PRESS RELEASE
Department of Agriculture RFU 5
San Agustin, Pili, Camarines Sur
February 8, 2012

The Department of Agriculture in Bicol hosted the National Planning Workshop and Budget Preparation for the AgriPinoy Corn Program for Calendar Year 2013. Some 80 participants consisting of corn coordinators from the 15 regions and DA officials and staff of the corn program directorate at the DA central office participated in the activity. Representatives from DA attached agencies namely: Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS), Agriculture Training Institute (ATI), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Bureau of Agricultural research (BAR), and Bureau of Soil and Water Management (BSWM), Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) National Food Authority (NFA) Corn Board, PhilMech and PhilMaize were likewise present.

The occasion which was held on February 14 to 17 at the Alicia Hotel in Legaspi City was graced by Joel S. Rudinas, DA undersecretary for Field Operations, and Edilberto M. de Luna assistant secretary for Field Operations and concurrently National Corn Program Coordinator.

Expected output for this activity are the Action Plan for CY 2012 and Budget Proposal for 2013.

Resource persons and facilitators included: Director Agnes Catherine T. Miranda Chief of the DA Planning Service, Telma C. Tolentino, chief of the DA Budget Division and Mario Padrinao of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics who will discuss the BAS forecast for the agriculture sector.

DA Bicol regional executive director Jose V. Dayao and Eduardo L. Lomerio, regional corn coordinator oversee the preparation and activities for this event. Dayao said that in crafting the plans and budget proposal the participants were guided by the marching orders issued by secretary Proceso Alcala among which are: focusing on community-based targeting; focusing on cultivating farmers knowledge and capability building activities, incorporate climate change interventions, and develop new, out of the box interventions. (Emily B. Bordado)