PRESS RELEASE
Sec. Dar addresses both online and live participants from various regions during the 6th NVD Celebration.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar underlined the significant contributions of the Agricultural and Fishery Councils (AFCs) in the growth of the Philippine agriculture despite the catastrophic effects of pandemic and typhoons during the blended celebration of the 6th National Agriculture and Fisheries Volunteers’ Day (NVD) on January 7, 2021 in Quezon City.
The NVD, with the theme “AFC Boluntaryong Naglilingkod; Kaagapay ng Agrikultura at Pangisdaan sa Gitna ng Pandemya”, is an annual celebration that recognizes all the AFC officers and members for their continued fervor to bring change to the agriculture and fishery sector through volunteerism.
The AFCs are the mechanism for private sector participation in the development processes at the national, regional, provincial, and city/municipal levels. It is also a venue for consultation and dialogues between the DA, national banner programs, and other agencies, with national industry groups and civil society organizations.
“In this extraordinary time, the AFCs showed how dedicated they are in serving the sector. Members of the AFCs, who were mostly over 60 years old, were necessitated to find new ways to voice out issues and concerns, and still craft sound policy recommendations to help the pandemic-stricken industry,” said Sec. Dar.
The Agriculture Chief, along with the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) Acting Executive Director, Dr. Liza Battad, presented timely awards and unique regional awards to the AFCs who were present via online video conferencing app.
National awards and the respective winners include:
Most Number of Policy Resolutions Adopted
Winners:
- National Banner Program Committee (NBPC) on Livestock, Poultry & Feed Crops
- Regional AFC (RAFC) Northern Mindanao
- PAFC Palawan
- Provincial AFC (PAFC) South Cotabato
Most Number of Recruited AFCs
Winner: RAFC Central Luzon
Most Number of CSOs Accredited
Winner: RAFC Central Luzon
Most Number of Monitoring Activities Conducted
Winner: RAFC Caraga
Most Number of activities conducted in response to COVID-19
Winners:
- RAFC Davao Region
- PAFC Aklan
- Municipal AFC (MAFC) Irosin, Sorsogon
Most Strategic Consultation Conducted (RAFC)
Winner: RAFC Bicol
Most Strategic Consultation Conducted (PAFC/HUCAFC/ICCAFC)
Winners:
* PAFC Ifugao
* PAFC Ilocos Norte
* Independent Component City AFC (ICCAFC) Santiago City
* PAFC Bulacan
* PAFC Batangas
* PAFC Palawan
* PAFC Camarines Norte
* PAFC Negros Occidental
* Highly Urbanized City AFC (HUCAFC) Cebu City
* ICCAFC Ormoc City
* PAFC Zamboanga del Sur
* HUCAFC Iligan City
* PAFC Davao Oriental
* PAFC North Cotabato
* PAFC Agusan del Sur
* PAFC Lanao del Sur
Most Strategic Consultation Conducted (MAFC/CAFC)
Winners:
* MAFC Luba, Abra
* City AFC (CAFC) Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
* MAFC Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya
* MAFC Sasmuan, Pampanga
* MAFC Taysan, Batangas
* MAFC Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro
* MAFC Sta. Elena, Camarines Norte
* MAFC Kalibo, Aklan
* CAFC Bayawan City, Negros Oriental
* MAFC Bato, Leyte
* MAFC Mahayag, Zamboanga del Sur
* MAFC Tudela, Misamis Occidental
* MAFC Cateel, Davao Oriental
* MAFC Sto. Niño, South Cotabato
* MAFC Remedios T. Romualdez, Agusan del Norte
* CAFC Marawi City, Lanao del Sur
The Agriculture Chief also appealed for the support and commitment of the AFCs in carrying out DA’s key strategies in pursuing major programs and activities that will pave the way to attain a modest agriculture sector growth of 2.5 percent this 2021.
With the help of the AFCs and PCAF’s guidance to the council members, Sec. Dar is confident that the sector can “survive, reboot, and grow”.
“The year 2020 has been a challenging year for all the sectors and industries, including Philippine agriculture. We hope and pray that 2021 will be safer, kinder, prosperous, and ‘OneDArful’,” he added, emphasizing the “OneDA” approach to pursue the Department’s critical strategies for 2021.
PCAF is an attached agency of DA that facilitates broad-based participatory processes in the agriculture and fisheries sector through consultations, dialogues and monitoring that leads to the creation of sound policies, plans and programs of the Department.
“With everyone’s participation and enthusiasm to work together, we can strengthen and magnify this sector’s importance and contribution to the Philippine’s agriculture growth and in nation-building,” he added. ### JC
