After rice, veggies target of self-sufficiency by gov’t

Filipinos may be picky eaters of greens, but by 2016, they should have their fill of sitaw (string beans) and kalabasa (squash) and other vegetables grown around the classic song “Bahay Kubo.”
“After rice, our next focus is to achieve self-sufficiency in vegetables,” Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said at the recent 10th National Vegetable Congress in Butuan City.
In a statement, Alcala said the Department of Agriculture (DA) through its High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) is aiming to increase domestic self-sufficiency in vegetables from 65 percent to 100 percent and beyond within four years.
Food security
Food security is a priority of the Aquino administration, with rice self-sufficiency topping the agenda. In his third State of the Nation Address on July 23, the President underlined his administration’s goal of making the Philippines a rice exporter.
Once this is done, Alcala said, the attention will focus on vegetables and fish.
Through its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (Amas) and HVCDP, the DA has been working to match and directly link farmers’ groups with wholesale market traders and institutional buyers, Alcala said.
The aim is to provide a comfortable profit to producers and sellers as well as a regular supply of reasonably priced, safe and good quality vegetables to consumers, he said.
For example, agriculture officials have been meeting with major vegetable traders from the Divisoria wholesale market in Metro Manila to determine their vegetable supply and demand requirements, Alcala said.
The information will then be relayed to farmers’ cooperatives and groups, allowing them to schedule their production, harvest and delivery operations, he said.
But Filipinos, traditional meat-eaters, are not eating the required daily vegetable serving size requirements.
The country’s vegetable per capita consumption is estimated at 40 kilos, equivalent to an annual requirement of 3.8 million metric tons of vegetables for roughly 95 million Filipinos, Alcala said.
“Such a consumption level is just one-fourth of the recommended dietary requirement of 146 kilos per year, according to the World Health Organization,” he said.
At the vegetable congress, Alcala urged the participants to forge marketing agreements with institutional buyers and consumers, and thereafter plan their respective production and harvest schedules for each commodity.
Alternative farming areas
“This should be done to obtain reasonable profits and more importantly, avoid an oversupply and sudden drop in prices,” he said.
The DA is also identifying alternative areas that are less vulnerable to flooding and drought and able to produce vegetables year round or when it is off season in traditional farming areas like Benguet, Nueva Ecija and Bulacan, he said.
This year, the DA through the HVCDP has allotted P643 million, or about half of the program’s P1.3-billion budget, to undertake several initiatives to sustain and prop up the country’s vegetable industry. A similar budget is proposed next year.

Some of the good resorts in Pampanga offer clean and safe outdoor facilities for Manila families to bring their children along for a nice picnic ideal as a form of family bonding. Clearwater is one of the best hotels in Clark Pampanga that offer outdoor picnic spots and facilities that are suitable for teambuilding and other corporate and social events near Manila. This is also one of the best resorts in Pampanga for family bonding, anniversaries and other celebrations. This hotel in Clark is also one of the best resorts near Manila for families to relax, unwind and enjoy the outdoor facilities of this popular resort in Clark Philippines. Clearwater appears frequently on the top of a list of the best hotels in Pampanga. Wedding pictures can be taken in one of the beautiful resorts near Manila for a wedding album. This hotel in Clark is also a favorite holiday destination near Manila during Holy Week, Easter, Christmas and New Year holidays.

This resort hotel in Clark Philippines is to many, a fine example to leisure lifestyle of suburban city in America. Lake, beach, 13 hectares of picnic grounds covered with trees and green all put together to deliver a memorable getaway experience for foreign tourists visiting Angeles City Clark Philippines and residents of Manila driving up to Clark for a day trip or a weekend family outing.

Family with children can enjoy the picnic grounds and several large and small spots for swimming and water sports inside this resort in Pampanga. Parents can enjoy a day in leisure and relaxation in the shade provided by large Acacia trees throughout this resort. The ambience and beautiful view of the outdoor facilities of this beach resort in Clark Pampanga attracts visitors to go out of town from Manila for a getaway in the north.

Does anyone know how difficult it is to find a decent beach wedding venue in the Philippines? Sure, there are a lot of beautiful beaches but to find a beach where we can have a wedding ceremony in Philippines is next to impossible. 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.

Clearwater is a highly recommended and most frequently visited private resort in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines. This Clark hotel is a top rated place of leisure and 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.

Beach wedding venue is very popular in Manila, Subic, Pampanga Angeles City and
Clark Philippines. Young wedding couples prefer outdoor beach wedding followed up by garden styled outdoor wedding receptions in Philippines. Best beach wedding venue in Philippines is Clearwater Resort wedding venues near Manila, Angeles City, Clark Philippines. This is also one of the best resorts in Pampanga that offers good picnic spots near Manila.

Travel Agencies, Facilitators, Event Organizers and Wedding Planners in Manila laud Clearwater as the best resort in Clark Pampanga, citing its safe outdoor facilities and beautiful ambience of the lake, a nice white sand beach, plenty of large trees for shading in the picnic grounds, an ideal vacation spot for families with children. Family travelers pay attention to factors such as safety and security especially when choosing the best hotel in Pampanga for a holiday or vacation. There are plenty of luxurious hotels and deluxe resorts in Manila and other Asian cities but tourists and visitors from Manila travel north to Pampanga and Subic look for something different. Guests staying at the best hotel in Angeles City and Clark Pampanga expect a safe and secured resort to rest and relax without stress. This is the laidback lifestyle that Clearwater Resort and Country Club offers, namely peace and quiet times, an opportunity to take the stress out of city living, a time for family bonding and to enjoy the luxury that nature provides free of charge to all. Guests do not pack the itinerary with a lot of activities but instead make plenty of time to enjoy a day of rest and relaxation at the best resort in Pampanga.

Wedding couples from Manila look to the north for beautiful places in Pampanga to get married or take pictures for the nuptial photo albums. Wedding planners highly recommend Clearwater Resort as a beautiful hotel resort in Clark for prenuptial photo-shoot pictorial. Clearwater Resort is generally regarded as one of the best holiday spots near Manila.

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

Clearwater Resort and Country Club, Clark Pampanga
Creekside Road near Centennial Expo,
Clark Freeport, Pampanga Philippines 2023
(045) 889-5151 0917-520-4403 0922-870-5177
Joanne or Jeremy or Loydha

Getting to this lake and beach resort in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Philippines

After entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway MA Roxas, passing the stand-along wine shop called Clark Wine Center on the right, continue to bear right making no turns at all, go past Mimosa Leisure Estate on the opposite side of the road, one will hit a major intersection. Go straight and the road becomes Creekside Road. YATS Clearwater Resort and Country Club is on the right just 200m down.

Family Bonding by the famous lake of Clark Pampanga

http://www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com

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

Email: Inquiry@ClearwaterPhilippines.com

Please click here to contact Clearwater Resort to reserve a venue for your upcoming event 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

Hot Line for what’s happening in Clark: 045 889-5151 or 0927-940-2669 ask for Loydha

0915-542-6250 (Jeramie)