Day: July 12, 2006

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/11 July) — With an annual per capita vegetable consumption of only 40 kilograms as of 2003, Filipinos are among the lowest consumers of vegetables in Asia, according to an official of the National Nutrition Council (NNC). Consumption rate has reportedly been going down since 1978. Maria Lourdes A. Vega, chief of the NNC's nutrition information and education division, told MindaNews Tuesday the declining vegetable consumption has pushed them to create a national strategic plan to increase vegetable consumption to at least 50 percent in 2010 as domestic production of vegetable also went down.

KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/11 July) — Region 12 or Southwestern Mindanao wants to push the area as a tourism destination in the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysian, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), especially with the upcoming tourism meeting here to be participated in by member countries that will coincide with the province’s T’nalak Festival. Cesar Sulit, acting provincial tourism officer, said the 3rd BIMP-EAGA cluster meeting on joint tourism development from July 16 to 18 was timed for the T’nalak Festival so the foreign visitors will witness “our rich cultural heritage.”

KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/11 July) — Some 17,000 dogs were given free anti-rabies vaccines during the first and second quarter implementation of the mass rabies vaccination in the 16 towns of North Cotabato. Dr. Enrico Garzon, provincial veterinarian, said the all-out support of various local officials in the barangay and town levels helped in the success of the anti-rabies campaign. The provincial government has earmarked P800,000 for the purchase of anti-rabies vaccines during the first two quarters.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/11 July) — A three-year-old daughter of a policeman and hardware owner abducted by female store helpers in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat Monday was rescued by authorities just a few hours later. Police said the suspects took the girl to avenge verbal abuses they suffered from the victim’s grandmother. Chief Insp. Samsom Obatay, spokesperson of the Cotabato City police station, identified the victim as Gabriela Victoria Cabico. She is the daughter of Chief Insp. Reynante Cabico, chief of police of Carmen in North Cotabato, and a doctor. The couple owns a hardware shop in Barangay Upper Dansuli, Isulan.