Agriculture
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NFA Mindoro Suspends Rice Purchases as Farmers Face Low Prices from Private Traders
The National Food Authority (NFA) in Occidental Mindoro has reportedly suspended rice purchases from Mindoreño farmers, citing full warehouses despite earlier directives from agriculture officials to process stockpiled grain, farmers’ group said. Farmers have also…
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Mindoro Hog Raisers Receive P37.6M Compensation for Culled Pigs
More than 750 pig farmers in Oriental Mindoro province received government compensation totaling P37.6 million for livestock culled during an African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced. The payments, distributed in…
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NFA Manager in Mindoro Sacked Over Tons of Unmilled Rice
A top food authority official in Mindoro has been dismissed following the discovery of thousands of bags of unmilled rice left in storage for two years, amid a national food security crisis. Department of Agriculture…
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Oriental Mindoro Agriculture Sector Grows 12.4% in 2023, Ranks Top 5 Nationwide
Oriental Mindoro’s agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector showed strong economic growth in 2023, posting a 12.4% increase that placed it among the Philippines’ fastest-growing provincial economies in the sector, according to data released Feb. 14,…
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Mindoro’s Calamansi Industry: Navigating Change and Growth
Oriental Mindoro’s vital calamansi industry is receiving strategic support through new development projects aimed at strengthening both production and market access. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) has…
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Young Farmers in Mimaropa Sought for Taiwan Agriculture Program
A Mindoro-based training institute has launched a search for its next batch of young farmers to participate in an intensive agricultural training program in Taiwan. The 11-month internship, now in its sixth batch, will equip…
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Mindoro Shrimp Farm Secures Government Tech Support
A family-run shrimp farm in Oriental Mindoro has won crucial government backing to modernize its operations, in a move that could boost the country’s’ growing aquaculture sector. JEB Aqua Farm, which produces over seven tons…
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Fishing Ban Imposed on Rare and Endangered Species
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has recently released Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) 208-1, series of 2024, imposing a comprehensive ban on activities involving certain rare and endangered aquatic species. Effective immediately, the…
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New P30-M Hatchery to Revive Bangus Industry in Mindoro
A new multi-species marine hatchery is set to be constructed in Barangay San Agustin, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, in a grand vision to revive the province’s once-thriving bangus (milkfish) industry. According to Municipal Agriculturist Romel…
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Pork Prices Skyrocket in Naujan Market Amid ASF Fears
Pork prices in Naujan municipality’s public markets have increased as African Swine Fever (ASF) continues to affect town supply chains, according to a November 6, 2024 market survey conducted by Naujan LGU. Premium pork cuts…
Founder’S Profile
Romel “Direk” Ferriol Bernardo
Bernardo Creative Ventures, Inc., the company behind Direk Fuels, Oriental Mindoro’s homegrown gas station chain, and Direk Builders, which rents out heavy equipment, is expanding its portfolio by venturing into online media and content production.
The company’s entry into news media is not surprising, as its founder and CEO, Romel “Direk” Bernardo, was a television writer, producer, and director for over 15 years. From 2002 to 2007, he served as a researcher, writer, and producer for GMA-7’s top-rating show Imbestigador before becoming the executive producer for ABS-CBN’s award-winning documentary program, The Correspondents.
