NIR to get bulk of P194-M sugarcane block farm funds

BACOLOD City - Negros Island Region (NIR) will get the bulk of the P194 million worth of sugar block farming project to be implemented in the Visayas this year, an official of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said.

Helen Lobaton, SRA focal person for sugar block farming in the Visayas, said that as of Tuesday, there are 37 block farms to be funded under the 2016 Sugar Industry Development Act (SIDA) Fund, and majority or more than 20 farms are in Negros.

Others are in Region 6 (Western Visayas), Region 7 ( Central Visayas) and Region 8 (Eastern Visayas).

BACOLOD City - Mambukal Resort i n Murcia, Negros Occidental earned P1.189 million during the Holy Week.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said Monday the figure is higher than last year’s P1.085 million. Mambukal is a tourist facility owned and operated by the provincial government.

From April 13 to 16, a total of 17,366 guests arrived at Mambukal or 2,619 more than the 14,747 arrivals in 2016, or an increase of 17.75 percent.

In 2016, Mambukal earned P24.905 million after the resort’s revenues reached P62.305 million, or 10 percent higher than the 2015 figures.

Located in Barangay Minoyan, Murcia, Mambukal Resort had 439,132 visitors in 2016, with an increase of 21 percent compared to the 362,361 visitors in 2016.

Mambukal “lies 1,200 feet above sea level and serves as a gateway to Mt. Kanlaon Natural

The SRA is now in the process of validating another 30 block farms in the Visayas to be funded under the 2017 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Most of these farms are also based in NIR thus, bulk of the budget will definitely go to the region, Lobaton said.

“Negros is still the leader of sugar block farming in the country,” Lobaton said, adding Park,” according to the resort’s website.

Located in a sprawling 23.6 hectares, Mambukal has “a big mountain stream, fed by several tributaries, descends in a series of seven waterfalls and cuts through the center of the resort, feeding the water holes and boating lagoon,” it added.

The resort also “boasts a number of hot sulfur springs whose medicinal waters are a balm for the weary flesh and continually feels the warm dipping pool Ishiwata Bathhouse and the newly constructed Japanese Ofuro.”

Of the resort’s P62.305 million in revenues last year, majority was earned from catering services with P16.414 million.

Other top collections came from entrance fees amounting to P15.939 million and rentals from local government unit cottages worth P10.656 million. that the project is mainly aimed at improving farm productivity, reducing production cost, and increasing family income.

Among the interventions provided through sugar block farm project include provision of start-up capital for beneficiaries, establishment of nursery and demo farm, rehabilitation program, liming application, bio- organic fertilizer production and irrigation assistance, among others.

SRA targets to start implementing these interventions by first week of May, including sugarcane management training.

For start-up capital, every block farm will be given at least P1 million worth of financial assistance.

Lobaton said the amount is a grant provided to help farmers during the first four months of production.

“Through t hi s st a r t - up c a pi ta l , beneficiaries are expected to be financially equipped for the succeeding year,” Lobaton said.

She added that i f they need more capitalization for expansion, block farms can still apply for socialized credit.

Under block farming scheme, small farms are being consolidated making them big areas for collective management.

Every block farm of at least 30 hectares consists of beneficiaries, particularly small farmers, with five- hectare area each.

( PNA)