The Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) in Bicol organized another first in the country – a speaker’s bureau comprised of 10 multi-awarded resource speakers/experts of the highest caliber who can be tapped to tackle different topics in agriculture.
On top of the list of RAFC 5 Speaker’s Bureau is Bernadette delos Santos, RAFC 5 Chairperson her expertise lies in Agri-entrepreneurship, digital marketing and design, among others. Another high caliber speaker is Rebecca S. Purisima, RAFC 5 Food and Value Chain Sectoral Committee Chairperson whose expertise lies in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Integrated Diversified Organic Farming System (IDOFS). Next is Rossini M. Obligacion, proprietress of Joross Farm in Ligao City, Albay. She is an expert in Organic Agriculture;, culinary herbs and medicinal plants, health and wellness, meat processing and agri consultations. Also included is Dr. Georgina J. Bordado, former CBSUA president whose expertise lies in agribusiness, agricultural economics, agritourism development, institutional development as well as gender and development. Meanwhile, Maria Daisy G. Geolin can be a speaker on cooperativism, research and development, community organizing, and green health technology –based entrepreneurship.
Another speaker is Annielen L. Panerio whose expertise lies in food value chain in agriculture, financial literacy, basic bookkeeping and accounting, good governance and management, and entrepreneurial management. Benedicto A. Palmares, of Camarines Norte can be a speaker on vegetable production, leadership and organizatonal management; and Granwell N. Pitapit whose expertise lies on community development, capability building, and values formation.
Also included is Aloha Gigi I. Bañaria, REO and Chief of PMED whose expertise lies on development plan formulation, project monitoring and evaluation, and gender and development. Gladys R. Guzman of PMED whose expertise is on business formulation and project proposal preparation.
The installation of the members of speaker’s bureau was held at the PMED conference room on May 30, 2023. Witnesses to the oath taking and installation were the officers and sectoral committee chairpersons of the RAFC, and RAFC, PAFC and Independent City AFC, DA Bicol Regional Technical Director (RTD) for Operations Luz R. Marcelino; RTD for Research and Regulations Dr. Edgar R. Madrid; and chiefs of the different divisions of DA Bicol.
RAFC envisions a community of strong AFC leaders creating opportunities for economic growth through sharing of knowledge, skills and expertise. (Lovella P. Guarin with reports from Jessa Mae Siano)