NewsExpress

By Mary Joy Cavañas

Western Visayas, particularly in Iloilo, is considered to be one of the agri-industrial areas in the Philippines as it produces many products, such as, vegetables, sugarcane, corn, rice, bananas, and pineapples.

To improve the growth and productivity of harvests in farming, one must learn how to think of the ways not only to the amount or quantity being harvested but also the nutrients that shall be gained through an organic way such as using organic foliar fertilizers.

Thus, a natural and organic type of fertilizer was introduced which is the NutriBoost Nano Plus Smart Fertilizer which is made to enhance the growth and productivity of agricultural products such as rice, corn, vegetables, sugarcane, and other crops.

Manufactured in Israel, this organic innovation was made available to the country through the efforts of Mr. John Nestor Villagomeza, Importer and Country Manager of the said product, along with the support of his wife, Mrs. Jona Villagomeza.

As a foliar fertilizer, NutriBoost aims to introduce smart farming and prevent the usage of pesticides and other toxic chemicals which may cause harm to the bodies of people once they intake the food being harvested.

“Environment friendly ni siya, indi ni siya makaguba sa mga duta or tanom,” Villagomeza said during the NutriBoost press conference on April 10 at Hangout Resto in Jaro, Iloilo City.

In addition, the said fertilizer can be directly applied to a plant’s leaves, particularly in the stomata which results to improvement of the plant’s health and fertility as well as to gain more nutrients or nutrient absorption.

The best time to apply the said product in plants is about 4:30 in the afternoon wherein its 10-gram sachet is equivalent to 200 liters of water, sufficient to water a one-hectare of rice field.

On the other hand, the acidity level of soil decreases within 45 to 60 days and no longer needed the soil analysis when using the product. This also increases the yield of harvests in the farm as this has a special blend of nanotechnology which nutrients are delivered through smaller particles.

At the height of El Niño season, the use of such organic innovation could help in increasing the production of crops to a hundred percent as this product is approved by the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) and has been tested in Regions 1-8.

“Ang aim gid naton is to have the purpose nga mag-increase ang aton nga pananom kag para hindi kabudlay sa aton farmers nga magtanom subong,” Villagomeza emphasized.

Pioneering in the market for five years, NutriBoost is also being imported and distributed by Quanergy Agri Trading within the Philippines. It was also tested in the Iloilo Province and even used in Mindanao area.

Meanwhile, the said fertilizer was registered and has also been tested by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in its different areas such as Ajuy, Benguet, and Isabela.

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Negros Occidental has also proven NutriBoost’s effectivity in terms of decreasing its input in rice along with sugarcane and it also helps to increase the yield.

“Ang aim gid naton is to have the purpose nga mag-increase ang aton nga pananom kag para hindi kabudlay sa aton farmers nga magtanom subong,” said Villagomeza

NutriBoost was also validated by the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) due to its effectivity while the Iloilo Province is also getting such supply for their farming needs.  

Through Villagomeza’s innovative effort of creating  Nutriboost, this could help in educating  the farmers to upgrade and practice the use of  organic, non-chemical smart fertilizer so that they will not left behind in terms of having a sustainable agriculture not only during the present times but also in the future.

NGCP’s CNP-backbone project to resolve Panay grid’s power issues

By Mary Joy Cavañas

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has conducted the ceremonial energization of the 230-kilovolt (kV) Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) backbone project on April 8, 2024 at NCGP Substation in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo.

The backbone project, composed of CNP1, CNP2, CNP3, and Negros-Panay Interconnection Project Line 2 (NPIP L2), aims to strengthen the grid as well as to improve the power transmission’s reliability in the islands of Cebu, Negros, and Panay to support the existing 138kV facilities.

In addition, the said project also aims to give relief and solve the power issues being faced by the Panay Grid and is also considered as one of the most significant transmission infrastructure initiatives by the NGCP.

Present in the ceremony were Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas alongside with Barotac Viejo Mayor Nielo “Bongbong” Tupas, MORE Power Electric Corp. CEO Mr. Roel Castro, NGCP Board of Directors, and other significant people involved in the said project.

Castro commended and recognized NGCP for completing the said project.

“This will be a significant relief for us at MORE Power and the entire Panay Island. Although the capacity is very good, there is a substantial relief for us. However, it is essential to consider whether ancillary services are necessary on the Island of Panay,” Castro said.

The MORE Power CEO stated that the possibility of experiencing another series of power outage similar to what happened last January will be reduced due to the CNP Project. “For consumers, if before the energization of the CNP project there was a 50% probability of experiencing again a 4-day blackout, now the probability is only 10-20%. However, this probability, as it’s called, can still occur. I would attribute it to the configuration or the identification of whether ancillary services are needed on the Island,” Castro added.

On the other hand, Castro explained the ancillary services through the usage of a spare tire’s analogy wherein a spare one will readily replace a tire which became flat. Similar to power industry, once the major power plant is offline, there will be another one to readily replace it in order to prevent the uncertain power outage scenarios to happen just like on April 2023 and January 2024.

Treñas also expressed his gratitude for the completion of NGCP’s backbone project through a Facebook post on April 9.

“As the Mayor of Iloilo City, I am deeply grateful for the completion of NGCP’s CNP Backbone project. This transformative development holds the potential to be the much-needed solution to the power issues our city has been facing. With its enhanced transmission capabilities, I am optimistic that we can now provide a reliable and efficient power supply to our residents, paving the way to a brighter and more prosperous Iloilo,” Treñas stated.

Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also attended the ceremonial energization in Bacolod City alongside with NGCP President Mr. Anthony Almeda, Energy secretary Raphael Lotilla, Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez, and Rep. Greg Gasataya, and other important guests.

During his speech, Marcos also recognized NGCP’s effort with regards to the project.

“We must recognize NGCP for the successful completion of CNP. The completion of this project marks a milestone in our pursuit to enhance the resilience and reliability of our power infrastructure, especially in this area. We have to align the different power systems available in Panay and Negros,” said Marcos.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas has been recognized as 2023 “Outstanding Public Servant” by RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc. (RPMD).
Representatives from the Foundation, on March 19, arrived in Iloilo to hand over the award’s plaque and certificate to Treñas.
“This prestigious accolade reflects a comprehensive performance assessment by our department, concluded in January 2024, and is a testament to the democratic voice and trust of the people of Iloilo City, who have bestowed Mayor Treñas with exceptionally high job performance and trust ratings,” the certificate, signed by Dr. Paul Martinez, a Global Affairs Analyst and the Executive Director of RPMD, read.
Treñas expressed his profound gratitude to RPMD for the recognition, which he dedicates to all the Ilonggos.
He thanked everyone for the continued trust and confidence in his leadership and vowed to serve better and come up with more programs beneficial to the whole Ilonggo community.
“This is validation of all the hard work and dedication of all the men and women in the City Government, of course, with the support of our people and our various partners,” Treñas stated.
In giving the award, the RPMD cited that under Treñas’ transformative leadership, Iloilo City has witnessed significant advancements in infrastructure, public services, and community engagement.
“His unwavering dedication to the welfare of his constituents and his innovative governance approach have been instrumental in propelling the city towards remarkable progress, embodying the spirit of “Uswag Iloilo” (Progress Iloilo) and laying the foundations for “Rise Iloilo”, a vision that under his guidance, can be seamlessly realized,” it added.
The RPMD’s rigorous evaluation process examined the initiatives led by Mayor Treñas, gauging their impact on the city’s development and the residents’ quality of life.
“This award not only celebrates Mayor Treñas’ substantial contributions to Iloilo City’s upliftment but also highlights his role as an exemplary leader capable of navigating the complexities of modern governance to foster sustainable community development,” the RPMD emphasized. (Iloilo City PIO)