Surigao del Sur – To personally oversee the start of the operation, Director Francisco “Bong” Ramos III of the Department of Agriculture-Agribusiness, Marketing and Assistance Services (DA-AMAS) spearheaded the launching of its flagship project Barangay Bagsakan in Surigao del Sur.
For the whole month of November 2008, the Agribusiness, Marketing and Assistance Division (AMAD) headed by OIC Servilla Balaan, a regional counterpart of AMAS in central office conducted a series of Barangay Bagsakan launching in several location within the province.
Last November 18, Barangay Bagsakan in Diatagon, Lianga was successfully launched and on November 20 another BB was launched in Poblacion Barobo, Surigao del Sur.
It was followed on November 26 at Gamut, Tago; November 27 at Bungtod, Tandag City and a day after in Agsam, Lanuza, Surigao del Sur.
Prior to the formal launching, an information caravan was conducted with the staff of Regional Agriculture and Fishery Information Division (RAFID) on the neighboring areas of the BB sites to let the public know about the big event.
Director Ramos was the keynote speaker in Bungtod, Tandag City and in Agsam, Lanuza wherein he emphasized the value of cooperation among operators for smooth implementation of the project.
He also said before the agriculture department bombarded the farmers through its interventions to have more produced but without offering an option where to market the harvest, but nowadays marketing aspects is given priority through the Barangay Bagsakan and Bagsakan Center projects.
Barangay Bagsakan in Surigao del Sur was strongly supported by Governor Vicente Pimentel through Provincial Agriculturist Mark Quico and the whole officialdom on respective local government units where the BB site is located.
Notably in Lanuza, Mayor Algerico Irizari even vowed to replicate the project in another barangay within his town if the BB project in Agsam will succeed.
BB/BC is a barangay-based food depot and distribution system offering affordable, safe and quality food products like meat, poultry, fish, vegetables and fruits, directly links farmers and fisherfolk producers to the consumers and community participated retail food distribution system.
This project is jointly undertaken by the local government unit (LGU) who will provide the space/land, building and operating capital and designate a recipient to operate the BB/BC and DA who will provide the technical assistance during the pre-operation and actual operation, links suppliers and provides Cold Storage Facility, Plastic Crates and other facilities needed for the project.
Barangay Bagsakan and Bagsakan Center formerly known as Barangay Food Terminal (BFT) started its implementation since 2006 in Metro Manila but in 2007 it has expanded its scope of operation on the provinces to support the hunger mitigation program of the president Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
As of press time, a total of 13 BB sites had been launched all over Caraga Region but Balaan revealed that they are targeting around 14 BB and three (3) Bagsakan Centers before the year ends.
Due to be launched this month is the BB site in Mainit, Surigao del Norte and Barangay Centers in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur; Cancohoy, Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte and Aras-asan, Cagwait, Surigao del Sur.
According to Director Ramos the DA-AMAS is targeting around 160 BB/BC sites all over the country but as of now they have already launched close to 200 sites.(Aurell P. Arais/rafid da caraga)
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