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Flowers come in a variety of colors, sizes, and scents but are usually given to someone for the same reason: appreciation. The month of November to February has always been its peak season. Those were also the busiest months for Emelyn Balaba, a floral shop owner from Davao City. Born and raised in Bukidnon, growing flowers used to be just a hobby. When the land she was using was reclaimed by the landlord, she decided to seek her luck elsewhere, which is how she discovered a vacant stall in Davao City. As a flower farmer, it has always been her desire to open a flower shop. Fortunately, she was able to open one and hire a florist who would arrange the flowers according to their client’s preference. She started catering flowers for anniversaries, weddings, and other important occasions. She always ensures that her flowers remain in good condition before starting to deliver

Labor unions and federations have found an ally in Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.

That’s because he is pushing for the passage of Senate Bill 2002, which calls for a national minimum wage hike of P150 for all private sector workers, including those in the agricultural industry, by December this year.

There’s another senator, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., who is seeking a P12,00 increase in the minimum wage, this time for those working in government. This should also put him in the good graces of those sweating it out in frontline public agencies.

That’s all well and good, except that there’s a big obstacle in the double-barreled move in the upper chamber of Congress to give workers in both the private and public sectors a reprieve from galloping inflation.

The problem is this: A wage hike bill is not among the priority measures of Congress.

But Zubiri believes the Senate should take up the cudgels for the working class, even if the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) is similarly not inclined to support a wage hike bill.

Zubiri justifies his move to speed up the passage of a wage hike bill in clear terms: “The cost of living has increased all over the country and they need that decent wage so they can have a decent life.”

And more: “We need it. Our countrymen are really struggling.”

That may sound like music to the ears of our labor force, but Zubiri’s exuberant endorsement of a legislated wage hike by the end of this year may not be shared at all by his fellow lawmakers in the House of Representatives.

Zubiri appears undeterred, however, and even vowed to appeal to no less than President Marcos Jr. himself to consider his proposal.

The Senate honcho would also have to deal with existing law that created the regional wage boards with tripartite representation – labor, employers and government – where they consider the stand of every member of the committee before making a decision, which, as experience shows, is lopsided in favor of employers.

Three siblings who are tagged as high value individuals (HVIs) and two others were nabbed in separate anti-illegal drug operations in Lemery and Carles.

The drug buy-bust operation on September 1, 2023 (12:24 AM) at Brgy. Poblacion Southeast, Lemery, Iloilo resulted in the arrest of Shiela Mae Yu y Francisco, 34, Regional Target Listed/HVI, single, fish broker; Jose Maria Yu y Francisco, 26, Provincial Target Listed/HVI, single, jobless; Bryan Yu y Francisco, 29, single, fish broker, all of Brgy. Poblacion Zone 1, Estancia, Iloilo; and Angel Kyth Alavaren y Dela Cruz, 21, of Brgy. Ipil, Balasan, Iloilo.

About 200 grams of suspected shabu worth Php 1,360,000.00 and other non-drug items were recovered from the suspects.

Meanwhile, a follow-up operation at NHA Pabahay in Brgy. Barosbos, Carles, Iloilo at 9:10 PM on the same date, led to the arrest of another brother of the suspects, Raul Yu Jr y Francisco, 24, HVI, single, laborer, and resident of Brgy. Poblacion Zone 1, Estancia, Iloilo for violation of Republic Act 9165 and RA 10591 in relation to COMELEC Resolution 10918.

About 315 grams of suspected shabu worth Php 2,142,000.00, a break-type homemade pistolized shotgun loaded with ammunition, two pieces ammunition, and other non-drug items.

The two drug busts were led by the IPPO Provincial Intelligence Unit, and Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit-Provincial Special Operations Group together with Carles MPS, Lemery MPS and 2nd IPMFC with the support of NISG-C, NAVFORCEN, PNP Drug Enforcement Group-RFU6, Maritime Group-SOU4 and Iloilo Maritime Police Station and in coordination with PDEA 6.

The IPPO Director, PCol. Ronaldo Palomo, commends all members of operating units for these significant accomplishments and renewed his call to every Ilonggo to support the IPPO’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs. (Report from IPPO)

To address the declining supply of blue swimming crab, the provincial government built a crab hatchery in the municipality of Concepcion located at Northern Iloilo State University (NISU).

Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. led the blessing and inauguration of the facility on August 31, 2023. Other attendees include Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, Provincial Agriculture Office chief Dr. Ildefonso Toledo, Mayor Milliard Villanueva, SB Members Mark Villaruz and Nean Gregorio, Dr. Marjorie Villanueva of NISU, SEAFDEC AQD Chief Dan Baliao, Dr. Roger Edward Mamauag of SEAFDEC, and Dr. Erwin Ilaya of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Iloilo, among others.

Provincial Agriculture Office chief Dr. Ildefonso Toledo the facility costs P5 million and was constructed in 2018 during the administration of former governor Arthur Defensor Jr. The present administration assumed the project and has allotted roughly P3 million for the fencing and other support equipment.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed a decrease in the production of blue swimming crabs in Iloilo Province from 5,282.79 metric tons in 2020 to 4,808.98 in 2021.

Aside from increasing the stocks of crab, Dr. Toledo said the facility could also serve as a learning hub for Fishery students to help them become industry-ready when they graduate.

Governor Defensor said the facility is an important facet of the province’s overall program and initiatives for the conservation and management of the Visayan Sea, adding that he hopes the province can do the same with other species.

“In the Iloilo provincial government, we see crab as a commodity. For us, fundamentally, it is a source of protein. And together with other products of the sea, we want to develop our capability to practically add (in the conservation of the Visayan Sea),” he said.

Furthermore, the provincial government is collaborating with SEAFDEC and the universities and colleges in Iloilo to develop a research and development program and one important subject is fisheries. (Capitol news)

Edrian B. Banania, Junior Writer

publishing@cardmri.com | 0970-665-3223

Davao City, known as the “Fruit Basket of the Philippines,” is one of the top growers and exporters of various tropical fruits worldwide. Among its locally grown fruits are durian, mangosteen, banana, and mango. Hence, local fruit growers and sellers have had good success with this endeavor.

Microentrepreneur and CARD client Crisfina Berdos also tried her hand at a fruit-selling venture. She chose mangoes since they are considered a high-value crop. Her relatives also have connections to mango farm owners, so it will be easy for her to find suppliers.

Currently, the business is being run by Crisfina with the help of her family. With collective efforts, dedication, and passion, she said they can distribute as much as 5,000 kilograms per day, which is equivalent to two or three large trucks, or about PhP500,000 to PhP700,000 worth, when all the mangoes are distributed and sold to their wholesalers, retailers, and market traders.

“Our business path is a one-family success journey. Whatever comes our way, we will face and overcome it with trust in one another, drive, passion, and faith in God,” Crisfina said in an interview.

Crisfina and her family may now be reaping the fruits of success after venturing into the wholesale and retail industries, but she could vividly remember how difficult life was back then.

How It Started

Crisfina is a single mother.

She used to work hard to make a living for her family by selling tuna on a regular basis. Unfortunately, she decided to stop after years of running her small tuna business when she became ill. Yet she said she was grateful for the experience, as she had learned the value of sound financial management and budgeting.

With the support of her siblings, Crisfina survived her biggest challenge as she lost her source of income. Her siblings, who are into the mango fruit wholesale and retail business, taught her the ways of the business.

She rented a space at Bankerohan Market in Bankerohan, Davao City, for storage of their bulk supplies, which are usually sold at a wholesale price of PhP100 per kilogram and a retail price of PhP110–120 per kilogram.

Support from CARD MRI

It was in 2017 when Crisfina learned about CARD MRI’s products and services, especially the CARD loans offered to help families start up a small business. Crisfina qualified for a specific loan amount, which she used as capital for her mango fruit business.

According to her, every time she needs additional funds, CARD Bank, Inc., has been her support and partner in achieving higher business goals. Currently, she has renewed her loan amounting to PhP150,000.

Fruits of Success

Crisfina proudly shared that through their mango fruit business, she now has an information technology graduate who is now helping her out in the business as well. She said that her children grew up watching and assisting her with their business; thus, they learned skills and gained knowledge on how to run the said business.

Meanwhile, Crisfina also mentioned that their business had expanded.

Aside from the Bankerohan market, they now supply their produce to known malls and supermarkets. They also supply and distribute mangoes to their partners, who are based in Metro Manila, Cebu City, Island Garden City of Samal, Butuan City, Surigao City, Digos City, Panabo City, and Tagum City.

Over the past years, their business has remained stable in terms of supplies, manpower, sales, income, and having a strong customer and partner relationship.

In the coming years, Crisfina aims to acquire farmlands to boost business production, broaden the market reach, make additional investments, hire more people in the community, and provide them with jobs and sources of income.

“To other people out there, know that hardship is a vital part of success. Just continue to strive, and one day you’ll be reaping the fruits of your hard work, and success will be as sweet as mango,” she said.

Treñas urges concerned agencies to address flood problem

By Vincent P. Grecia

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas expressed alarm over the occurrence of flood in almost half of the city’s 180 barangays last Tuesday, August 29, due to the torrential rains brought by the southwest monsoon or “habagat” enhanced by typhoon Goring.

Treñas observed that the floods experienced in the city recently was most severe ever since Typhoon Frank in June 2008.

With this Treñas urged the concerned agencies to meet in order to address the problem.

“I ask the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), and the academic community together with other experts to sit down with the LGUs in Iloilo province on the recent floods brought about by the strong rains. For the first time in Iloilo City, areas which were not previously flooded experienced intense flooding,” Treñas said in a press statement.

He urged the concerned agencies to study the situation seriously so that “we can prevent similar occurrences in the future”, noting that the projects of the DPWH in the future should be able to prevent “the same to preclude damage to property and worst, loss of lives.”

“On our part, we need to intensify our efforts for tree planting; conversion to renewable energy; bigger drainage systems; more pumping stations; more cisterns; more rain water harvesting facilities; and other measures,” he added.

Data from Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) indicated that as of 6:00 A.M., Aug. 30, 2023, a total of 90 areas in the metro became flooded; while around 12,000 individuals transferred to evacuation centers as of Aug 29, 2023.

Jaro district has the most number of flooded barangays with 24, followed by Mandurriao with 16, City Proper with 13, Arevalo with 12, Molo and La Paz with 10 and Lapuz with five barangays.

The city mayor also thanked the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) for the assistance they gave to the residents, making sure that everyone has enough food.

CSWDO reported that they have distributed 2,561 packs of relief goods to the evacuees while the City Health Office provided Doxycycline as prophylaxis for leptospirosis for 5,093 individuals.

Meanwhile, classes from preschool to senior high school in both public and private academic institutions in Iloilo City were also suspended from August 29 until August 30, 2023. (with reports from PIA6 Iloilo)