Achievements, tributes close WESVARRDEC's 2011

By Niño Manaog, Capiz State University

and Sally Villasis, Aklan State University

In the Regional Techno Gabay Program (RTGP)-Regional Applied Communications Group (RACG) 4th Quarter Meetings and Annual Report Writeshop held on December 7–8, 2011 at the Aklan State University (ASU) in Banga, Aklan, members of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) capped 2011 by way of heartfelt tributes and presentations of achievements in the various endeavors of its members.

WESVARRDEC "rebounds" up the PCAARRD list

Before some 120 consortium members composed of partner member agencies (PMA) representatives, Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) and personnel of the Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) centers, WESVARRDEC Director Joseph Edward Idemne took pride in announcing the overall rank of the consortium for the Ugnay 2012, a biannual selection of the best consortia across the country by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).

For the period in review, WESVARRDEC posted 90.85%, ranking sixth among all the consortia nationwide. According to Idemne, since 2007, WESVARRDEC has performed consistently well in the R&D management and utilization, which is attributed to the cooperation and active participation fostered between and among the consortium member agencies. Idemne credited the accomplishment to the full support of the partner member agencies to the activities of the Techno Gabay members, particularly the MSs and the FITS Centers from across the region.

Highlights of the gathering were the tribute to the two outgoing coordinators of WESVARRDEC, namely: ASU’s Dr. Anna Mae Relingo, RTGP Coordinator and Capiz State University’s Dr. Cora F. Navarra, RACG Coordinator.

In the December 7 Fellowship Night at the ASU Review Center led by RTGP Staff Nicolas Banquero and Administrative Officer Suzette Peñaredondo, Dr. Relingo and Dr. Navarra were hosted to a night of speeches, songs and revelry.

“A Mother to Us”

An emotional letter from RACG Representative Vishia Mae Tolcidas of FITS OPA Negros Occidental who is now based in the United States was read by fellow representative Helen Bignayan of the Bureau of Plant Industry - National Mango Research and Development Center (BPI-NMRDC). For Tolcidas, she virtually has not left WESVARRDEC; her learnings from working with Navarra and the RACG will remain with her. Her skills gained and her performance only made her a better person, a sentiment likewise shared by Judy Bulquiren, manager of FITS OPA Guimaras.

Meanwhile, former RACG Staff Nino Manaog, who worked with Navarra for two years, also shared how Dr. Navarra drew out his potentials and those of other RACG members and inspired in them the passion to serve the consortium.

In a speech, MS Rebecca Tubongbanua of FITS OPA Guimaras shared on her commercial success in the mango processing industry and credits it to the collective efforts of the consortium. Tubongbanua cited Navarra’s “motherly” efforts to help her promote the mango processed technology and products in various means and instances. According to Tubongbanua, the published materials, press releases and the various exposures that WESVARRDEC has facilitated for her have all contributed to “what she is now,” a successful mango processor reaping awards here and there and enjoying a profitable business that also provides livelihood to women in the countryside.

In response, Navarra expressed gratefulness to the opportunity offered by the RACG for her personal and professional growth. She also singled out that consortium work is indeed a personal commitment insofar as it is not about finding the faults in other people’s work” but rather drawing out the strengths of the members that can best serve the consortium and the the rest of the community. Likewise, Navarra stressed on placing importance on the service to the target clientele which she considers the essence of consortium work.

Growth and Learning in WESVARRDEC

After RTGP Staff Nick Banquero shared on the years of activities and learnings with the RTGP, Dr. Reynaldo Dusaran, TG Team Leader of the Central Philippine University and Rhodora Lapastora of the West Visayas State University also paid tribute to Dr. Anna Mae Relingo.

According to Dusaran, the Techno Gabay achievement has been notable because of the active participation and leadership of Dr. Relingo. Lapastora likewise cited how the partner member agencies are made aware of their responsibilities for the Techno Gabay interventions to the FITS Centers. For her part, Dr. Clyde Abayon, TG team leader of ASU, shared to the audience "Christ's Bell," a poem given to her by Dr. Relingo, few years back.

Meanwhile, MS Norberto Ceballos of Maasin FITS Center also expressed his gratitude to the WESVARRDEC’s interventions through which he was granted two Science and Technology Based-Farms (STBF) projects by PCAARRD. For Ceballos, these projects have benefited not only himself but also a big number of constituents in the said locality.

For her part, Relingo imparted on her growth and achievement for four years in her capacity as the RTG coordinator. During the time, Relingo said her learnings are invaluable as she was taught a number of lessons and was inspired by most members of the consortium who continue to do their work for the service of the community.

After the speeches and special numbers, the WESVARRDEC staff also rendered a heartwarming song number for the two honorees. The fellowship night also featured group games, videoke singing contests and prizes.

 Showcase of Products

Prizes given to winners consisted of products donated by a number of FITS Centers from across Western Visayas. These items included the mango processed products of MS Rebecca Tubongbanua from Guimaras and ginger ale powder from Libertad in Antique. Other prizes given included vermicast and vegetables from Numancia; bariw products from Nabas; coconut food products from Ibajay; puto tostado and vegetables from Altavas, all of Aklan; and balut from Lemery in Iloilo; pineapple wine from Passi City; and bamboo charcoal and bamboo products from Maasin, all from Iloilo.

Activities become accomplishments

CapSU Techno Gabay team hosts yearend meeting

By Niño Manaog
University Extension Associate
Capiz State University

To monitor and update its member Farmers’ Information and Technology Services (FITS) centers on its accomplishments, the Capiz State University (CapSU) Techno Gabay (TG) Team led by Mr. Eduardo Navarra, university extension specialist, hosted the Fourth Quarter Meeting on November 29, 2011 at the Asis Food Court in Banica, Roxas City.

Among other agenda, the meeting featured the success story of Dumalag FITS Center which was named Best FITS Center by WESVARRDEC during its first Regional Techno Gabay Summit and Technomart in May this year in Iloilo City.

Managers and representatives of FITS centers also reported and updated CapSU, the partner member agency, on their activities and accomplishments. In the past year, the six FITS Centers represented engaged in a big number of activities to benefit their target clientele.

President Roxas, Capiz farmers learn how to make use
of the A-frame to locate their contour lines.
CapSU and President Roxas FITS Center personnel
led the group of farmers on SALT and also provided techniques
that determine its importance to prevent soil erosion
in the upland farms.

Before the end of the year, the President Roxas FITS Center led by Mr. Leonardo Barcenas will lead the distribution of fish fingerlings and corn seeds to farmers, among other so many activities. Recently it led the Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) training to upland farmers. In the same period, the Panay FITS Center led by Mr. Juanito Hecita, Jr. will undertake livestock distribution to farmers and participate in the Product Exhibit for the Sinadya sa Halaran Festival 2011.

Mr. Audie Belargo, manager of OPA Capiz FITS Center said that his office has compiled agriculture-related articles from national newspapers and publications which will soon be ready for access next year. Belargo reported that the OPA Capiz FITS Center has also helped high school students in the province in the plant identification for their Science Researches. Belargo likewise said that a library system in the FITS Center itself is in the works, which will feature an agri-fisheries database or directory, among others.

Ms. Remedios Llamelo, manager of Jamindan FITS Center, reported that Jamindan has also been busy the whole year with its regular activities for the farmers. Among others, Jamindan FITS Center conducted Palaycheck capability building trainings to barangays Pangabuan, Pasal-o, Lucero and Aglibacao. It also led Location-Specific Technology Development (LSTD) on lowland rice varieties.

Through the FITS Center facilities, they were also able to facilitate the assistance of farmers in the purchase of their abaca courms in coordination with FIDA. Llamelo’s office also helped distribute some 60,000 seeds of crops and vegetables for farmers representing 30 barangays.

According to Mr. Bernie Protacio, information services specialist of the Dumalag FITS Center, they have graduated some 50 farmers from the Farmers Field School (FFS) in partnership with the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI). Also, activities to sustain the engineered bamboo initiatives for Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) Randy Fancubila and his cooperative are also periodically held in linkage with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Capiz.

Mr. Ramon Penalosa, Jr., farmer scientist
of WESVARRDEC, shares his key
technologies to the farmers of Dao, Capiz.
The efforts to bring his expertise
to this part of the province was led by
Dao FITS Manager Susan Dordas (behind Penalosa),
a staunch advocate of organic farming.

Susan Dordas, manager of Dao FITS Center, made a comprehensive report on the town’s Organic Agriculture Program widely bannered and supported by the local government of Dao, Capiz. Dordas reported that within the year, the municipality successfully passed an ordinance advocating organic agriculture for the locality.

The program has also set in place government priorities leading to the promotion and enhancement of organic farming practices, starting with the use of indigenous microorganisms (IMOs) being produced by its technology services specialist and a number of farmers. Dao has also requested and was recently granted by the Department of Agriculture equipment and infrastructure needed to sustain the said program.In the September Farmers Congress, Dao featured the technologies of MS Ramon Penalosa, Jr. of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC).

In the same meeting, CapSU Chief Accountant Oliva Bataan led the member FITS Centers in learning the nitty-gritty of making budget and financial reports. According to Bataan, budgeting is crucial especially when officials are spending the government funds.

Bataan taught the participants on how to best maximize and realize the budget given to them by Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) or any other funding institutions.

CapSU Techno Gabay Team Leader Eduardo Navarra
(seated, center, in white shirt) regularly coordinates
with the personnel of Dumalag FITS Center
led by Manager Ronelyn De Tomas (seated, far left)
in its activities and projects. The partnership has
afforded a number of major achievements,
including Dumalag's Best FITS Center award
conferred by WESVARRDEC in May 2011.

Meanwhile, Dr. Cora Navarra, outgoing Regional Applied Communications Group (RACG) coordinator for the WESVARRDEC, briefed the participants on how the FITS Centers can maximize the opportunity with the consortium. Navarra encouraged them to promote and publicize their activities as they can help promote technologies in multifarious ways—using various media available nowadays including the print media and the internet.

According to Navarra, advocating the technologies in their respective localities this way helps promote and advance not only the indigenous technologies of the municipalities but also the thrusts and purposes of WESVARRDEC and PCAARRD.