3 best papers cited in ASU's in-house review

By Salvacion Villasis
RACG Representative

Three researches were named best papers in the recent annual in-house review Aug. 13–14, 2009 at the Conference Hall in Aklan State University (ASU) in Banga, Aklan.

Ailyn Q. Relojero's “Human Resource Development for Rural Advancement” topped the completed category, while Carol Joy P. Remaneses's “Eco-Health Agenda: Enhancing the State of Health and Improving Economic Status of Barangay Venturanza Residents” placed first in the on-going category. Relojero represented the College of Teacher Education (CTE) while Remaneses is a member of the School of Arts and Sciences. Meanwhile, Dr. Edna I. Gonzales's “Livelihood-Literacy Enhancement Project” topped the proposed category. Gonzales is the Dean of the College of Teacher Education (CTE).

Sought to determine the effectiveness of extension programs and projects of the different academic units, the review gathered some 24 papers authored by University extension implementers. Of these, 17 are ongoing and five were proposed while two were already completed.

The evaluation team consisted of Engr. Remelyn R. Recoter, Regional Technical Director for Operations of the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit VI (DA-RFU 6); Estela Paredes, Chief Economic Development Specialist and Ma. Isabel Blancia, Senior Economic Specialist, both of the National Economic Development Authority; Ryan P. Sastre, Agricultural Technologist of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist; and Roberto L. Saladar, ASU's Vice-President for Research and Extension.

Dr. Benny A. Palma, ASU president, stressed in his message the importance of extension in disseminating the generated technologies to the end-users. Palma considers extension work as a vital link between research and the clients. Without it, nothing will happen to the generated technologies which are mostly stored in the libraries. For Palma, the extension workers are the ones who put life and action to the generated technologies which are disseminated through various media. Palma also cited the significance of technology commercialization which is the partner of technology dissemination, through various information, education and communication (IEC) materials.

WESVARRDEC guests on ABS-CBN Iloilo

By Niño Manaog
RACG Staff

WESVARRDEC was recently featured on ABS-CBN Iloilo's "Sikat Ka, Iloilo" segment feature on July 28, 2009. Led by WESVARRDEC Consortium Director Joseph Edward Idemne of the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas, the team introduced the consortium's vision, mission and essential activities. Two also coordinators shed light on their respective committees, namely: Regional Techno Gabay Group (RTGG) Coordinator Anna Mae Relingo of Aklan State University (ASU) and Regional Management Information System Group (RMISG) Coordinator Nilo Araneta of the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas.

Hosted by anchorman Jobert Peñaflorida, the interview was the first of a series of media exposures stipulated in the Memorandum of Agreeement (MOA) signed between WESVARRDEC and ABS-CBN Iloilo this year. Heads of the consortium's member agencies, Techno Gabay team leaders, FITS centers and farmers scientists will also be featured in the upcoming programs.

Yellow ribbons color RACG training

By Cora F. Navarra
RACG Coordinator

While the whole country and part of the world were witnessing—on television if not in person—the funeral of former Philippine president, Corazon C. Aquino, the Regional Applied Communications Group (RACG) of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) convened for the August 5–6 Documentation Skills Training at the Audio-Visual Room of the Graduate and Continuing Education (GCE) Bldg. of the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas in Iloilo City.

Though it was declared national non-working holiday the funeral of former President, it was duty first before anything else for the RACG representatives, who also wanted to be part of history. Some of them even wanted at least to witness on television the funeral mass, the funeral procession and the interment.

RACG representatives of WESVARRDEC member-agencies from the different parts of Western Visayas arrived to join the RACG Coordinator and staff in the training venue.

And if only to show oneness with the entire Filipino nation in expressing respect and love for President Cory and support to her bereaved family, the training organizers tied yellow ribbons around the ball point pens included in the training kit. Some participants also came in yellow blouses and shirts.

RACG hosts documentation skills training

By Cora F. Navarra
RACG Coordinator

To enable its representatives to effectively document the best practices of the Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) including their package of technologies (POTs) and other similar materials, the Regional Applied Communications Group (RACG) of the Western Visayas Agriculture Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) conducted a Documentation Skills Training on Aug. 5–6, 2009 at the Audio-visual Room of the Graduate and Continuing Education (GCE) Bldg. in the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas in Iloilo City.

Some 11 RACG representatives from different consortium member agencies participated in the training designed to further enhance their documentation skills. These included effective listening, documenting events, taking minutes of meetings, organizing and filing hard and electronic document files. All these skills are set to help build the RACG representatives’ capability in covering activities of the consortium, its member-agencies, and the FITS Centers.

For the workshop, the participants covered the Regional Techno Gabay Group’s Third Quarter Meeting at the Farmers Information and Technological Services (FITS) at the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) Iloilo in the Iloilo Provincial Capitol. They were asked to take minutes of the meeting, write articles about the activity and take pictures to support their articles.

UP Visayas RACG representative Celia Parcon, RACG staff Niño Manaog and RACG Coordinator Cora Navarra served as resource persons. They delivered the lectures in lieu of Mr. Ruel Pagcaliwagan, RACG Focal Person from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD). Pagcaliwagan was unable to come because of an important activity at PCARRD.