For the sustainability of the interventions under RDP-MIC, a consultation meeting was conducted for the crafting of the guidelines for its implementation, operation and maintenance.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) conducted a consultation meeting with the stakeholders of the Rural Development Project for Multi-Industry Cluster Zone (RDP-MIC) in the Philippines located in Claveria, Misamis Oriental for the crafting of the guidelines for implementation, operation, and maintenance of its interventions.

In her message, DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations and RDP-MIC Project Manager Carlota S. Madriaga said, that the consultation is important for the sustainability of the Project in the municipality of Claveria.

“When the government of Korea hands these projects to us, it will be operated by the benefiting local governments; hence, it is important to come up with operational guidelines so we can continue serving our farmers, which is our very goal in starting this Project.”

Meanwhile, Sea Chol-Son, project manager of Dong IL Engineering Consultants, the lead implementor of the project, hoped that the people of Claveria, particularly those from the benefiting barangays, will be able to manage the facilities well so they can use them for a long time.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado shared that totaling to P117.9-million, RDP-MIC is implemented through a fund grant by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs through the Korea Rural Community, Corp., and the Philippine government through DA, provincial local government of Misamis Oriental and the municipal local government of Claveria, with Dong IL Engineering Consultants as the project implementer.

Included interventions are the construction of a greenhouse, warehouse, multi-purpose covered court, and the provision of a water system in barangay Aposkahoy.

Also, construction of a farm-to-market road, multi-purpose covered court, and the provision of solar and cassava mechanical dryers in barangay Hinaplanan; and the construction of a small bridge in barangay Gumaod.

The interventions under the RDP-MIC are set to be turned over on January 18, 2022, while the training for the operational use of the facilities will be arranged beforehand.

Present in the said consultation are the barangay officials of the benefiting barangays, officials of the engineering and agriculture departments of the municipal local government of Claveria headed by Engr. Rolando M. Alfanta and Pat F. Dumaloan, respectively, representative from the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines – Claveria Campus and DA-10 staff.# (CRSeraspe)

DA-10 preps for the implementation of the Swine Sentinel program in NorMin’s ASF-affected areas.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao is set to roll out its Swine Sentinel Program in identified ASF-plagued areas in the region, in the first quarter of this year.

In a meeting on Friday, January 7, the DA-10 ASF Task Force led by Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado will pilot the program in identified areas in the region, mainly considering the LGUs’ readiness and capacity to implement ASF rehabilitation programs.

Under the said program, qualified ASF-affected hog raisers will be provided with a total of 945 sentinel hogs which they may raise while their locations are under probation period, and close monitoring by the ASF Task Force for any occurrence of ASF outbreak.

Before the sentinel hogs will be distributed to the beneficiary hog raisers, cleaning and disinfection of their area within a 30-day period must be carried out with the supervision of the LGUs.

Thereafter, a 20-day environmental swabbing will be undertaken by the DA-10 through its Regulatory Division along with the LGUs. In which, samples will be tested by the agency’s Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RADDL).

The sentinel hogs will be distributed to the raisers only if their location tested negative for ASF swabbing.

Within 40 days into the Sentinel Program without any recorded ASF outbreak, the ASF-infested area may be released from quarantine, declared ASF-free, and cleared for swine repopulation.

The agency’s concerned divisions: Field Operations, Regulatory, and the Integrated Laboratories will be at the forefront of the agency’s Swine Sentinel Program as preliminary step for Swine Repopulation in ASF-hit areas.

To discuss salient steps of the DA Swine Sentinel Program, a Coordination Meeting with the LGUs is slated for January 11, 2022.

“We are currently taking major steps towards ASF recovery in the region. In hindsight, the success of this endeavor greatly hinges on the performance of our respective and collective duties. Hence, I am expecting everyone to keep their best foot forward” Director Collado addressed the DA-10 ASF Task Force.

The DA-10 ASF Recovery Program is undertaken in light of the DA Administrative Order No. 6 Series of 2021, known as the Guidelines on the Implementation of the Rehabilitation and Repopulation Assistance Program for ASF-affected and non-ASF Affected Areas.#(ATalib)

DA-10 through its Kadiwa program turns over one P690,000.00-worth utility van to TAGFA of barangay Agusan, CdeO City.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Eyed to empower more farmer cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in becoming sustainable food commodity suppliers, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office turned over a utility van worth P690,000 to the Tagpuangi Fisherfolks Association (TAGFA) of barangay Agusan, this city.

On January 4, DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado and Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga, handed over the utility van to TAGFA President, Lilian L. Antigua.

It is funded under the Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Inclusive Food Supply Chain program.

DA-10 RED Collado requested the association to manage the turned-over van and utilize it as it is intended for.

“We continually support cooperatives and the local governments by granting working capital grants to improve their income and value-adding like packaging, among others,” he added.

Meanwhile, Antigua conveyed, that said aid is of great support in intensifying their market reach and in producing additional income for the association.

She added that the vehicle will be used for the delivery of their farm and fish products in the different barangays of Cagayan de Oro and all other neighboring municipalities within Misamis Oriental.

“Sa bag-ong tuig, bag-ong oportunidad ang gitugyan sa ahensya kanamo para sa ikalambo pa sa among asosasyon.” Antigua said.

[This New Year, a new opportunity has been given by the Department of Agriculture for further progress and the improvement of our association.]

The Enhanced Kadiwa Grant aims to capacitate FCAs to take on more roles in the value chain. # (JCAnito)

DA-10 thru RED Collado signs MOU in support of EPAHP.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 through Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, inks the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in support of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) in Northern Mindanao on January 4, 2022, at the agency compound, here in the city of Cagayan de Oro.

Said signing forms part of the MOU made and entered by other different national government agencies in the region, held earlier on December 7, last year.

Of which, the collaborative efforts of the EPAHP partners are eyed to strengthen the synergy and convergence among EPAHP partners in engaging the urban and rural communities to enhance social capital and optimize economic resource base through feeding programs, food production, and livelihood programs and essential support services.

As committed by the agency, DA-10 shall provide agri-fishery inputs and services, and extend capacity building and organizational strengthening assistance.

It will also aid in pooling resources for the production, processing, and postharvest facilities of agricultural produce, and facilitate access to credit from microfinance and other credit institutions to farmers and fisherfolk, and community-based organizations.

Witnessing the signing are Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga, Special Area for Agricultural Development Focal Person Lana S. Racines, and Karl Owen C. Sayson, EPAHP Operations Monitoring Officer. #

DA-NorMin supports the urban container gardening project of barangay 14 thru the provision of assorted veggie seeds.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – To promote food security, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) turned over assorted vegetable seeds to Barangay 14 at the agency compound.

On receiving the 30 packets of pinakbet seeds, Sangguniang Kabataan chair Clark Collin L. Tejada said that they will be using these for the urban container gardening project of their barangay.

“We have been encouraging households in our barangay to practice urban container gardening. This will also lessen the plastic from our materials recovery facility (MRF). Apart from helping the environment, we are also aiming to improve the nutrition of the public, especially during this pandemic.”

He shared, that they have harvested pechay from their communal garden, out from the seeds previously provided by DA. # (AMBManto)

On December 27, Bonifacio ang Tangub City, MisOcc farmers receive cash subsidy from DA-NorMin under its RCEF-RFFA program.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – In continuing efforts to aid rice farmers, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) launched its third wave of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) program in Misamis Occidental starting Monday, December 27, 2021, in Tangub City.

Around 829 qualified rice farmers from Bonifacio and Tangub City received a total of P4.145 million worth of financial assistance under the RCEF-RFFA program.

Overall, 7,159 qualified rice farmers from the cities of Ozamiz, Tangub and Oroquieta, municipalities of Clarin, Panaon, Jimenez, Tudela, Lopez Jaena, Aloran, Sinacaban, Baliangao, Calamba, Concepcion, Sapang Dalaga, and Plaridel will benefit the program amounting to P37 million.

DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga emphasized that the RFFA program is a special subsidy granted by DA to small rice farmers tilling two-hectare rice fields or lesser and are enrolled in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado shared, the department in partnership with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), through the universal Storefront Services, Corp., each rice farmer will receive P5,000 and Interventions Monitoring Card (IMC) which can be used as an identification card and cash card.

Meanwhile, Misamis Occidental Governor Philip Tan expressed his appreciation for the financial assistance his farmer-constituents have received.

“We are grateful for having been granted with the cash assistance of DA-10, and we hope that the department will continue to give its support to our farmers and the locals to utilize the money on essential needs,” the governor said.

Leading the program is RTD Carlota S. Madriaga, MisOcc. Governor Philip T. Tan, Tangub Mayor Jennifer Tan, Provincial Agriculturist Dennis Leopoldo, DA- 10 Rice Focal Person Chona H. Nacalaban, Chief, POC MisOcc. Sansen O. Tejano and the city local government unit of Tangub.#(RDElloren)

DA-10 and its employee association send relief assistance to R-13’s typhoon-stricken communities.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Relief assistance from DA Northern Mindanao and its Employees Association has arrived in DA CARAGA in Butuan City, today December 28 for the TY Odette affected communities in Caraga.

Four vehicles loaded with assorted relief assistance comprising of 758 packs of rice (5 kgs per pack), assorted vegetables (3.5 tons squash, 4 sacks potato, 2 sacks chayote, 6 tons banana) will benefit around 1,000 individuals in Dinagat Island and Surigao del Norte Province.

Meanwhile, 1,000 gallons of water (20 liters each gallon) is on transit from Cagayan de Oro City.

DA-10 Regional Executive Carlene C. Collado said that four DA Mindanao regions will converge today in Butuan City to hand over the gathered assistance for the Caraga region, which was identified as the most affected region in Mindanao.

Dir. Collado is grateful to the President of Jejor’s Construction Corporation, Mr. Jordan G. Tiu for lending their 10-wheeler truck in transporting the water gallons, the DA-10 employees, DA Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and the Lantapan Vegetable Farmers Marketing Coop. for extending their assistance. # (ATC/Photo Credits: DA-10 and DA-13)

In a simple ceremony, DA-10 recognizes the regional winners for YFCF: Kabataang Agribiz Competitive Grant Assistance Program.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – To encourage the youth to pursue agriculture, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) recognizes its Regional Winners for the Young Farmers Challenge Fund (YFCF): Kabataang Agribiz Competitive Grant Assistance Program on December 13, 2021, held in Cagayan de Oro City.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado led the awarding of the three regional winners who each received P150K and certificate of recognition with Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga.

The three regional winners: Andre Paulo O. Paraguya (Impasugong, Bukidnon) – Bottled Fresh Milk Processing and Marketing; Gretchen G. Raiz (Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental) – Cacao Processing (Tablea and Cacao Spread); and Daryl Ann M. Gonzales (Malaybalay City, Bukidnon) – Agro-Tourism Venture through Farm Diversification.

“It is the utmost desire of DA to encourage more youth to participate in the development of the agriculture sector,” shared Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, in a video message, extending his wishes for their success in their respective endeavors.

Meanwhile, DA-10 RED Collado stressed the great need to encourage the youth to engage in crop production to ensure the country’s food security.

“Your voice and engagement in agriculture can help us introduce to more youth the potential of agriculture and what it can offer in providing solutions to poverty, by growing enough food to feed the populace,” he added.

Daryl Ann M. Gonzales, one of the shortlisted candidates for the national level competition is thankful to DA for said program and expressed, “Meron talagang pera sa agriculture. Sana meron pang YFCF version 2.0 para marami pang kabataan ang matulungan nitong proyekto.” # (AMBManto)