“When we strengthen our Agricultural and Fishery Councils (AFCs), we build an agri-fishery sector that truly answers to its people.” Anchoring in the principle of participatory governance, Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) OIC Deputy Executive Director Cyril Soliaban set the tone for regional accountability during the FY 2026 Visayas Participatory Performance Review and continue reading…
Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) Executive Director Bernadette “BidiBidi” De Los Santos emphasized the critical role of grassroots volunteerism and modern bayanihan in advancing the country’s agriculture and fisheries sector during her recent interview on the radio program Bayanihan On-Air on October 05, 2026. Highlighting PCAF’s core mandate to promote broad-based participatory development, continue reading…
In Davao Oriental, Marybeth Irigo and Chorna Cabañog have spent years building lives around agriculture—though in ways that extend far beyond their own farms. Irigo, who has served as the Provincial Agricultural and Fishery Council (AFC) Chairperson of Davao Oriental for eight years, has moved between agricultural production, market-building, and shrimp farming. Cabañog, the Municipal continue reading…
To bridge research findings with actionable policy recommendations, the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) conducted an online Knowledge Unloading Day (KUD) on October 2, 2026, featuring the study Market Analysis of Local Milk and Dairy Products in the Philippines. KUD is PCAF’s knowledge-sharing initiative designed to cultivate a continuous learning continue reading…
For over three decades, Epifanio “Boy” Loyola Jr. has been a cornerstone of agricultural advocacy in the Davao Region. From his early beginnings in 1986 as Chairperson of the Barangay Agricultural and Fishery Council (BAFC) in Cagangohan, Panabo City, Davao del Norte to his current role leading the Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) as continue reading…
At four in the morning, while much of the neighborhood is still asleep, Genovivo “Bong” Cajes is already on his feet. His day begins at the bakery before he heads to the farm to check on his dairy cows. Later, he moves between the farm, store, bakery, and restaurant—checking supplies, tending to livestock, managing the continue reading…
Long before Emmanuel “Nhel” Belviz represented the country’s durian export negotiations, his playground was a cacao patch in Davao, where he strolled alongside his father, Severino, learning how to prune trees while barely tall enough to see past the trunk. On the other side of the country in Dolores, Quezon, Mary Grace “Eyeth” Belviz grew continue reading…
In the high mountains of Mindanao, peace did not arrive through armed force or high-level political speeches. It arrived inside a humble bamboo shelter, steaming hot in a ceramic cup. At the center of that table sat Felicitas “Joji” Pantoja. Armed with a background in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Joji had spent 16 years continue reading…
Agricultural and Fishery Council (AFC) leaders across southern Mindanao aligned strategies to clear operational roadblocks, fast-track fund releases, and advance policy reforms to spur agri-fishery growth during their planning workshop here on September 8 to 10, 2026, in Davao City. The three-day review brought together 60 Regional and Provincial AFC chairpersons, Department of Agriculture regional continue reading…
Hit by volatile liveweight prices, lingering disease outbreaks, and escalating feed expenses, the local pork sector convened to craft urgent, field-driven policies to revive the industry. Various offices and attached agencies of the Department of Agriculture (DA) convened the 2026 National Swine Summit on September 7, 2026, at the National Meat Inspection Service Salvador H. continue reading…
Highlighting the importance of grassroots involvement in agri-fishery policymaking, budgeting, and program planning, the Agricultural and Fishery Councils (AFCs) from the Mindanao A cluster agreed to accelerate fund liquidations with regional accountants, expand youth engagement, and standardize the definition of endorsed resolutions to accurately track accomplishments. These agreements were finalized during the FY 2026 Mindanao continue reading…
