Tuesday, April 21, 2009

NAFC Team Validates Hard Infra Projects in Caraga Region



by: Aurell P. Arais


Butuan City- To ensure transparency of government projects implemented under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture, an eight (8) member team from National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC) conducted a one week validation and monitoring here in Caraga Region last April 13-18, 2009.

Focus of the validation was the hard infrastructure projects such as Farm to Market Roads (FMR) and Irrigations with funding source from DA and either implemented by the said office or downloaded to other agency such as National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) or the provincial and municipal local government units.

The eight member team was divided into four sub-teams with two members each to cover four identified cluster areas within the region.

The first team validated mainland Surigao del Norte and some parts of Surigao del Sur areas covering the towns of Alegria, Tubod, Sison, Placer, Bacuag, Gigaquit, Claver, Carrascal, Lanuza and the cities of Tandag and Surigao.

The second team validated Agusan del Norte areas covering the towns of Kitcharao, Jabonga, Santiago, Las Nieves, Carmen, Nasipit, Buenavista and the cities of Butuan and Cabadbaran while the third team validated Siargao Island and some parts of mainland Surigao del Norte covering the areas of General Luna, Pilar, San Isidro, San Benito, Burgos, Sta. Monica, San Francisco and Malimono.

The fourth team validated Surigao del Sur areas covering the towns of Hinatuan, Lingig, Tagbina, Barobo, San Agustin, Marihatag, and Tago.

Each team was accompanied in the area by its local counterparts from DA RFU 13, DPWH, NIA, representative from respective LGUs and Agricultural Fishery Councils (AFCs) while the new Caraga Coordinator of Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) Claire Bacation accompanied the team 3.

During the exit conference, all data gathered were consolidated and showed that generally all projects were put in place.

Regional Executive Director Ricardo C. Regis welcomes the validation team and viewed it positively not as fault finder but to look into some rooms for improvements.

The national validation team expressed an appreciation to the coordination effort extended by DA RFU 13 through Regional Agriculture Engineering Division (RAED) head by its division chief Engr. Rene Morales.

The said activity is part of the leg of project validation in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

It is sad to note that while the team conducted its mandate here in Caraga Region, the Regional Executive Director of Region 2 and at the same time Undersecretary for Monitoring Gumersindo Lasam, was killed in an ambush by still unidentiied men in Solana, Cagayan Valley Tuesday morning. (Aurell P. Arais/rafid da caraga)


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