THE pandemic has changed a lot of things during the past three years and one thing we have to understand is indeed everything changes without prior notice.
Such as the case of labor, employee and employer relationship, shifting and schedule of work and of course the compensation packages and benefits. Recently the International Labor Organization (ILO) converge in Manila to and invited ASEAN trade union leaders and labor leaders to talk about the plight of labor in the post pandemic era.
Several issues were raised including cross border labor problems that is already gathering dust in the tables of politicians and policy makers in the region and still are unresolved.
Talking of problems in labor much like in the Philippines, neighboring ASEAN has their share of difficulties and labor related problems by which their trade unions can help amid the contrasting views from government, local laws and traditions of the nation involve.
DZMJ Online get to interview the Trade Union Congress President of Malaysia, Hji Mohd Effendy Bin Abdul Ghani which also happen to be the President of the Asia Trade Union Council and there he express his take on the issues involving labor and cross border problems in which the ILO says that the trade unions of Asia can do more.///Mj Olvina-Balaguer, 09053611058, konekted@dzmjonline.net and maryjaneolvina@gmail.com
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Drones’ promising potential to improve food production
The drone, as a technological gadget, has undergone fast transformation to satisfy a variety of consumer needs, yet has maintained its quality of being an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that operates in the absence of human intervention on board.
The drone nowadays is utilized for diverse applications across industries including agriculture, rising as the primary sector that has adopted this technology.
In contrast with other technological innovations that farmers currently use in their daily farm activities, drones are accessible only to those with ample financial resources. Those well-resourced farmers testify to the drone’s ability to provide the latest information on majority of farm operations quickly and expeditiously.
With the onset of smart farming, farmers are compelled to embrace technology that allows them to perform their tasks easier than ever, said Ameerah Rose Panganiban, Corporate Secretary of a Filipino-Japanese joint-venture company that makes partnerships to both government and private sectors in implementing their programs effectively using drone systems solutions.
Smart farming refers to the management of farms with the use of modern information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve both the amount and characteristics of farm produce while minimizing the needed manual labor.
According to Panganiban, drones are capable of real-time reporting, AI data gathering, pre-disaster assessment, topography surveying, thermal imaging, and soil analysis.
A Filipino farmer typically walks around the field to gather data and metrics. But with a drone, the laborious process can be done as he stays under a tree.
Drones are most commonly used in spraying fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides which reduces costs, manual labor and time spent on these activities if manually performed.
Agriculture spraying drone can replace the traditional sprayer and its speed is 40 times of the traditional sprayer, thus saving 90% water and 30% to 40% pesticide. The small droplet diameter makes chemical application distributed or sprayed properly. Hence it is not hazardous to farmers since they will not be directly exposed to the chemicals and with the mist, the pesticide would not stay on the crop.
In addition, drones can also provide the farmer with information on the soil’s condition using thermal, multispectral and hyperspectral technology. They can also detect weeds, infections, and pests in the field. The information gathered by the drone can help farmers make decisions on the appropriate amount of chemicals to eliminate infestation.
The challenge that Filipino farmers faces in adopting drones is they do not have the financial resources amid the economic situation of high inflation. They would instead use the money to buy basic necessities.
There are also legal requirements in the country for people intending to fly a drone, which makes the process a hassle for most farmers. Under the drone laws in the country, drone operators need to secure permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the regulatory agency, before flying a drone.
Knowledge on data collection, analysis and general visualization process are also required in using drone technology. # # # (Marshall Louie Asis / DA-BAFE)
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BP2 beneficiaries, nakatanggap ng alagang baboy bilang tulong pangkabuhayan
Sinimulan na ang inisyal na distribusyon ng mga alagang baboy bilang tulong pangkabuhayan sa mga Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) program beneficiaries sa probinsya ng Isabela noong September 28, 2022.
Ang mga principal beneficiaries ay nakatanggap ng tig-apat na alagang baboy samantala dalawang baboy naman ang natanggap ng iba pang mga beneficiaries.
Nasa 116 heads na baboy ang naipamahagi sa mga beneficiaries sa mga bayan ng Tumauini, Roxas at Sta. Maria sa Isabela.
Matatandaang naantala ang pagpapamahagi ng mga alagang baboy dahil sa kakulangan ng suplay ng baboy bunsod ng paglaganap ng African Swine Fever na lubhang nakaapekto sa mga hog raisers sa rehiyon.
Isa ang pamimigay ng mga alagang baboy sa mga tulong pangkabuhayan na ibinibigay ng Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka ng Rehiyos Dos para sa mga kababayan natin na piniling magbalik probinsya noong kasagsagan ng pandemya.
Bukod sa alagang baboy ay magpapamahagi rin ng libreng feeds sa mga beneficiaries para sa tatlong buwan na pagkain ng kanilang mga alagang baboy.
Ang BP2 farmers’ association naman na kinabibilangan ng mga beneficiaries ay makakatanggap din ng housing with digester at water system na magagamit ng kanilang asosasyon sa pag-aalaga ng baboy upang pagkakitaan.
Layunin ng BP2 na maghatid ng bagong pag-asa sa pamamagitan ng tulong pinansyal, pangkabuhayan, pabahay, at paglikha ng iba’t-ibang oportunidad na magiging kaagapay ng mga benepisyaryo sa kanilang bagong simula sa probinsya. # # # (Dane Garcia / DA-RFO II)