September 1 - 15, 2016
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY
A19
Legarda Files Anew Bill to Maximize Benefits of Malunggay
Senator Loren Legarda
has re-filed a proposed measure
that will allow the government to
maximize the uses and benefits
of malunggay.
Senate Bill No. 418,
or the proposed Malunggay
Develeopment Act, aims to spur
the production, processing,
marketing and distribution of
malunggay in suitable areas
around the country in order to
acquire its benefits.
“Malunggay is one of
the most useful tropical trees.
The relative ease with which it
propagates through both sexual
and asexual means and its low
demand for soil nutrients and
water after being planted makes
its production and management
easy,” said Legarda.
Malunggay’s young leaves
are edible and are commonly
cooked and eaten like spinach
or used to make soups and
salads. They are an exceptionally
good source of provitamin A,
vitamins B, and C, iron, and the
sulphur-containing amino acids
methionine and cystine. The dry
seeds can be ground to a powder
and used for seasoning sauces,
while the roots from young plants
can be dried and ground for use
as a hot seasoning base.
“Because of the many uses
of malunggay, the government
should formulate a sustainable
framework for development
that will serve as guide to the
formulation and implementation
of plans, programs and projects
for the production, marketing,
processing and distribution of
malunggay for food, medicinal,
health and commercial needs.
This is the goal of the proposed
measure I filed,” said Legarda.
Under SBN 418, such
framework for development will be
formulated by the Department of
Agriculture (DA), in consultation
with the Department of Trade
and Industry (DTI), Department
of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR), farmer’s
groups, local government units,
and the private sector.
The DA, in coordination
with DENR, and the municipal
government concerned, will
identify the broad areas suitable
for the planting and propagation
of malunggay.
The bill also seeks
to establish a Malunggay
Development Fund to provide
for the funding requirements for
the production, marketing and
processing of malunggay.
Office of Senator Loren Legarda
RM.209, Senate of the Philippines,
G