The “absenous” Mayor

I HAD a conversation very recently with a farmer-businessman during the fiesta festivities of Valencia town.

From various topics, our conversation later focused on the infamous anti-GMO moves of some personalities in Bohol.

Accordingly, they are pushing for an anti-GMO in corn production in Bohol, kay, among other things, makadaot sa kinaiya, makadaot sa mga tawo, and all that makadaot thingy.

I won’t dwell on that “makadaot thing” because that is a lie and they are not telling the truth.

Makadaot diay nang ice cream, SanMig and kanang mga cakes nga gibaligya and gipalit nato kon dunay mga celebration?

Mga examples man na sila og products nga dunay sagol nga GMO.

* * *

According to the businessman, nalugi siya og 5 million plus tungod kay di na mananom ang mga farmers sa mga hybrid nga mais kay mahadlok na tungod anang mga gipanghimo sa mga anti-GMO.

Another corn farmer has shifted to other products because he is also concerned about the stance of the anti-GMO group.

Mind you, mga dagko nga mga negosyante ni sila sa Bohol nga miundang na lang og pananom og mais tungod anang mga maskulado sa anti-GMO group.

Nindot nga question sa mga taga anti-GMO – unsa may option ninyo kon di na magtanom og hybrid corn seeds ang mga farmers while at the same time ensuring stable corn production in Bohol?

* * *

Dili sila gusto og GMO diri sa Bohol.

But how about the feeds, fertilizers and the raw materials for feedmills from other provinces notably Mindanao, sure kaha sila nga walay GMO ang mosulod sa probinsiya?

In order to make corn farming profitable, many farmers have opted for hybrid varieties, in short, GMO varieties. And sure enough, abundant yield is ensured.

Good harvest means good and stable supply of corn in the market. Compared to the traditional tinigib corn, the volume of production is very substantial. Daghan og bunga, mosukol pa gyod sa mga peste, with the ultimate result being a happy farmer with an abundant corn harvest.

How about the traditional tinigib corn?

The yield is less, and very vulnerable to pests infestations too.

Dako kaayo og diperensiya ang ani kon hybrid seeds ang gamiton while gamay kaayo og abot kon tinigib ang gamiton.

Unya mao ni gustong mahitabo sa mga anti-GMO.

* * *

Nindot unta kon kining mga anti-GMO ang makig-meet sa mga mag-uuma aron i-esplikar nila ngano nga angay molikay sila sa pag-gamit og mga hybrid corn seeds.

Unya kon pangutan-on sila og asa na man sila og sarang panginabuhian, sila pod ang mohatag og unsay angay buhaton.

Ang kataw-anan pa gyod kay Bohol ray nagpadala aning lobby-lobby sa mga anti-GMO, while Cebu and Negros Oriental are using and enjoying the bounty of hybrid corn seeds.

Well, the truth is, Cebu and Negros Oriental also have their share of anti-GMO lobbyists. But the governors of the provinces are firm and have opted for bigger harvest rather than the speculative projection of the anti-GMO lobbyists.

To make the story short, way nahimo ang mga lobbyists kay they met “iron-handed” governors.

* * *

Meanwhile, two mayors were discussing about the ins and outs of the LMP.

Eventually, they settled on the fact that a “new” LMP president is expected soon.

When asked if they are okay with the new LMP president, they chorused their “okay ra man na siya.”

But the other mayor quickly said maayo unta kon tig-attend pod na siya sa mga meetings sa LMP kay opisyal god siya.

Pero sa akong nakita, di gyod tig-attend nang mayora na, bisan kon importante ang among meeting, pirming absent gyod.

Unya karon, siya nay mopuli, unsaon niya pagka-effective nga presidente kon absenous siyang daan, was the question.

The other mayor said, bitaw, maayo unta kon aktibo pod unta na siya.