Soccsksargen coffee farmers shine in PCQC 2024
Five coffee farmers from the Soccsksargen region won top honors in the prestigious Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC) 2024 held last month.
Flora Politud-Gabunales, Region 12 director of the Department of Trade and Industry, said coffee farmers and brothers Rey John and Roan Basco, were adjudged as the first and second in the Robusta category in the contest that was joined by 70 exhibitors. Denz Bert Deramos and Orlando Bayudan, meanwhile, placed fifth and sixth.
Politud-Gabunales said Ylaine Joyce Giangan, a coffee farmer from Makilala, North Cotabato, placed sixth under the arabica category.
Zamboanga explosion death toll rises to 5
The death toll of the June 29 explosion that levelled a warehouse in Zamboanga City rose to five, police said.
Colone Kimberly Molitas, Zamboanga City Police Office director, said 21 persons were also injured in the blast at a warehouse full of pyrotechnics and fireworks situated along Marquez Drive in Tetuan village.
Molitas said investigation is still ongoing to determine the cause of explosion.
Gov. Dimaporo calls for preservation of Inayawan mountain range
Lanao del Norte Governor Imelda Dimaporo has called for the preservation of the Mount Inayawan Range National Park, the last remaining rain forest in the province.
Dimaporo directed Mayor Marcos Mamay, of the municipality of Nunungan where the mountain range is located, to evict the illegal settlers in the 3,632-hectare park which has been declared as an ASEAN Heritage Park.
Mount Inayawan has three major lakes—Malaig, Pantar and Sungod—and are the primary water sources in Nunungan and neighboring Sapad town in Lanao del Norte. The lakes also feed to the rice fields of Kapatagan Valley, the province’s major rice granary.
