CapSU FITS centers on the move

By Niño S. Manaog

To prepare to achieve optimum performance as a partner member agency of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC), the Capiz State University (CapSU) Techno Gabay Team—led by Team Leader Eduardo Navarra, university extension specialist—led the second bimonthly meeting with the old and new Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Centers in the province of Capiz Feb. 23, 2011 at the FITS Center Dumalag in Poblacion, Dumalag, Capiz.

After Dr. Anna Mae Relingo, WESVARRDEC Regional Techno Gabay Group (RTGG) Coordinator briefed the participants on the consortium’s Techno Gabay modality, Navarra monitored the activities and updates of the managers from six attending FITS Centers.

Among others, FITS OPA Capiz Manager Audie Belargo shared to the group a sampling of IEC materials which his office churned out recently, while FITS Dao Manager Susan Dordas stressed on organic technologies being widely promoted and practiced in her municipality.

Meanwhile, Ivisan FITS Manager Letecia Andrada—being new to the WESVARRDEC family—sought to be oriented on the consortium and the Techno Gabay modality. Andrada came to the meeting with her prospective MS Roosevelt Villarde, and their Technology Services Specialist (TSS) and Information Services Specialist (ISS).

For his part, TG Team Leader Navarra announced that nominated MSs of the newly launched FITS centers will be pre-evaluated in the second week of March and will be formally evaluated by WESVARRDEC within the same month.

Mr. Roosevelt Villarde and his coco shell products are being recommended for FITS Ivisan; Mr. Restituto Babao, Jr. engaged in corn production is recommended by OPA Capiz; and Mr. Wilfredo Corcino of Dao is being endorsed for his natural farming system practice and organic technologies.

Both appointed in 2010, MS Randy Fancubila of Dumalag is engaged in bamboo engineering while MS Igmedio Llamelo of Jamindan is involved in abaca nursery and plantation.

Further, to prepare materials that can be used for the upcoming Techno Gabay summit in May 2011, the team agreed to hold an IEC writing workshop to be led by WESVARRDEC’s Regional Applied Communications Group (RACG) in the second week of April this year. In the proposed two-day writing workshop, to be attended by ISS and MS of each FITS, functional promotional materials on the MS and FITS products are expected to be published which shall be given out in the product exhibits in the May Techno Gabay Summit.

Before the meeting adjourned, Jamindan FITS Manager Remedios Llamelo acting in behalf of other FITS managers, moved to draft a resolution asking Congressman Baby Jane Castro of the second district of Capiz to donate one unit of multi-cab for each of the FITS centers.

The CapSU meeting was generously hosted and supported by FITS Center Dumalag led by FITS Manager Ronelyn de Tomas, TSS Teresita Badilla and ISS Bernie Protacio.

2011 GIS Training

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Capability Building Training

UP Visayas, Iloilo City

January 19-21, 2011

FITS CapSU Mambusao Activities

CapSU RDEC Activities

Capiz State University meets with 6 FITS centers

FITS Miag-ao nominates Landrino Española for MS

The Farmers Information and Technology Services Center (FITS) based in Miag-ao, Iloilo proudly nominates Landrino E. Española, a skilled bamboo craftsman and product designer, as its Magsasaka Siyentista for WESVARRDEC.

Born in 1959, Antique-born Española gradually established a name by creating genuine and original bamboo crafts in the town of Miag-ao, Iloilo. Using locally grown bamboo as raw material since 2001, Española’s business has been turning out environment-friendly and customized products—from business gifts to decorative items and from kitchenware to furniture and other functional and multipurpose products. Some are combined with other materials. Using traditional technologies, Española’s products come with high quality and durability, as if they are crafted for personal use.

The MS nominee has joined competitions on bamboo crafts. In the First Iloilo Kawayan Market Week in 2005, Española was awarded Second Place for the Best Booth Competition, an achievement for someone new to the industry at the time.

To date, Española has attended trainings and seminars including the First National Conference on Bamboo in Iloilo City in August 1996; the Third National Bamboo Conference in Pili, Camarines Sur in June 1999; and the Productivity and Quality Seminar Workshop in June 2001in Iloilo City.

In January 2005, Española was one of the trainers in the Skills Training on Bamboo Craft Production held in Miag-ao, Iloilo.

Española maintains affiliation with groups such as Iloilo Bamboo Producers Association, among others. A member of the Knights of Columbus and Eucharistic Minister of Holy Communion, Espanola considers himself a servant of God—to whom he believes he owes his skill as a craftsman through which he earns a living.

The 51-year old bamboo businessman lives in barangay Lumangan, Miag-ao, Iloilo with his wife and business partner Emilia Española. The couple are blessed with six children—three boys and three girls, all supported by the income from the bamboo craft business.

OPA Negros Occidental introduces post-harvest breakthrough

By Vishia Mae Dominic J Tolcidas

RACG Representative

FITS OPA Negros Occidental

Farmers and fisherfolks in Negros need not worry of rainy days or the absence of sunlight any longer because a post-harvest breakthrough will soon be the answer to their drying woes.

The Dual Feed Dryer, a one-of-a-kind drying facility, was devised by the AgriculturalEngineering Division of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) to suit all weather types, making drying of fish and crops for banana and potato chips a breeze.

The innovation could shorten the drying process for fish to half from the usual drying time of three days, and only about three hours for ‘lamayo’ (local term for semi-dried fish),” said Provincial Agriculturist Engr. Igmedio Tabianan, who designed the prototype. He added that the enclosure makes the facility dust-free, smoke-free, and insect-free.

“It is also economical because it uses solar energy and biomass fuel such as charcoal and rice hull. Materials such as plywood, lumber and galvanized iron sheet used to assemble the device are available in the local market,” he said.

Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. is happy with the innovation which is attuned to the NEGROS FIRST Agenda on Food Security of the Province of Negros Occidental.

Tabianan said the provincial chief executive plans to mass-produce the dyer after he personally inspected it at the OPA Demonstration Farm located at the back of the Provincial Capitol Building in Bacolod City.

“Many local government units have already signified their intention to avail of the equipment to help in the drying needs of farmers and fisherfolks in their localities,” said Engr. Jimbo Garsula, head of the OPA Agricultural Engineering Division.

At the week-long Minuluan Festival Agro-Fair in Talisay City in September last year, farmers and fisherfolk took turns in drying fish and bananas for chips after OPA staff demonstrated how the Dual Feed Dryer works.

The Nutrition and Home Management Division of OPA also used the equipment to dry the tilapia they used during the 'tilanggit' processing they conducted at the Demo Farm.

The first-of-its-kind Dual Feed Dryer stands tall with the Provincial Capitol Building in the background.

Fish drying in the new facility. (OPA and Capitol photos)

Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. inspects the Dryer for Fish and Crops as Provincial Agriculturist Engr. Igmedio Tabianan and Executive Assistant Angel Verdeflor look on

Japanese host-farmers visit Negros MS

By Vishia Mae Dominic J Tolcidas

RACG Representative

FITS OPA Negros Occidental

A group of Japanese host-farmers recently visited Magsasaka-Siyentista Elmor Juanitas in Barangay Minoyan, Murcia to see the results of his agricultural training in Japan ten years ago.

This was disclosed by Ma. Elena Gumban, the Provincial Farm Youth Development Program Coordinator of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).

Thirty-four year-old Juanitas is a graduate of the Young Filipino Farmers Training Program in 2000 sponsored by the National Agriculture and Fisheries Council of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The Japanese visitors are called host-farmers because they served as hosts to the Filipino trainees for a year when the latter were in Japan.

According to Gumban, they were interested to see for themselves how the Japan training has influenced the Filipino graduates' farming practices, their activities, their self-discipline, and their lives. They wanted to see the graduates’ contribution to their communities and the environment.

In 1999, Juanitas, then 24 years old, was chosen as the Most Outstanding Young Farmer of Negros Occidental and Western Visayas in the yearly search organized by the DA. Such award qualified him for a training in Japan.

Juanitas became active in the programs and projects implemented by OPA, DA and the Municipal Government of Murcia such as the Farmers Field School for Rice and 4H Club where he was president.

In 2006, upon the recommendation of the Farmers' Information and Technology (FITS) Center of OPA Negros Occidental, he was evaluated and appointed as a Magsasaka-Siyentista by the Western Visayas Agriculture Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC).

"Bongbong," as he is fondly called by family and friends, is raising tilapia and growing rootcrops and even flower plants in his 4,500 square-meter lot in Sitio Katugasan. He raises swine, goats and chickens in his backyard. He also maintains a nursery of forest and fruit trees. These farm ventures are the source of income for him and his family.

The perseverance and hardwork of Juanitas even while he was young in farming while attending school helped him finish Agriculture major in Agri-Business at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos in Bacolod City. Being an active member of the Saint John Bosco Parish Youth Ministry earned him a college scholarship. He has other accomplishments to his credit: valedictorian of Lopez Jaena High School and member of the UNO-R Supreme Student Government.

Juanitas now finds joy in helping his community as barangay kagawad of Minoyan. He also served as barangay chairman a few years ago.

Other young Filipino farmers that the Japanese host- farmers visited were Alvaro Arconada of Cabatuan; Carlos Dominguez of Lucena; Jetro Brillantes of Calinog; and Ricky Sulpico of Passi City, all in the Province of Iloilo. They also visited Enrique Alcaraz in the Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija.

The young Juanitas in his flower farm.

Swine-raising is a good source of income for the region’s most outstanding farmer.

FIELD TRIP. Magsasaka-Siyentista Elmor Juanitas points to the location of his cutflower farm in Sitio Katugasan, Barangay Minoyan in Murcia town.

CapSU development researcher sets high hopes on R&D

By Niño S. Manaog

University Extension Specialist

Capiz State University (CapSU)


Graduated Bachelor of Science major in Agricultural Engineering from the University of the Philippines Los Baños in 1978, Calinog-born Pedro Mallorca Celo, started work at the Capiz State University (then Panay State PolytechnicCollege) in 1985.

Prior to working in CapSU, Celo worked for the National Irrigation Administration’s Jalaur River Multipurpose Project, a four-irrigation system which operated in Jalaur River, Dingle; Mina; Aganan, San Miguel’ and Sta Barbara, all in the province of Iloilo. In the said period from 1978 to 1981, Celo gained relevant technical knowledge on efficient water management and planning and water management and land use systems. Until now, the said irrigation systems are in place.

Born in 1952, Engr. Celo is currently Associate Professor V at CapSU Burias Campus who is in charge of the Post-Harvest and Food Processing Engineering of the Department of Agricultural Engineering under the College of Agriculture and Forestry. Celo’s current post includes agricultural food processing and environmental engineering.

In 1995, Celo started being active in research. The thesis adviserships given him by the College allowed Celo to consider research for good. There Celo came to know that research work has to be geared towards solving a problem, based on observations. Research results are to be utilized—to solve an existing problem within the field, so as to improve agricultural productivity.

For one, engaging in innovative processes or developing machines—developing technologies—addresses specific problem or need, always helps address the need to improve the livelihood of its end users.

Engr. Celo (bottom left photo) takes part in the R&D symposium led
by the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges,
an aggregate of eleven state universities and colleges in Western Visayas.

In the field of research, development starts with a concept. The researcher prepares a design of a process or a machine. Then after he fabricates the technology, he tests and evaluates, and leads to conduct the pilot testing. Then the technology’s adoption and commercialization should follow.

Through the years, Celo has undertaken a number of development technologies. In early 2000s, Celo has developed saba mechanical chipper and cassava mechanical chipper. Celo also helped fabricate a kaong dehydrator in 2004 and a ginger grinder and extractor in 2006.

In the last three years, Celo’s engagement in research produced a number of useful technologies including a small-scale VCO mill in 2007, jatropha stove and Jatropha gas stove in 2009 and coco shell gas stove in 2010.

Celo considers these inventions relevant even as they render benefits and advantages to the environment. According to Celo, the fabricated gas stoves using agricultural wastes or byproducts as fuel could eventually replace the use of the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Celo acknowledges he has yet to see the extent of how the technologies he helped develop improved the lives of people in his locale. According to Celo, “we have yet to assess the impact of these interventions.” So far, the banana chipper their department once designed is presently being used by a multipurpose cooperative based in the province of Capiz.

For the 58-year old agricultural engineer, each technology they helped develop has pros and cons—each has significance. Developed technologies—even furnished with cost-and-return analysis—have trade-offs, always still open for in-depth study. Even if the technology produced is considered economically feasible today, six months from now may be a different story. “Lahat ng ginawa ko may sariling kontribusyon—masterpiece lahat ng mga ginawa ko,” Celo quips.

Through the years, Celo’s efforts in research have not gone unnoticed. His banana chipper project was cited second runner up by the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) in 2008. In 2009 and 2010, the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (Western Visayas) awarded Celo’s development projects.Among others, Celo’s VCO mill and banana chipper technologies have been recognized at the annual in-house reviews at the CapSU.

Engr. Pedro Celo