DA ready to back study
for Negros mega project
HELP MARKET ORGANIC PRODUCTS
BY CARLA GOMEZ

BAGO CITY -- Secretary Arthur Yap said yesterday that the Department of Agriculture will assist the provincial government in preparing a feasibility study for the creation of an "irrigation highway" and in the marketing of organic products of Negros Occidental.

Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon and Vice Gov. Isidro Zayco will present to Yap this morning the proposed irrigation highway mega project and request for DA assistance in the conduct of its pre-feasibility study estimated at P50 million.

The irrigation highway expected to cost billions of pesos is proposed to be constructed in seven sites - Victorias, Cadiz, Sipalay, Sagay, Ilog, Binalbagan, and Don Salvador Benedicto. The large dams for the irrigation highway can also serve as sources for clean hydro electric energy that will provide additional power for the province, according to the proposal.

Yap leads groundbreaking
of GK institute in Sum-ag
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap yesterday led the groundbreaking and capsule-laying activity for the Globe-Department of Agriculture-Gawad Kalinga Farming Institute at the ERH-GK Village in Brgy. Sum-ag, Bacolod City.

The GK Farming Institute is a 2-3 hectare farm establishment adjacent to the existing ERH-GK Village. Roberto Magalona, GK provincial head, yesterday said they intend to put 10 GK Farming Institutes all over the country by the end of 2007.

Other pilot sites for the GK Farm Institute are RCAL GK Village in Lipa, Batangas; Burog GK Village (Aeta Village) in Burog, Tarlac; Canada GK Village in Gasan, Marinduque; GK Panganiban, in Camarines Norte; GK Character Village in Camarines Sur; GK Jollibeee "Bee Happy" GK Village in Southern Leyte; GK Diamond Village in Cagayan de Oro; GK Robinhood Village in Valencia, Bukidnon; and GK Chicago Village in Concepcion, Iloilo.

RP customs seizes
P30M in sugar, cars

The Bureau of Customs seized about P30 million worth of smuggled sugar and luxury vehicles yesterday, Inquirer.net reported last night.

The shipments inside 27 container vans were consigned to companies with no fixed addresses, the report said.

The sugar was consigned to Mars Cargo Freight Logistics and the luxury vehicles to the IHF Auto Parts Trading. The 26 container vans reportedly contained sugar from Thailand while the other contained three luxury cars from China with Japan as its port of origin.