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“Agriculture is too important to be left alone to the Department of Agriculture, and so it is necessary for us to engage private sectors, civil society organizations, the practitioners and even the academe as stakeholders in the agri-fishery sector. And PCAF is the institution that will see to it that there is a proper engagement and/or participation of the various stakeholders in the whole process of consultation…” – Agriculture Secretary William Dar

Agriculture Secretary William Dar commended the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) for its continued relevance in engaging stakeholders in the development of an enabling policy environment during the agency’s exhibit opening for its eighth anniversary celebration on June 21, 2021.

He said that these dialogues, facilitated by PCAF, greatly contributed to the realization of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) new thrust and priorities towards a food secure and resilient Philippines with prosperous farmers and fisherfolk.

Dar also acknowledged PCAF’s viability to transition from the conventional face-to-face meetings to combined or even pure virtual consultations to ensure the safety and convenience of volunteer-partners and stakeholders in this time of the pandemic.

With this shift, PCAF was still able to ensure high-quality standard of outputs, such as policy resolutions and recommendations, in consultations and other participatory activities facilitated.

“PCAF as an institution will be very instrumental in assisting in the roadmap development for commodity industries. Thank you for being part of DA’s success over the years. We greatly appreciate and value your hard-worked success”, said Sec. Dar.

On another note, he pointed out that DA agencies and bureaus should still recognize the operational years of their mother institutions when it comes to anniversary celebrations.

PCAF, for instance, has been renamed many times since its establishment in 1958. Dar then clarified that PCAF is now in its 63rd year of serving as a conducive medium for consultations on agri-fishery concerns among private-sector partners, stakeholders and attached DA government agencies.

(From left to right) PCAF Acting Executive Director Liza Battad, Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council CALABARZON Chairperson Pedrito Kalaw, former PCAF Executive Director and now Undersecretary for Operations and Agri-Fisheries Mechanization Ariel Cayanan, Agriculture Secretary William Dar, and Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications and Department Spokesperson Noel Reyes (not clearly seen in the photo). Ribbon-cutting ceremony of PCAF’s exhibit opening for its eighth anniversary, highlighting the theme “It is great to collabor8, elev8, and innov8 A&F sector partner’s participation through iCARE”

Over the years, PCAF anniversary, which is celebrated every 26th of June, has been a venue to underscore the importance of its employees and private sector-partners through simple face-to-face gatherings. 

Due to the pandemic, the agency needed to follow safety protocols on social gatherings, thus other key government officials sent their warmest greetings through video messages. These included former executive directors of PCAF, which is then National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC): Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez, Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) President Jovy Bernabe, and Elgie Namia.

Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Rodolfo Vicerra and National Banner Program Committee (NBPC) Chairpersons also sent their best regards. | JCL