The Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) conducted the Orientation on the Omnibus Guidelines on the Engagement of the Agricultural and Fishery Councils (OGAFCE) and Policy Service Ambassadorship System (PSAS) on May 10, 2021 via online platform. It was participated by the RAFC Executive Officers and the regional coordinators.   

The orientation seeks to set a shared and common understanding on OGAFCE and PSAS. Participants were refreshed on the mission and vision of PCAF,and its role as an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA). The PCAF iCARE was briefly discussed, highlighting that it is  a value-creating strategic shift of PCAF with its four service brands, namely: the WeAdVoCATE, the WeCoNSULT, the WeTRACK and the newest addition, the WeINSPIRE.  

It was underscored that these strategies are aimed at enhancing the delivery of PCAF services on partnership collaboration, policy service delivery and participatory monitoring. These are to contribute to the DA’s twin goals of “ Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita.” under the stewardship of Secretary William D. Dar.

During the event, PCAF presented the Audio-Visual Presentation (AVP) of OGAFCE.  It details  the Agricultural and Fishery Council (AFC) composition and functions from the national, regional, provincial and municipal levels, criteria for membership, duties and responsibilities of the officers and  members, among others. 

The  AVP will be sent to the REO and the  regional coordinators for subsequent distribution to the provincial coordinators.  It was designed  compartmentalized so that it can be played  based on the needed chapters according to the intended purpose. “This AVP was made to make the orientations easier and to reach its intended audience anywhere in the country specially that we are an archipelagic country,” said Floreliz Avellana, OIC Chief of Partnership Development Division.

The significance of the AFC member validation was also discussed.  This will  be conducted this year  across the country to get comprehensive and updated information on the existing AFC members nationwide. The information gathered will be uploaded to the AFC member dashboard which will make the data management and retrieval easier.

The AVP may be used to orient newly recruited AFC members.  This will augur well in this  “new normal” where most meetings are made through online platforms. 

During the event, the implementation of PSAS was also announced. The PSAS Team  is composed of selected PCAF employees assigned to specific banner programs, i.e. rice; poultry, livestock and corn; fisheries and aquaculture; high value crops and coffee and cacao; and regions.  They will ensure that participatory processes at the national, regional, and local levels are carried out.. They will also articulate the agency’s mission, vision, goals, strategies, programs, plans, and targets in terms of Major Final Outputs and assist the agency in the gathering and consolidation as well as the analysis of PCAF’s accomplishments.###CCB