NAGA CITY, CAMARINES SUR – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Bicol is banking on young blood in creating the regionalized conceptual framework for the eight paradigms espoused by newly-appointed Secretary William D. Dar to level up the country’s agri-fishery sector.
Speaking before the 20 participants of the Intensive Workshop on the Creation of Conceptual Framework for the 8 Paradigms of the Department of Agriculture, DA-Bicol Regional Executive Director Rodel P. Tornilla said that the agency needs to inject new perspectives in the existing programs of the Department.
“We believe that with your expertise, kamo ang makakatao ning fresh and fit ideas sa 8 paradigms na gustong i-implement kan satuyang Secretary (We believe that with your expertise, you can give fresh and fit ideas to the 8 paradigms that our Secretary wants to implement),” Tornilla said. He also motivated them to do their respective jobs out of passion for the agency and the agriculture sector.
The workshop was designed for the participants to revisit the DA programs, projects and activities and align them with Secretary Dar’s vision of new thinking strategies. DA-Bicol Rice and Corn Program Lorenzo L. Alvina and Field Operations Division OIC-Chief Dr. Mary Grace DP. Rodriguez facilitated the discussion of Problem Tree Analysis while Robella V. Naldo, a graduate of Master of Science in City and Regional Planning at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the U.S., lectured on the Logical Framework and Tools in Prioritization.
Based from the results of the Problem Tree Analysis conducted, the participants identified low agricultural competitiveness as the core problem besetting the agri-fishery sector in the region. They were then divided into four groups with the task of preparing logical and conceptual frameworks for each paradigm. A panel composed of Tornilla, Regional Technical Director for Operations and Extension Adelina A. Losa, Rodriguez, Alvina and Senior Science Research Specialist Maria Christina F. Campita evaluated their outputs.
“Dakulaon sya pong challenge samo gabos ngonian. Sana po, after kani, maka-craft man kita ning project na talaga pong makakatabang sa agriculture sector (This is a big challenge to all of us. Hopefully, after this, we would be able to craft a project that will benefit the agriculture sector),” Gladys Regondola, Planning Officer II, said.
“Challenge ni na ia-accept ta dapat para sa mga farmers ta and pano ta mai-improve ang services ta sa public, pano ta maiko-connect dapat si services ta duman sa nangangaipuhan ning service—realigning saka itong dae na basta-basta dapat ang itinatao ta. Sa ginigibo tang ini, dapat si usefulness, si durability kan satuyang mga interventions and inputs sa farmers yaon (This is a challenge that we should accept for our farmers and how to improve the delivery of our services to the public–how to connect our services to the right beneficiaries and realigning them. We need to ensure the quality, usefulness and durability of the interventions and inputs that we provide to the farmers),” Marianito Tesorero, Agriculturist II, said. Revised workshop outputs will be presented during the DA-Bicol Management Committee (ManCom) Meeting on October 14, 2019. (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA-RAFIS V)