OFW farmer calls for creation of trading post in Pampanga

STA. RITA, Pampanga—Roy Imperial, former director of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) High Value Commercial Crops Division, said Fidel David had been considered for a full scholarship grant on modern agricultural farming in Israel.
The consultant-adviser of Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda said David “would be the best farmer to send as he is passionately involved in organic farming,” largely patronized in Israel.
David told Imperial that “I have many things to do here and other farmers may be more qualified for the study grant.”
Imperial said David is the “wise choice” because he will surely share to other farmers what he learns in Israel.
Last year, David was featured in a Metro Manila magazine for his successful yield of Jade Lady honeydew melons.
David developed the green-colored fruits at his greenhouse donated through the DA’s High Value Crop Development program initiated by Pampanga Second District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Several farmers who received greenhouses are encouraged by David’s success in growing honeydew melons under greenhouse condition using organic fertilizers. They also want to learn David’s methodology.
But David’s success story on growing honeydew melons had been cut short by the so-called “greed and unfair market practice of some middlemen.”
He said a prominent and well-known firm had purchased his honeydew melons for P20 per kilo. A few days later he found that the private firm had sold his fruits at P120 per kilo at a mall in Pampanga.
David urged Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda to help farmers get a fair share in marketing their fruits and vegetables.
“We do all the work and invest our hard-earned money on our crops. But it’s the middlemen who benefit a lot when they have nothing to lose but everything to gain,” said David.
He asked the first-term governor to create a trading post similar to what Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala fully supported in Sariaya, Quezon. The vegetable trading post called “Sentrong Pamilihan ng Produktong Agrikultura” benefited Quezon farmers, most of whom were from the province’s Second District where Alcala was a former congressman.
Imperial said the governor had asked him earlier to make a study on the trading post or center along the Olongapo-Gapan Rd.
“Governor Pineda was inspired by the success of the trading post pushed by Secretary Alcala in Quezon. She asked me to make a thorough study of the trading center to make sure it will be beneficial, especially to farmers,” said Imperial.
Butil Farmers Partylist Rep. Agapito Guanlao of Pampanga also pushed for the creation of a trading center in the province.
David said the national government should help farmers sell their produce in a set-up where they will earn more instead of the middlemen. He said the money and time spent by the government on subsidizing farmers should be used instead in helping them market and sell their fruits and vegetables properly.
“The farmers can buy their fertilizers and other needs. The real problem is that they don’t get much profit from their products due to unfair marketing practices,” said David.
He said that if there is a trading post in Pampanga, just like the one they have in Quezon, farmers can bring their products at the trading post, selling their produce at a higher price compared to what the middlemen offer them.
David pinned his hopes on Pineda, saying “the governor has been helping her people a lot and the farmers have high hopes on her.”
He said he is ready to help Pineda on her projects designed to help farmers get a better yield and improve their lives, adding he was alarmed by his own study and survey that the average age of farmers in Pampanga is 54. He surveyed the age of at least 1,000 farmers.
He said the project of Pineda should encourage younger people to engage in the noble but rewarding profession of farming.
“As I have said, farming is where the money is. We just have to know and practise new technologies and not just rely on planting palay,” said David. “The trading post is just the missing piece.”
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/04/11/12/ofw-farmer-calls-creation-trading-post-pampanga
STA. RITA, Pampanga—Roy Imperial, former director of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) High Value Commercial Crops Division, said Fidel David had been considered for a full scholarship grant on modern agricultural farming in Israel.
The consultant-adviser of Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda said David “would be the best farmer to send as he is passionately involved in organic farming,” largely patronized in Israel.
David told Imperial that “I have many things to do here and other farmers may be more qualified for the study grant.”
Imperial said David is the “wise choice” because he will surely share to other farmers what he learns in Israel.
Last year, David was featured in a Metro Manila magazine for his successful yield of Jade Lady honeydew melons.
David developed the green-colored fruits at his greenhouse donated through the DA’s High Value Crop Development program initiated by Pampanga Second District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Several farmers who received greenhouses are encouraged by David’s success in growing honeydew melons under greenhouse condition using organic fertilizers. They also want to learn David’s methodology.
But David’s success story on growing honeydew melons had been cut short by the so-called “greed and unfair market practice of some middlemen.”
He said a prominent and well-known firm had purchased his honeydew melons for P20 per kilo. A few days later he found that the private firm had sold his fruits at P120 per kilo at a mall in Pampanga.
David urged Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda to help farmers get a fair share in marketing their fruits and vegetables.
“We do all the work and invest our hard-earned money on our crops. But it’s the middlemen who benefit a lot when they have nothing to lose but everything to gain,” said David.
He asked the first-term governor to create a trading post similar to what Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala fully supported in Sariaya, Quezon. The vegetable trading post called “Sentrong Pamilihan ng Produktong Agrikultura” benefited Quezon farmers, most of whom were from the province’s Second District where Alcala was a former congressman.
Imperial said the governor had asked him earlier to make a study on the trading post or center along the Olongapo-Gapan Rd.
“Governor Pineda was inspired by the success of the trading post pushed by Secretary Alcala in Quezon. She asked me to make a thorough study of the trading center to make sure it will be beneficial, especially to farmers,” said Imperial.
Butil Farmers Partylist Rep. Agapito Guanlao of Pampanga also pushed for the creation of a trading center in the province.
David said the national government should help farmers sell their produce in a set-up where they will earn more instead of the middlemen. He said the money and time spent by the government on subsidizing farmers should be used instead in helping them market and sell their fruits and vegetables properly.
“The farmers can buy their fertilizers and other needs. The real problem is that they don’t get much profit from their products due to unfair marketing practices,” said David.
He said that if there is a trading post in Pampanga, just like the one they have in Quezon, farmers can bring their products at the trading post, selling their produce at a higher price compared to what the middlemen offer them.
David pinned his hopes on Pineda, saying “the governor has been helping her people a lot and the farmers have high hopes on her.”
He said he is ready to help Pineda on her projects designed to help farmers get a better yield and improve their lives, adding he was alarmed by his own study and survey that the average age of farmers in Pampanga is 54. He surveyed the age of at least 1,000 farmers.
He said the project of Pineda should encourage younger people to engage in the noble but rewarding profession of farming.
“As I have said, farming is where the money is. We just have to know and practise new technologies and not just rely on planting palay,” said David. “The trading post is just the missing piece.”
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/04/11/12/ofw-farmer-calls-creation-trading-post-pampanga

Companies in Manila travel out of town for a short getaway to hold their events and function outside of the city in the north. Many companies choose Clark in Pampanga because of its safety record. Clark is home to some of the best golf courses in Pampanga. Although golf continues to be one of the reasons why visitors from Manila travel to Pampanga, residents of Angeles City, Subic and Bulacan travel to Clark not just to play golf in one of the best golf courses in Pampanga but also to relax and unwind in the best resort in Philippines.

Clark offers some of the best outdoor venues for company outings in Pampanga, Angeles City and Subic. Being so accessible from Manila via the North Luzon Expressway, Clark Philippines is exceptionally convenient for all sorts of events and picnics. Each year, many company events like team building, corporate planning, outings and awarding ceremonies are held in resorts like Clearwater Beach hotel located in the central business district of Clark Pampanga.

Although Clark is not revered for fancy ballrooms and stuffy function rooms, there are many options for meeting and conference facilities. Companies travel out of town from Manila heading north to Pampanga typically look for meeting facilities within leisure and recreational areas. More and more companies mix in a good amount of activities in the program to help participants unwind and relax in between sessions.

Clearwater is a highly recommended and most frequently visited private resort in Pampanga. This Clark hotel is a famous private resort outside Manila for corporate planning because of its exclusivity. Although the function rooms for planning and meetings are simple and basic, the surrounding gardens and ambience more than make up for what it lacks in lavish interior decoration.

New camping sites and picnic grounds in Philippines are now added to Clark for family outings in outside Manila. The best campsites are located at Yats Clearwater Resort & Country Club in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Philippines. Just bring camping equipment and enjoy the fun and ambience of outdoor living camping in Clark under safe, secured and clean conditions. Outdoor activities include swimming and water sports, boating and paddling a kayak, lawn tennis, golf, shooting range and all sorts of leisure activities including colonial games like croquet and horseshoe.

For reservations, comments and inquiries,

Clearwater Resort & Country Club
Creekside Road corner of Centennial Road,
Central Business District, Clark Freeport Zone,
Pampanga, Philippines 2023

Tel: (045)599-5949 0917-520-4403 0922-870-5177

Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 Rea or Chay

http://www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com

Email: Inquiry@ClearwaterPhilippines.com

Getting to this hotel in Clark Philippines
After entering Clark Freeport from Subic, Manila, Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along Clark’s main highway MA Roxas, passing Clark’s largest wine shop called Clark Wine Center on your right, continue to bear right making no turns at all, go past Mimosa Leisure Estate on the opposite side of the road, you will hit a major intersection. Go straight and the road becomes Creekside Road. YATS Clearwater Resort and Country Club is on your right just 200m down. Traffic in Clark Philippines is light so it should be quite easy for get to this hotel in Clark Philippines.

For inquiries and bookings, click here to contact Clearwater Resort now

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

While in Clark, one might as well add to the itinerary a visit to the famous Clark Wine Center, the largest wine shop in Philippines which offers over 2000 selections of fine vintage wine from all wine regions, vintages spanning over 50 years covering all price ranges.
http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

For jobs and business investment opportunities in the Philippines please visit http://www.yilp.com