Batac CyberCom places 2nd in nationwide search for OpAPA best practices

Written by Bethzaida
Thursday, 02 April 2009
QTLLZAI President Enrique Rigonan presents their cybercom's best practice during the 22nd National Rice R&D Conference in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija last February 19 The Batac Cyber Community in Ilocos Norte garnered second place in the nationwide search for best practices among the twelve pilot sites of the Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture (OpAPA). Mr. Enrique Rigonan, president of the Quiling Tengnga-Laud-Libtong Zanjera Association, Inc. (QTLLZAI) which manages the Batac CyberCom, presented its best practice during the 22nd National Rice R&D Conference at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija last February 19. Late last year, each cyber community was asked to submit a documentation of its good practices for the short-listing of qualified cybercoms. The judges visited the site to verify and select the best practice of QTLLZAI. Among the five good practices submitted by the cybercom, the daily price bulletin was chosen for the competition.
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Processed products augment income of Batac CyberCom

Written by Bethzaida
Thursday, 02 April 2009
The Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture (OpAPA) project in Batac, Ilocos Norte has not limited its interventions to ICT modalities alone. It also embarked on a holistic approach to help uplift the living conditions of its beneficiaries, the members of the Quiling Tengnga-Laud-Libtong Zanjera Association, Inc. (QTLLZAI). The project also helped in conventional ways to enhance the operation of the association such as through the development of income-generating and value-adding activities. These income generating activities include processing of special rice produced by its members and selling it in the form of packaged milled rice, as well as production of Effective Microorganisms Activated Solution (EMAS), a product that enhances the decomposition of farm and household organic wastes. The week-long foundation celebration of Mariano Marcos State University in Batac served as an opportunity for QTLLZAI to promote and sell its processed products - special rice and EMAS. The additional income being earned from these products will be used in maintaining the operation of the cyber community’s computer and Internet facilities.

Written by Renon
Wednesday, 01 April 2009
It was two years ago when this Community eCenter first opened. It was a fresh concept then – connecting the people from a far flung municipality like Alegria, Cebu to the world thru the information superhighway. With just a dial-up connection and a borrowed nook from the Municipal Health Center, the center plowed on. But times, they say, are constantly changing. While the neighboring towns were speeding in the information superhighway, the center crawled on. The students, tourists and regular clients soon disappeared. Thereafter, the Provincial Government found out that the ideal place for its “Birthing Project” is the Municipal Health Building. And soon enough, the CeC was without a place, and the computers shut down. Various factors also contributed to its eventual closure. Attempts to revive it were hampered by the reluctance of service providers to put up landline subscription. Citing reasons only they can comprehend, they bypassed Alegria and focused on the neighboring towns instead.
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