On September 30, 2021 DA-NorMin installs the new RAFC chairperson in the person of Reynaldo M. Cabanao.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY- The Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao (DA-RFO 10) installed Reynaldo M. Cabanao, as the new Regional Agricultural and Fisheries Council (RAFC) chairperson on September 30, 2021.

Cabanao is the current Asian Farmers Regional Network-Philippines president and incumbent board of director for Region 10 of the PhilMaize Federation, Inc. replacing Professor Edgardo D. Layug, who had a 13-year stint as a chairperson and is recently honored as AFC chairperson emeritus, the highest title conferred to an AFC chairperson serving ten years and more.

Cabanao was nominated and duly endorsed by the council members and will take the seat for a year.

“I have big shoes to fill in since Chair Emeritus Layug has made notable contributions for the agri-fishery sector during his chairmanship,” Cabanao expressed.

He further committed to building a more synergized council in collaboration with more stakeholders, continually encourage and toughen capacities thru a more involved and collective governance.

Further, he emphasized upholding a multi-stakeholder commitment, transparency, and accountability in policy and program development processes towards agricultural development.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado led the installation, providing insights of more mobilized and empowered partners under the OneDA reform agenda key strategies.

Dir. Collado added, that the Council will be a great help in realizing and implementing those guided strategies and build more developed and driven agriculture.

RAFC is a consulting body with strong, vibrant, and visible private sector partners responsible for the attainment of a conducive policy environment towards the globally competitive and sustainable agriculture and fisheries sector. # (JCAnito)

DA-10 RED Collado urges OFIS to invest in NorMin agriculture during the Trabaho Negosyo Kabuhayan Webinar.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado of the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) urged Overseas Filipino Investors (OFIs) to invest in Northern Mindanao specifically in the agriculture sector, as he graced the Trabaho Negosyo Kabuhayan (TNK) Webinar organized by the Philippine Trade and Investment Center based in Washington DC, USA, on Wednesday, September 29.

Director Collado puts forward convincing growth and promising potentials in the region’s agriculture sector as key investment consideration for OFIs based in the US.

Northern Mindanao is an ideal business location.

The region serves as gateway to various parts of Mindanao and offers key investment advantages such as vast agricultural lands, rich natural resources, expansive road networks, presence of power generation services, and huge potential for industrial development.

Director Collado said OFIs may consider investing in agriculture in the region in many ways. “For one they can utilize the land they have acquired (to start agribusiness) through their relatives. Second, they can lease their lands to big corporations who are engaging in the production of pineapple, papaya, banana and other crops or become a (contract) grower”.

“We can also link them to the LGUs who are in need of property to establish their technology demonstration farms. They can enter into profit-sharing scheme with the said LGUs” he furthered.

Having solidified the region’s reputation as one of the top producers of pineapple, coconut oil, high value crops, fiber-based products, hogs, cattle, goat, carabao and duck, the DA-10 is now priming Coffee and Adlai production as the next-big-things in the region, and potential investment opportunities for overseas Filipinos.

Adlai, a healthy staple substitute to rice and corn now being commercially produced in the region after extensively introduced by the DA-10 to local farmers.

While Robusta and Arabica coffee varieties are massively grown in Bukidnon, predominantly by Indigenous Peoples farmers.

To date, the agency has been providing various production, processing and marketing assistance to spur investment in Adlai and coffee production in the region.

“DA is implementing the OneDA approach wherein DA and its attached agencies, bureaus and corporations are involved in the implementation of projects, so that we can better help the farmers and would-be investors with their needs” Director Collado said.

He also underscored the OneDA family’s initiatives in providing its stakeholders agri-fishery interventions such as farm inputs, infrastructure, machineries and equipment, credit facilities and technical assistance to up the region’s agri-fishery sector.

The TNK Webinar is an avenue to help OFIs to explore investment opportunities back home, particularly in regions favorable for agriculture-related ventures, seizing the silver lining in the midst of the lingering pandemic, and contribute to the country’s economic recovery.# (ATalib)

DA-10 RED Collado administers the oathtaking of the agency’s newly promoted employees.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado led the oathtaking of Eleazar A. Jumalon as Agricultural Technician I and Helen M. Roldan as Agriculturist II on October 1, 2021.

Eleazar A. Jumalon, a former contract of service worker, will take his position at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex (NMACLRC) under DA-10’s Research Division.

Promoted Agriculturist II, Helen M. Roldan will remain in the agency’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division.

This is the ninth batch of promoted employees for this year of the agency.

Also witnessing the ceremony are DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations and at the same time, the Human Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Board Chair Carlota S. Madriaga, OIC-Administrative and Finance Division Chief Patrick Ian F. Pedarse along with the division chiefs and other staff.# (JCAnito)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao (DA-RFO 10) handed over 16 heads cattle of upgraded female/heifer Brahman bloodline amounting to P799,200 to various tribal groups regionwide.

From Bukidnon province, the recipients are the Tagoloan Mulahaya Kabulakagan Agriculture Cooperative of Malaybalay City and Higaonon tribe of Impasug-ong town; and the Subanen tribe of Plaridel, Misamis Occidental, where each group received 4 heads.

Likewise, four heads were provided to the Bayug-Iligan Ancestral Domain-Higaonon Tribe of Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, which at the same time serves as the agency’s support to Executive Order No. 70, establishing the whole-of-nation approach to end local communist armed conflict (ELCAC) in said area.

Particularly, the interventions are funded under the agency’s Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4Ks), a comprehensive program targeted for the improvement of tribal communities aiming to capacitate and empower IPs through community organizing, agricultural skills training and workshops to intensify knowledge and productivity.

4Ks is a three-year special project of DA where it provides assistance to the Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) and Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in the form of agricultural and fisheries-related livelihood opportunities.# (JCAnito)

DA-10 under the helm of RED Collado emerges as one of the NorMin RDC Amihanan recipients for this year.

The Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 10 through the headship of Regional Executive Director, Carlene C. Collado, hailed among the recipients of the Northern Mindanao Regional Development Council Amihanan Awards this year.

The awards honor outstanding members of the RDC-X who demonstrated unwavering commitment and embodied excellence in carrying out the Council’s mandated functions to drive the region’s economic growth and development.

With the theme “Advancing Regional Development amid the Pandemic”, the awards particularly cited outstanding RDC-X members’ exemplary effort in implementing timely, relevant, and responsive programs, projects, and activities to mitigate poverty, conflict, and public crisis in the region.# (ATalib)

DA-NorMin thru its SAAD program holds an equipment operation demo for benefiting FAs in MisOcc. (Photo credits: POC-MisOcc)

OROQUIETA CITY, September 22 – The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development 10 (DA-SAAD 10) conducted an equipment operation demonstration to farmer’s association (FA)-recipients for the 14 units hand tractor/multi-crop cultivator, held in Oroquieta City.

Said equipment, amounting to P2.99 million will be given to 10 FAs which will benefit more than 500 farmer-members, particularly those producing high value crops to increase vegetable production in the region.

In an interview with DA-SAAD 10 Focal Person Lana Mae S. Racines, she emphasized the importance of conducting the said demo, which was done with the assistance of the Provincial Operations Center and Provincial Agriculture’s Office of Misamis Occidental.

“We wanted to capacitate our beneficiaries on how to use the equipment properly before handing them over to avoid misuse of the equipment that can lead to its damage. At the same time, we want to empower themselves in the upkeep of the equipment and to save up for the purpose of hiring laborers,” she detailed.

Racines added, that the agency also eyes for the use of such equipment, not only for food production but also as an enterprise by the benefiting FAs.

“They can have it rented in order to generate extra income and also have a source of funds for its maintenance while extending help to their fellow farmers,” she said.

SAAD is a locally funded program intended to alleviate poverty among those considered the poorest of the poor. # (CRSeraspe)

LACOFA receives 1 unit coffee depulper from DA-SAAD 10, of which the turnover was facilitated by LGU Lantapan thru its MAO.  

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The local government of Lantapan, Bukidnon through the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development -10 (DA-SAAD 10) handed over one unit of coffee depulper worth P64,000 to the Lantapan Coffee Farmers Association (LACOFA) on September 13, 2021.

Neptali C. Ambos, Lantapan municipal agriculturist shared, “There are many coffee farmers in Lantapan, but there are only few coffee depulpers available in the municipality, which is why the association is very thankful to DA-SAAD 10 for giving this intervention.”

Ambos added, that even before the turnover, there were already farmers who expressed their desire to avail the use of the machinery.

“Said machinery is a great help in generating income, at the same time help the coffee farmers to become more productive,” said Ambos.

On the same turnover ceremony, the Provincial Agriculture Office of Bukidnon, being a National Quality Corn Achievers awardee, also gave one unit of corn sheller to the Capitan Juan Farmers Association.

Capitan Juan is a very far barangay from the town where farmers have to travel just for their produce to be processed.

Accordingly, with the corn sheller, they can save their money for transport and instead use it for other expenses.

“We are very thankful to DA-10 under the leadership of Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado for the interventions that they have given to our municipality. On behalf of LGU Lantapan and our Mayor Ernie R. Devibar, thank you so much for providing assistance to our farmers, as these will make their farming easier and more productive.” Ambos concluded. # (CRSeraspe/Photo credits: I Hearts Lantapan FB page)

DA-10 provides P556,350 worth of certified seedlings, comprising of cacao, coffee and durian, as well as cattle to the Higaonon-Maranao Tribe in sitio Kibulag, Lantud, Talakag, Bukidnon.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Around 800 members of the Higaonon-Maranao Tribe in sitio Kibulag, Lantud, Talakag, Bukidnon will benefit the agri assistance worth P556,350 from the Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao (DA-RFO 10).

The provision of certified seedlings and cattle is part of the agency’s commitment in support to Executive Order No. 70, instituting the whole-of-nation approach to end local communist armed conflict (ELCAC) in said area.

Sultan Abdul Amoran, Indigenous Peoples (IP) leader of the Maranao-Higaonon tribe received around P356,550 worth of agri interventions comprising of certified planting materials of cacao (7,000 pieces), Robusta coffee (2,500 pieces), and durian (2,000 pieces).

He also received four heads of cattle (female/heifer upgraded Brahman bloodline) amounting to P199,800.

In 2020, the agency provided agri interventions to the community worth P1.9 million in support of the Poverty Reduction, Livelihood, and Employment Cluster of the Regional Task Force –ELCAC in the fight against local insurgency.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado shared, “A robust agricultural development can contribute to peace and development; thus, we provide agri development services beyond boundaries.”

Such provisions are funded under the agency’s High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) and Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4K) program, a comprehensive program intended for the development of the tribal communities. #(ATCabig)

R-10’s agri dept inks MOA with DBP for the SLF to provide salary loans to its qualified employees.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – On September 14, the Department of Agriculture – 10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) represented by Branch Manager Arvin C. Simbajon of DBP Capistrano for the Salary Loan Facility (SLF) aimed at providing financial assistance thru salary loans to qualified employees of the agency.

An orientation for the employees will be later set and be administered by the Personnel Section of DA-10 with the loans in-charge of DBP.

Present in the MOA signing is OIC-Administrative and Finance Division Patrick Ian F. Pedarse, in the presence of Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division Chief, Larry E. Paraluman. # (JCAnito)

DA-10 inspects the delivery of cacao seedlings for MisOcc to ensure they are of quality planting materials to be provided to its intended recipients to Oroquieta City, Concepcion and Plaridel.

On September 9, 2021, a member from the inspectorate team of the Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao inspected the delivery of certified cacao seedlings with a total worth of P600,000.00 for Misamis Occidental province.

Funded by the High Value Crops Development and Special Area for Agricultural Development programs, said activity was undertaken to ensure that the right quantity of planting materials was delivered and have met the technical standards set forth by the agency, which includes among others, being produced thru asexual propagation, and tagged and certified by the Bureau of Plant and Industry – National Seed Quality Control Services.

Cited planting materials which came in UF18 and BR25 varieties are set to be turned over to the recipients by third week of September, with the following allocation: 10,000 pieces to Oroquieta City, Concepcion (5,000), and Plaridel with 10,000 pieces.

Such provision which can cover 50 hectares of land to be planted, is also intended to help the province’s target of becoming the cacao capital in Northern Mindanao. # (JLO/Photo supplied)