09
Feb 2016
VICE MAYOR ROBERTO C. AGCAOILI is the Vice Mayor and three-time mayor of San Mateo municipality of Isabela. Under his leadership, it has garnered awards in agricultural development, solid waste management and governance. The Galing Pook Award of 2007 for “Munggo: The Black Gold of San Mateo” is a proof of his administration’s thrust of addressing malnutrition problems, alleviating poverty, developing agriculture and creates additional jobs that provide additional income for the farmers. Monggo (Vigna radiata) also known as mung bean can provide a lot of benefits to health, the environment and......
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Sustainable Integrated Organic & Natural Mini-Farm Program: An Initiative for Food Self-sufficiency, Poverty Alleviation and Environmental Renewal
A 1,000 sqm mini-farm model is a food-self sufficient and self-generating income. Livelihood income can be generated from the animals and crops while the composting of crops and manures will be able to sustain the fertility of the soil. It can also stabilize microclimate through the windbreak. Also it can diversify itself into having a multi-purpose hall for activities, organic market and accommodations; agrotourism for discovery and learning activities within the farm and a...
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Sustainable Agriculture for Food Security
Somehow we neglected the fact that healthy environment is necessary for healthy people. We’ve externalized the environment as if it was something outside us. But food is what connects the earth and our bodies. When we destroy the earth, we are destroying our health. We are destroying our economies. I witnessed this over the last three (3) decades in my beloved country, India. And you are witnessing it in the Philippines. We share similar...
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Benefits of Raw Food
Raw food, being 100% natural and minimally processed is rich in dietary fiber, life- giving enzymes, minerals, water and vitamins. It therefore is healthier, and promotes long life. When heated to more than about 43˚C/118˚F, foods lose more than 85% of their enzymes which our body needs. Below are some considerations in raw vegan food preparation: 1. Choose local and organic. Since there is no cooking involved, buy organic fruits and vegetables. Buying local...
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Food as Medicine
The rates of obesity and chronic diseases have increased significantly because we have shifted away from natural remedies and rely on processed, fatty and sugar-laden food diet. Quoting Hippocrates, “Let thy food be thy medicine, let medicine be thy food”, he said that putting the right fuel into your body makes your internal engine run smoothly. Every meal that you consume influences the way you feel. The more nutritious foods you choose, the healthier...
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Back to Basics
The Biomedical Approach is an intervention that involves dietary modification and targeted nutritional supplementing with an aim to correct underlying abnormalities seen in the children. The approach which they adopted inspired many life-changing decisions in their lives. There was a change in their lifestyle especially in their diet. From conventional eating, they have gone back to the basics which are all organic and fresh. They became more conscious of food labeling, checking whether the...
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RA 10611: Food Safety Act of 2013
Food safety, according to the FDA, refers to the assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer when it is prepared or eaten according to its intended use. Its hazards to safety are biological, chemical, and physical in nature. Biological hazards are mainly caused by bacteria. Chemical hazards include insect or pest repellants and cleaning agents. Physical hazards are objects that can cut and choke like glass and stone which get into...
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Health and Food
The session on Health and Food was chaired by Grace Bernadette Padilla Chua, a board member of Consumer Rights for Safe Food which is a non-profit, non- governmental organization formed to educate consumers about choosing food that is healthy, available, nutritious and sustainable. The moderator was Ms. Maria Fatima A. Villena, a staunch advocate of primary health care, community health and integrative healthcare. She is a volunteer member of Alternative Budget Initiative, Consumer Rights...
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Organic Meat
There are advantages of organic farming and the benefits derived from organically grown foods. He shifted into organic farming and shared some tips on how to raise organic meat and poultry using probiotics and other naturally growing organisms in the environment. He also raised the challenges they have to face and enumerated the support needed by organic farmers from the government.
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