SAN AGUSTIN, PILI, CAMARINES SUR – As the agency responsible for food production, the Department of Agriculture in Bicol did not close its office to the public since the declaration of Enhanced Community Quarantine. 

It is business as usual for the skeleton staff of the DA in Bicol and the working days were even extended up to Saturdays and Sundays (halfday). Based on the mandated 25% of the workforce who can serve as skeleton staff, 160 personnel of DA RFO 5 are manning the regional office on weekly rotation to ensure the unhampered service delivery to our farmers and the general public. 

On the average, up to 200 clients still visit the regional office everyday for different purposes such as availment of famers’ or farm workers’ ID, food passes, vegetable seeds and other services. Suppliers, mostly coming from outside the region, are also submitting their bid documents personally, as the government bidding continues to facilitate procurement of goods and services. 

Seeing the hazard to which the DA Bicol personnel are exposed to everyday, DA Bicol Regional Executive Director Rodel P. Tornilla ensured that strict biosecurity measures are in place at the office. 

Recently, the creative staff of the General Services Section headed by Michael Angelo delos Santos devised a Disinfection Misting Equipment which they installed at the entrance gate of the regional office. 

They assembled several PPR pipes to form a rectangular arch along the insides of the entrance gate. Nine fine mist nozzle sprayers were strategically positioned along the pipes which were connected to a power sprayer.

Everytime a car enters the entrance gate, the operator will switch the power sprayer on and presto – fine mists or aerosols are sprayed into the vehicle. This modern and practical method of disinfection is not costly and leaves the air and objects virus-free as possible.

The total cost of the device was only P8,000.00. Delos Santos disclosed that they are using a powerful brand of disinfectant solution for this biosecurity measure. (Lovella P. Guarin/ photos by Hermito Privaldos)