The Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) of Ilocos Region released its first-ever bilingual newsletter on July 27, 2018 at the Department of Agriculture (DA) regional office in San Fernando, La Union that aims to convey messages and relevant information about the AFCs to the farmer communities, other stakeholders, and local government units.

The quarterly newsletter titled as “Damdamag AFCs Rehiyon 1” also highlights the activities and accomplishments of the AFCs in the region.

As the official publication of the RAFC Ilocos Region, the content of the newsletter are combination of the English language and Ilocano dialect to reach its targeted readers. However, RAFC Coordinator Milagros Dela Rosa clarified that the editorial team will also accommodate stories from the AFCs written in Filipino.

“(Through the newsletter), the Council officers and members could keep true to their commitment as volunteers in the agricultural development and protectors of the agri-sector’s interest and growth,” said RAFC 1 Chairperson Vincent Adorna.

Regional Executive Director Lucrecio Alviar, Jr. also stressed the vital role of the AFCs in ensuring that the agricultural and fishery development programs and projects in the region are effectively and efficiently carried out.

For the initial issue, Damdamag AFC Rehiyon 1 printed a total of 250.

The launch was graced by Regional Technical Director Orlando Lorenzana of DA-Regional Field Office 1, Juanito Chan of the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries, other RAFC officers, and Provincial Agriculturists Constante Botacion of the Ilocos Sur. (with reports from PDD-Area Coordinator Juanito Chan, Jr.)-JC