Being Able To Provide, Providing To Be Able

The Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) of WESVARRDEC

By Niño S. Manaog

Regional Applied Communications

If there’s one thing common to Ramon D. Peñalosa, Jr., Rebecca C. Tubongbanua, Margarito R. Andrade and Baltazar J. Gumana, all farmer scientists of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC), it would be social responsibility. All of them have been given the gift to share what they know that can certainly make other people’s lives better.

Appointed Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) for their cutting-edge practices, these farmer scientists have continuously been developing innovative technologies and making significant contributions to the lives of their people and community.

Ramon Peñalosa, Mr. Organic

For one, Ramon Peñalosa’s passion for organic farming has inspired a growing number of agriculture enthusiasts from across the country. In the Peñalosa Farms situated in Victorias City and Manapla, Negros Occidental, Peñalosa showcases an integrated farming system where good, healthy food comes from fruits and vegetables and livestock harmoniously grown for productivity and profit. In more ways than one, Peñalosa’s constant efforts championing markets creation have helped increase awareness and even appreciation of agri-tourism in Negros Occidental. In 2009 alone, a significant increase in the number of agri-tourists coming from across the country was noted by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in Negros Occidental.

The said influx can be attributed partly to the dynamic efforts of Ramon Peñalosa, whose number of visitors to his organic farms posted one of the highest for the province. Acting more than a marketer himself, Peñalosa tours his visitors to his farm like a staunch advocate of organic farming, a technology he himself practices in the said farms. In turn, the marketer is abundantly rewarded with productivity and celebrity that both work to make him and the community prosper. Among others, WESVARRDEC takes pride in Ramon Peñalosa’s La series Technology, a good farming practice that maximizes swine production with the right procedures and attitude toward farming.

DOERS, PROVIDERS, INNOVATORS (Clockwise from top left)

Ramon Peñalosa hosts visitors in his agri tourism farm in Manapla, Negros Occidental; Baltazar Gumana tours visitors in his cutflower farm in Mali-ao, Pavia . Iloilo; Rebecca Tubongbanua poses before a Christmas tree adorned with mango seeds which were leftovers in her production in Guimaras; and Gary Andrade addresses the crowd who visited his Libas, Banga farm during the Darag Field Day hosted by Aklan State University.

Margarito Andrade, Mr. Incubator

Similarly, Margarito Andrade’s venture into the incubation technology has gained PCARRD’s nod for a Science and Technology-Based Farm (STBF) through a 1700 sqm. lot situated in Barangay Libas, Banga, Aklan. After having worked as banker for more than two decades, Andrade set to consider his innovative tendencies for some purpose. In 2003, he developed an AC-DC incubator prototype that can hatch up to 2,000 eggs at a time, a technology that helps propel darag native chicken production in theWestern Visayas. From then on, the darag chicken farm given him by PCARRD has been producing considerable amount of hardened chicks ready for raising and production.

Recently, he incubated some 200 eggs needed by Aklan State University’s Darag station for the Angara-sponsored darag native chicken project based in the Banga campus. Andrade’s original incubator concept has also attracted some following, even as it is copied by a number of enthusiasts from across Aklan and even Negros Occidental, where it was featured at the Panaad Festival by WESVARRDEC. In particular, Andrade’s advocacy on organic farming which allows for the use of natural fodder for chickens has even intensified his support in the darag native chicken initiative continuously being bannered by WESVARRDEC and PCARRD.

The Birds and Flowers of Baltazar Gumana

Meanwhile, in the outskirts of Iloilo City, Pavia-born Baltazar Gumana, a civil engineer by profession, has developed a number of practices allowing flowers (and even birds) to make for a natural therapy for the common people. An avid grower of ornamental plants including fruit-bearing trees, Gumana envisions a self-sustaining horticultural organization in Panay Island that suffices the needs of Iloilo businesses and households and trends of the covered sectors like florists and landscapists, to name a few. Gumana is a forward-thinker, always willing to take risks, all for the purpose of making people aware that horticulture is one alternative means of livelihood for farmers nowadays.

Recently he spearheaded Iloilo HORTI 2010, a ten-day plant fair-exhibit that showcased ornamental plants, herbal plants and other plant varieties produced by the members of the Horticultural Development Cooperative of Iloilo City (HDCIC), of which he is an active member. Significantly, Gumana’s is affiliation with HDCIC allows Gumana to propagate plants even as he propagates awareness among the public that active and committed involvement in horticulture affords the farmer a win-win situation even in dire times.

Rebecca Tubongbanua, Reyna ng Mangga

Then, a former chemist working for the Guimaras Foods, Inc., Rebecca Tubongbanua’s decision to focus on food processing has virtually gained fruition through the years. In 2003 she started processing mango jams on a 7,000-peso working capital. From then on, her innovative recipes have gained considerable acceptance from consumers that she expanded to several other bestselling mango processed products that continue to rake profits in Iloilo and Guimaras.

The innovation lies in Rebecca’s ability to maximize—as in, without waste—the whole mango fruit into sensible processed products. Rebecca Tubongbanua can be considered a celebrity farmer producer, wowing some national media outfits to produce for and feature her innovative home-based technology on television and newspapers. Her McNester product line which features low-sugar and sulfite-free dried mangoes and the delectable Mango ketchup has also been luring foreign buyers and investors since her business expansion was in full swing.

More important, Rebecca’s openness to change and commitment to industry has inspired her to share the technologies to other people. In countless instances, various entities from the local government units to the academe have asked her to share her know-how in these process technologies, much to the delight of students, public officials and the general public. Since her appointment as MS in 2007, Tubongbanua has generously been sharing her mango recipes, while her products constantly sell like hotcakes in local and national trade fairs and exhibits. There is no stopping Rebecca’s mangga-nimous (magnanimous) momentum these days.

In these various capacities, the farmer-scientists or Magsasaka Siyentista of WESVARRDEC very well exemplify lives well-lived because of their talents and resources being maximized for the benefit of the people in Western Visayas. All of them have a sense of purpose found in the genuine service of others, perhaps one of the best reasons for being alive.

Tanglad, ampalaya, darag studies top 20th RSRDH

By Niño S Manaog
Regional Applied Communications
WESVARRDEC

At the WESVARRDEC’s 20th Regional Symposium on Research and Development Highlights (RSRDH) hosted by the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos in Bacolod City, the research projects on lemongrass (tanglad) tea concoctions by the Central Philippine University (CPU), ampalaya’s antibacterial properties by UNO-R and production of the darag native chicken by the West Visayas State University (WVSU) reaped the top prizes.

Featuring top-caliber evaluators led by former DENR Secretary Angel Alcala, the August 13, 2010 symposium featured 23 research projects selected this year from among WESVARRDEC's 28 partner member agencies across Western Visayas.

CPU’s “Antioxidant Activity and Citral Content of Different Tea Preparations of the Above-Ground Parts of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon Citratus Stapf.)” authored by Mizpah C. Villalobos ranked first among the three judges, making it emerge as the first prize-winner in research category. UNO-R’s “Ampalaya (Momordica charantia): Its Antibacterial Effects on Staphylococcus aureus and Toxicity to Poecilia Reticulata” undertaken by Robert John Lamis and Ronnie Gicana was awarded second. No other papers qualified for the third prize as they were the only ones that passed the cut-off rating.

For the development category, WVSU’s “Production of Improved Day-Old and Hardened Philippine Native (Darag) Chicks” undertaken by Evelyn Tomambo, Bernabe Cocjin, George Fredrick Roxas, Celma G. Casiple and Ray Arenga clinched the to prize and emerged as the sole winner in the said category, owing to the same criterion set by the consortium.

For the poster category, winners were: “Physical Characteristics of the Male Native Darag Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) At Different Age Levels” by Francis Dalipe, Cecilia Reyes, Elsa Abayon and Danilo Abayon of the Aklan State University, first place; “Vulnerability Assessment of Bago River Watershed” by Conrado Marquez, Neil Gigare, Alberto Victorino Perez and Crispin David Castro of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 6, second; and “Effect of Fruit Maturity and Methods of Drying on the Germination and Seedling Growth of Physic Nut (Jatropha Curcas L.)” by Federito D. Launio, Geronimo L. Gregorio and Ricardo Lavado of the Capiz State University, third.

Aside from Dr. Angel Alcala, the research panel included Director Luz Firmalino of PCARRD’s Management Information Systems Division; Dr. Synan Baguio, assistant director of the Livestock Research Division of PCARRD; and Dr. Rolando Labios of the DA-BAR.

The development evaluation panel included Engr. Raul Alamban of PCARRD, Engr. Aries Roda Romallosa of the CPU College of Agriculture, Resources and Environmental Science (CPUCARES), Prof. Hope Patricio of CPU and Dr. Rosalie Arcala-Hall of UP Visayas.

Poster evaluators included Engr. Igmedio Tabianan, provincial agriculturist of Negros Occidental; Mr. George Talam of the Sugar Regulatory Administration; and Mr. Dennis Penuela of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist Negros Occidental.

According to PCARRD-MISD Director Firmalino, WESVARRDEC’s winning papers showed improvement and have to be beefed up so as to render a healthy competition at the National Symposium on Agriculture and Resources Research and Development (NSARRD) in November this year. Echoing this concern, WESVARRDEC Director Joseph Edward Idemne concluded, saying—“we are open to always leaving room for improvement.”

Led by its president Fr. Dionisio Cachero, O.A.R., UNO-R graciously hosted the consortium’s major annual event which also featured techno forums intended to benefit farmer scientists, the Techno Gabay team members and extension workers from across Western Visayas.

WESVARRDEC's 20th RSRDH

Best Papers
20th Regional Symposium on Research & Development Highlights
President's Hall & Fr. Fernando Cuenca Hall
University of NegrosOccidental-Recoletos
Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
August 13, 2010


Research



First Place
Antioxidant Activity and Citral Content of Different Tea Preparations of the Above-Ground Parts of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon Citratus Stapf.)
By Mizpah C. Villalobos
Central Philippine University
Iloilo City

Second Place
Ampalaya (Momordica charantia): Its Antibacterial Effects on Staphylococcus Aureus and Toxicity to Poecilia Reticulata
By Robert John S. Lamis & Ronnie G. Gicana
University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos
Bacolod City, Negros Occidental


Development

Sole Winner
Production of Improved Day-Old and Hardened Philippine Native (Darag) Chicks
By Evelyn D. Tomambo, Bernabe B. Cocjin, George Fredrick A. Roxas, Celma G. Casiple & Ray L. Arenga
West Visayas State University
Iloilo City


Poster

First Place
Physical Characteristics of the Male Native Darag Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) At Different Age Levels
By Francis R. Dalipe, Cecilia T. Reyes, Elsa I. Abayon & Danilo E.Abayon
Aklan State University
Banga, Aklan

Second Place
Vulnerability Assessment of Bago River Watershed
By Conrado B. Marquez, Neil G. Gigare, Alberto Victorino Perez & Crispin David Castro
Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 6
Iloilo City

Third Place
Effect of Fruit Maturity and Methods of Drying on the Germination and Seedling Growth of Physic Nut (Jatropha Curcas L.)
By Federito D. Launio, Geronimo L. Gregorio & Ricardo Lavado
Capiz State University
Mambusao, Capiz

Fight malnutrition by family planning, mayor says

By Vishia Mae Tolcidas

RACG Representative

FITS OPA Negros Occidental

“Plan your families to fight malnutrition.”

This was the message of E B. Magalona Mayor David Albert Lacson, Sr. to some 61 mothers, fathers, and caregivers of babies and pre-school children with below normal very low (BNVL) weight in the recent celebration of Nutrition Month in the said town.

In a day-long program held at the town’s Wilkinson’s Social Court is themed “Nutrition and Family Planning Education: A Key to Malnutrition Rehabilitation, Lacson urged the public that the solution to the problem of malnutrition must start in every household. “Determine how many children you want and could feed, then, perhaps, we can declare victory in our quest to eradicate malnutrition,” Lacson said.

The local chief executive called on every household to cooperate and support government programs on family planning and nutrition.

With malnutrition eradication as his priority, Lacson has strengthened the Municipal Nutrition Action Office headed by Benjie de la Cruz and the 24 Barangay Nutrition Scholars under it to function distinctly from the Municipal Health Office so that the nutrition needs of his constituents, especially pre-school children are given more focus. He also lauded the efforts of his nutrition and health teams in their continuous information and education drive on nutrition and family planning.

Emily Omilig of the Nutrition Services Division of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist presented the Impact Programs on Nutrition during the activity while Family Planning Coordinator Noreen de la Rama of the Municipal Health Office talked on responsible parenthood and family planning.

Municipal Health Officer Edwin Jayme and Public Health Nurse Glendale Jamili conducted medical consultation while BNSs assisted in the weighing-in and check-up of BNVL children.

Marjorie Ibañez, mother of 5-year-old Kim, a BNVL child, said her son’s weight improved to 13.3 kilograms yesterday from 11 kilograms in December 2009 after multivitamins were provided by the municipality and complementary feeding was given by her son’s St. Francis of Assisi School. Ibañez is thankful that her son’s weight is now below normal low (BNL). She hopes that Kim will still be among the recipients in the forthcoming complementary feeding of the municipality. BNS Eugenia Bernasol of Barangay San Jose conducts home visits to monitor her son’s progress, Ibanez said.

Participants were given gift packs of fortified food products containing milk, noodles, sardines, and others with Sangkap Pinoy seal.

Nutrition Month is done yearly by various city and municipal governments through its Nutrition and Health Offices in collaboration with the Provincial Nutrition Committee, OPA, Nutrition Center of the Philippines, Provincial Health Office, Department of Health, and other agencies.

‘Handpicking of worms better than chemical’

By Vishia Mae Dominic Tolcidas

RACG Representative
FITS OPA Negros Occidental


LA CASTELLANA, Negros Occidental - A sugarcane farmer whose farm swarmed with armyworms a year ago recommends handpicking of these pests as a better alternative to chemical use.
Joebert Regalado, who owns a 10-hectare farm in Sitio Cambugnay, Barangay Cabacungan here, said employing people to pick worms is effective to contain the pests and is also safe and environment-friendly.

“Chemical is ineffective because it will not kill all the pests. Rather than spend for quarts upon quarts of these harmful chemicals, it’s better to give livelihood to people,” he told his fellow barangay kagawads and personnel of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) monitoring pest infestation in the area.

Regalado said that during the armyworm infestation last year, he hired 50 laborers for one week and gathered almost 30 sacks, or about 5-10 sacks of these pests a day. “These pests died and were buried to become fertilizer. Handpicking was successful and my farm recovered,” he said.

This first cropping season, infestation of armyworms and cutworms are scattered across hundreds of hectares of land planted with rice, sugarcane, corn, vegetables, and grass in the province. The infestation is attributed to the long dry spell such as the El Niño phenomenon which came before the rainy season.

Regalado, however, said his farm has not been attacked by pests since June this year. “I found no eggs of the worms in my farm,” he said. As a dutiful farmer, Regalado said he visits his farm every two days and if he sees a pest attack, he immediately deploys laborers to pick them one by one. He added that the worms don’t itch so it’s safe, especially to children who usually pass by the farm, and get a few canes to eat.

Worms that attacked Regalado’s farm last year were big, green in color with black head and stomach. “They are about the size of a child’s finger and grow big each week. After a month, they become pupae and turn into moths,” he said.

Armando Abaño, Corn Integrated Pest Specialist of OPA, said the worms that attacked Regalado’s farm are the kind of armyworms that feed on sugarcane leaves.

OPA has been promoting integrated pest management (IPM) through the Farmers Field School (FFS), a program of the Department of Agriculture. Among them are cultural and biological measures such as handpicking, spraying of soap solution, weeding of farmlands, and the use of natural enemies such as friendly insects, ducks, and birds.

The latest proven bio-control is the local strain of the nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) now being tested at the Negros State College of Agriculture in Kabankalan City. It uses the original cultured NPV solution discovered at FFS in Moises Padilla last year.

Abaño said NPV is a virus affecting armyworms and cutworms that are also found in the bodies of these worms. Once there is a significant build-up of the virus in their bodies, symptoms are easily noticeable such as vomiting, weakness, slow movement to no movement at all, refusal to eat, their rears turned up.

Provincial scholars pass agri board exam

By Yolly Bimbao
FITS OPA Negros Occidental

Eight Negros Occidental Scholarship Program (NOSP) grantees were among the 972 examinees who passed the 2010 Agriculturist Licensure Examination given by the Professional Regulation Commission on July 20-22, 2010 in Manila, Davao, Cebu, Iloilo, Tacloban, Baguio, and Lucena, said Provincial NOSP Secretariat Head Virginia Parreño.

They are Lloyd Martinez of Brgy. Quezon, San Carlos City; Elizabeth Agonace – Brgy. Busay, Bago City; Ian Mark Ciocon – Brgy. Ma-ao, Bago City; Magdalina Villegas – Brgy. Camba-og, Hinigaran; Alvin dela Fuente – Brgy. Talacagay, Hinobaan; Hazel Cruz – Brgy. Pook, Hinobaan; Patrick Sta. Romana – Brgy. Salong, Kabankalan City (all NOSP-Pagkaon Scholarship grantees); and Vina Gestosani of Brgy. Aguisan, Himamaylan City (NOSP-District Educational Scholarship grantee).

“We, the scholars, are really grateful for the support given by the Provincial Government officials in our pursuit for a better future,” said Alvin dela Fuente, on behalf of the NOSP grantees.

De la Fuente also thanked fellow NOSP Pagkaon grantees who have already passed Agriculturist Licensure Exams in previous years for their free review services given not only for NOSP scholars but also for other interested Agriculture graduates.

Other successful Negrense passers were Junmar Benignos of Sagay City; John Paul Aluyen of Sipalay City; and Ariel Tio of Murcia. They also availed of the free Pagkaon Scholars Review Services, dela Fuente said.

The NOSP-District Educational Scholarship is open to children of low-income families and they are to take any course offered by state colleges and universities within the province.

The NOSP-Pagkaon Scholarship Grant is exclusively given to the children of farmers, fishermen, and sugar workers who will only take up courses in Agriculture, Fishery, Forestry, and other related courses such as Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Business, Marine Biology, Food Technology, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

The NOSP Secretariat is now accepting NOSP applications for school year 2011. Interested parties can inquire at the Provincial Human Resource Management Office at the second floor of the Provincial Administration Center in Aguinaldo Street, Bacolod City or call 433-2545.

NPV found effective bio-control for armyworms

By Vishia Mae J. Tolcidas
RACG Representative
FITS OPA Negros Occidental

Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental–A young farmer-scientist has proven that the local strain of the nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) is an effective bio-control agent for armyworms.


Thirty-one year old Roland Quimpo of Barangay Camingawan here said armyworms infesting peanut plants in his farm were killed after three days of spraying the NPV solution. Quimpo is one of the 75 participants composed of farmer-leaders and local agriculturists at the ongoing Science and Technology Program for the Development of a Sustainable Corn-based Farming System being held at the Negros State College of Agriculture (NSCA) in this progressive southern city.

Though uninterested at first, Quimpo wanted to see the effect of the microorganism in his farm after the NSCA corn experimental farm showed very good results. “I observed that the worms vomited, no longer ate the leaves of my plants, became weak, their rears turned up, and died. I found black spots on their abdomen,” reported the farmer-leader, who was the first among the participants to try the NPV solution outside NSCA.

Before spraying NPV on armyworms at the NSCA experimental farm as well as in his farm, he and his fellow participants tested the microorganism in plastic jars and saw the worms die after a few days.

Quimpo said he then sprayed NPV on infested palay and did not find any worms after several days. He also sprayed on ampalaya when he saw green-colored worms eating the leaves at night. “The worms did not finish eating all the leaves, and after the third day, new growth of leaves formed,” he said.

In his barangay, farms affected by the worms are scattered in various puroks but the most affected were three puroks including Tamlang where his farm is located.

“I demonstrated the spraying of NPV in the palay farms of my fellow farmers in our cluster. After several days, they were so happy to find many dead worms and gave them to me,” he said.

“This means that NPV as a microbial pesticide is working. I could see its killer effect on the armyworms and cutworms,” said the organic farming practitioner, who belongs to the Organic Village of Camingawan. “If NPV as a natural enemy of pests would be mass-produced, it could greatly benefit us, farmers, and contribute so much to the organic program of the province,” he said.

For Quimpo, pests could be killed by pests themselves.

Armando Abaño, Corn Integrated Pest Management Specialist of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist – Negros Occidental, who is also the lead instructor of the training, said the original NPV strain used at NSCA came from the farm of Fely Torrefranca in Barangay 4, Poblacion, Moises Padilla. It was part of a discovery-based study during a Farmers Field School (FFS) on Rice that he conducted in 2009. The NPV was collected by FFS graduate Loreto Leaño and cultured by fellow graduate Edith Gallardo after Abaño’s investigation.

“Armyworms are being investigated at the NSCA corn experimental farm and further studies by farmers themselves have to be conducted to confirm the effectiveness of NPV,” he said.

Actual testing in the first cropping season is conducive and timely after it was preceded by a long dry spell like the El Nino phenomenon that favors the proliferation of these pests. Testing should also be done in a specific location of the pest population, he added.

In an armyworm-infested sugarcane in Sitio Cambugnay, Barangay Cabacungan, La Castellana, Abaño and his agriculturist-wife, Maria Luisa, found out that armyworms were killed after cultured NPV from the original source in Moises Padilla was applied,” disclosed Abaño.

Abaño has already sent three NPV specimen such as the original cultured NPV solution from Moises Padilla, infected armyworm from NSCA, and infected armyworm from Brgy. Camingawan, Kabankalan City for confirmation by the Bureau of Plant Industry in San Andres, Manila.

Andy Carampatana of the Kabankalan City Agriculture Office, a co-trainor of Abaño, said he prepared a strong NPV solution for the participants' use by putting more dead and mashed armyworms with less water.

ASU reaps top awards in WV’s first extension summit

By Salvacion Villasis

RACG Representative

Aklan State University

The Aklan State University (ASU) clinched the top paper awards in the First Regional Extension Symposium (RES) sponsored by the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) VI at the Western Visayas College of Science and Technology, La Paz, Iloilo City on July 29, 2010.

Of the 30 paper presentations and 27 posters in the fields of education and humanities; agriculture, forestry and fisheries; health and environment; and livelihood, the “Palayamanan-Kabuhayan Project: Harnessing People’s Participation and Local Resources for Greater Productivity” authored by Paterno Rebuelta, et. al., clinched the top prize for agriculture, forestry and fisheries category (above photo) while the “Capacity Enhancement for Improved Productivity and Community Participation of Women in Kinalangay Nuevo” by Carolina I. Navarra, et.al, won first place in the poster category (bottom photo). Both papers come from the ASU’s College of Agriculture, Forestry and Environmental Sciences.

Meanwhile, the project titled “Response against Poverty” by Angeline G. Regalado, et.al., of the ASU-College of Industrial Technology won second runner-up under Livelihood Category. All winning researchers were given cash prizes and certificates of recognition.

Gathering some 180 participants including the vice-presidents for research and extension, directors for extension, extension chairpersons and coordinators, faculty extension workers and staff from 11 state universities and colleges (SUCs) in Western Visayas, RES featured Director Asterio P. Saliot of the Agricultural Training Institute as its keynote speaker.

The national president of Philippine Extension Network, Inc., Saliot stressed that SUCs are the potential think tank of the government in order to develop modalities in extension services delivery that generate information for policy considerations.

Organized by the PASUC VI Extension Managers Council, Inc. led by Chairperson Anna Mae C. Relingo, director of Extension and Community Services of ASU, and composed of the Council Members and Board of Directors, the first ever extension summit sought to provide a venue for interactive sharing of experiences and best practices on extension and identify and analyze constraints and opportunities in extension work.

According to Chairperson Anna Mae Relingo, the regional extension symposium aimed to break new ground, even as it sought to create and strengthen collaboration and extension capabilities of PASUC VI extension workers.

RACG reps convene for 2nd quarter

Hope G. Patricio

RACG Representative

Central Philippine University

The Regional Applied Communications Group (RACG) of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) hosted its Second Quarter Meeting on July 7, 2010 at the McNester Food Products in San Isidro, Buenavista, Guimaras.

New RACG representatives from the new and old partner member agencies were recognized and welcomed to the group by Dr. Cora F. Navarra, RACG Coordinator.

After RACG Staff Niño Manaog reported on the past quarters' accomplishments, Dr. Navarra challenged the representatives to submit an entry to PCARRD’s (Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development) Professional Media Awards. The RACG team furnished representatives copies of the guidelines so they could set their targets for the rest of the year.

Earlier in the day, the group attended the Science and Technology-Based Farm Field Day on village-level processing of mango of Magsasaka Siyentista Rebecca Tubongbanua, which featured a video presentation of mango processing and the Package of Technology used for the Enhanced S and T-based processing of sulfite-free and low-sugar dried mangoes.

The local and provincial government units of Guimaras, PCARRD, WESVARRDEC and the Bureau of Plant Industry - National Mango Research and Development Center (BPI-NMRDC) showed their support by sending their top officials to the said field day.