New potato variety named after Arroyo

MANILA, Philippines - A new blight-resistant variety of potato has been named after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in Benguet University, Malacañang disclosed Saturday. The variety, sourced from the Centro Internalionale de la Papa (International Potato Center) in Lima, Peru, was named "Gloria Kamaptengan," after "mapteng" meaning "good" in Ibaloi and Pangasinan dialects. "'Kamaptengan' means 'the best of all,'" Rogelio Colting, president of the Benguet State University (BSU) after more than two years of research from 2005-2007, told Mrs Arroyo during her visit to a vegetable trading post in Betag district. Arroyo was in Betag to see off trucks laden with local vegetable produce bound for the metropolis. Colting showed her the first-generation tubers of the potato variety, initially codenamed 13.1.1, and said the BSU "would like to name it in your honor." A Palace statement said the BSU chose the name "Gloria" because of "her commitment in the development of the agriculture industry in the country." Selected from 55 clones from 2005-2007, the new breed can produce 109.83 grams of tubers per plant, or 10-11 tons per hectare. It is resistant to late blight, a disease that causes serious damage to potato leaves, stems and tubers in the field, and can produce "large, uniform and oval-shaped, light-brown and smooth-skinned tubers with dry matter content of 20-21 percent." Also, it has a high return on investment. "For every peso of investment, the farmer will gain fifty centavos," according to the BSU's Northern Philippines Root Crops Research Training Center (NPRCRTC). The NPRCRTC has recommended the new potato variety as the best for organic or non-chemical fertilizer-pesticide production. Meanwhile, Mrs Arroyo went marketing at Baguio City's public market and was elated to find it amply stocked with low-priced staple food from the government-run National Food Authority (NFA). Mrs Arroyo earlier ordered P1.5 billion for the government's seed support program for farmers, particularly the acquisition of hybrid seeds that yield 4.5 tons per hectare or one ton more than just "good seeds." An additional 5,000 hectares of rice fields in 10 of the country's poorest provinces are to be planted to rice, while 5,000 hectares more would be planted to rice in other provinces. The government's "Serbisyo Muna" caravan went to La Trinidad, Benguet with Mrs Arroyo arriving at the Puguis Elementary School with granddaughters Mikaela and Monique to hand out goodies and government services to farmers. She awarded two certificates to operate Botika ng Barangay each worth P20,000 of assorted medicines for barangays Lamtang and Longlong of La Trinidad. The package of medicines included vitamin A and Merbendazole tablets for the school children of Puguis Elementary School, and medicines and vitamins for pregnant women. Also, she awarded 3,177 PhilHealth cards for the 13 Benguet municipalities of Atok, Bakun, Bokod, Buguias, Kabayan, Kapangan, Itogon, La Trinidad, Mankayan, Sablan, Tuba, Tublay and Kibungan. She also distributed 78 certificates to operate Tindahan Natin to make sure that the poor could easily buy cheap and quality National Food Authority (NFA) rice and other commodities, as well as a P100,000 Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran check for solo parents in the province to enable them to start a small business. Eighty-five vouchers for PGMA Training for Work Scholarship Program, five Galing Masahista Ako and Galing Mekaniko Ako kits were also handed out to augment the income of the poor farming families in the area. Mrs Arroyo also released P4.365 million as initial government funding to increase the income of farmers and make it easier for them to transport their produce to the markets, notably in Metro Manila. The agriculture department issued another check worth P400,000 as financial support to the agricultural profiling of the vegetable industry in the province and 1,000 packs of assorted vegetable seeds. Mrs Arroyo also awarded five certificates of agricultural tramlines to cooperatives in Bontoc province to enhance the transport of their produce from upland farms to the main roads and ultimately to the vegetable markets. She distributed 398 sets of English reading materials on top of 45 other sets with 26 subtitles and Volumes 1 and 2 reading manuals. Likewise distributed was vitamin A fortified rice to school children of Puguis Elementary School. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) and the Department of Health (DOH) set up a free medical and dental mission, while the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) also set up a booth to enable the residents to call their relatives abroad for three minutes free of charge. - GMANews.TV