By RAAB BUSTAMANTE The first helmet orchid species was recently discovered in Davao Oriental. *Corybas Hamiguitanensis*, the first documented helmet orchid on the island of Mindanao, was named after the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and...
By Henrylito D. Tacio If there’s one fruit that commands attention, it’s the strawberry (*Fragaria ananassa*). Strawberries are one of the healthiest fruits around. It is a temperate crop, and so in a tropical country like the Philippines it is hard to come by. It is grown mostly in cooler...
By Henrylito D. Tacio “Many well-informed individuals see a future of water shortages, but few have connected the dots to see that a future of water shortages will also be a future of food shortages,” said Lester R. Brown, an American environmental analyst. He is the founder of Worldwatch...
By Oliver Samson Ripe mulberries are not only sweet and juicy; they are also rich in vitamin B-complex, vitamin C, magnesium, iron, and more. They are naturally perfect to be eaten raw when dark, ripe, and freshly picked from the tree. You may also want to make your salads more delicious and...
By Henrylito D. Tacio Randy “DJRanz” Albores of Bansalan, Davao del Sur was destined to become a priest. In fact, he studied at St. Francis Xavier College Seminary in Davao City, where he finished Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Philosophy (cum laude). He then voluntarily took his regency to...
By Henrylito D. Tacio The past decades have seen Filipino farmers using commercial fertilizer because they believe it will augment their income. They are told that by using synthetic fertilizer on their crops, production from their farm will be boosted. Unknowingly, commercial fertilizer is an...
By Henrylito D. Tacio If you ask someone in Davao Region where Balutakay is, it seems no one knows. If you google it, you will be directed to Balutakay Coffee Farmers Association. It is a group of coffee farmers who banded together and ended up producing the award-winning coffee that is now...
Davao’s first shipment of durian to China has sold out, according to John Tan, CEO of Eng Seng Food Products (ESFP). “Actually, naubos na yung stock natin (actually, all of our stocks have been bought),” he said. Durian fruit. (vitalina/ Pexels) ESFP is one of the four exporting companies who...
By Henrylito D. Tacio Filipino cuisine has been gaining recognition on the world stage, and just like any other cuisine, there are some secrets to it. One of those secrets is black pepper, known locally as paminta. Adobo, touted to be the country’s food icon, is one of the Filipino dishes that...
By Henrylito D. Tacio Farming in the Philippines is at a crossroads. The reason: it is facing several environmental problems: climate change, soil erosion, deforestation, flooding, and dry spell. All these lead to minimal production, low income, food insecurity, and malnutrition. There is one...
The first shipment of durian from Davao to China is about to take off! Tons of durian waiting to be shipped to China. (Abel Monteagudo/ Facebook) Abel Monteagudo, Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office XI in Davao City [posted a...
With such a fast-paced world, who wouldn’t want to take a break and escape it all? Folks in the city are especially surrounded with noise, activity and perpetual change. A quiet, provincial life is what a lot of people long for, but it’s not easy to drop everything and change lifestyles....
