Maayong buntag sa indong tanan!
First of all, I would like to express my apologies for missing this important meeting with the distinguished men and women of RAFC-ARMM because of a prior commitment that coincided with this schedule.
Today, we will be in the congress to present PCAF’s agency budget.
As we gear up for the year 2017, let us visit again our accomplishments last 2016. Please take a look at the slides in the board (slide presentation).
For RAFC and PAFC accomplishments, with our collaborative efforts, we have accomplished 100% in terms of consultation meetings. This is with the exception of the Municipal AFC, which only managed to accomplish 65%.
With the increase funding support for RAFC this year, the fund moved up from 120 thousand pesos to 200 thousand pesos. This will support MAFC meetings by providing 3 thousand pesos from its previous budget of 2,500 pesos. This is in addition to the customized budget for PAFC. I am highly confident that you can achieve 100%. Kaya naman natin di ba?
With our progress towards our end goal, I am requesting your full support to the Department of Agriculture’s 10 Basic Foundation of a Sound Agriculture and Fisheries Program.
Number 1 is the National Color-Coded Agriculture and Fisheries Map. Through the Bureau of Soils and Water Management, the map will help us determine what crop is suitable in specific area and enable agricultural experts to craft and combine effective and appropriate strategies and measures to achieve maximum production.
The 2nd one is the National Food Consumption Quantification Study. This will determine the most consumed and in-demand agricultural commodities for all the Filipinos.
Third is the Institutional Restructuring and Paradigm Resetting for the Department of Agriculture and its officials and employees. This is a nationwide orientation and mind setting for all officials and employees of the DA to ensure that they are guided on the priorities of the Duterte administration when it comes of agriculture and fisheries and the road map for the mission to provide “Available and Affordable Food for the Filipinos”.
It also includes the Intensive Technology Updating and Sharing of Modernization and Mechanization Program; Easy Access of Financing Program for Farmers, Fishermen and Agriculture and Fisheries Stakeholders; A Strategic and Effective Post Harvest, Storage and Processing Facility; Government Initiated and Supported Aggressive Marketing Campaign especially for High Value Crops in Foreign Markets.
Under the new DA management, high-value crops like rubber, oil palm, banana, abaca, coconut, and marine products will be given full support. For instance, a coconut productivity and rehabilitation agenda, which aims to develop almost 600,000 hectares of coconut crops, was designed.
Also part of the 10 Basic Foundation is the Coordinated Program with other Agencies of the Government to Ensure the Protection and Preservation of Water Resources especially Watershed. In partnership with other government agencies, this is directed to bring back the polluted Laguna De Bay to the pristine state it was in some hundred years ago. As such, various measures towards a cleaner water resource and bigger source of fish catch for the small fishers will be undertaken.
The Relentless Campaign for the Enforcement of Agricultural and Fisheries Laws especially in Land Convergence and Illegal Fishing and the Re-introduction of Basic Agriculture in the Primary and Elementary Grades of the Philippine School System conclude the program.
In the said plan, PCAF also mapped out its Strategic Directions that will contribute to the development of our AFCs in the regional, provincial, down to the municipal level.
One of the directions is to ensure that our Advisory Special Bodies, which includes the AFCs, are actively engaged in shaping national and local agri and fishery development agenda.
The agenda also includes the acceleration of AFCs in the development councils, and maintains the mainstream funding and manpower requirements for AFCs in the local development plans and local investment plans. PCAF also targets to spearhead continuous capability building activities for AFCs officers and members, as well as strengthen its sectoral membership within the council.
PCAF also aspires to strengthen AFCs as local advocates and local monitors for the agri and fisheries programs and projects, as well as its capabilities to mobilize resources outside the local government units and the government.
However, as we at PCAF work on these directions, we also need your help to achieve your expected activities or functions.
We challenge you to work on the committees such as the Committee of Resource Mobilization, Committee on Strategic Partnering, Committee on Image Enhancement, and Committee on Membership Development.
With the help of the Committee on Resource Mobilization, this will help everyone to review, analyze and identify resource streams and needs of the council. While the Committee on Strategic Partnering, this will help the stakeholders in determining potential partners both from private and government sectors.
The Committee on Image Enhancement will also help the council to develop and maintain good relationship with all stakeholders, and promote distinctive AFC identity in all levels.
Lastly, the Committee on Membership Development will help us to formulate strategies to increase and sustain membership.
I know that this will be a very challenging year for us; however, I am very positive that these will be all attained as long as we are all receptive to changes and new possibilities.
Again, thank you!
Sukran!
Date: February 23, 2017
Venue: Pagana Restaurant, Cotabato City
