#Paoay Atok Benguet

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THE SEMIDARKNESS The gods reveal themselves at the fall of the twilight curtain.

All creatures let go of everything that binds them

And turn their gaze at the sunward blaze.

Out of the nightfall’s flame, silence follows.

Stars carry on the show

And wait for the Moon to unveil the daybreak.

Oh, Mystic Earth, was there ever a spectacle as grand as this?

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Frost phenomenon should not affect veggie prices: Atok mayor

#PHnews: Frost phenomenon should not affect veggie prices: Atok mayor

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The frost that is being experienced in Atok, Benguet whenever the temperature drops is not a reason for vegetable prices to increase.

Mayor Raymundo Sarac of Atok said Tuesday their town has been known for the frost phenomenon which some unscrupulous big and small vegetable traders use in jacking-up vegetable prices.

He said the area affected whenever the frost phenomenon is experienced is only about 1,000 square meters of vegetable gardens in Barangay Paoay.

“(Just) a portion of Barangay Paoay, 2 percent of the barangay only where frost happens,” he said.

The frost phenomenon is the freezing of dew because of the low temperature in an area. It is usually experienced on the last week of December and other days of January and February.

The mayor said that when there is frost, it does not mean vegetables are damaged because the farmers have already learned how to handle the situation.

Sarac assured the public that the frost phenomenon does not affect the supply thus should not also affect the prices.

He also said that farmers in the area have learned not to plant leafy vegetables during the cold season to avoid being damaged by the frost phenomenon.

“Doon, alam na ng farmers tinatanim nila so 'yung mga tanim na hindi pwedeng masira pag may frost (farmers there already know what to plant like those that will not be damaged due to frost) like carrots. The farmers do not even worry anymore because they have gotten used to the phenomenon and already know what to plant for the season,” the mayor said in Ilocano.

He also said that farmers have installed the rain bust, an automatic rotating watering system that washes-off the ice on the leaves. Watering is done in the early morning to prevent the sun from heating the leaves covered with ice, which causes wilting.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Benguet province produces about 80 to 85 percent of the highland vegetable needs of the Philippines. The town of Buguias is the top producer, followed by Atok, Mankayan, and others.

Sarac said that about 15 to 20 percent of the total highland vegetable production in Benguet is produced in Atok. (PNA) 

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References:

* Philippine News Agency. "Frost phenomenon should not affect veggie prices: Atok mayor." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1128610 (accessed January 27, 2021 at 02:31AM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "Frost phenomenon should not affect veggie prices: Atok mayor." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1128610 (archived).

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[phgq]

Atok farmers have learned to deal with frost, Mayor says 

#PHinfo: Atok farmers have learned to deal with frost, Mayor says 

ATOK, Benguet, Feb. 9 (PIA) -- The occurrence of frost in this municipality is a normal scenario which farmers deal with during the colder months of the year.

Mayor Raymundo Sarac said some farms in the municipality particularly in parts of Sitio Paoay Proper in Barangay Paoay   have been experiencing  frost occurrences  since January  with temperature dipping to as low as  6°C. The mayor said that based on the reports by the local government unit, the damage of frost to the farmlands is only less than one percent which does not affect the production of vegetables.

When frost locally called “andap” occurs, thin layer of ice forms into the plants which could damage vegetables including root crops which wither and get burned when it gets hit by sunlight. Frost can be observed early morning around 4:00 AM but slowly dries up when the sun shines over the affected areas.

Atok Mayor Raymundo Sarac said that frost occurrence is normal and farmers are knowledgeable on how they manage the situation. RMC PIA-CAR 

 With the “andap” occurrence in the municipality during the colder months from December to February, farmers have learned to deal with it to   ensure that their vegetable produce will not be damaged badly.

  “Alam na ng mga farmers natin ang kanilang gagawin tuwing may frost sa Atok, hindi nila pinababayaang masira ang gulay at pananim nila,” Sarac said.

Over the years, farmers have learned ways of countering frost   minimizing   its impact to vegetable farms and vegetable production. The common remedy to remove frost in vegetables thru the use of water sprinklers before sunlight hits, he added.

 The Department of Agriculture and the LGU have also built of mini dams and provided water hoses from a creek in Paoay to the different farms as interventions.  Sarac said the farmers now   also know what vegetable varieties to plant during this time of the year.

“Andap does not even affect the whole of Atok or the whole of Paoay but only portions of Sitio Proper Paoay,” he said.

He stressed that since the frost does not affect the vegetable production, prices of highland vegetables being sold in the market should not be affected. Vegetable prices still should be based on the law of supply and demand, Sarac said as he called the attention of entrepreneurs who take advantage of the situation.

The frost occurrence has also become one of the tourism attractions of the municipality. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic tourism activities in the municipality  this year are still closed. (JDP/RMC- PIA CAR)

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References:

* Philippine Information Agency. "Atok farmers have learned to deal with frost, Mayor says ." Philippine Information Agency. https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1066249 (accessed February 09, 2021 at 04:36PM UTC+08).

* Philippine Infornation Agency. "Atok farmers have learned to deal with frost, Mayor says ." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1066249 (archived).

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One fine day

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Chester

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A WALK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD The last batch for my January 2014 blog featuring the place where i spent most of life. These images were taken during a 2-day walk in the neighborhood with my cousin and walking-buddy, Chester.  

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SHARDS OF MEMORY

… from which I owe my love for photography.

The passing of time changes so many things that attempts to recreate images from my childhood are largely futile. Much of which are lost forever as a result of changes in landscapes, agricultural practices, lifestyle, values, disappearances of living things and departures of significant people. How ridiculous of me to try duplicate yesterday’s memories from that of what we now have. Of course no episodes are ever the same. Children grow up. Even the hues during sunsets, the clouds that envelop the mountains, the first light of the day that hits your bedroom, the whooping rains on the roof, the crawling insects that scares the hell out of us, the dandelions that stick to our clothes, the lush grasses that carpet the pathway, the crying goat that seeks shelter when it rains, and the barking dog to a stranger will always be unique on their own. Even life's simplicity and complications are never the same. Everything is bound to be lost forever when paid no attention at all. 

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FROSTY ATOK Benguet, particularly my hometown Atok, is one of those areas in the country that offers the coldest temperature. The coldest months usually start from December and may last ‘til late February to early March. During these times, we experience frosts as a result of extremely low temperature.

I have a fond memory of frost from my younger years. In those times, the frosts were much worse than what we now experience as the turn of the century began experiencing climate change. During my elementary years, water from faucet doesn't usually come out because water trapped in the hose turned into ice. I recall that we would often put water on cups outside the house at night and find them frozen in the morning. Those with sugar are consumed like candies but those plain water which turned into ice were collected and brought to school. No household owned a refrigerator during those years, so these months were anticipated for the ice crystals we find on our way to school.Before the flag ceremony, anybody can be victimized by someone who would sneak the ice inside ones clothes which can be quite throbbing because of the chilly effect. In my high school years, I walked from home to school at around 4:30 or 5:00 AM. It was during these months that I particularly enjoy the walk because aside from the crunchy sounds they produce while stepping on the grass, my shoes were also spared from getting wet because dew had been frozen. But “ice months” aren't always glorious because these are times of chapped lips, irritated skin and runny nose.

But gone are those days. Today, only few portions are affected by frosts and it seem impossible to turn water into ice.

Aside from Atok, the towns of Madaymen in Kibungan and Mt. Pulag are also other places I know which are affected by frost of this extent.

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Home

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I do not wish you an easy life because that would be a life devoid of adventure.  I hope you realize that the beauty of life may also spring from difficulties.  May you learn to appreciate life not from material abundance but from the lack of it.  I couldn’t care less if you’re not an honor student, rather strive to be a kinder person.  May you gain more friends and playmates rather than toys and attention.  And in your adulthood, when harsh realities of life strike you, may the joy of your childhood memories soothe you.