CULMINATION PROGRAM ON RICE AND VEGETABLE TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS CONDUCTED…

Last August 20, 2014, Wednesday, a joint culmination program on season long training in rice production using the palay check system as well as the season long training in vegetable commercialization was held at the Brgy Laray Quadrangle. Barangay Laray which is situated in the northernmost part of the Municipality of Calubian was presently the center for the two simultaneous season long training for the two important commodities in the town, the vegetable and rice. In collaboration with CLAD Inc, LGU personnel through the office of the Municipal Agriculturist has focused its farmers development activities in the north the center of the Phase 2 project sponsored by two international NGO, the DISOP of Belgium and Heifer International USA. With the project entitled “Improving productivity and organizational capacity of rural communities for self-employment and sustainable enterprises”, the project has focused on 400 new participating families which come mostly from the northern associations such as the Casiongan Farmers Association, the DLPJ or Dalumpines-Laray-Pal-og-Jubay Farmers and Fishermen Association and the Juson Farmers and Fishermen Association. Since the project is covering five cluster organizations, the other two organizations are the Seahorse Fishermen Association of Brgy Cristina and Kawayanan Integrated Livelihood Association of Brgy Kawayanan.

The culmination program of Brgy Laray commenced with an opening prayer followed by the welcome remarks given by the Brgy Captain Hon Agapito Pedida followed by some impressions coming from the participants and some testimonies and success stories coming from previous graduates from earlier techno-demos. For rice, Mr. Guillermo Legazpi of Villalon shared his gains as graduate of rice techno-demo held at Brgy. Villalon while Mr. Norberto Dillo of Brgy Tagharigue imparted the success he earned as graduate of both rice and vegetable. According to him, trials while doing farming should be overcame by continuously raising the crops. He shared his experienced after Yolanda when all his Ampalaya was damaged by the strong wind. He immediately planted 1,600 hills and was able to earn more than P300,000.00 pesos being the supplier to Tacloban after the typhoon. After deducting the expenses, more or less P200,000.00 was his net income plus the benefit he has shared to neighbors as his hired laborers in the farm. There were some messages coming from the Municipal Agriculturist (actually its me) which stretch that Brgy. Laray is so lucky to had irrigation project constructed in the barangay. It was during the first term of Hon. Doroteo N. Palconit that this project as realized. Hon. Aida Q. Labtic, chairperson committee on agriculture also shared her gratitude being a witness of the advancement of agriculture in that far flung barangay. The honorable Vice Mayor also delivered his message to the graduating farmers. After all the messages, Mr. Rolando Lunzaga and Mr. Antonio Nierras presented the graduating class for Vegetable and rice, respectively. Mr. Dignos in his capacity as the Municipal Agriculturist of the municipality confirmed the 29 women and 21 men who passed the minimum requirements required for the training as the new graduates for the recently concluded techno-demo. Hon. Palconit, municipal mayor distributed the certificates attended the SB members present such as Hon. Lucita Palconit, Hon. Aida Labtic, Hon. Rosevida Ruiz, Hon. Vivencia Casas, Hon. Nilda Omega and the Vice Mayor Hon. Gilbert Ponce.

After the distribution, the mayor delivered his speech and reiterated his commitment to fully support the agriculture sector of the municipality. As a graduation gift to the graduates, the mayor has given each of them one sack (25kg) of rice and an additional one sack (10kg) of fertilizer courtesy of PCA. They were so satisfied and so thankful for the early gift they had received. Their neighbors who were hesitant to join the training had felt sorry of what they had witnessed. After the message of the mayor, everybody in the site had partake the lunch prepared by the Municipal Agriculture’s Office.