5 FITS centers launched in Capiz in 8 days

By Niño Saavedra Manaog
University Extension Associate
Capiz State University

Mega launch—this is how Nicolas Banquero, Regional Techno Gabay Staff of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) described the establishment of five new Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) centers across the province of Capiz held recently.

In the last week of November 2010, WESVARRDEC launched FITS centers in the towns of Dao (November 23); Ivisan and Panay (November 29) and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) Capiz and President Roxas (November 30).

And pursuant to the deadline set by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), WESVARRDEC launched 17 new farmers’ centers in all across the region within two weeks. These included 7 in Iloilo; 5 in Capiz; 2 each for Negros Occidental and Guimaras; and 1 in Aklan.

Under Executive Order 801 otherwise known as “Encouraging Local Government Units to Adopt the Techno Gabay Program in their Agricultural Programs and the Concerned Government Agencies to Provide the Required Assistance for the Purpose,” PCARRD’s Techno Gabay modality is highly endorsed for adoption and implementation by different local government units (LGUs) nationwide. The Executive Order was signed by former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in May 2009.

According to Capiz State University Techno Gabay Team Leader Eduardo Navarra, the quick and positive response of the local government units to hasten the establishment of FITS centers in their localities was a good sign. For Navarra, the move of the LGUs will further speed up the delivery of information and technology services in their areas.

The establishment of new FITS centers was warmly welcomed by the beneficiaries and stakeholders. For Vice-Mayor Gualberto Bernas of Panay, Capiz, the FITS center will be “useful to the farmers” and thus there is a “need to sustain it.” Instead of anticipating what they can get from it, Bernas challenged the residents of Panay to assume the FITS center with full responsibility, even saying that Panay could not wait longer so they could share their best practices to other municipalities. Bernas urged stakeholders to take charge of the facilities to be entrusted to them and said that the residents of Panay will surely benefit from the fast and modern information that can enhance their farming and technology practices.

Meanwhile, Bernardo Loretizo, committee on agriculture and fisheries chairman of President Roxas, Capiz encouraged the constituents to make use of the FITS center as opportunity from which they could benefit—“Magpalapit kamo sa FITS—mapuslan naton ini.”

According to Dr. Anna Mae Relingo, Regional Techno Gabay coordinator of WESVARRDEC, the addition of new farmers’ centers to the existing roster is set to boost its performance as they will reach out to and serve more farmers and similar other clients in the countryside. As partner member agency, Capiz State University serves to monitor their performance and progress of the new FITS centers.

The launching of said FITS centers was fully supported by the CapSU Extension Institute led by Dr. Raul Ticar, Regional Applied Communication Committee Coordinator, Dr. Cora Navarra and Techno Gabay Team Leader Eduardo Navarra.

Members of the new FITS centers have identified their prospective Magsasaka Siyentista and their respective focus commodities which WESVARRDEC can help package and promote once its intervention is in full swing.

At this writing, TG Team Leader Navarra announced that the FITS Centers managed by CapSU will have their general meeting in the third week of January 2011. Agenda include the search for prospective Magsasaka Siyentista and the identification of focus commodities, FITS logbook and STBF proposals.

WESVARRDEC launches FITS La Castellana

By Moniela dela Cruz
RACC Staff

The afternoon of November 24, 2010 marked the formal launching and blessing of the Farmers’ Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center in the town of La Castellana, Negros Occidental. It is the 49th FITS Center of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) under the umbrella of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD). The ceremony, which was held in the bagsakan center took off with a prayer led by Pastor Samuel Jadloc.

Municipal Mayor Alberto A. Nicor, Jr., a proud farmer’s son and a farmer himself expressed his commitment by saying, “wala ko ginapabayaan ini nga programa (FITS Center) kay bal-an ko nga makabulig sa mangunguma” [I did not neglect this program (FITS Center) because I know it can help our farmers].

Indeed, the municipality holds a solid partnership with the La Castellana I Multi-purpose Cooperative (LC I PMPC), a teacher’s co-op which have assisted farmers and boasts of winning the national award for the Most Outstanding Cooperative for three consecutive years. Through the partnership, Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) were able to set up piggeries and productive farms enabling them to pay their taxes and their loans with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP). The officials of the cooperative even gave their messages of support for they know that the FITS Center supplements their efforts and the LGU’s programs by its interconnectivity service through which stakeholders can access new information and technologies.

Techno-Gabay Team Leader Dr. Cafino of the Partner Member Agency (PMA) which is University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) presented to the mayor the concept of his project “Bayan-Anihan” for students and their families who can plant 3-5 kinds of "complementary" vegetables, like those used as ingredients for “sinigang” in a 1x10 meter plot. While Cafino was explaining the need for areas to pilot the project, several barangay officials expressed their eagerness to avail themselves of the said project.

The Techno-Gabay Program and the pertinent provisions of the memorandum of agreement between all stakeholders was discussed by Dr. Hector Penaranda of WESVARRDEC just before the MOA signing.

The first part of the program closed with a message from Municipal Agriculturist Rene M. Trenuela, after which blessing of the FITS Center and unveiling of the Center’s billboard followed. Proudly displayed in the Center were the farmers’ products such as “taho powder” which is their prospective focus commodity, pomelo, quail eggs, and assorted vegetables.

The event was attended by farmers, barangay officials, ditrict supervisors, municipal employees and community members. Also present were the officials of UNO-R, together with their medical doctor, medical technologist, and 20 Medical Laboratory Science students who held a free Clinic for the attendees of the event as well as the residents of the neighboring barangays. They provided consultation, blood-typing, blood sugar level tests and blood pressure check-ups during the entire duration of the program. This is proof of UNO-R’s commitment to be of service, in more ways than one, to its immediate community.

FITS center launched in New Washington, Aklan

By Sally Villasis
RAC Representative
Aklan State University

The Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources, Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) opened its Farmers Information and Technology Service (FITS) Center on November 19, 2010 at the Manuel C. Peralta Community Center at Poblacion, New Washington, Aklan.

The launching is in conjunction with the Blessing and Inauguration of Manuel C. Peralta Community Center, where the Municipal Library and FITS Center are housed. The community center was inaugurated in honor of the former New Washington Vice Mayor Manuel C. Peralta.

New Washington Mayor Atty. Edgar R. Peralta and Dr. Anna Mae C. Relingo, the Regional Techno Gabay Program Coordinator, who also represented WESVARRDEC Director Joseph Edward Idemne and UPV Chancellor and RRDCC Chair Minda Formacion highlighted the launching and the unveiling of FITS billboard to formally open to the public the farmers’ center.
Mayor Peralta expressed his heartfelt appreciation to WESVARRDEC, and its partner member institutions for initiating the project. Likewise, he stressed that the LGU-New Washington is conceptualizing other facilities that would enhance the community center.

Dr. Relingo presented the Techno Gabay Program and the roles of each partner institution, followed by the Signing of Memorandum of Agreement.

The activities were witnessed by some 140 participants composed of Municipal officials; employees from the Municipal Agriculture Office; officials from the 16 barangays of New Washington; Altavas FITS Manager and TSS; farmers; fisherfolks; key officials and staff of ASU College of Fisheries and Marine Sciences headed by its Executive Director, Dr. Danilo E. Abayon; DepEd teachers and students; and ASU-Techno Gabay Team headed by Dr. Clyde G. Abayon.

The Office of the President of ASU was represented by the Vice-President for Research and Extension, Dr. Roberto L. Saladar, who conveyed the full support of the University to the Municipal Government of New Washington. Saladar extended the appreciation of the University President for LGU New Washington in recognizing the role the University in the development of the municipality.

He emphasized that the occasion is a symbolic manifestation of leadership of former Vice Mayor Manuel C. Peralta, whose wisdom, legacy, discipline and education that he wanted to impart was carried on through this information center.

The FITS Center will be the source of information and technology services that will help farmers, fisherfolks, entrepreneurs, students and other clients in enhancing their products and technology. It is a service delivery system which will provide accessibility and availability of information from experts to farmers and vice-versa.

FITS Bago City is WESVARRDEC’s 48th

By Moniela dela Cruz, RACC Staff

& Cora F. Navarra, RACC Coordinator

It was one of those well-attended FITS Center launching programs.

Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) launched its 48th Farmers’ Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center, located in Bago City, Negros Occidental.

Packed in the city’s Agriculture office were some 120 participants including municipal officials and employees headed by Mayor Ramon Torres and Vice-Mayor Yulo, OPA Negros Occidental staff, farmers, barangay officials, student- representatives from the various schools in the area, and delegates from the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R), the FITS Center’s Partner Member Agency (PMA).

In his welcome address, Vice-Mayor Yulo underscored the power of information and technology to help the farming community. He acknowledged that through the FITS interconnectivity, availability of new farming technologies can bridge the gap between the farm and the market. This is in line with WESVARRDEC and PCARRD’s thrust in making the FITS Centers avenues to market the products of the farmers. He also knows that whatever is happening elsewhere in the world for a particular industry affects local business so it is best to have access to information. He cited that a drop in the coffee business in Brazil has implications to coffee growers here in our country.

Believing that it is “better late than never”, Mayor Torres expressed his happiness that Bago City was able to beat the deadline on the launching of FITS Centers through the assistance and perseverance of UNO-R, its PMA. . He expressed that he is gearing most of his administration’s resources to agriculture, rising to the challenge of being tagged as the “rice granary of Negros Occidental”. He further said that there is “lots of work to be done” and that a “collective effort to uplift each other’s lives” is the call of the times.

On the other hand, Dr. Hector Penaranda expounded on the advantages of having a FITS Center and the roles of each stakeholder, while Dean Nieves Pepito of UNO-R delivered Fr. Dionisio Cachero’s message. The MOA signing followed and after that, the presentation of two prospective Magsasaka Siyentistas whose products were “kwakoy” (a rice-based native delicacy), and organic fertilizers.

Then, the guests trooped to the unveiling of the billboard at the entrance of the Agriculture Office and the ribbon-cutting signaled the formal opening of the FITS Center. Some students tried first-hand the online facility of the Center ; they too are welcome to avail of the Center’s resources.

Incidentally, UNO-R took advantage of the gathering by setting up a free medical clinic for the attendees as a portent of greater things to come resulting from the partnership.

Snacks were served for everyone, which, of course included the famous, delicious and sweet-tasting kwakoy.

Miag-ao FITS Center opens to clients

By Moniela dela Cruz
RAC Staff

“This is the moment that we have been waiting for”, said Vice-Mayor Jose Rey Noble of the Municipality of Miag-ao, Iloilo, in his welcome address during the launching of Miagao Farmers’ Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center on November 22, 2010 at the Agriculture Office of the municipality.

It is the 45th FITS Center of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) and the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Forestry Resources Research and Development (PCARRD). The Vice-Mayor also said that after two years of waiting and preparing, the opportunity for farmers to enter the moment of scientific farming has come. “Okay lang naurihi, dapat mauna na sa produkto kag benepisyo sang FITS Center” (It’s okay that it took awhile as long as they will be able to benefit from the products and other services of the Center), Noble said.

WESVARRDEC Executive Director Prof. Joseph Idemne said that the Consortium and PCARRD will play a major role in marketing Miag-ao farmers’ products through its Technomart, market-matching and inter-FITS trading programs. The Regional Management Information System (RMIS) Coordinator Prof. Nilo Araneta also mentioned that the Center can be an avenue to eventually market quality products all over the world through ICT and UPV Vice-Chancellor Dr. Jane Geduspan, who came in behalf of UPV Chancellor Minda Formacion encouraged everyone present to visit the Center and utilize its information and technology services.

FITS Manager and Municipal Agriculturist Mr. Raymundo Monroy said that Miag-ao is known for its bulb onion and eggplant produce but they have chosen bamboo as their focus commodity because of its abundance. It is also to align with the on-going projects of the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) on bamboo and in which UPV has already involved the municipality of Miagao in the project and in promoting their bamboo industry.

Mayor Julieta Flores acknowledged the support of UPV in the establishment of the FITS Center and promised to provide it with the necessary equipment and budget for the maximization of its use, not just by farmers but by students, entrepreneurs and those willing to learn and access its services. She said that “knowledge is power”, and through the new learnings and capability building trainings and seminars, the farmers can develop skills which would enable them to produce much more than they have been able to and address the problem of lack of food in Miag-ao.

The unveiling of the FITS billboard and the ribbon-cutting capped the launching ceremonies and the bamboo product displays were admired by guests and locals alike. The Center was facilitated through the collaborative effort of the local executive and legislative bodies, the Municipal Agriculturist and its staff, Ms. Rose Mueda, the Techno-Gabay Team Leader of UPV (as Partner Member Agency of LGU Miag-ao FITS Center).