Clarifications and new ideas emerged as the second part of the orientation of newly recruited Agricultural and Fishery Council (AFC) members continued on May 8 to 10, 2018 in Legaspi City.

Aside from acquainting the participants on the roles, responsibilities, and rights of Council members, the three-day activity became a medium to showcase creative ways of pledging commitment as AFC member.

One of the participants from Bicol Region created an artwork as a token of appreciation to the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) and to the AFC.

On behalf of our organization, I would like to extend our appreciation for the opportunity to be part of this orientation. Rest assured that we will do our best to perform our tasks as part of this Council,” said Roy Nelson Layosa in Filipino after finishing his work of art.

Joining Layosa were other 24 new AFC members from MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas who took their pledge of commitment before Bicol Region Farmer-Director Alfredo Rillo with the assistance of Albay Provincial AFC Chairperson Alfredo Oben.

Like the first orientation held in Cagayan de Oro City on April 24 to 26, the activity was also part of the AFC membership recruitment process. It allowed the newly recruited members to know PCAF mandates, programs and projects, as well as the AFC Manual of Operations.

PCAF technical staff also presented information that could be useful in preparing AFC Expected Outputs and 2018 Targets.  The new members were also guided with the Department of Agriculture (DA), its bureaus and attached agencies’ programs and projects at the regional, provincial, city, and municipal level.

Also, DA regional officers presented Secretary Emmanuel Piñol’s Ten Point Agenda, the different banner programs and updates in DA Bicol Region.

Guidelines and roles in the participatory monitoring of DA and PCAF programs and projects were also discussed.– JC