MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – The 403rd Infantry (Peacemaker) Brigade, 4ID, Philippine Army receives agricultural interventions worth P215k from the Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao funded under its Special Area for Agricultural  Development (SAAD) Program.

On April 30, DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado turned over 80 bags of complete fertilizer, 60 bags of Urea, 20 bags of Potash and 50 bags of cracked corn to Col Jose Arn M. Real MNSA GSC (MI) PA on behalf of BGEN Ferdinand T Barandon INF (GSC) PA, in support to Executive Order 70 or whole-of-nation approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC).

Col Real shared, “Akoy nagpapasalamat sa DA Region-10 sa patuloy na pagsuporta sa programang ELCAC. Malaki ang maitutulong na mga ibinigay na fertilizer, feeds at iba pang mga implements for our farm, which benefits the indigenous people and former rebels in our community.”

Director Collado emphasized, that said interventions is just one of the department’s assistance provided to the Philippine Army as part of its commitment to ELCAC.

The agri-inputs will be distributed to former rebel communities that is being supported by the 403rd IB and its units.#(RBermudo)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) thru the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) continues to support the farmers and fishers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) with the Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Inclusive Food Supply Chain program.

On Tuesday, April 27, DA-RFO 10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado handed the check amounting to P900,000 to Paglingkawas Women’s Federation (PAWFED) represented by Chief Executive Officer Blenda M. Desierto for the procurement of 1 unit utility van.

Funded under Bayanihan Act II, PAWFED has availed a total of P1 million financial grant under said program.

The Enhanced Kadiwa primarily aims to support qualified FCAs, who act as an assembler, consolidator or distributor of food commodities thru Kadiwa retail stores.

RED Collado noted, that the remaining 10 percent will be released after completing its liquidation of the 90 percent initial allocation [P900,000.00].

He assured, that the group can still avail other programs of DA to scale up their farming endeavors, especially on the marketing aspect.

Meanwhile, Desierto said, the vehicle will be used for the rolling store, where they can market the produce of local farmers and fishers directly to the consumers in the different barangays of Kauswagan and all other towns of Lanao del Norte.

“Dako kaayong ikatabang ang maong programa, hilabina karon sa panahon sa pandemya diin kadaghanan sa mga konsumante galikay sa pagsulod sa mga pampublikong merkado aron mahilayu sa sakit nga COVID-19. Pinaagi sa dugang nga tabang pinansyal sa DA Enhanced Kadiwa program, makapalit na kami og usa ka utility van nga among magamit sa paghatod ug pagbaligya ngadto sa mga kabaranggayan, sa mga preskong utanon, prutas, isda, karne ug uban pa, sa presyo nga mas barato,” she expressed.

[The program is beneficial, especially during this pandemic, where most consumers refrain from entering public markets, which are usually crowded amid the COVID-19 health crisis. With this DA financial grant of Enhanced Kadiwa program, we can purchase a utility van that will be used to bring our fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, pork, beef, poultry products, among others for sale, at reasonable prices.]

Currently, PAWFED has a total of 1,600 members from across Lanao del Norte, and has consistently been recognized as Most Outstanding Barangay Food Terminal in the region since 2014 until present.

According to DA-10 AMAD OIC-Chief Larry L. Paraluman, aside from PAWFED, four other FCAs in the region have availed the Enhanced Kadiwa financial grant under Bayanihan I and II, starting last year.# (EMBentulan)

On April 26, DA-NorMin releases P746,886.00 to Shamus Farm, which serves as the gov’t’s transpo assistance for their shipment of hogs to Metro Manila to help stabilize its local retail pork prices.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao releases on April 26 its transportation assistance to Shamus Farm for its first two shipments of hogs with a total of 35,566 kilograms to Metro Manila within 60-day price ceiling.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado handed two checks with a total amount of P746,886 to Leon G. Tan, Jr., owner of Shamus Farm and the President of the Northern Mindanao Hog Raisers Association, Inc. (NORMINHOG).

In February, DA issued a memorandum for transport support for live pigs from Visayas and Mindanao to Metro Manila to help stabilize its local retail pork prices.

“This is such a huge help to us, hog raisers, that the transportation cost was subsidized. We are happy that the agri department was able to deliver their promise of helping our hog raisers and provide food to areas that are greatly in need especially in time of the ASF and pandemic,” said Tan.

Other hog suppliers in Northern Mindanao will soon receive the reimbursement of their transpo assistance once they have complied and process the necessary requirements.#(CSeraspe)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The local government of Tubod, Lanao del Norte and Mindanao State University – Lanao del Norte Agricultural College (MSU-LNAC) in Sultan Naga Dimaporo, LDN each received P5 million worth of projects for the establishment of Goat Multiplier Breeder Farm project in their localities from the Department of Agriculture -10 on April 28.

Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado turned over said checks to the beneficiaries represented by Tubod Municipal Administrator Margarito D. Bete, Jr. and MSU-LNAC Head Dr. Indihra B. Dimaporo-Tawantawan, Al-Hadja with an aim to improve the goat industry of the province.

Funded under DA’s National Livestock Program, the goat multiplier project comprised the following components: goat breeders worth P1.53 million, supplies (P500,000), equipment (P815,000) and farm housing facilities amounting to P2.1 million and admin cost (P50,000).

RED Collado urged them to fast track their procurement and the availability of their pasture to aid in upgrading goat breeds which could contribute to the small ruminants industry of said towns.

He also encouraged them to avail DA’s assistance for sorghum production, as an alternative nutritious and economical feeds to poultry and livestock farming.

Administrator Bete expressed, that DA’s initiative is very helpful to their community, not only to provide livelihood to farmers, but also populate high-grade small ruminants in their municipality.

Tawantawan said, they can showcase the multiplier farm to their agriculture students, farmers and other interested individuals being a service provider and learning site in SND.

DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga advised them to collaborate with the Provincial Agriculture’s Office of LDN to come up with a proposal for the establishment of a Halal Slaughterhouse, which can be a pilot project in the region.

Of which is covered under DA Memorandum Order No.34, Enterprise Development through Establishment of Sustainable Livestock and Poultry Halal Multiplier Farms.

To further augment their income, DA-10 Livestock Program Coordinator Maria Lourdes M. Sypiecco shared, they can venture to other value adding products of goat like dairy products and soap making. # (EMBentulan)

On April 26, four NorMin FCAs receive financial grants under DA’s Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Inclusive Food Supply Chain program.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) handed in P7.2 million worth of checks to four Farmer’s Cooperative and Associations (FCAs) in Northern Mindanao for the Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Inclusive Food Supply Chain Program on April 26, 2021, in this city.

Receiving P4.5 million is the Kahusayan Consumer’s Cooperative of Kitaotao, Bukidnon while Miarayon Highland Farmer’s Association in Talakag, Bukidnon, Paglingkawas Women Federation in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, and Canitoan Farmer’s Association Multipurpose Cooperative in Canitoan, Cagayan de Oro City received P900,000 each.

OIC-Chief of Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD-10) Larry E. Paraluman said, that the grant aims to uplift the FCAs in terms of enterprise.

“This financial grant aims to upgrade and enhance existing enterprises of benefiting FCAs by providing them with additional working capital, logistics, among others. With this grant, they can improve their services and run their enterprise more efficiently and provide accessibility and availability of food in their respective areas, especially in this time of the pandemic.”

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado challenged the recipients to properly manage their grant to avail more assistance from the department soon.

“I hope that you can properly implement the assistance that the department has given you so you can still avail for more grants and projects from DA in the future. By that time, we are confident that with your capabilities, we can entrust you with even bigger projects.”

The Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Inclusive Food Supply Chain Program is part of DA Secretary William D. Dar’s commitment of harnessing farmer’s participation in the food supply distribution system by scaling up their activities from production to marketing.

Said grants are funded under the Bayanihan Act II as part of the COVID-19 interventions response. # (CRSeraspe)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The agriculture department in Northern Mindanao (DA-10) convened with the organic agriculture (OA) focal persons and report officers from some of the local governments in Region 10 for the crafting of the 2022-2027 OA roadmap.

Said three-day activity which started on April 21 focused on the conduct of a workshop to lay down a blueprint for the priority programs, projects and interventions to be implemented regionwide for the cited period towards the promotion and development of OA.

With the roadmap serving as the guide, DA and its partners at the local levels eye for the attainment of RA 10068 or the OA Act of 2010’s goal of having a thriving OA industry, contributing to better farm income, improved farmers and consumers’ protection, enhanced soil fertility and farm biodiversity, and environmental protection. # (JCAnito)

DA-NorMin convenes with MisOr LGUs to help the agency have more farmers listed in the RSBSA to avail government’s assistance for agri-sector development.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – “Ensuring food security and sufficiency can be sustained if our farmer- and fisher-food producers will have ease in accessing the services and assistance provided by the government with the use of the basic data under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).”

This was stressed by Regional Technical Director Carlota S. Madriaga of the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 during the RSBSA re-orientation conducted on April 20, 2021.

RSBSA is an electronic compilation on basic information of farmers, farm laborers and fishers that serves as basis for DA in providing government-funded services that includes inputs, financial subsidies, and insurance, among others.

Reportedly, a total of 129,121 farmers and fisherfolk in Region 10 are already registered to the system up to date.

Before municipal agriculturists and encoders from the local governments (LGUs), RTD Madriaga encouraged them to lead in the holistic registration in the barangays to include all the commodities planted by farmers and fish cultured or caught by fisherfolk.

She added, this will aid the government in the equal distribution of assistance among farmers and fisherfolk across all commodities.

She also urged the participants to submit data for updating or registration to said system.

Documentary requirements for registration include: one (1) original copy and one (1) photocopy of any valid government identification card with ID number.

For registrants without valid IDs, however, a duly signed barangay certification containing his/her permanent residency should be secured.

Of which, they must present proof of farming activity, like land certificate (land title, certificate of land ownership, deed of donation, or lease of agreement) and municipal/city/ barangay business permit or geotagged photos of their farm.

Qualified to register are those Filipino citizens at least 18 years old at the time of registration and are not registered under Fisheries Registration (FishR) of the DA-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). # (MGBS)

On April 22, DA-10 releases a total of P14.67 million indemnification fund to 575 African Swine Fever (ASF)-affected hog raisers from barangay Pugaan, Iligan City.

The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) released a total of P14.67 million indemnification fund to 575 African Swine Fever (ASF)-affected hog raisers from barangay Pugaan, Iligan City.

Juliet B. Araos, DA-10 Regulatory Division chief shared, that a total of 2,934 hogs were culled, where hog raisers received P5,000 per culled hog.

“We hope that the barangay would return to being a green [ASF-free] zone,” said Araos, adding that said cash assistance seeks to encourage hog raisers to engage into alternative livelihood for the time being.

DA-10 ASF Focal Person, Dr. Julesben Caesar Maquiling stated, that the agency and the city local government unit continues to strengthen its biosecurity measures to ensure the recovery and rehabilitation for the barangay.

The first confirmed ASF case in Region 10 was recorded in November 2020, of said barangay.

On receiving the assistance, hog raiser Romeo Camanse expressed, “This is a big help in terms of livelihood. For now, I will use the money to cultivate my crops. I will also be shifting to goat and chicken raising for the meantime.”

DA -10 under the helm of Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado continues its call for the public to observe biosecurity protocols such as stepping in animal quarantine footbaths; refraining from bringing pork and its by-products from ASF-affected areas; and avoiding the practice of swill feeding to curb the spread of the virus. # (AMBManto, DA-10)

With the Mandanas ruling, LGUs are being provided with funds sourced from all ‘national taxes’ and not just limited to ‘national internal revenue taxes; thereby, paving for increased resources and greater demand for capacity and supervision at the LGUs’ level.

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) conducted the second leg of the consultation meeting with the province’s city and municipal agriculture offices in drafting the science-based Regional Agricultural and Fisheries Infrastructure and Mechanization Plan for 2022-2027.

Thru the Regional Agricultural Engineering Division (RAED) of DA-RFO 10, the two-day activity capacitated the delegates on weighing in vital agri-fishery projects as Mandanas-Garcia ruling takes effect starting in 2022.

The Mandanas ruling provides basis for which local government units (LGUs) are being provided with funds sourced from all ‘national taxes’ and not just limited to ‘national internal revenue taxes; thereby, paving for increased resources and greater demand for capacity and supervision at the LGUs’ level.

Said activity is also in line with the goals of the Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) of 1997, and the Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization (AFMech) law.

According to Engr. Deliza T. Camaro, RAED assistant chief of DA-RFO 10, the AFMA and AFMech Law aim to modernize and mechanize the country’s agri-fishery sector; thereby ensuring food security and poverty alleviation.

“With institutionalizing the Supreme Court ruling of the Mandanas-Garcia petition, every local government from the provincial down to the city/municipal level has to capacitate their technical staff and fill up engineer positions to facilitate technical matters on the provision, establishment, research and development of agri-fishery infrastructures, machineries, equipment, among others,” Engr. Camaro explained.

DA-RFO 10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga urged the participants to take part in capacity enhancement thru trainings aside from its eagerness to learn modern ideas and techniques that can boost the province’s agri-fishery sector which could augment the livelihood and income of farmers and fisherfolk.

With the facilitation of Engr. Romil C. Española, head of the Programs and Project Management Section of RAED, each town and city was able to account and assess their existing projects, which could help further in considering priority projects for the 2022-2027 period.

He further said, the PPMS will also visit the projects twice a year to gauge its significance to the farmer-beneficiaries for further improvement.

Next conduct of said activity will be in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental, while its first batch was already held in Misamis Oriental on March 17, this year.# (EMBentulan)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Department of Agriculture –10 (DA-10) Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado met with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) Branch Head Senior Assistant Vice President Mary Joyce B. Salgados to discuss on the fertilizer e-voucher system under DA’s Rice Resiliency Project (RRP) II on April 20, 2021.

Along with its Rice Program and Administrative and Finance Division, the meeting seeks to prepare initial steps on the implementation of the said project.

Of which, rice farmers will be provided with e-vouchers which they will present to different accredited merchants for them to claim their fertilizer assistance.

Dir. Collado stated, said program aims to boost the country’s rice production amidst the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. # (AMBManto, DA-10)