to see what’s out there, so we bring them with us... We’re tapping chefs from outside Manila to upgrade what they know. We’re trying to show that we don’t have to just keep making the same simple desserts, but can add new things," said chef James Antolin, Vice-President of the PAP, in a phone interview with BusinessWorld.

While food clubs are mainly epicurean in nature -- the enhancement of the meal experience -- focusing more on the enjoyment and education of its members, and perhaps the promotion of a particular cuisine, culinary organizations are really about supporting the industry practitioners via training (and sometimes hiring on young chefs), and uplifting the standards by which they operate.

Just this year, the Pastry Alliance and LTB Philippines partnered with World Food Expo (WOFEX) to mount the 1st Philippine Culinary Cup, which is an attempt to raise the level of competition to a higher standard. To do so, the organizers had specific requirements, including bringing in an international team of World Association of Chef Societies (WACS) approved judges.

"LTB and PAP explained to WOFEX that we will only be involved in a culinary competition as long as it adhered to international culinary competition standards in terms of venue, kitchen and equipment setup, and judging roster," Mr. Gamboa e-mailed to BusinessWorld.

Next year, they will be inviting competitors from China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.

"We needed to know the level where we stand, and from what we saw at WOFEX, we can compete," explained Mr. Antolin. "So if you’re going to participate in a competition here, you need to look at what kind of standards they’ve got, what you can learn from it, who are the judges, how you will benefit from the competition, how far it will take you... We have to start somewhere; so we had to up the standards," said.

The newest entrant to the local culinary organizations is the Disciples of Escoffier, its initial eight members forming ties with the 22,000 in the rest of the world �“ the closest being the small delegations in Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea and Singapore.

The local delegation’s primary focus of the moment is education rather than competition.

(However, Escoffier Philippines is willing to facilitate local culinarians in joining the Escoffier Greater Asia’s annual cook off, called Youth Hope Competition, held in Shanghai, China every May, and if they win, to the Escoffier International Competition in France.)

"For the Philippines, we want to partake in developing culinary programs that would facilitate in promoting talents Filipino chefs -- and perhaps eventually programs to promote talents of Filipino F&B practitioners. This is something that other delegations, particularly in Asia, have not explored yet," said Sue L. Apo, Secretary-General of the Disciples of Escoffier-Philippine Delegation.

Development of the culinary program is now in process. By the end of the year, Escoffier Philippines intends for the culinary program to be set out in schools and universities, she assured, starting with the University of Baguio. -- JDP

http://www.bworldonline.com/weekender/content.php?id=17861

DoH: Recalled milk products safe

THE TWO milk products from Mead Johnson Nutrition (Philippines), Inc. that have been ordered for recall are still fit for consumption, Health Secretary Dr. Enrique T. Ona said in a press conference on Wednesday.

"To avoid speculation, there are no safety issues involved with the Mead Johnson products ordered for withdrawal," Mr. Ona said.

Milk products ordered for recall on September 16 are Alactagrow Bibo Trio Milk Supplement and Sustagen Junior Milk Powder (Vanilla flavor) due to failure of compliance with the standard fat level content per 100 calories.

Mead Johnson Nutrition has since released a reformulated version of Alactagrow out in the market while Sustagen is in the process of renewing its formulation.-- Camille Erika R.

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=18187

^^
breastmilk is still best for babies :cheers:

^^ good job for FDA/DOH

Northern Mindanao food companies obtain international quality certification


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Six local firms were granted the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification in ceremonies led by officials of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

The six companies are Motherland Food Products, Four Seasons Fruit Corp., Soyuz Foods International, Inc., Snap Snax Ventures, Inc., Prime Xynergies Food Corp. and B-G Fruits and Nuts Manufacturing Corp.

These companies are part of the USAID-Growth with Equity in Mindanao’s HACCP program.

Through the certification assistance project, Growth with Equity in Mindanao provides technical and funding assistance to Mindanao food exporters for the development of systems and procedures compliant with internationally accepted quality standards.

Alice V. Euseña, regional Trade and Industry director, said the six companies given international quality certifications represented “change in Mindanao.”

Less conflict on the island would lead to more opportunities for business ventures, she added.

Jonathan Y. Godoy, vice-president of B-G Fruits, said the HACCP certification was important in the firm’s bid to further penetrate export markets.

The global market is demanding higher quality, he said, and his firm should be able to compete globally with the HACCP certification.

Mr. Godoy said acquiring such a certification was not a walk in the park and required preparation and adoption of a new system for a period of four months.

Employees of the firm had to attend seminars. Sanitary and hygiene practices of employees also needed to be checked, Mr. Godoy added.

B-G Fruits is expecting sales growth of up to 30% as a result of the company’s HACCP certification.

“The key is innovation because the global industry is hungry for new products,” Mr. Godoy said. -- M. J. Combong
|

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=18481

RP a superpower in natural medicines

THE HUMAN species is constantly beset by thousands upon thousands of diseases. Normally, our body’s own immune systems can ward off many of these illnesses all by themselves. But every so often, we seek help—cures and treatments—from external sources. That is when plants become key to our wellness and survival.

And the Philippines is a virtual repository of proven and potential medicinal plants and herbs, so much so that for nutrition and medicinal experts, it ranks a high third in this respect, only behind Brazil and Indonesia. These three countries contain almost all the arsenal to fight common ailments and even dread diseases, locked away in the plants, the so-called “natural vaults.”

“The Philippines is home to more than 1,500 different kinds of medicinal herbs. However, the use of medicinal plants has been limited because of the difficulty in identifying these herbs,” stressed Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, former health secretary, who coauthored the book “Medicinal Fruits and Vegetables” with Ma. Rebecca Marana Galvez Tan.

Tan added that the Philippines contains many medicinal plants not found in Brazil and Indonesia.

In a radio interview with “Inner Mind” host Jaime Licauco, Galvez-Tan revealed that plant researchers all over the world consider the Philippines as a “hotspot of biodiversity.” He added that certain species of plants found here hold more disease-fighting potential than others found in the top two countries. “The French travel all the way to the Philippines to acquire our local variety of Ilang-ilang even if there is Ilang-ilang in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. They chose ours because they know that the most potent is the Philippine variety. Christian Dior (the perfume maker) gets only the Philippine species of Ilang-ilang.”

He further stressed: “The future directions of most of the multinationals are to venture into natural products. As of now, no new synthetic ingredients for drugs are coming out. What these multinationals are telling me is that they are looking forward to coming out with new chemicals that would be coming from natural medicines.”

Galvez-Tan later shared with Inquirer Science/Health that the major frontiers in pharmaceutical research are genetic and stem cell treatments, and the discovery of new chemicals from terrestrial and marine sources.

Sources of medicines

He cited as an example Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the world’s largest German pharmaceutical companies that are seriously looking into plant sources of medicines. “Go to Germany and they have many medicinal plants. These are all part of the company’s homeopathic approach. Boehringer is also in the Philippines.”

Asked to comment on the fierce competition between herbal medicines and synthetic drugs, he quipped: “This is just competition among market forces. Of course, if natural medicines are already eating into the market of synthetic drugs, the makers of synthetic drugs will react accordingly.”

Galvez-Tan may well be referring to the natural cough medicine containing lagundi, whose synthetic counterpart has launched a scathing advertising campaign highlighting the apparent delayed efficacy of the plant.

In 1993, long before these market wars erupted, the “Guidebook on the Proper Use of Medicinal Plants” prepared by the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology had described about 80 medicinal plant species, including lagundi, that have been found safe and efficacious by a thorough scientific validation process.

“For most Filipinos, medicinal plants have become more than just an alternative to costly commercial drug preparations. They are now acceptable as logical and practical sources of medicines which could provide symptomatic relief for common ailments,” stated Dr. Nelia P. Cortes Maramba in her foreword for the book.

“At times though, information on the curative effects of certain medicinal plants are based only on unfounded claims. Therefore, a list of plants which have passed through a thorough scientific validation process to determine their safety and efficacy will be very helpful.”

Maramba said that the list serves as a guide for people so they will know which plant species are effective for specific ailments.

Nutritional values

Much like Galvez-Tan’s book, the Guidebook shows colored photographs of each plant with its corresponding botanical description. Maramba said most of the data used for the guidebook were obtained from research done by the National Integrated Research Program on Medicinal Plants.

The Guidebook also includes nutritional values of plants such as:

Utaw, mani, monggo, paayap and abitswelas. These are foods rich in protein, and especially needed by growing children, pregnant and lactating mothers, and those who are ill or are convalescing.

Tubo, playa, mais, kamote, kamoteng kahoy, gabi, araro, ube, patatas and saging (banana) are foods rich in carbohydrates, needed to provide the body with heat and energy.

Mais (oil), niyog (oil), pili, mani, kasuy and linga are foods rich in fats, also needed to provide body with energy, and serve as vehicles for vitamins A, D and E to be absorbed by the body.

Malunggay leaves, kamoteng kahoy leaves, papaya leaves, sayote tops, siling labuyo tops, karot, gabi leaves, uray and sili are foods rich in Vitamin A. Pili, mani, kadyos, munggo are rich in Vitamin B1. Singkamas fruit, malunggay leaves and fruit, papaya leaves, kasuy, bayabas, kamoteng kahoy tops, datiles, katuray leaves, kamatsile, mangga tops, gabi are rich in Vitamin C. Tengang daga, gamet, aurora leaves and stems, gulaman red variety, saging flowers, bornay leaves and stems, kamyas and kakaw are rich in Iron.

http://business.inquirer.net/money/features/view/20101001-295436/RP-a-superpower-in-natural-medicines

P50-Billion Food Supply Chain Deal Signed

By MARVYN N. BENANING
October 4, 2010, 8:15pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Finance (DoF), and the Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) on Monday launched a P50-billion food supply chain program to support the government’s campaign for food sufficiency and higher productivity.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, Finance Secretary and Landbank Chairman Cesar V. Purisima and Landbank President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gilda E. Pico signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the program at the Landbank Plaza.

Landbank has made available P50 billion to support the financial needs of various enterprises engaged in crop, livestock, and fishery production.

The Fund can be tapped for working capital and the acquisition of processing equipment and other fixed assets.

With these facilities, Landbank and its partners believe farmers and fishermen, along with animal breeders, can raise their yield and improve efficiency.

As conceived, the food supply chain program aims to raise farm incomes since the fund may be used to improve value added, with farmers improving the quality of their products.

Under the program, key players in the food system, from producers, processors, consolidators and other players may avail themselves of funds from the program.

The fund may also be used to strengthen farmers’ organizations and enable them to match the requirements of anchor firms.

Among the projects that will enjoy initial funding are integrated corn production and hog fattening, integrated broiler production and processing, banana production and export, oil palm production and palm oil refining and vegetable production.

For integrated corn production and hog fattening, the initial anchor processors and cooperatives involved are Biotech Farms, Inc., Marcela Farms, Inc. Sorosoro Development Coop, Limcoma Multi-Purpose Coop and Catmon Multi-Purpose Coop.

A total of P550 million will be invested in corn production and contract growing for hogs for the benefit of more than 3,000 corn farmers and 8,000 contract growers.

Anakciano, Inc. will be the anchor firm for integrated broiler production, with P242.5 million in the pipeline for broiler and corn production, which will involve 1,000 contract growers.

For banana production and export, a total of P940 million will be earmarked, with Sagrex Food Corp. and Fermon Corp. as anchor firms and exporters.

Agumil Phils., Inc. will serve as processor for oil palm production and palm oil refining.

No less than P1.5 billion is needed by more than 6,000 oil palm growers.

AgriNurture Phils., Inc., will be the main player in vegetable production for both the local and foreign markets. Vegetable production requires P20 million.

For fish production, only P45 million is required for local and overseas markets. Sta. Cruz Seafoods, General Tuna Corp./Century Pacific Group and APAMI are seen as possible anchor firms for the venture.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/280521/p50billion-food-supply-chain-deal-signed

Ms. Earth beauties to promote
Negros as ‘organic island’

BACOLOD City – Miss Earth title holders who recently visited the province promised to promote Negros Island as the “organic food bowl of Asia” in their official functions here and abroad.

2010 Miss Earth-Philippines 2010 Kris Psyche Resus, 2009 Miss Air Sandra Seifert and 2006 Miss Water Catherine Untalan have been on a three-day tour here.

Resus said she will endorse Negros Occidental as the leader in promoting organic agriculture when she competes for the Miss Earth title in Vietnam on December.

On the other hand, Untalan said organic farming can also be done in other parts of the country.

“Since people benefits from it, I think we should replicate this all over the Philippines,” she said.

Resus and Untalan said they were “awed by the Negrenses’ amazing work” in pioneering the thrust on organic agriculture.

Seifert, who is from Negros, said she is proud that the advocacy on organic agriculture started in her province.

The Negros Island, composed of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, is envisioned to become the “organic food bowl of Asia” through the “Negros Organic Island” policy jointly launched by the two provincial governments in 2005.

Untalan said such dream is “not far from happening as Negros is in the forefront of environmental programs.”

In the Miss Earth Foundation, she said, they initiate programs “I Love My Planet Earth” school program through which they conduct school tours.

The three beauty queens toured to various organic farms in Negros Occidental on October 1–3.
The Organik na Negros! Organic Producers and Retailers Association organized the tour in cooperation with the provincial government and SM City Bacolod.

They went to the Peñalosa Farm in Victorias City and held mangrove planting; Carbin Reef and conducted storytelling at the Museo Pambata in Sagay City; Nature’s Village Resort and Melba’s Farm in Talisay City; Fresh Start Organics in Silay City; and RU Foundry and Machine Shop Corp. and Eco-Agri Foundation here.

They also went to Don Salvador Benedicto town for the organic rice and tree planting that highlighted the municipality’s agri-tourism program. (Ranie S. Azue)/PN

http://www.panaynewsphilippines.com/bacolod%204.htm

Food production threatened
Tuesday, 12 October 2010 14:18 Cai U. Ordinario / Reporter

FOOD production and even economic growth in Asia, including the Philippines, will be under threat owing to the expected 40-percent shortfall in water supply and demand in the region by 2030, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said.

The Manila-based multilateral bank said this shortfall would be brought about by rapid urbanization, industrialization, pollution and the onset of climate change. The shortfall is exacerbated by the fact that water use in Asian countries has been marked by inefficiencies and waste.

In a briefing, Arjun Thapan, ADB special senior advisor for Infrastructure and Water and the convener of the International Water Conference, said the expected 40-percent shortfall that is expected in 20 years is based on a “business as usual” scenario.

“The impact is going to be greatest on food production, on the investments in the energy sector, as well as rapidly expanding cities. All this is doubtless going to impact on overall economic growth. I’m not sure that anybody has done a research but this is something that instinct and basic discipline tell us if there is no further action taken to improve the rates of efficiency of water use,” Thapan explained.

The ADB said leakage in urban water-supply systems alone amounts to the loss of as much as 29 billion cubic meters a year, worth around $9 billion.

Irrigated agriculture, which draws most of Asia’s freshwater, is also inefficient with efficiency improvements averaging 1 percent annually since 1990.

The bank said providing water below costs, or giving it away at no cost—coupled with the lack of integrated planning for water use, weak governance and low levels of investment from the private sector—have also hampered the management of the resource.

Thapan pointed out that in the Philippines this is compounded by the fact that out of the 412 rivers in the country, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) said 50 are considered biologically dead.

However, the ADB believes that what is needed right now is to manage demand in such a way that countries will be able to plug leakages in water supply and make use more efficient. This will require a lot of resources, and the ADB is committed to extending $2 billion to $2.4 billion for its developing member-countries every year for the next five years.

Nonetheless, Thapan said the ADB is also looking at other funding sources to extend more funds to developing countries like the Philippines. This, he said, is where the private sector will come in.

He said partnerships with the private sector through public-private partnerships are among the main thrusts of the bank’s new draft Water Operational Framework. The framework may be approved by the end of the year and, once implemented, will be used starting 2011 to 2020.

“Asia has been an inefficient water user, with a constant bias toward growing supply rather than managing demand. ADB’s draft Water Operational Framework suggests a new paradigm for its developing member-countries focused on efficiency gains, business-like approaches, and effective partnerships to make better use of scarce resources,” Thapan said.

The ADB said the framework, a result of consultations with stakeholders, provides a design for ADB’s future work in the water area, with the focus on using water more efficiently. Operations will focus on areas, such as advanced water-efficient irrigation practices, reducing losses in urban water-supply systems, and the development and adoption of technologies that offer cost-effective ways to treat and reuse wastewater.

The bank also said the framework will also pay greater attention to developing a corporate outlook in the business of water services, currently dominated by governments, so as to drive efficiency and attract private investments and expertise.

“Increased investments from the private sector, especially in managing and delivering water services, and in using technology and innovation to reduce our water footprint will be critical to securing a sustainable water supply,” Thapan said. “Governments do not have the resources to go to scale and effective partnerships with the private sector will be a sine qua non.”

The framework recommends a study to examine the outlook for available sources of freshwater in the region over the next 20 years, as well as forecasting the impact of water-use policies and practices on food, energy production, industrial growth and domestic use, factoring in climate-change uncertainties. It will consider potential technology solutions to improve efficiency, and business models to encourage private-sector investment.

Following the regional study and water assessments for selected countries, ADB will seek to mobilize fresh resources for the Water Financing Partnership Facility, a mechanism established in 2006 to fund investments in rural and urban water services and river-basin management.

It will also review the status and quality of its water partnerships to maximize synergies and knowledge development, and will explore the deployment of specialist water teams in-country to provide real-time quality support.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/2433-food-production-threatened

Herbal firms to Aquino: Harmonize FDA rules with Tama
Sunday, 24 October 2010 10:44 Max de Leon / Reporter


THE Chamber of Herbal Industries of the Philippines Inc. (Chipi) asked President Aquino to implement the policy recommendations of technical experts from the University of the Philippines (UP) for the harmonization of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations with the Traditional and Alternative Medicines Act (Tama) of 1997.

Lito Abelardo, Chipi chairman, said it has been six months since the UP experts, who were commissioned by the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (Pitahc), submitted their output to the Department of Health (DOH).

However, even with the changing of administration, no action has been taken to implement the recommendations. “The harmonization of the FDA regulations with the Tama is important for the continued growth of the industry so we wrote a letter to President Aquino just a few days ago asking him to start implementing the recommendations,” Abelardo told the BusinessMirror at the sidelines of the fourth Marpe Expo at the SM Megatrade Hall in Ortigas. He said with the adjustments in the FDA regulations, the agency will now also be promoting the growth of the herbal and natural health industry because that is stipulated in the Tama.

For instance, Abelardo said FDA would have to begin setting criteria to validate the therapeutic claims of herbal medicines. This will then allow the industry to get rid of the “no therapeutic claims” in their labeling.

This, Abelardo said, is a significant next step to the commitment of the DOH that it will be issuing an administrative order (AO) nullifying an AO released in the previous administration that compels the herbal industry to stress in their promotional materials and ads that their products have no proven therapeutic value.

This was committed by Health Undersecretary Alex Padilla in his speech at the Marpe Expo.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/economy/2855-herbal-firms-to-aquino-harmonize-fda-rules-with-tama

Coconuts get sweeter
By Norman Sison (The Philippine Star) Updated October 25, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7938/usual1vass.jpg

MANILA, Philippines - In the business community, Harry Liu is known as a veteran stockbroker, a respected stock market executive regularly sought by business reporters, and a former chairman of the Philippine Stock Exchange.

But for over a year, Liu has been in a business where you won’t expect to find a seasoned stockbroker. His lesser known company, Los Ricos Compania Corporation (the other being Summit Securities Inc.), manufactures what Liu calls “coco sugar”, under the brand name Coco Natura.

It tastes almost like sugar, looks like brown sugar, but it’s not sugar. It comes from the sap of coconut trees, the same source of coconut vinegar and coconut wine, locally known as tuba.

What is amazing about Coco Natura is that it’s not a technological discovery that came from a laboratory. Farmers in Cagayan de Oro have been making coco sugar for years but only for their own consumption. They had no idea about its business potential.

Liu’s business partner, Mark Peralta, discovered it and contacted Liu’s son, Gerard, who had then just left his job as a vice president in Bank of America. He returned to Manila after spending a decade because he wanted to do something for the motherland. It was a trait that he inherited from his father, Harry, who has been in the local stock market in the 1960s.

“Many of my relatives live abroad but I chose to stay,” says the elder Liu, who has been in the stock market business since the 1960s, when trading was done with a huge blackboard, chalk, erasers and barkers.

When Gerard came back, just before the recession in the United States hit, the elder Liu encouraged his son to do something for the country.

When Gerard and Peralta discovered coco sugar’s low glycemic index – its sweetness level – to be at 35 (sugar is at 50), they knew that they have found an all-natural sweet alternative to artificial sweeteners for diabetics. All that was needed was to raise the product’s quality by building a factory and package it according to world-class standards. Gerard, who would become the general manager of Los Ricos, approached his father for financial backing.

Harry Liu is his product’s number one customer not because he wants to. He needs to because he is diabetic. “Ever since I was diagnosed with diabetes, I’ve been using artificial sweeteners.” But he later became concerned about long-term toxicity, and he didn’t like the aftertaste.

Then came coco sugar. For Liu and millions of other diabetics, coco sugar is more than a just a sweet alternative – it is a sweet taste of freedom that non-diabetics take for granted, such as the everyday pleasure of drinking coffee or eating cookies. Liu now enjoys cakes and pastries made by his wife, who is an accomplished baker.

“Why go for artificial sweeteners when you can have something that’s all natural,” he says. Liu brings packets of Coco Natura wherever he goes.

For the past years, diabetics have relied on artificial sweeteners until information about aspertame’s toxicity became known. There is also that aftertaste. Coco Natura has a hint of coconut but has no aftertaste, a plus for diabetics.

Nearly five percent of Filipinos have diabetes but the actual figure may be double, according to Gerard Liu, citing official figures. An estimated five percent of the population may be unaware that they have diabetes or that they are future diabetics.

For health buffs, coco sugar is a healthy alternative to real sugar. For one, there is that chemical process used to refine sugar. Two, too much sugar is bad for you and is a major contributor to obesity.

What also makes Harry and Gerard Liu excited like about Coco Natura is that it’s a product that can boost the domestic economy and put the Philippines on the world map. Los Ricos (www.coconaturasugar.com) currently ships Coco Natura to Japan, the United States, Canada and Italy. Coco Natura comes in 250-gram boxes containing 50 sachets for people on the go, and in bags of 250 and 1000 grams.

Here in the Philippines, Coco Natura is in major supermarkets. However, Filipinos haven’t yet acquired a taste for coco sugar because health awareness is relatively low compared to that in other countries. But more and more Filipinos have been becoming health conscious, says Harry and Gerard Liu.

Betting on the market, they say that once the local demand picks up, they can bring down the cost production and, eventually, Coco Natura’s price tag. “Right now, we just have to create awareness that there is a natural and healthy alternative to artificial sweeteners,” says Gerard. “The other good thing here is that it’s made in the Philippines.”

For the Lius, it’s nothing but sweet joy – and about using your coconut.

Indian drug makers seeking RP partners
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 12:37 Max V. de Leon / Reporter

Indian pharmaceutical firms are looking for partners in the Philippines for the distribution and production of medicines as they seek to take advantage of the vastly expanding market for affordable quality drugs here.

Representatives of 12 Indian companies are now in the country to meet with local importers, distributors, retailers and manufacturers of medicines through the efforts of the Indian Embassy, the Philippines-India Business Council (PIBC) and the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) of India.

Indian Ambassador Yogendra Kumar said the Indian companies were looking at different types of cooperation, from distribution to joint ventures for production and marketing in the country.

He noted that medicines from India, whose prices are eight times lower than those branded drugs, are now beginning to get wider acceptance in the Philippine market.

“In April 2007 to March 2008, Indian exports medicines to the Philippines totaled only $30.06 million. But from April 2009 to March 2010, the value rose to $49.15 million, or an increase of 63.5 percent. So this is a fast-growing sector in our bilateral trade,” Kumar told the BusinessMirror at the Pharmexcil Buyer-Seller meeting on Wednesday at the Dusit Hotel in Makati.

Abhay Kumar Sinha, head of the delegation, said Indian drug manufacturers will be able to meet the requirements of markets like the Philippines for affordable medicines but the quality is on a par with those produced by multinationals.

Sinha said they were aware that Indian-made medicines were on the receiving end of negative reports in the Philippines. But to prove that these were false, he said the Indian government was willing to invite representatives from the Philippine private sector and concerned state agencies to visit their plants in India.

The Indian delegation includes Agron Remedies Pvt. Ltd., Axon Drugs Pvt. Ltd., Ayurvet Ltd., Ban Labs Ltd., Corona Remedies Ltd., Global Pharma Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., Meenaxy Pharma Private Ltd., Natural Capsules Ltd., Protech Bioscience Pvt. Ltd., Rhydburg Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Rio Care India Pvt. Ltd. and West Bengal Chemical Industries Ltd.

They met representatives of several distributors, retailers and producers of medicines in the country, including Mercury Drug and United Laboratories.

Sumir Kuol, executive director of Protech, said their group’s main interest was to introduce in the Philippine market its brands of antibiotics, particularly dry powder injectables and large volume parenteral (infusions). “We are looking for distributors but it depends on who will be our local partner if there will be local production. I think it would be more economical if we produce them here. We have a lot of options,” Kuol said.

Edward I. Isaac, president of the Philippine Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry Inc., said the entry of more Indian drug makers in the country will certainly boost the efforts to make available most types of medicines at available prices. “The Indian companies will really help because what we don’t have, they can provide.”


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/economy/3012-indian-drug-makers-seeking-rp-partners

Jollibee and Mang Inasal: Who got the better deal?

Monday, 25 October 2010 12:15
Henry Ong / Personal Finance

WHILE everyone was busy monitoring the whereabouts of Typhoon Juan last week, Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange that it is acquiring 70 percent of the shares of Mang Inasal for P3 billion. This came as a surprise to many people, which included stockbrokers, analysts, investors and ordinary consumers.

Mang Inasal has been a phenomenal success in the retail food-and beverage industry, being the fastest growing food chain in the country with a total of 303 branches in just seven years. No one expected this acquisition to happen too early in the game given the strong momentum going for Mang Inasal. The Chicken Inasal with unlimited rice was a huge success that it made Jollibee, the country’s top fast-food chain, come up immediately with its own version called Jollibee Chicken Barbeque. This apparently was not enough to counteract the emerging dominance of Mang Inasal in this segment. Mang Inasal has threatened Jollibee’s market share, prompting the latter to opt for a swift buy-out of its competitor instead of battling it out for market share.

As they say, everything comes with a price. The buy-out strategy appears to be viable but not without a hefty-price tag to acquire a rising superstar like Mang Inasal. Was the price worth it? Who got the better deal? Well, we can never tell for now but we can make a good guess using information that has been disclosed so far.

If the 70-percent ownership of Mang Inasal is valued at P3 billion, then the 100-percent valuation of the company must be P4.3 billion. This is computed by dividing P3 billion by 70 percent. With a valuation of P4.3 billion for the whole company, it can be inferred that the price proposed by Jollibee for each branch of Mang Inasal is estimated roughly at P14 million. This is almost twice as much the franchise fee for a brand-new Mang Inasal outlet. In spite of this, Jollibee will not be able to own all 303 branches as Mang Inasal owns only 24, while the remaining 279 are all franchised. The P3 billion balance and the cost of the 24 Mang Inasal-owned outlets is the premium Jollibee has to pay for the earning power of the Mang Inasal brand.

Now, here is the next question. Is the premium worth it? Let’s say each outlet of Mang Inasal is worth P7 million. With 24 company-owned outlets, that is P168 million. Let’s add an allowance of P100 million so that makes it P268 million. The premium is computed by getting the difference of the cost and the P3 billion, which results in P2.7 billion. Assume that the average annual gross sales per outlet is P12.5 million, applying the 7-percent royalty and advertising fee that Mang Inasal earns from franchisees, this would be P875,000. With 279 franchisees, this would be tantamount to P244 million annually. Given the premium of P2.7 billion, it will take roughly 11 years for Jollibee to recover it. If you take the present value of the annual royalties for 11 years using an 18-percent discount rate, this will have a value now of P1.1 billion only. The extra cost Jollibee will pay is estimated to be at P1.6 billion (P2.7 billion*—P1.1 billion).

Let’s look at the other way of the valuation process using the price-to-earnings ratio. Jollibee says in the disclosure that Mang Inasal’s acquisition will increase their net operating income by 7 percent. There are no details given as to how much is the annual net income of Mang Inasal but we can estimate that if the net operating income of Jollibee for 2009 was about P3.3 billion, then the increase of 7 percent is P231 million, which must be the annual income of Mang Inasal. Using this figure as the basis for earnings, the price-to-earnings ratio paid by Jollibee must be 19x. This is computed by taking the total value of Mang Inasal, which is at P4.3-billion divided by P231 million of estimated earnings.

What is the meaning of 19x price-to-earnings ratio? This means that it will take about 19 years of Mang Inasal’s earnings to recover its P3 billion investment. The other way to look at it is simply get the 70-percent share of Jollibee in Mang Inasal’s P231-million income which is P162 million and divide it by P3 billion. This earns you a yield of only 5-percent per annum, just about the yield you get from the bank.

From this exercise, it appears that Mang Inasal got the better deal. It stands to gain a windfall that will guarantee the owner of consistent earnings while hardly doing anything. As for Jollibee, they will need to justify the premium by expanding Mang Inasal’s network to increase earnings and shorten payback period or else they will risk destroying shareholder value. The acquisition is strategic to Jollibee and this may prove beneficial over the long term but for now there are issues that remain to be seen. How soon can Jollibee integrate Mang Inasal into their system and increase operational efficiency? How much more capital expenditures Jollibee needs to shell out to improve Mang Inasal? How will Jollibee finance the acquisition? How will this affect dividend policy if it uses its own cash flows?

How has this affected the stock price? The market was excited to hear the news about the acquisition that it pushed the share price of Jollibee to an all-time high of P100 last week before it corrected to P93.50. This price reflects how positive the market is on the deal. The earnings per share of Jollibee as of 2009 was P2.60. Assume that the projected earnings growth this year will be 15 percent, that makes earnings per share at P3 by end of 2010. If we incorporate the earnings of Mang Inasal by 2011 and say we are positive that it will grow by 20 percent, that will give you P3.60. Using this as a basis, the current price-to-earnings ratio of Jollibee is estimated at 26x, which by market standards is relatively expensive. If we use 19x price-to-earnings ratio as fair value, then the stock price of Jollibee should be trading at the vicinity of P70. As further upside may be limited, perhaps, this is a good time to take profits if you have bought some shares.

CDO eyes a fifth of canned tuna market

PROCESSED food firm CDO Foodsphere, Inc. wants to corner a fifth of the P6-billion canned tuna industry by the end of the year, one of the company’s top officials said.

Higher sales from its new tuna business and the better economy will allow the company to post as much as 20% growth in sales this year.

“We are still gradually increasing the volume because we are new to the market. We introduced San Marino [corned tuna] late last year and it is gradually creating awareness,” CDO Foodsphere Vice-Chairman Corazon D. Ong told BusinessWorld.

Before the entry of San Marino, the Century Pacific Group of Companies controlled more than 95% of the P6-billion local canned tuna market through its brands 555, BlueBay, Century Tuna and Wow.

Ms. Ong said San Marino now controls 12% of the canned tuna industry, about a year since the brand’s formal launching. New tuna products are being introduced to the market.

“Now, we have developed tuna paella. It has gained acceptance already,” Ms. Ong said.

Sales of CDO Foodsphere should rise faster this year given the upbeat business environment. Ms. Ong said the company might expand sales by 15% to 20% this year.

“Last year, it was about 10%,” she said.

The National Capital Region remains the ‘growth area’ that will drive sales given the concentration of spending power in the metropolis.

“As long as we keep our position as the No. 2 in the industry, we are happy with that,” Ms. Ong said.

Top player San Miguel Pure Foods Co., Inc. had 44% of the local poultry market, 63% of hotdogs, and 20% of canned goods in the first quarter.

“As long as we continue to [be aggressive], we are positive that we will achieve our forecast,” Ms. Ong said.

The firm’s products include CDO Karne Norte, CDO Bibbo! Hotdog, CDO Meatloaf, CDO Hamburger Patties, CDO Holiday Ham, CDO Liver Spread and cube cheese under the brand Danes.

Last year, CDO Foodsphere started commercial operations at its new manufacturing plant in the municipality of Malvar in Batangas. The facility can produce 150,000 kilograms of processed meat products daily.

CDO Foodsphere was established in 1975 as a backyard meat processing operation in Marulas, Valenzuela.


http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=20467

LandBank promotes food supply chain program
Sunday, 14 November 2010 11:12 Jennifer A. Ng / Reporter


The Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) has organized “island-based summits” to convince farmers and agribusinesses to support a program that seeks to improve farm productivity and help the country attain food security.

LandBank said that it recently organized island-based summits in Lipa City, Batangas, for the government’s “Food Supply Chain Program (FSCP).

This month, other island-based summits will be held in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Davao City and Angeles City, Pampanga.   

“This series of summits will further fortify our strategies in effectively implementing the FSCP. I hope that more partners will be interested to participate in this endeavor so that we could provide better opportunities for people in the rural areas,” said LandBank president and chief executive officer Gilda Pico in a statement.

The island-based summits will convene farmer-producers, service-providers and anchor firm-processors who will formally seal partnerships to support the program.

The FSCP is spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Finance and LandBank in line with the national government’s thrusts of promoting food security and increasing agricultural productivity and income of farmers.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/economy/3688-landbank-promotes-food-supply-chain-program

Generics company to make Pfizer drugs more accessible

PHARMACEUTICAL GIANT Pfizer has decided to enter the generics market amid weakened sales of branded medicine.

Pfizer Philippines, Inc. said the world’s largest drug maker would today unveil a "branded generics company" that will make medicine "accessible to more Filipinos.

This comes after Pfizer bought into generic drug manufacturers in India and Brazil this year to support an off-patent arm formed in 2008 dubbed the "Established Products Business Unit."

The unit has been tasked to market "medicine that have lost patent exclusivity or are close to losing their exclusivity" -- a portfolio composed of over 600 products, the firm says on its website.

Pfizer subsidiary Greenstone LLC was tapped to manufacture and distribute drugs in this segment, said to be "traditionally shrinking ... due to intense generic competition".

Its Philippine unit, for instance, expects weaker sales this year, a spokesperson said.

"It does not have the same growth rates this year," Patricia J. Pascual, Pfizer Philippines, Inc. public affairs director, said about sales in an interview last Monday.

Sales of its anti-cholesterol pill Lipitor, for instance, have reportedly weakened but Ms. Pascual attributed this more to price cuts mandated by the government rather than the competition posed by the competing variant of Filipino-owned United Laboratories, Inc. (Unilab).

The two firms have been fighting over the drug, with Unilab daring to sell its version even as Pfizer’s Philippine patent hasn’t expired. -- J. A. D. Hermosa
|


http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=21344

'1 of 10 medicines in RP is fake' (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/11/17/10/1-10-medicines-rp-fake)
By Zyann Ambrosio, ABS-CBN News
Posted at 11/18/2010 1:18 AM | Updated as of 11/18/2010 6:03 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Based on Department of Health (DOH) figures, 10% or 1 of every 10 medicines in the country is fake, according to the Samahan Laban sa Pekeng Gamot (Samahan).

"Consumers unwittingly buy from drug stores with counterfeit medicines. If that patient dies, no one will be going to report anymore because the patient is already dead," said Dr. Maria Minerva Calimag, Samahan spokesman and chair of the Cosmetics Committee of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA).

Calimag said fake medicines should be flushed out immediately from market.

She said the true extent of the counterfeiting problem is "hidden" and that the 10% estimate is based only on cases reported to the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).

"From the point of view of the PMA, we strongly recommend that we buy only from Food and Drugs Administration-listed pharmacy. Source is important. As doctors we do our diagnosis, and then we depend on medicines to work," she added.

Samahan raised the warning against fake drugs as the nation celebrates this month the "National Consciousness Week against Fake Medicines" as mandated under Presidential Proclamation No. 2082.

The federation comprises the FDA, the Philippine Medical Association, the Philippine Pharmacists Association (PPA), and the Drug Stores Association of the Philippines, among others.

more... (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/11/17/10/1-10-medicines-rp-fake)

Cebu City vet wants meat imports' safety checked
November 23, 2010, 8:31pm

CEBU CITY, Philippines (PNA) – Fewer hogs are currently being slaughtered in Cebu City, the City’s Veterinarian’s Office confirmed, and local dealers are feeling the pinch from the reported entry of imported meat in the wet markets.

”Traders and suppliers are already affected and farm owners are complaining,” Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) Chief Alice Utlang said.

While she could not give exact data, Utlang said there was a big decrease in terms of the number of hogs slaughtered each day.

She also explained hog raisers no longer sell as many pigs of marketable weight as they used to.

According to the Central Visayas Pork Producers’ Cooperative, if the hogs get any bigger than what is considered marketable weight, the price drops.

What worries Utlang is the safety of imported meats, which are sold at cheaper prices.

Maria Pino-Buanghug, President of the Cebu City Vendors Association, said local meat vendors are helpless about the entry of imported meat in the market.

”We’ve heard for a long time that imported pork is being sold. We just want to have it verified because the prices have really dipped and the (imported) supply competes with that of local dealers,” said Buanghug.

Utlang also wants to know why imported meat is cheaper.

She has since asked the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) for a list of meat importers in the city but has yet to receive the reply from the agency.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/289169/cebu-city-vet-wants-meat-imports-safety-checked

Drug firm pushes full implementation of cheaper medicine law
By Nestor Etolle (The Philippine Star) Updated November 30, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

MANILA, Philippines – An official of a drug firm is urging the government to fully implement the Cheaper Medicine Act so the public would not have to be burdened with buying expensive drugs.

In a forum in Manila, Muhammad Ateeque, co-director of Sahar International Trading Inc. (SITI), said multinational firms are lobbying against the implementation of the law because this would reduce their profits.

Ateeque said people, especially the poor, should be given the right to choose the medicine they can afford as long as it is genuine and duly registered with the Food and Drug Administration.

National Bureau of Investigation agents recently raided a SITI warehouse based on a complaint by certain multinational firms that it was selling fake medicine, Ateeque said. The NBI later cleared the SITI after it found no counterfeit drugs in its warehouse.

Ateeque said his firm has almost 100 products duly registered with the FDA and these are the cheapest drugs the poor can afford.

He said an example is their life-saving drug for cancer sold by multi-national drug companies at P130,000 for 30 tablets, while theirs sells at only P8,000 for the same quantity and effect.

Ateeque said President Aquino should have strong political will to implement the Cheaper Medicine Act to enable people to buy quality medicine and even solve the illegal entry of imported drugs.

Medicines from India increased by 63.5 percent
Monday, 03 January 2011 01:23 Max V. de Leon / Reporter


INDIAN-MADE medicines have increased their presence in the country, showing a 63.5-percent jump in sales.

S. Suresh Kumar, vice president for marketing and sales of Ambica International Trading Corp., said the increase was felt in the Philippines even with the “well-funded efforts by certain groups to discredit generic medicines, especially those from India.”

“Here in the Philippines, Filipinos with tight budgets consider the high-quality yet low-cost generic medicines from India a much-awaited blessing. Filipino consumers have long sought for affordable life-saving drugs, drugs for lifestyle disorders, such as cardiac problems, antihypertensive agents, anticholesterol agents and antidiabetic agents which patients need on a daily basis,” Kumar said.

From April 2007 to March 2008, Indian exports of medicines to the Philippines totaled $30.06 million. From April 2009 to March 2010, the value rose to $49.15 million, or an increase of 63.5 percent.

The increase was purely a private-sector initiative as the state-run Philippine International Trading Corp. said it did not import medicines from India in 2010.

Kumar said in 2009, India exported $8 billion worth of pharmaceutical products to over 200 countries worldwide, mainly to the US and Europe, followed by Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Also, according to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, India’s pharmaceutical exports are growing at 30 percent a year, with the US as its biggest export market.

“The top 20 local Indian pharmaceutical companies have developed their capabilities relative to manufacturing, marketing and quality control to the point that they are now control 80 percent of India’s domestic market, leaving only 20 percent for multinational companies [MNCs],” Kumar said.

Several MNCs, he added, even get their products manufactured under different brand names and use the top Indian local pharmaceutical companies for manufacturing their products under loan licensing and contract manufacturing practices.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/economy/5671-medicines-from-india-increased-by-635-percent

Food firm hopes to replace meat with tuna-banana product

DAVAO CITY -- Sagrex Foods, Inc., maker of microwavable banana and turon for export, has ventured into direct selling of its new line, tuna-with-banana, to help Davao farmers augment their income.

Among the products under the tuna-with-banana line are “bola-bola,” sausage, “chorizo,” ham, patties, hotdog, “longganisa,” and “embutido.”

The company has tied up with Healthyfood Options Marketing Enterprise, Inc., which will serve as marketing arm, in the venture that seeks to employ banana growers and their families as “home business partners.”

Richard C. Torres, chief operating officer of Healthyfood, said tuna-with-banana stocks will be carried in strategic locations by Stocking Home Business Partners, which will buy from the company at 30% less than the regular selling price.

The home business partners, meanwhile, can sell the products at P5.00-P10.00 markup per unit, “assuring them of P500 to P1,000 a day income.” The project aims at expanding the market of tuna fishermen and Cavendish banana farmers while helping small sari-sari stores boost their monthly income by selling nutritious and affordable products, he said.

“Tuna with banana is the healthy and affordable alternative to the more expensive meat products that are commonly found in the market today,” he said.

Sagrex Foods is already producing and distributing 15,000 packs per week of this product with 15 distributors.

Henry Cueno, a representative of Sagrex Foods subsidiary Fermon Corp., said the company supplies raw materials for the tuna and banana processors. These will eventually be processed into various products.

He said the project will benefit members, who are fisherfolk and farmers, and their families as their wives and children can help raise more money for their households.

Sagrex started its operations as Southern Agro Export Corp., trading and exporting staple crops and cattle feed in Davao City in January 1980.

It later sold foam as cushion for Cavendish bananas due for shipment abroad.

In 2004, the company tied up with the Department of Science and Technology in Southern Mindanao to extend the shelf life of bananas through blast freezing.

A year later, it started exporting microwavable frozen banana and turon and launched an affiliate company, Sagrex Foods.

Ferdinand Y. Marañon, president of Sagrex Foods, said the ultimate dream has always been to cut into, if not replace, French fries with banana fries, starting in the Philippines.

Mr. Marañon said Filipinos should patronize banana fries instead of imported French fries and do their share in helping the economy.

Banana fries, he noted, are very popular among Filipino contract workers and expatriates in the United States and are being sold in most of the 1,000 Asian and Filipino supermarkets in the United States. -- Joel B. Escovilla


http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=23875

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Salmonella found in instant noodles (http://www.manilatimes.net/news/nation/salmonella-found-in-instant-noodles/)
Friday, May 06, 2011

NESTLE Philippines pulled out its Maggi Rich Mami Beef and Chicken noodles after tests done by the food company revealed traces of salmonella on their product.

In an advisory, Nestle said they “voluntarily recalled all Maggi Rich Mami Noodles Beef and Chicken Flavors from stores nationwide, following routine quality test which found traces of salmonella in two batches of Maggi Rich Mami Noodles Beef flavor.

The salmonella-tainted batches have lot codes 11020598A2 and 11030598A1. Lot code numbers are printed at the back of the product pack.

“The product recall is a precautionary measure being taken to ensure the safety and quality of our products and in the interests of our consumers, which we regard as of paramount importance,” the advisory said.

Nestle added that they had launched their own investigation on the cause of the contamination.
“Initial findings suggest flavoring ingredients as the cause,” the advisory said.

Too, Nestle said that they stopped production of all Maggi Rich Maggi Noodles, “pending the completion of the investigation.”

The company noted that they have not received any complaint from consumers.

Nestle also gave its Metro Manila hotline 8980061 and their toll free number 1-800-100-637853 for complaints or further questions.
FRANCIS EARL A. CUETO

http://www.visayandailystar.com/images/logosml.gif

Protestors: Let Coke hurt, bring boycott nationwide
BY CARLA GOMEZ


Sugar planters yesterday said they are joining Sugar Watch that is taking its boycott against Coca Cola products nationwide, if the firm refuses to heed their call to stop importing sugar premixes and high fructose corn syrup, and instead use domestically produced sugar.

About 4,000 sugar farm workers, agrarian reform beneficiaries and planters gathered in front of the Coca Cola plant in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, yesterday morning and close to 1,000 gathered at the Bacolod public plaza in the afternoon to denounce Coca Cola’s importations and to kick off a boycott of its products.

The picket in front of the Coca Cola plant in Bacolod City was cut short by heavy rain in the morning, and rain also poured as the protestors were about to start their march to the public plaza.

Despite the rain the workers were determined to push through with the rally at the plaza to launch the boycott, Sugar Watch convenor Wennie Sancho said.

“This is only the beginning of our protests against Coke, we will take our boycott against it products nationwide,” Sugar Watch convenor Hernane Braza said.

The protests spearheaded by Sugar Watch, composed mainly of labor groups and agrarian reform beneficiaries, were joined by the Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations, National Federation of Sugarcane Planters, United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines, and other independent sugar groups.

The protests’ participants said they will only end the boycott on Coke products if Coca Cola heeds their demands, otherwise they are bringing their protest nationwide so Coca Cola will hurt, too.

“Coca Cola is boycotting our sugar so we will boycott their products, too,” Luis Tongoy, a CONFED director, said.

Coke is the largest beverage company in the world, it is like Goliath and we are like David, but hopefully our voices will be heard via cyberspace all the way to their headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, he added.

Enrique Barcelona, CONFED legal counsel, said they were joining Sugar Watch because the fight against Coke’s importation will affect a lot of people, noting that about 90 percent of the planters run small farms.

Raymond Montinola, chairman of the CONFED Negros Panay chapter, said their demands are that Coca-Cola stops importation of premixes and high fructose corn syrup, pay tariff on sugar premixes it has already brought into the country, and that compensation be given to sugar farmers who have suffered loses from the drop in sugar prices.

The CONFED Negros Panay chapter in a statement issued yesterday said "We believe Coca Cola's importation of 50,000 metric tons of premixed sugar is tantamount to economic sabotage, not only to the sugar industry, but to the entire country."

The recent increase in the importation of premix and high fructose corn syrup as a sugar substitute by beverage companies has resulted in a drastic drop in domestic sugar trading that will greatly affect almost five million who are dependent on the Philippine sugar industry, it added.

Bringing in sugar in the guise of premixes allows Coca Cola to get away with zero tariff instead of paying the 38 percent required of imported sugar, CONFED said.

In calling for a boycott on Coca Cola products, CONFED said "Let us let them feel the hurt they have inflicted on this industry."

Sugar groups are also planning to stage protests against Coke in San Fernando, Pampanga, next week, and in other parts of the country, Tongoy said.

Enrique Rojas, president of the NFSP, said his group is also supporting the boycott and will only end their boycott if Coke starts buying Philippine sugar.

Otherwise, we will bring our boycott nationwide, he also said.

Manuel Lamata, UNIFED president, said their group has already brought their boycott nationwide.

Coca Cola’s claim in its paid advertisements that they are helping us is all hogwash, Lamata said.

“They never mentioned stopping importation of premixes from the United States, and yet they want us to support their products, when all their profits go back to the US,” Lamata said.

If Coke wants us to buy its products, it should also help us by buying our sugar, he added.

Sugar Regulatory Administrator Ma. Regina Bautista Martin said the Bureau of Customs is currently conducting a hearing on the contested premixes imported by Coca Cola.

She confirmed that Coca Cola has imported 400,000 bags of premixes equivalent to more than 20 metric tons that SRA laboratory tests have found to contain 99.5 percent sugar.

Martin has declared all 400,000 bags as “C” or reserve sugar, while Customs determines whether they should they be considered sugar and slapped with a 38 percent tariff, or premixes that can enter the country at zero tariff.

SRA figures yesterday showed that Coca-Cola for Crop Year 2010-2011 until May 2011 imported 822,469 bags of premixes.



http://www.visayandailystar.com/2011/June/23/topstory1.htm

If I'm not mistaken San Miguel may ari ng Coke sa Pinas... correct me if i'm wrong?

^^ Yup, exclusive right to produce Coke in the country.

Nung pagkabasa ko sa headline akala ko kung anong coke yun. Yung beverage pala :lol:

It's weird that they import sugar....the Cojuancos own sugar plantations right? :lol: Baka nasa contrata ng Coke kaya wala sila magawa? Universal din kasi ang lasa ng coke eh... hindi parang McDo na ang menu eh varied from country to country.

Coconuts get sweeter
By Norman Sison (The Philippine Star) Updated October 25, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7938/usual1vass.jpg

MANILA, Philippines - In the business community, Harry Liu is known as a veteran stockbroker, a respected stock market executive regularly sought by business reporters, and a former chairman of the Philippine Stock Exchange.

But for over a year, Liu has been in a business where you won’t expect to find a seasoned stockbroker. His lesser known company, Los Ricos Compania Corporation (the other being Summit Securities Inc.), manufactures what Liu calls “coco sugar”, under the brand name Coco Natura.

It tastes almost like sugar, looks like brown sugar, but it’s not sugar. It comes from the sap of coconut trees, the same source of coconut vinegar and coconut wine, locally known as tuba.

What is amazing about Coco Natura is that it’s not a technological discovery that came from a laboratory. Farmers in Cagayan de Oro have been making coco sugar for years but only for their own consumption. They had no idea about its business potential.

Liu’s business partner, Mark Peralta, discovered it and contacted Liu’s son, Gerard, who had then just left his job as a vice president in Bank of America. He returned to Manila after spending a decade because he wanted to do something for the motherland. It was a trait that he inherited from his father, Harry, who has been in the local stock market in the 1960s.

“Many of my relatives live abroad but I chose to stay,” says the elder Liu, who has been in the stock market business since the 1960s, when trading was done with a huge blackboard, chalk, erasers and barkers.

When Gerard came back, just before the recession in the United States hit, the elder Liu encouraged his son to do something for the country.

When Gerard and Peralta discovered coco sugar’s low glycemic index – its sweetness level – to be at 35 (sugar is at 50), they knew that they have found an all-natural sweet alternative to artificial sweeteners for diabetics. All that was needed was to raise the product’s quality by building a factory and package it according to world-class standards. Gerard, who would become the general manager of Los Ricos, approached his father for financial backing.

Harry Liu is his product’s number one customer not because he wants to. He needs to because he is diabetic. “Ever since I was diagnosed with diabetes, I’ve been using artificial sweeteners.” But he later became concerned about long-term toxicity, and he didn’t like the aftertaste.

Then came coco sugar. For Liu and millions of other diabetics, coco sugar is more than a just a sweet alternative – it is a sweet taste of freedom that non-diabetics take for granted, such as the everyday pleasure of drinking coffee or eating cookies. Liu now enjoys cakes and pastries made by his wife, who is an accomplished baker.

“Why go for artificial sweeteners when you can have something that’s all natural,” he says. Liu brings packets of Coco Natura wherever he goes.

For the past years, diabetics have relied on artificial sweeteners until information about aspertame’s toxicity became known. There is also that aftertaste. Coco Natura has a hint of coconut but has no aftertaste, a plus for diabetics.

Nearly five percent of Filipinos have diabetes but the actual figure may be double, according to Gerard Liu, citing official figures. An estimated five percent of the population may be unaware that they have diabetes or that they are future diabetics.

For health buffs, coco sugar is a healthy alternative to real sugar. For one, there is that chemical process used to refine sugar. Two, too much sugar is bad for you and is a major contributor to obesity.

What also makes Harry and Gerard Liu excited like about Coco Natura is that it’s a product that can boost the domestic economy and put the Philippines on the world map. Los Ricos (www.coconaturasugar.com) currently ships Coco Natura to Japan, the United States, Canada and Italy. Coco Natura comes in 250-gram boxes containing 50 sachets for people on the go, and in bags of 250 and 1000 grams.

Here in the Philippines, Coco Natura is in major supermarkets. However, Filipinos haven’t yet acquired a taste for coco sugar because health awareness is relatively low compared to that in other countries. But more and more Filipinos have been becoming health conscious, says Harry and Gerard Liu.

Betting on the market, they say that once the local demand picks up, they can bring down the cost production and, eventually, Coco Natura’s price tag. “Right now, we just have to create awareness that there is a natural and healthy alternative to artificial sweeteners,” says Gerard. “The other good thing here is that it’s made in the Philippines.”

For the Lius, it’s nothing but sweet joy – and about using your coconut.

If only they could bring down the price soon. Mas mahal pa to kaysa Muscovado.

It's weird that they import sugar....the Cojuancos own sugar plantations right? :lol: Baka nasa contrata ng Coke kaya wala sila magawa? Universal din kasi ang lasa ng coke eh... hindi parang McDo na ang menu eh varied from country to country.

Yup, that could be the reason too. Also in the powder juice drinks department, ang quality ng Tang (kraft) pa iba-iba at depende kung saan galing na factory ginawa. Tang in the Philippines which is Thailand produced has a different taste and quality with Tang that is produced in the US.

I believe SMC sold their stake in Coca-COla back to the mother company in Atlanta.

^^If that s true, then it explains the preference for US imports :lol:

Phl lifts ban on imports of FMD susceptible animals from Japan
The Philippines has lifted the temporary ban on the importation of animals susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and eased restrictions on the importation of plants, planting materials and plant products from Japan.

In two separate orders, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala lifted the temporary ban imposed on FMD-susceptible animals, its products and by-products, and the temporary suspension of imports of plants, plant materials and products from Japan.

Following official clearance from the World Animal Health Organization or the Organization Internationale de Epizooties (OIE) that Japan is now FMD-free without vaccination, the Department of Agriculture now allows the importation of FMD-susceptible animals and by-products from Japan.

Likewise, the DA amended an earlier order which originally imposed the temporary suspension of plants and plant materials and products.

According to the DA, in view of the recent updates on the serious nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant which may have affected the radionuclide levels of food, water and the atmosphere, the following plant quarantine measures will be strictly implemented:

• Importation of plants, planting materials and plant products (fruits, vegetables, etc) from all prefectures of Japan, is now allowed provided they have complete plant quarantine documents and in accordance with pertinent provisions of the Philippine Plant Quarantine Law of 1978 and DA Order 18, Series of 2000.

• Importation of such commodities from the prefectures of Fukushima and Ibaraki should have an additional certificate of radiation analysis issued by the competent authority/laboratory at or near the final port of loading in Japan.

• Importation from other areas in Japan is required to have a certificate of origin.

• Monitoring of plants, planting materials and plant products from Japan would be carried out by means of conducting random inspection, examination and detection of hand-carried and checked-in baggage of arriving passengers both at the international airport and seaports using radiation detection instruments.

• Initial radiation screening should not exceed three times the background level at the place of monitoring.

• Commodities with radiation levels above the threshold would be forwarded to the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) for analysis.

• Radiation levels should fall within the standards set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC/GL 5- 1989) “Guidelines Level for Radionuclides in Food Following Accidental Nuclear Contamination for Use in International Trade.”

• All expenses relative to the laboratory analysis, storage and transport during disposal of confiscated and contaminated commodities would be charged to the importer.
...
[philstar] (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=66&articleId=702014)

Indeed

PH weighs impact of palm oil expansion on coconut

By Erik dela Cruz, Reuters

Posted at 09/26/2011 11:36 AM | Updated as of 09/26/2011 4:31 PM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/09/26/11/ph-weighs-impact-palm-oil-expansion-coconut

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines could expand its palm oil acreage to up to 1 million hectares (2.47 million acres) from about 55,000 hectares now, but is weighing the impact on its major coconut oil industry before committing to a long-term plan, a senior official said on Friday.

Coconut is a major dollar earner for the Southeast Asian country, the world's top supplier, and a greater focus on palm oil production could be at the expense of coconut oil exports and hit domestic demand.

The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), the state agency overseeing the coconut and palm oil sectors, is also wary of some coconut farmers switching to palm oil -- widely used in cooking and is cheaper than coconut oil -- exacerbating the decline in production of the traditional produce.

But steadily rising domestic demand for palm oil and imports may yet prompt full-blown government support for the sector.

"What we need is a master plan for long-term development of our palm oil industry," Carlos Carpio, deputy administrator for research and development at PCA, told Reuters.

The palm oil industry, represented by the Philippine Palmoil Development Council (PPDC), on Wednesday presented a proposed road map to develop the sector to the PCA Governing Council chaired by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

Under the proposal, palm oil acreage will be expanded to 62,500 hectares this year and to 200,500 hectares by 2016.

Expanding the palm oil acreage to up to 500,000 hectares could provide employment to around 1 million rural workers and boost annual output to 2 million ton, more than enough to meet domestic demand, according to the road map.

If production is ramped up to 2 million tons, the Philippines could earn at least $2 billion from exports of palm oil annually, based on industry estimates. Coconut oil exports generated $1.3 billion in revenue last year.

Philippine coconut oil exports, accounting for more than half of global supply, have been shrinking as millions of trees are ageing and dying. Extreme weather is also blamed for the drop in output of coconut oil and other coconut products.

Road map proposed

The country has not done much to develop its palm oil industry while neighbouring Indonesia and Malaysia are top producers of the vegetable oil. Thailand has expanded acreage to more than half a million hectares over the last 10 years.

"We admire our neighbours for what they have done to develop their palm oil industries. Our question is, can we do that in the Philippines?" Carpio said.

Indonesia, the world's No. 1 palm oil producer, has planted 7.5 million hectares out of 10 million hectares available and expects to produce 21-23 million tons of crude palm oil this year, rising to 30 million tons by 2015. Malaysia, the second-largest producer, has 4.85 million hectares out of potential acreage of 5 million hectares.

Carpio said the draft paper could help in the formulation of a master plan for palm oil development.

"But a careful balancing act is necessary," he said. "We see the need to develop the palm oil sector but we are also mindful of the impact on coconut oil, which is one of our top exports."

Coconut farmers may be encouraged to shift to palm oil if prices were more favourable and if the government provides full support to a nascent industry, he said.

"It should be clear in the master plan up to what extent the conversion should be allowed," he added.

Coconut oil for October-November delivery is at $1,205 a ton, still offering a premium to palm kernel oil priced at $1,150 per ton.

The Philippines has coconut acreage of about 3 million hectares, which may shrink given millions of old and dying trees and the absence of a replanting program.

"Indonesia has overtaken us in terms of coconut acreage, with more than 4 million hectares planted," Carpio said. About 44.8 million coconut trees, or 14% of the total in the Philippines, are now deemed less productive.

The PPDC said the shortage of vegetable oils in the Philippines may be aggravated by falling coconut oil output.

Coconut oil exports declined 42 percent from a year earlier in January to July to 506,567 tonnes as a result of tight copra supply, industry data show.

The United Coconut Associations of the Philippines has forecast coconut oil exports at 900,000 tons in 2011, down almost a third versus last year's total shipments of 1.32 million tons.

The lack of milling facilities for palm oil, particularly in the southern Mindanao region where large tracts of land are available for palm oil, is also a major concern, Carpio said, adding most of the oil mills are located in the main coconut-producing Quezon province in Luzon.

The Philippines has been a major importer of palm oil as domestic supply of vegetable oils is not enough to meet the demand of a growing population.

In 2010, the country imported 205,000 tons of palm oil worth 9.68 billion pesos ($221 million).

If no major expansion takes place in the next 10 years, the industry forecasts palm oil imports to hit 576,000 tons by 2022, valued at P27.26 billion at current prices.

Buko juice could mean big bucks for PH

By Alvin Elchico, ABS-CBN News

Posted at 09/26/2011 4:44 PM | Updated as of 09/26/2011 9:54 PM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/09/26/11/buko-juice-could-mean-big-bucks-ph

MANILA, Philippines - There is a huge export potential for the country's lowly coconut or buko juice.

Jose Quimson, president of Peter Paul PH Corp., said the potential is great due to the worldwide trend of people becoming more health conscious and doing away with sugary and carbonated drinks. Peter Paul manufactures O.N.E. Coconut Water, which was promoted by President Aquino during his recent US visit. It is distributed by Pepsi Co. in the US.

Total coconut product exports amount to $1 billion annually but Quimson declined to say how much can be attributed to buko juice. It has a big plant in Candelaria, Quezon.

The O.N.E. organic coconut water is manufactured in the Philippines but is sold in export markets such as the US. Health magazine even named the drink as "America's healthiest beverage" for providing enhanced hydration, essential nutrition and all five essential electrolytes (calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous and sodium).

Quimson said putting up a plant needs significant capital since the process of extracting the juice and preserving it involves a complex process.

Industry sources say one needs at least $6 million to $8 million to put up a buko juice plant.

Exported coconut water comes from mature coconuts. Young coconut juice, which is preferred domestically, is also being exported in other countries like the US.

The Philippine Coconut Authority has also confirmed the potential of the coco juice business for exports. But PCA deputy administrator Carlos Carpio said the country needs to replant 40 to 50 million ageing coconut trees until 2016 in order to cover the growing demand.

The country has around 340 million coconut trees planted on 3.4 milion hectares.

President Benigno Aquino, who was in the US for a five-day official working visit last week, said http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/09/24/11/pnoy-says-2-us-firms-invest... ">two American beverage companies have signified interest to invest in the Philippine coconut industry.

Aquino said the companies were bullish on the growing demand for coconut water as they try to grow their stakes in the health and wellness market.

"Nauuso po kasi sa Amerika ngayon ang pag-inom ng tinatawag nilang coco-water, na dito po sa atin ay buko juice kung tawagin… para pong nagiging bagong natural sports drink ito sa Amerika, na ngayon pa lang po ay daang-milyong industriya na," he added.

malamang meron na rin ang kapitbahay- Taylang at Hindunisia version nila, at aagawin ang buko korona ng Pinas:lol:

mauuso kaya sa US yung iniinom na buko juice sa mismong buko?

:lol:

tipong ganito ba?

http://365greatpinoystuff.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/buko-juice-22.jpg

http://m.s11.heylog.com/heylog/pics/57/57abbe2282510754472aea7930299a6e_jpg_656x600_q85.jpg

I remember seeing a buko flavored smoothie one time. I'm pretty sure Buko is a tagalog word, unless I really am mistaken

^^ Para atang Greek. Kasi, may word na bucolic di ba, according to this (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bucolic) website:

[Latin bcolicus, pastoral, from Greek boukolikos, from boukolos, cowherd : bous, cow; see gwou- in Indo-European roots + -kolos, herdsman; see kwel-1 in Indo-European roots.]

Gov leads groundbreaking for CamSur coco water plant :banana::cheers:

(The Philippine Star) Updated October 01, 2011 12:00 AM

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=66&articleId=732612

PILI, Camarines Sur, Philippines – The efforts of Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund Villafuerte to develop a food terminal complex that would not only service the province’s agro-industrial sector but also bring in investors received a major boost with the groundbreaking for a coconut water packing plant by an international food conglomerate.

The first facility to rise in the food terminal complex that is currently being developed is the coconut water packing plant to be operated by Vita Coco, in partnership with local firm AgriNurture Inc. (ANI).

An initial investment of $5 million has been earmarked for the construction of the plant, which is expected to cash in on the fast-growing demand for coconut water in the local and international consumer markets. Another $10 million has been allocated for the large-scale planting of coconut trees in the Bicol region in the next few years.

“This will be a big boost to the province’s agro-industrial sector in general and the coconut industry in particular. Aside from providing jobs to our people, this will also open doors for local agro-industrial and food production and processing firms to put up their facilities in this food terminal complex, either on their own or in partnership with foreign firms,” Villafuerte pointed out.

According to Jonathan Burth, Vita Coco director for operations, the necessary resources have been lined up, the engineering plans completed and clearing of the plant site has started. With the purchase of equipment having been completed and construction set to commence, he projected that the plant will be fully operational by May 2012, initially producing 8ml bottles of coconut water.

Coconut water is enjoying an increasing popularity as a health drink in major foreign markets such as the continental United States, and demand is expected to rise. Even world-renowned celebrities are cashing in on the coconut water craze, with pop icon Madonna already a part-owner of Vita Coco, and popular recording artist Rihanna lined up, among others, as an endorser for Vita Coco.

Founder and CEO Michael Kirban said that Vita Coco is made from 100 percent natural coconut water and contains five essential electrolytes, including potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorous, and contains 15 more times electrolytes than other sports drinks.

The establishment of the coconut water plant was one of the new investments in the Philippines by American firms announced by President Aquino during his recent visit to the US. The venture is a result of the joint effort of the national government and the province of Camarines Sur.

“We are very grateful to President Aquino for actively supporting this venture. The involvement of the national government really encouraged Vita Coco and its local partner to set up this plant in our province,” Villafuerte said.

Jollibee buys Burger King franchise in the Philippines
By: Doris C. Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
9:19 pm | Friday, September 30th, 2011

http://business.inquirer.net/22247/jollibee-buys-burger-king-franchise-in-the-philippines

Local fastfood giant Jollibee Foods Corp. has cemented its leading position in the highly competitive quick-service restaurant industry by taking over the Philippine operations of American chain Burger King.

The deal allows JFC to gain a foothold into the premium segment of the hamburger category in the fast-food business as the group was expecting the premium price segment of the market “to grow appreciably in the years ahead as the Filipino consumers’ standard of living rises from the growing economy.”

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange Friday, Jollibee announced that it has signed an agreement acquiring a 54-percent stake in BK Titans Inc., owner of PERF Restaurants that, in turn, is the sole franchisee of the Burger King brand in the Philippines. The deal was priced at P65.5 million.

Burger King has 23 restaurants in the country, mostly located in Metro Manila. It generates annual revenues of P800 million and has recently turned profitable despite its much smaller store network compared to Jollibee’s.

The American fastfood chain, which is based in Miami, Florida, has similar products to Jollibee such as hamburger, fried chicken and fries in its core menu. However, Burger King’s products are priced about 30 percent higher than comparable Jollibee products in the Philippines.

The entry into higher-end fast food products will allow Jollibee to harness the growing mass affluence of Filipino consumers and capture a niche market that is less sensitive to economic cycles. At the same time, its entry is seen allowing Burger King to scale up operations in the country.

With the entry of Jollibee into BK Titans, the fast-food giant will still have as minority partners the groups of businessmen Manuel V. Pangilinan (13 percent) and Alberto Lina (33 per cent).

Founded in 1954, Burger King is the second-biggest fastfood hamburger chain in the world operating more than 12,300 locations and serving 11 million guests daily in 78 countries. Most of its restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees.

In Asia, the business is managed by Singapore-based BK Asiapac Pte. Ltd.

For its part, Jollibee operates the Philippines’ biggest fastfood network with 1,941 stores in the country under the brands Jollibee (733), Chowking (395), Greenwich (209), Caffe Ti Amo (2) and Mang Inasal (393). It has 437 stores overseas under the brands Yonghe King (235), Hong Zhuang Yuan (52), Jollibee (71), Red Ribbon (39) and Chowking (40).

Buko juice economics: Using our coconut :ohno:

by: Winston A. Marbella

Philippine Daily Inquirer 11:32 pm | Saturday, October 1st, 2011

http://business.inquirer.net/22389/buko-juice-economics-using-our-coconut

NATURAL PACKAGING Coconut vendors in Lucena City expect brisk business after President Aquino noted after his arrival from the US on Friday that fit-conscious Americans are going cuckoo over coco water.

http://business.inquirer.net/files/2011/10/coconut-vendor-300x225.jpg

Mesmerized by the coconut juice craze sweeping the American market (mostly coming from other coconut-producing countries), President Aquino is encouraging Philippine companies to cash in on the fad.

The coconut industry, particularly representatives of the poorest farmers, are not exactly jumping for joy. It is not hard to understand why, if we just spend a little time going a little deeper than the surface of the economics of the coconut inbdustry.

But first a sound bite from the buko (young coconut) vendor that plies the streets with his cart (always a good place to start). An enterprising television news channel had the journalist’s nose for news to seek out the vendor’s opinion on the President’s Aha! Moment, which is really the opinion that counts here. The vendor, speaking in Filipino, said he worried that exporting buko juice would drive up the cost of his buko from P10 to P15 apiece.

The beauty of street economics is that it is easy to understand—and is normally right on the button. The poor man knows how much every peso is worth, for he can literally feel it in his gut.

It grows on trees

Now, for the more elaborate economics. Joey Faustino, executive director of the Coconut Industry Reform (COIR) Movement, says it is doubtful if the investments will benefit the “impoverished millions of coconut farmers and their families that comprise a third of the Filipino population.”

While on a working visit to the United States last week, President Aquino announced that two US companies—Pepsi Cola and Vita Coco—were planning some $15 million in new investments in the coconut industry to meet a growing international demand for coconut water.

The impact of the coconut industry on Filipino lives is staggering. Fully a third of the population derives income from the industry. More than a fourth of the country’s total agricultural lands (or some 3.37 million hectares) are planted to coconuts, according to industry figures.

In Quezon province alone, some 304,000 farmer-families till 388,664 hectares of coconut lands. There are over 3.4 million farmer-families who depend on coconut. Its effect on consumer purchasing power is so pervasive that San Miguel Corporation tracks farm gate prices to forecast beer sales.

When the harvest is good and prices are high, farmers consume more beer, considered a premium drink in the rural areas (not buko juice). When prices are low, farmers shift down to gin, rum, or local spirits like lambanog, which is fermented from—you guessed it!—the sap of the coconut tree.


Economics of scarcity

The reason the industry is not overjoyed over the President’s good news is that there is actually a lack of coconuts to meet demand. I know of at least one cooking oil company scrounging for raw material for its refineries, which are operating at less than efficient capacities.

The raw material is needed not only for making cooking oil, for which we can hardly supply international demand. Coconut also provides the raw material for dessicated coconut (coconut milk) and, more profitably, coco sugar, which is healthier than cane sugar, especially for diabetics.

Coco sugar will yield P14,000 per hectare per month, while dessicated coconut yields P8,000 and coconut oil (from copra) about the same, according to industry sources.

Economies of scale

Converting the land to palm oil may yield P12,000, but a minimum size of 25 hectares is needed to generate the economies of scale to operate a palm oil refinery efficiently, compared to an average five hectares for a coconut farm to be viable.

All told, the country does not have enough coconut trees to supply current demand for its products. And because it takes anywhere from three to five years for trees to be really productive, the solution is to plant more trees now, not to sell more buko juice, industry sources say.

The story is told that while a sweltering Napoleon was marching his armies to conquer more territory for the French empire, he noted that his troops could cover more ground if the Romans had thought of planting more trees along the roads that led to Rome. In the shade, Napoleon mused, the troops could march longer. A lieutenant protested: “But, my general, it will take years to grow those trees!”

Replied Napoleon: “In that case then, we better begin planting now.”

Buko juice economics requires that first of all we must know how to use our coconut.

Coconut juice:banana::cheers:

by NELLY FAVIS-VILLAFUERTE October 1, 2011, 12:50am

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/336238/coconut-juice

MANILA, Philippines — For more than 6 years now this column has been promoting our very own coconut products including but not limited to virgin coconut oil (VCO), coconut sugar, coconut flour, and coconut juice more popularly known as coconut water.

Coconut water or coconut juice is simply the clear watery liquid found inside a fresh coconut. Coconut water is not the same as coconut milk. The latter is obtained by extracting the juice out of coconut milk. Coconut milk is thick and creamy while the coconut juice/coconut water is clear and watery.

I have been drinking coconut water/coconut juice blended with coconut milk every morning for the past 5 years or so. It’s a fantastic beverage, full of fantastic nutrients. Fantastic taste, too… especially the coconut water/coconut juice coming from the green young coconuts. Coconut water/coconut juice does not only possess anti-aging properties but fights cancer, helps balance blood sugar, reduces risk of heart disease, aids in kidney functions and dissolves kidney stones and wards off other diseases as well as it enhances our immunity system.

Let me share with you an interesting story narrated in the book Coconut Water for health and healing by Dr. Bruce Fife:

“More recently I ran across an interesting incident which dramatically illustrates the potential benefit coconut water may have in treating cataract.

“We discovered this by accident while on a cruise ship (years ago). A few of us were on an island day trip and wanted to get off the beaten tourist’s path so we hired a bus and driver to take us to the opposite side of the island (only 10 of us on that big bus). A man and his wife were taking the cruise as a sort last hoorah before her scheduled cataract surgery, we later found out.

Anyway, there was a beautiful beach with coconuts laying everywhere and we got thirsty, but there was no drinking water. So we decided to open up some coconut to quench our dry throats. We found a local with a big machete and through sign language we convinced him to open coconuts for us. The woman with the cataracts got splashed in one eye by the coconut juice, and it burned a bit.

We were all digging through everything we had for something to relieve her eye ‘injury.’ All we came up with was one moist washcloth. Her husband wiped her eye and placed the washcloth over it. About 10 minutes later she announced we should head back to the ship. We did. The next morning at breakfast she said that her eye was much better and that she could see very well.

We examined her eye closely and could not see any signs of the cataract, which was quite obvious the day before. She said she wished she had gotten splashed in both eyes. Then the idea dawned on us to ‘splash’ her other eye. We did that very day as soon as we got ashore and also repeated the other eye too. This time we were prepared.

We went to the local market, grabbed a coconut, opened it, and strained it through a washcloth into a plastic cup, dribbled the juice into both eyes, placed a warm washcloth over both eyes, waited 10 minutes, and the rest is history. She went to her MD upon returning stateside – no cataracts and no surgery!

What is it in coconut water that may have an effect on cataracts? “Coconut water contains antioxidants as well as magnesium, potassium and other minerals and enzymes which may un-denature or relax the lens proteins, allowing them to realign and become transparent again.”

Coconut water/coconut juice has been called the ‘fluid of life.’ Not many know that coconut water/coconut juice has been used as an intravenous solution. During World War II, coconut water/coconut juice were used as IV solutions when the commercial IV solutions were not available.

By the way, the coconut tree from where coconut water/coconut juice comes from grows on about 11.6 million hectares in eighty-six (86) countries. With a total production of forty-nine (49) billion nuts. Coconut tree is a tropical crop that is widely distributed in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Pacific region.

The shares of coconut growing countries are as follows: Indonesia (25.7%); Philippines (23.2%); India (23%); Sri Lanka (4.4%); and others (23.7%). In the Philippines sixty-eight (68) out of the seventy-nine (79) provinces are coconut-growing areas.

Finally, should you wish to know more about coconut water/coconut juice and other coconut products as well, please read the 550-page book titled Coconut Philippines; size 9x12; containing 1,300 colored pictures and illustrations authored by Lalaine Villafuerte-Abonal, the only Philippine exporter of coconut sugar, syrup and vinegar that are certified organic by the US-DA (Department of Agriculture).

Aside from the fact that her exporting entity is Kosher Certified and Carbon Neutral Certified.

Yes, our coconut products are gaining tremendous international interests nowadays as the world gets more health-conscious.

BRAND VS COMMODITY: Why not build a Philippine brand of coconut water :)

by: Willy E. Arcilla Philippine Daily Inquirer 12:21 am | Friday, October 7th, 2011

http://business.inquirer.net/23449/why-not-build-a-philippine-brand-of-coconut-water

We welcome the recent announcement of the President that two leading US beverage companies will be investing in the coconut water industry for marketing and distribution in the United States.

However, perhaps we should ask if there is a long-term strategic arrangement that could be more advantageous to our country and our people than simply being a grower and supplier for foreign brands, especially if those brands also source from other coconut-producing countries in Latin America, Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia.

Why not build our own brand of coconut water? We know by now that people don’t buy products; they buy brands, so ultimately the real value of a business lies in its brand name or trademark and less so in the raw materials or ingredients which tend to be commoditized, or in the building and equipment which can be eventually outsourced (think Nike which owns no shoe factory). This is especially true in the case of consumer goods like beverages. A good example we can learn from is the state of our sugar industry, which has been supplying for decades to the world’s most valuable beverage brands, yet today our farmers continue to languish at the mercy of world commodity prices.

No PH global brand

It is lamentable that in today’s global marketplace, the Philippines still cannot boast of any major branded export product or truly global brand name that is marketed to the world’s 7 billion people—not just to our own 10 million OFWs. Cynics may say but we do have an export—OFWs—but people are a nation’s strongest asset and a country’s greatest wealth who must be protected, not exploited.

Hopefully, our own brand of coconut water can revitalize our coconut industry on which depend 25 million Filipinos, and pave the way for marketing other products of nature, eventually minimizing the diaspora of talented OFWs who suffer incalculable social costs of separation from family and relatives.

Country as origin

Provenance is a key differentiator and major competitive edge for many products and services. Perhaps we can learn from those countries who were clever enough to invest in building and marketing their own brands of food and beverages, even fashion, in the process, creating a strong favorable image of their culture and countries as the original source of premium high quality products, transforming traditionally low-value agriculture into multibillion dollar businesses—Alaskan salmon and Boston lobster, Swiss chocolate and cheese, French brandy and wine, Russian vodka and Scotch whisky, Irish stout and London gin, German beer and Italian olives, Portuguese sardines and Spanish chorizos, Canadian maple syrup, Mexican tequila and Jamaican rhum, Kenyan coffee and Hawaiian macadamia, Brazilian acai berry and Cuban cigar, Australian dairy products and New Zealand kiwi, Chinese tea and Japanese sake, Korean kimchi and ginseng, Kashmir wool and Indian curry, Indonesian spices and Malaysian palm, Thai rice and Vietnamese pho, California oranges and Washington apples, ad infinitum.

An archipelagic advantage

More important than the fact that the Philippines is the world’s largest producer of coconuts, experts have concluded that the Philippine coconut variety arguably tastes the most delicious in the world. Scientists at the Philippine Coconut Authority explain this is due to our country’s unique geography as an archipelago. An archipelago allows for the best growing conditions due to the natural wind patterns and sea currents that cross ventilate our 7,107 islands which then combine with an ideal tropical climate and suitable sandy soil to produce the world’s best-tasting fresh coconuts. Apparently, the best fertilizer for coconuts is salt, which abounds in our oceans. What has been perceived as a handicap and blamed for our disunity as a nation—our archipelago—is in fact a God-given gift. This unique selling point and proprietary advantage that yields a superior coconut represents a compelling argument for creating our own brand of coconut water and other coconut by-products, which can then be exploited in our communications. Since foreign brands diversify their sourcing of raw materials, it is unlikely that they would promote the Philippines as the source of superior coconuts because that would undermine their alternative sources. This has been manifested in past attempts by some foreigners to grow our local coconut varieties on their own soil, but still failing to achieve the same deliciously sweetish “buko juice.”

Local before global

Coconut water is the world’s best sports drink loaded with electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium while cleansing the kidney, but adequate product supply remains a serious constraint. So should we not prioritize local consumers before exporting overseas, at least until after newly planted trees start to bear fruit in five years? Prioritizing the local market maximizes our intimate knowledge of local market conditions and minimizes the cost of transportation, helping us generate revenue and profits to fuel future global expansion. After all, the Philippines is the world’s 12th largest country with 100 million consumers living in a tropical climate and consuming non-alcoholic beverages that reach an estimated retail value of P300 billion. It is no surprise that the largest food and beverage multinationals rank their subsidiaries in the Philippines among their top ten markets. Not only is the fresh young coconut (up to five months) a source of healthy drink, but its white meat is also a rich source of nutrition for our growing population. Instead of buying a manmade beverage containing artificial preservatives that sell for P30 per 500 ml, the lowly “buko juice”—at P20 per coconut containing more than 500 ml is quite a bargain. Not only do profits remain onshore, but they can be reinvested into the local economy instead of repatriated abroad. It can even provide livelihood for the urban poor who can be deputized as buko juice vendors, as some NGOs like the Balik Probinsiya movement are trying to organize.

Natural drink, national drink

One can even argue we need not compete only against sports drinks because it can serve the purpose of a multi-purpose beverage—for daily refreshment and regular hydration, dining accompaniment and indulgent relaxation, and even served proudly at state banquets, instead of European wine. Beyond coconut water, it is “buko juice”; beyond just a sports drink, it must be our “National Drink.” While man invented soda and artificial packaging, God created only one natural drink in natural packaging (whose husk can be used as feedstock for biofuel, a renewable energy)—a 100-perfect natural drink that is as delicious and refreshing as it is healthy and nutritious—of which we have the biggest supply and the best variety.

Organizing the industry

What the government must do, through the Philippine Coconut Authority, is to organize farmers throughout the archipelago to begin massive and intensive planting and to ensure best growing practices among farmers to guarantee the highest quality and quantity with consistency and efficiency. In the process, let us please not repeat the mistakes of our mis-administration of coconut and sugar. Simultaneously, DOST can work on a technology which can harvest and package coconut water that can extend shelf life without the heating that destroys nutrients and affects taste, or adding preservatives.

The government can also provide fiscal incentives for the country’s “agri-preneurs” to reinvest in the coconut industry and encourage multibillion-peso local drink companies to build a globally competitive brand of “buko juice.” One potentially credible spokesperson who enjoys worldwide fame as an athlete is Representative Pacquiao—imagine an advertising campaign showing the world’s best “pound-for-pound boxer” drinking and endorsing the world’s best “pound-for-pound beverage.” This will directly help his constituency since coconut is a chief source of livelihood for Sarangani and General Santos City.

Exports and tourism

Launching and building our own brand of coconut water can pave the way for promoting “Brand Philippines” as a source of higher-value products from mother nature such as the world’s most delicious mangoes, biggest bananas and sweetest pineapples, organic crops, fresh seafood and marine products, including even the rare golden South Sea pearl grown only in pristine Palawan. All these will not only help develop our agricultural sector and enrich farmers and fishermen, but drive our tourism efforts. Branded exports of our agricultural products and a tourism campaign promoting our natural beauty can mutually reinforce each other to build a distinctive image for “Brand Philippines” as a country with God-made wonders and manmade warmth. Our “welcome drink” for foreigners? Buko juice, naturally.

http://www.mb.com.ph/

http://www.mb.com.ph/sites/default/files/images/005%20%20%20CROC.jpg

EXOTIC CROC LECHON

Crocodile lechon, roasted like the traditional pork lechon, continues to attract food enthusiasts at the Crocodile Park in Davao. Filipino gourmets say more spices are used to make the exotic food, which is said to have less calories and is, more tender and tastier. (Photo by BBOI NGOJO) :eek2::rofl:

Fungus could wipe out Philippine bananas: growersAgence :ohno:

France-Presse Posted at 10/10/2011 9:39 PM | Updated as of 10/10/2011 10:43 PM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/10/10/11/fungus-could-wipe-out-philippine-bananas-growers

MANILA, Philippines - A disease that has ravaged banana plantations across Southeast Asia could wipe out the Philippine industry in three years unless the government finds a cure, a growers' group warned Monday.

The disease, called Fusarium wilt, is caused by a fast-spreading fungus that kills the plant, said Stephen Antig, executive director of the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association.

"So far, it has already infected 1,200 hectares (2,950 acres) of banana plantations locally, although that figure can go higher," Antig told AFP.

"If we can not contain this and it remains unchecked, then in less than three years our banana industry will die."

The Philippines is the second biggest exporter of bananas in the world behind Ecuador with about 70,000 hectares of plantations, according to the association.

The banana sector is also the country's fifth largest export industry, directly employing 280,000 people, it said.

"Losing this industry will have a huge impact on our economy," Antig said.

The Philippines exports the Cavendish variety of banana, which is the most popular type around the world, according to Antig.

He said the disease wiped out the then-popular Gros Michel bananas in Central America and the Caribbean in the 1960s.

The disease also destroyed Cavendish plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia in the 1990s.

Traces of the fungus were found in controllable levels in the Philippines five years ago, Antig said.

But a more virulent type of the fungus emerged last month and quickly began spreading through plantations in the southern region of Mindanao, where most of the country's banana exports come from, he said.

Antig urged the government to fast-track the creation of a research institute to enable local growers to develop a fruit variety that is resistant to the disease.

http://www.mb.com.ph/

http://www.mb.com.ph/sites/default/files/images/005%20%20%20CROC.jpg

EXOTIC CROC LECHON

Crocodile lechon, roasted like the traditional pork lechon, continues to attract food enthusiasts at the Crocodile Park in Davao. Filipino gourmets say more spices are used to make the exotic food, which is said to have less calories and is, more tender and tastier. (Photo by BBOI NGOJO) :eek2::rofl:

Is this the real deal? Bet you xxxriainxxx will get upset with this.

^^Is this the real deal? Bet you xxxriainxxx will get upset with this.

:puke::nuts:

I don't find that picture particularly appetising.

NICE! :D
Antipolo's 'suman' may reach China
http://mb.com.ph/articles/337387/antipolos-suman-may-reach-china

ANTIPOLO CITY, Philippines — “Suman,” one of the delicacies in this highland city, may soon be found on dining tables in China.

Mayor Danilo Leyble said he recently met a businessman in China who is interested in importing city’s version of the suman, which is very popular especially among Maytime festival visitors.

Leyble said the Chinese businessman wants to import regularly at least two tons of the native delicacy, which is glutinous rice wrapped in yellow “buli” leaves.

It was learned that the Chinese businessman is planning to send a team of technical people to this pilgrimage capital city of the country to make a study on the viability of importing suman to their country.

The meeting with the businessman and Leyble happened when the local chief executive became part of the country’s delegation to Beijing, China.

The recent China trip, which was part of the economic and social partnership between the two countries to ensure sustainable growth especially in the field of agriculture, was headed by Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.

Vita Coco Partners with AgriNurture :cheers:

October 12, 2011, 1:59am

MANILA, Philippines — US best-selling coconut juice brand Vita Coco partnered with the Philippines’ leading fruit beverage exporter AgriNurture Inc. (ANI) to build a new coconut juice production facility in Pili, Camarines Sur.

The new US$5-million manufacturing facility will have an eventual output capacity of 36 million liters of coconut juice each year. Vita Coco’s sales for 2011 is estimated at US$100 million, and the new facility with its 500,000 daily capacity will help meet the growing demand for coconut juice. Over the past 18 months, Coconut juice has become the most popular new beverage for professional athletes and celebrities all over the world, with pop superstar Madonna also having become an investor in the Vita Coco brand.

Construction on the new facility, which sits on a two-hectare property in Barangay San Jose in Pili, will be completed in May 2012. The partnership is seen to significantly add to national export revenue, stimulate the local economy and increase employment opportunities for farmers and local residents. The local government of Camarines Sur hosted the groundbreaking ceremony. Governor L-Ray Villafuerte, executives from Vita Coco and ANI, Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Bernadette Puyat as well as local suppliers of coco juice graced the occasion.

Vita Coco® is the brand that started the United States’ craze for fresh coconut water. In the US Vita Coco is sold at over 20,000 retailers including Whole Foods Market, GNC, Kroger, Publix, Ralph’s, Stop & Shop/Giant, select Costco and Wal-Mart stores and many chain and independent groceries. It is also sold in major US airports and on university campuses, as well as online at Amazon.com.

The brand is available in seven flavors: Pure, Pineapple, Peach & Mango, Açaí & Pomegranate, Tangerine, Passion Fruit and new Tropical Fruit, a flavor co-created with Rihanna, the face of Vita Coco’s recent advertising campaign.

Fungus could wipe out Philippine bananas: growersAgence :ohno:

France-Presse Posted at 10/10/2011 9:39 PM | Updated as of 10/10/2011 10:43 PM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/10/10/11/fungus-could-wipe-out-philippine-bananas-growers

MANILA, Philippines - A disease that has ravaged banana plantations across Southeast Asia could wipe out the Philippine industry in three years unless the government finds a cure, a growers' group warned Monday.

The disease, called Fusarium wilt, is caused by a fast-spreading fungus that kills the plant, said Stephen Antig, executive director of the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association.

"So far, it has already infected 1,200 hectares (2,950 acres) of banana plantations locally, although that figure can go higher," Antig told AFP.

"If we can not contain this and it remains unchecked, then in less than three years our banana industry will die."

The Philippines is the second biggest exporter of bananas in the world behind Ecuador with about 70,000 hectares of plantations, according to the association.

The banana sector is also the country's fifth largest export industry, directly employing 280,000 people, it said.

"Losing this industry will have a huge impact on our economy," Antig said.

The Philippines exports the Cavendish variety of banana, which is the most popular type around the world, according to Antig.

He said the disease wiped out the then-popular Gros Michel bananas in Central America and the Caribbean in the 1960s.

The disease also destroyed Cavendish plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia in the 1990s.

Traces of the fungus were found in controllable levels in the Philippines five years ago, Antig said.

But a more virulent type of the fungus emerged last month and quickly began spreading through plantations in the southern region of Mindanao, where most of the country's banana exports come from, he said.

Antig urged the government to fast-track the creation of a research institute to enable local growers to develop a fruit variety that is resistant to the disease.

my mom is a research administrator for Stanfilco (Dole Philippines) and they already have a solution to this problem. What's good is that they were able to come up with a solution through natural planting methods without the help of chemicals and pesticides.

Coco water exports up threefold :banana::cheers:

by : JAMES KONSTANTIN GALVEZ REPORTER : Monday, October 17, 2011 00:00

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business/top-business-news/9383-coco-water-exports-up-threefold

COCONUT water exports surged by more than threefold in the first half of this year driven by strong demand for coconut juice in the world market, the Philippine Coconut Authority said.

Euclides Forbes, PCA administrator, said coco water exports increased by 315 percent to 7.500 million liters in the January to June period from 1.807 liters a year ago.

Forbes said bulk of the commodity was shipped to the US, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin and Central America, and the Middle East.

The US accounted for the highest increase in purchases, recording a 387 percent increase to 6.196 million litters from 1.273 million last year. Exports to Europe rose to 213,220 liters from 72,280 liters in 2010.

In the Asia-Pacific region, the Philippines shipped 360,412 liters from 145,778 last year.

Exports to Latin and Central America rose from 190,990 liters to 483,338 liters, while shipments to the Middle East increased from 37,450 liters to 166,561 liters.

Coconut water is a natural beverage that is rich in potassium and magnesium, and contains a considerable amount of vitamin B such as thiamin, which aids in strengthening the muscles, delaying fatigue and maintaining normal heart function.

It is regarded as a good source of electrolytes and glucose and has been found suitable for intravenous rehydration. It is also a healthy and effective treatment for urinary stones.

International demand for coco water will continue to rise as more people turn health conscious. During his recent visit to the US, President Benigno Aquino 3rd said two American beverage firms expressed interest in investing in the Philippines’ coconut industry.

Forbes said the country has to plant more coconut trees to meet the growing demand not just for coconut water, but also for other products.

He said the current Participatory Coconut Planting Project would ensure farmers turn from recipients into active partners in the development process.

AgriNurture to produce more coco juice for US-based Vita Water :)

by ELR/VS | GMA News | 10/21/2011 | 09:52 PM

The coconut water exporter that secured a $15-million dollar purchase commitment from United States-based Vita Water said it will build two to three plants and can expand production capacity by 36 million liters per facility.

“Probably one in the Visayas and two more in Mindanao. All of these will happen in the next 12 to 18 months," AgriNurture Inc. (ANI) president and CEO Antonio Tiu said late Thursday.

Read More http://www.gmanews.tv/story/236182/business/agrinurture-to-produce-more-coco-juice-for-us-based-vita-water

Vita Coco eyes $3M/mo from coco water exports :)

by Marianne V. Go (The Philippine Star) Updated October 22, 2011 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The $15-million Vita Coco packing plant in Pili, Camarines Sur could earn $3 million a month once the facility starts operating sometime in May 2012, AgriNurture Inc. (ANI) chief executive officer Antonio L. Tiu said yesterday.

In a press briefing, Tiu said the joint venture with Pepsi Corp. subsidiary Vita Coco would benefit some 17,000 coconut farmers, provide direct employment to 400 workers and offer indirect employment to some 1,600 workers in the logistics sector.

Read More http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=66&articleId=739887

Govt boosts budget for coconut industry :)

abs-cbnNEWS.com Posted at 10/22/2011 1:37 PM | Updated as of 10/22/2011 5:31 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Given the fast-growing demand for coconut water as a healthy and alternative sports drink globally, officials said the Philippines, being the world's top coconut exporter, is taking steps to ensure sustainable supply.

Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) deputy administrator Carlos Carpio said the government has increased by more than eight times the budget for coconut replanting in the country.

The agency was given a budget of P512 million for replanting next year, against only P60 million this year. Around P354 million was also earmarked for the fertilization of coconut plantations.

Read More http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/10/22/11/govt-boosts-budget-coconut-industry

Oman market emerging for PHL fruits :banana::cheers:

by LBG, GMA News | Saturday 10/22/11 | 11:55 AM

A market for Philippine fruits is emerging in Oman with a steady increase for oriental fruits like bananas, pineapples and mangoes.

Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) Chairman Khalil Bin Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al ****** relayed this to Philippine Ambassador-designate Joselito Jimeno.

"(During their meeting), Al ****** specifically mentioned the steady increase in the demand for oriental fruits like Philippine banana, pineapple, and mangoes, which he said are gaining strong foothold in the Oman mainstream market," the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

Read More http://www.gmanews.tv/story/236213/business/oman-market-emerging-for-phl-fruits

Japan's FamilyMart plans to open 600 stores in Philippines, Indonesia :banana: :cheers:

By SHUNICHI OZASA (BLOOMBERG) | Manila Bulletin | January 19, 2012 | 11:52pm

MANILA, Philippines — FamilyMart Co. , Japan’s largest convenience store operator in Southeast Asia, plans to open 600 stores in the Philippines and Indonesia, tapping demand from young people as an aging population saps growth at home.

The retailer intends to have 300 stores in each country by 2015, expanding on a network that includes more than 10,700 shops outside Japan, Masaaki Kosaka, director of overseas operations, said in an interview. He declined to say how much the expansion would cost.

FamilyMart joins larger Japanese competitors Lawson Inc. and Seven & I Holdings Co. in planning to open more stores in faster-growing Asian countries. The International Monetary Fund forecasts 5.6 percent economic growth this year in Southeast Asia, double Japan’s 2.3 percent target, as relatively young populations drive consumption.

Read More: http://mb.com.ph/node/348657/japan

PH to start trial shipments of vegetables, fruits to Singapore :banana: :cheers: :banana: :cheers: :banana: :cheers:

by Othel V. Campos | Manila Standard Today | Thursday | January 19, 2012 | 12:00AM

The Philippines may soon export a variety of vegetables and fruits to Singapore after a company from the island state requested for trial shipments.

Singapore has expressed interest to import coriander, capsicum, squash, solo papaya, banana and pineapples after recents floods in Thailand, a traditional supplier, reduced production and export of the Thai produce to other countries.

Green N Fresh Ltd. Pte. of Singapore inquired with the Agriculture Department if it could import fresh vegetables for the Singaporean market.

“Their priority is importation of vegetables from Philippines because this company is supplying almost 80 percent of vegetable needs of Singapore,” high value commercial crops national program coordinator Jennifer Remonquillo told reporters at the sidelines of the 82nd anniversary of the Bureau of Plant Industry Wednesday.

Read More: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideBusiness.htm?f=/2012/january/19/business5.isx&d=2012/january/19

FamilyMart to Open in Indonesia, Philippines as Japan Population Shrinks :banana: :cheers: :banana: :cheers: :banana: :cheers:

by Cheng Herng Shinn and Shunichi Ozasa | Bloomberg | Thursday | Jan 18, 2012 | 10:00 AM ET

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/icyR2_oevSJ8.jpg
Commuters walk past a FamilyMart Co. convenience store at a subway station in Shanghai. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/imZ8_EMH0cQs.jpg
A man shops at a FamilyMart Co. convenience store in Shanghai. The company is concentrating on China where it plans to open 1,000 new stores yearly till 2015 and plans to hit a target of 8,000 stores in China by 2020. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/irMKRCIaB3Uc.jpg
FamilyMart is expanding overseas amid a strong yen and a shrinking Japanese population that’s crimping domestic demand growth. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/iHRxDSR.V_ms.jpg
A FamilyMart Co. convenience store in Ho Chi Minh City. Photographer: Takafumi Shinno/FamilyMart Co. via Bloomberg

FamilyMart Co. (8028), Japan’s largest convenience store operator in Southeast Asia, plans to open 600 stores in Indonesia and the Philippines, tapping demand from young people as an aging population saps growth at home.

The retailer intends to have 300 stores in each country by 2015, expanding on a network that includes more than 10,700 shops outside Japan, Masaaki Kosaka, director of overseas operations, said in an interview. He declined to say how much the expansion would cost.

FamilyMart joins larger Japanese competitors Lawson Inc. (2651) and Seven & I Holdings Co. in planning to open more stores in faster-growing Asian countries. The International Monetary Fund forecasts 5.6 percent economic growth this year in Southeast Asia, double Japan’s 2.3 percent target, as relatively young populations drive consumption.

Younger people “will definitely want the convenience of a convenience store, and there is trust in things from Japan, especially in Indonesia,” Kosaka said Jan. 13 in Tokyo.

FamilyMart has targeted an increase in the portion of profit from overseas to 20 percent by 2015 and forecasts an 10 percent gain in operating income to 42.1 billion yen ($549 million) for the fiscal year ending Feb. 28.

The retailer got about 3.2 billion yen, 7.3 percent of total operating income, from stores it operates in Asia outside Japan and under ventures in Thailand and Taiwan last year.

The chain had 8,697 stores in Japan and 10,782 franchisers in Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, China, the United States, and Vietnam as of the three months ended Nov. 30, Junji Ueda, chief executive officer, said on the company’s website.

‘Right Strategy’

Expanding to Indonesia and the Philippines “is the right strategy for them,” Mikihiko Yamato, an analyst at JI Asia, said by telephone. “They are taking a long-term view and will only see the results of the decision now reflected in their bottom lines in about eight years.”

The population of Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia will expand by about 6.6 percent, or 14 million people, from this year to 553 million by 2016, according to International Monetary Fund estimates. Japan’s will probably contract 1.1 percent to 127 million in the same period, the data show.

The growth has already attracted FamilyMart rivals including Seven & I Holdings’ 7-Eleven franchise, which operates in the Philippines and Indonesia and the Ministop Co. chain, 47 percent owned by Japan’s largest general retailer Aeon Co., which has stores in the Philippines.

Lawson, 7 Eleven

FamilyMart has gained 2.1 percent in Tokyo trading in the past 12 months, lagging behind Lawson’s 14 percent advance and compared with a 1.9 percent decline at Seven & I, which also operates the Ito-Yokado supermarket chain. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average dropped 19 percent in the period.

Lawson Chief Executive Officer Takeshi Niinami aims to open almost 10,000 stores in China by 2020, a 30-fold increase from 2010, while Aeon President Motoya Okada said last year he expects half of the company’s profit to come from China by 2020.

In Japan, Familymart estimates it controls 17 percent of Japan’s 8.3 trillion yen convenience store market. The retailer has said it plans to increase the proportion of customers between 50 and 65 years old to 22 percent from the 18 percent 2010 target, matching the level in the overall population, according to the 2010 annual report.

The company aims to have about 70 percent of its stores overseas by 2020 by almost tripling outlets outside Japan to 29,000, compared with 11,000 in its home market.

“The average age of people in the Philippines is 22 or 23 and 27 in Indonesia, compared with 45 in Japan,” Kosaka said. “There is no reason not to enter those markets.”

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-18/familymart-to-add-600-southeast-asia-stores-to-tap-young-markets.html

Tetra Pak says PH among top growth marts for ’12 :banana: :cheers:

by Riza T. Olchondra | Philippine Daily Inquirer | Monday | January 23rd, 2012 | 2:57 am

The Philippines is expected to be among the top growth markets for Swedish company Tetra Pak in 2012 as demand for coconut water surges in the United States and other developed markets.

Anders Wester, managing director of Tetra Pak for Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, said at a briefing that Malaysia and the Philippines combined produced 16.5 percent more packages in 2011 from 2010.

This topped growth in bigger markets such as India (16 percent), Central Asia (15.6 percent) and South Korea (16.2 percent).

Wester said that he expects high double-digit growth to continue in the Philippines, along with Malaysia, as more and more clients who want to offer coconut water commercially are talking to Tetra Pak for packaging.

Read More: http://business.inquirer.net/40961/tetra-pak-says-ph-among-top-growth-marts-for-%e2%80%9912

kaya kaya ng familymart (15,+++ outlets world wide) ang japanese brand din na ministop at 39,000 7-11 outlets??? i doubt................

Toyota's Food Unit Relocating Here :banana: :cheers:

by BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT | Manila Bulletin | Thursday | February 2, 2012 | 11:23pm

MANILA, Philippines — Toyota Tsusho Foods Corp. (TTFC), an affiliate of Toyota Group of Japan, is relocating here its seafood and marine products manufacturing operation from China after encountering problems with its Chinese suppliers.

TTFC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TTC) of Japan. It is the trading company of Toyota Motor Group of Companies and Toyota Motors Corp. is the majority stockholder.

For its local venture, TTFC has partnered with HJR International Corp. of Cebu to put up a 50-50 joint venture called Mandaue Cebu Marine Products Corp. (MCMPC). HJR has been TTFC’s supplier of frozen shrimp.

Based on its application for registration with the Board of Investments (BoI), TTFC has decided to gradually transfer some of its business operation in China to the Philippines because it has been encountering problems with its Chinese supplier on labor, escalating fees and food safety issues.

Read More: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/350162/toyotas-food-unit-relocating-here

oh, no!

FamilyMart to Open in Indonesia, Philippines as Japan Population Shrinks :banana: :cheers: :banana: :cheers: :banana: :cheers:

by Cheng Herng Shinn and Shunichi Ozasa | Bloomberg | Thursday | Jan 18, 2012 | 10:00 AM ET

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/icyR2_oevSJ8.jpg
Commuters walk past a FamilyMart Co. convenience store at a subway station in Shanghai. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/imZ8_EMH0cQs.jpg
A man shops at a FamilyMart Co. convenience store in Shanghai. The company is concentrating on China where it plans to open 1,000 new stores yearly till 2015 and plans to hit a target of 8,000 stores in China by 2020. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/irMKRCIaB3Uc.jpg
FamilyMart is expanding overseas amid a strong yen and a shrinking Japanese population that’s crimping domestic demand growth. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/iHRxDSR.V_ms.jpg
A FamilyMart Co. convenience store in Ho Chi Minh City. Photographer: Takafumi Shinno/FamilyMart Co. via Bloomberg

FamilyMart Co. (8028), Japan’s largest convenience store operator in Southeast Asia, plans to open 600 stores in Indonesia and the Philippines, tapping demand from young people as an aging population saps growth at home.

The retailer intends to have 300 stores in each country by 2015, expanding on a network that includes more than 10,700 shops outside Japan, Masaaki Kosaka, director of overseas operations, said in an interview. He declined to say how much the expansion would cost.

FamilyMart joins larger Japanese competitors Lawson Inc. (2651) and Seven & I Holdings Co. in planning to open more stores in faster-growing Asian countries. The International Monetary Fund forecasts 5.6 percent economic growth this year in Southeast Asia, double Japan’s 2.3 percent target, as relatively young populations drive consumption.

Younger people “will definitely want the convenience of a convenience store, and there is trust in things from Japan, especially in Indonesia,” Kosaka said Jan. 13 in Tokyo.

FamilyMart has targeted an increase in the portion of profit from overseas to 20 percent by 2015 and forecasts an 10 percent gain in operating income to 42.1 billion yen ($549 million) for the fiscal year ending Feb. 28.

The retailer got about 3.2 billion yen, 7.3 percent of total operating income, from stores it operates in Asia outside Japan and under ventures in Thailand and Taiwan last year.

The chain had 8,697 stores in Japan and 10,782 franchisers in Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, China, the United States, and Vietnam as of the three months ended Nov. 30, Junji Ueda, chief executive officer, said on the company’s website.

‘Right Strategy’

Expanding to Indonesia and the Philippines “is the right strategy for them,” Mikihiko Yamato, an analyst at JI Asia, said by telephone. “They are taking a long-term view and will only see the results of the decision now reflected in their bottom lines in about eight years.”

The population of Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia will expand by about 6.6 percent, or 14 million people, from this year to 553 million by 2016, according to International Monetary Fund estimates. Japan’s will probably contract 1.1 percent to 127 million in the same period, the data show.

The growth has already attracted FamilyMart rivals including Seven & I Holdings’ 7-Eleven franchise, which operates in the Philippines and Indonesia and the Ministop Co. chain, 47 percent owned by Japan’s largest general retailer Aeon Co., which has stores in the Philippines.

Lawson, 7 Eleven

FamilyMart has gained 2.1 percent in Tokyo trading in the past 12 months, lagging behind Lawson’s 14 percent advance and compared with a 1.9 percent decline at Seven & I, which also operates the Ito-Yokado supermarket chain. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average dropped 19 percent in the period.

Lawson Chief Executive Officer Takeshi Niinami aims to open almost 10,000 stores in China by 2020, a 30-fold increase from 2010, while Aeon President Motoya Okada said last year he expects half of the company’s profit to come from China by 2020.

In Japan, Familymart estimates it controls 17 percent of Japan’s 8.3 trillion yen convenience store market. The retailer has said it plans to increase the proportion of customers between 50 and 65 years old to 22 percent from the 18 percent 2010 target, matching the level in the overall population, according to the 2010 annual report.

The company aims to have about 70 percent of its stores overseas by 2020 by almost tripling outlets outside Japan to 29,000, compared with 11,000 in its home market.

“The average age of people in the Philippines is 22 or 23 and 27 in Indonesia, compared with 45 in Japan,” Kosaka said. “There is no reason not to enter those markets.”

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-18/familymart-to-add-600-southeast-asia-stores-to-tap-young-markets.html

I thought Manila is already saturated with convenience stores, but here comes another one in full force!!

well, good luck to this new brand and i expect more entrepreneurs to possibly get successful franchises, and unemployed youth to get jobs in the retail service sector.

Family Mart should have something that you cannot find in the typical convenient stores.

The kitchen is a storehouse of medicines - garlic, ginger, onion, herbs and spices, and my most effective choice - apple cider vinegar(there are many cures for this very potent natural God given food). I believe that we were already provided by God all what we need to be happy and live in the planet earth.

It pains me to sign-off on collaterals of our people working in the factory because they have no money to pay as DP or guarantee for the hospital to get decent medication or care- and myself-not of really good health as I had been sickly as well, thus for a few personal friends I had to search for cheap solutions for their ailments - such as a simple tooth ache - can be helped by gurgling salt water- or inserting a small piece of "garlic" in the hole of the tooth. By the way this is no substitute to "Professional Medical Care" - my solutions are cheap solutions - for those who really cannot afford.

For Garlic and Apple Cider Vinegar(you can buy this at the imported sections- supermarkets)
you can use this for:
1. Colon Cancer, the national cancer institute among othe respected medical institutions, hs found that garlic fights cancer of the colon. University of Texas researchers recommend daily consumption in their booklet, 50 fastt facts to reduce your risk of cancer. You can obtain the booklet by calling the NCI Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER, ( I lifted this from a magazines many many years ago.)
2. Asthma, Doctors recommend one or two cloves or garlic with a teaspoonful of apple cider vinegar and honey each morning to reduce the frquency and severity of asthma attacks.
3. stomach upset, take two teaspoons of ACV in one cup of water to relieve nausea.
4. Breast Cancer - researchers found that a diet consisting of just two cloves of garlic a day delayed the growth of breast cancer and reduced the number of tumors in laboratory animals. ( Obviously it will also reduce your friends - it really stinks when you sweat - office mates will protest- I've tried it...)
96 many more next time to type...It might be that there will be lots of howl and protest as this has impact on the revenue of others...that's why this information is suppressed as much as possible. Simple God given solutions...

Genetically Engineered Goats to "Carry" New Malaria Vaccine (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/20/genetically-engineered-goats-produce-vaccine.aspx?e_cid=20120320_DNL_art_2)



Please check above site. The US companies, can do whatever they want to do with their food as long as they don't feed it to us. For aquaponics - we go for the natural and work with nature. Many if not all those health issues emanate from the unnatural and processed foods that we eat. Perhaps zombies will become a reality sooner than we think..engineered in - engineered out, engineered food - engineered mind/body.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/07/ashwaganda-effect-on-alzheimers-disease.aspx?e_cid=20120407_DNL_art_2


Let your food be your medicine and your medicine your food- from Hippocrates-the father of medicine; herbs developed by nature for our cure and maintenance. Hopefully as we identify more of these God given free medicine, we can start reproducing this specimen in our herbal garden, our home pharmacy. We hope to develop a separate thread of herbal garden cures propagated through aquaponics.


www.facebook.com/philippine.aquaponics
www.facebook.com/groups/philippineaquaponics

Try drinking Yeo's Juice drinks :) Those natural juices are very refreshing in every way!

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/11/vaccination-impact-on-childrens-health.aspx?e_cid=20120411_DNL_art_2

The advantage of being poor is not being able to afford all those vaccines they plug on American babies. Our street children have better immune systems that those rich pampered babies. Our street children have been protected by “poverty” and “natural processes”. Let's give them a chance on good healthy food.

For more info on health follow us in facebook link below.

www.facebook.com/philippine.aquaponics
www.facebook.com/groups/philippineaquaponics

Perspiring is one way our body “detoxifies” itself-apart from cooling function. If we suppress this area of the body by “plugging” them with “deodorants” then we are indeed looking for problems with dire consequences.

The article below on “deodorants” and the chemicals used are being questioned. More seriously, if outside “chemicals” to suppress perspiration can get inside through the skin and have an effect, how much more dangerous is what we feed(our food quality) and goes inside(processed) our body. Then we need to DETOXIFY later when CANCER is forthcoming. Health and food quality is what we wish to promote at Philippine Aquaponics.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/05/24/parabens-on-risk-of-breast-cancer.aspx?e_cid=20120524_DNL_art_1 (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/05/24/parabens-on-risk-of-breast-cancer.aspx?e_cid=20120524_DNL_art_1)

The use of deodorants is like treating the symptoms instead of treating the root cause of the problem. Smell and perspiration is a function of what you eat or what you do not eat.

www.facebook.com/philippine.aquaponics (http://www.facebook.com/philippine.aquaponics)
www.facebook.com/groups/philippineaquaponics (http://www.facebook.com/groups/philippineaquaponics)

ayaw ko namang mabuhay ng 200 years ng amoy kili-kili araw-araw:D

kung sa pag gamit ko ng deodorant mabuhay ako ng 90 years na mabango:D mapayapa na akong manahimik habambuhay este habampatay:rofl: