Grains - 3rd Quarter : 2012 - NFA
Grains - 3rd Quarter : 2012 - NFA
Grains - 3rd Quarter : 2012 - NFA
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
18 Features<br />
Call time was set at 5:00 am<br />
at the Legazpi Pier. <strong>NFA</strong> Team from<br />
Region 5 and Albay Provincial Office<br />
including myself arrived at the<br />
appointed place ahead of time with our<br />
bags packed with clothes and some<br />
food stuffs ready for an overnight stay<br />
at Rapu-Rapu Island where an advocacy<br />
on I-Rice feeding activity and livelihood<br />
seminars are to be conducted in two<br />
barangays on July 5, <strong>2012</strong>. We were<br />
told that we will spend the night at the<br />
camp site of Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic<br />
Project (RRPP) which is jointly operated<br />
by the Rapu-Rapu Minerals Inc and<br />
Rapu-Rapu Processing Inc.<br />
The Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic<br />
Project, considered a pioneer in<br />
polymetallic mining, produces copper<br />
and zinc concentrates, with gold and<br />
silver by-products. It has a Mine<br />
Development Area (MDA) of about 180<br />
hectares in the Ungay-Malobago<br />
mineral reserve within Rapu-Rapu<br />
Island.<br />
As part of its corporate social<br />
responsibility (CSR), RRPP implements<br />
several community development<br />
programs in the municipality of Rapu-<br />
Rapu under its Community<br />
Development Assistance Program<br />
(CDAP) in partnership with local<br />
government units, government<br />
agencies, private and civic<br />
organizations. RRPP provides funds,<br />
logistics support and manpower<br />
skills to<br />
implement<br />
its CDAP<br />
programs<br />
guided by<br />
the United<br />
Nations<br />
Millennium<br />
Goals<br />
(UNMDG)<br />
and the<br />
needs of the<br />
residents.<br />
Rapu-Rapu<br />
Minerals<br />
Inc. recently<br />
received the<br />
top honors in the Social Empowerment<br />
category of the Asia Responsible<br />
Entrepreneurship Awards (AREA) <strong>2012</strong><br />
for South East Asia for implementing<br />
their Community Development<br />
Assistance Program.<br />
The <strong>NFA</strong> team, all ten of us was<br />
led by newly installed Region 5 Director,<br />
Alan Borja. All first timers, <strong>NFA</strong> team<br />
(Tay Edwin, Nelsie, Bel, APM Tonette,<br />
Aireen, Jun, Allan, Ronald and me)<br />
boarded the motorboat that will bring<br />
us to Barangays Morocborocan and<br />
Buenavista.<br />
After ironing out some hitches<br />
and completing the other members of<br />
the group that include Ms. Cecille<br />
Calleja, Rapu-Rapu Minerals, Inc. Vice<br />
President for<br />
The small paddle boat or “sibid-sibid” that takes Dir. Alan Borja and Aireen Poyatos<br />
at the shoreline of Barangay Buenavista.<br />
It’s More Fun in<br />
Rapu-Rapu with<br />
i-Rice<br />
By Ma. Cynthia L. Suarez<br />
Photos by Aireen Poyatos & Nelsie Alcantara<br />
Public Relations & Corporate Affairs and<br />
her staff, representatives from the<br />
Department of Trade and Industry,<br />
Rapu-Rapu Environment People’s<br />
Organization, National Commission on<br />
Culture and Arts, we finally left Legazpi<br />
Pier at past 6:00 in the morning while<br />
the sun began to rise. What a beautiful<br />
sight!<br />
While traversing the Albay Gulf<br />
for more than an hour, we slowly lost<br />
sight of Mayon Volcano but saw the<br />
splendor of other creations of the God<br />
Almighty as we passed by the small<br />
islands around the gulf with its green<br />
foliage. Soon, we forgot the bustling<br />
city life as serenity enveloped us in this<br />
distant island.<br />
After more than two<br />
hours of motorboat<br />
ride, we finally arrived<br />
at our first destination,<br />
Barangay<br />
Morocborocan. It is<br />
one of the 13<br />
barangays comprising<br />
the Rapu-Rapu island.<br />
The island is one of<br />
the three islands that<br />
make up the<br />
Municipality of Rapu-<br />
Rapu. The town was<br />
classified as a 4 th class<br />
municipality in the<br />
province of Albay<br />
prior to the<br />
operations of the<br />
mine; in 2009 it was<br />
reclassified as a<br />
second class<br />
municipality. The<br />
other two are<br />
Batan Island and<br />
Guinayan Island.<br />
Upon<br />
alighting at<br />
Barangay