MANILA - The Philippine government warned of a new malady which threatens to wipe out the country's $ 760 million coconut industry in three years' time.

Called the coconut hispine beetle (Brontispa longissima Gestro), it has already affected about 70,000 trees or 700 hectares of coconut plantation.

CIIF Oil Mills Group president and CEO Danilo Coronacion, said these pests are native to Papua New Guinea and Indonesia and were brought to the Philippines in 2004 through ornamental plants imported from Thailand and Vietnam. These pests were first spotted preying on palm trees along the Baywalk strip of Roxas Boulevard in Manila and along the stretch of Silang to Dasmarinas highway in Cavite.

All set for Philbex Cebu expo

Stakeholders in the construction industry will converge at the Ayala Center in Cebu City on May 25-27 for the 5th Philippine Building and Constructio Expo.

Expo organizer Worldbex Services International, said in a press release that PHILBEX 2007 will provide participants with valuable information in various aspects of construction and building.

Latest development in green architecture will be discussed by Amado De Jesus while Wilfredo Segovia will share his ideas in Value Engineering, the press release said.

Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan launched

About 100 farmers from different areas in Negros Occidental were tapped to undergo a weekly hands-on training in organic farming from May to August this year, under the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Project.

Program partners, SM Foundation, Inc., Harbest Agribusiness Corporation and the Negros Economic Development Foundation launched the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Project on May 18 at NEDF Techno Farm in Brgy. Handumanan, Bacolod City, a press release said. Sponsoring the farmers is the SM Foundation while NEDF provided the 5,000 square meters of land for the actual training of the beneficiaries while Harbest Agribusiness Corporation president Arsenio Barcelona brought in agriculturists to conduct the training sessions.

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