In line with Department of Agriculture Secretary’s William “Manong Willie” Dar’s focus on crop diversification and 8 paradigms to level up agriculture, MIMAROPA High Value Crops Development Program Regional and Provincial sectors, and concerned Local Government Units (LGUs) attended the 2019 3rd Quarter Review and Assessment followed by a Planning Workshop for 2021 in Los Banos, Laguna last October 8-11.
Spearheading the program, HVCDP Focal Person Corazon Sinnung addressed the significance of research and assessment of past and current data in planning and facilitating agricultural programs and procurements for a particular time target, highlighting the 2021 Work Plan to be submitted by end of 2019.
On the first two days of the activity, DA-MIMAROPA Research Division conducted technical review, deliberation and plausible revisions on each presented 2019 provincial interventions and physical accomplishments per commodity. Philippine Statistics Authority Resource Speaker Nenette Castro followed with a workshop of activities done on Local Government Unit (LGU) data reconciliation. Preceding a distribution of activity forms for the regional and provincial sectors, Property Unit Head Divina Gracia Binuya discussed delivery, inspection, acceptance, and issuance inventories.
On the third day, Bids and Awards Committee Representative Sammy Takahashi encompassed procurement planning and budgeting while HVCDP Staff Maricar Combalicer tackled the 2020 National Expenditure Program and provincial targets. Shortly after, AMAD Marketing Specialist Ramon Policarpio discussed enterprise development while Supervising Research Specialist Carmen Honrade reported the status of the Farming System project. HVCDP Report Officer Julius Jake Arellano supported previous statements with new guidelines and directives of DA Secretary William Dar – the 8 Paradigms or the “new thinking”. The day was concluded with a brief discussion of the Fall Armyworm as now an established threat to national crop production and harvest to which the Bureau of Plant Industry aims to intervene by managing, containing, and controlling FAW through Integrated Pest Management and Farmers Training as stated by Bureau of Plant Industry-National Plant Quarantine Services Division Area Manager – Oriental Mindoro Lorna Cepillo.
The program ended with a workshop on the preparation of the 2021 Work Plan and respective provincial representatives reporting their revised presentations.
“Sa totoo lang, ito ang naging pinakamagandang assessment,” commented Corazon Sinnung, “Ito ang first assessment na umabot ng apat (4) na araw dahil isinama namin ang 2021 (workplan),” she added.
Focal person Sinnung personally gave acknowledgement of gratitude to all Local Government Units (LGUs), officials and guests who made the activity successful, most especially to Mr. Ronie Panoy who supported the HVCDP program and its activities as former Regional Technical Director for Operations.
