DA-MRDP Turns-over Mindanao’s First Rubber Processing Facility in Caraga

Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur – Undoubtedly the Province of Agusan del Sur is the rubber capital in Caraga Region but who knows it might become the rubber capital in Mindanao in the near future. 

Cutting of Ribbon of the Crumb Rubber Processing Facility

A vision that is arms reached away with the concerted effort of various government agencies.

Last July 7, 2015, a P26.5 million worth of Crumb Rubber Processing Facility was inaugurated and turned-over to the Farmers Alternative Self-Reliance Multi-Purpose Cooperative (FARSMCO) in Brgy. San Vicente, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

The said multi-million project was funded by the Department of Agriculture - Mindanao Rural Development Program under the Community Fund for Agricultural Development (CFAD) with counterpart from the Provincial Government of Agusan del Sur and Municipal Government of Prosperidad as well as from coop recipient.

Gracing the occasion were DA Caraga Regional Director Edna Mabeza; Community Development Specialist Samson Mate of MRDP Program Support Office, Governor Adolph Edward Plaza, 1^st District Representative Valentina Plaza, Mayor Albin Magdamit and other local officials as well as residents of the area.

Mabeza said that the establishment of the said facility is a manifestation that DA is now embarking on total support to farmers to uplift their economic conditions.

“Ang panglangtaw karon sa Department of Agriculture wala na ta nag-concetrate sa production, naglantaw na ta from production to processing unya marketing,” (The vision now of the Department of Agriculture is not merely on production, but from production to processing then marketing), she said.

She also appealed to the recipient to utilize the facility to come up with quality crumb rubber to make it competitive to other parts of Mindanao producing the same.

Meanwhile, Governor Plaza said that the rubber processing facility is a big boost to its flagship program called Upland Sustainable Agro-forestry Development (USAD) in which planting of rubber is one of the priorities.

“We had established our own bud wood garden to have quality planting materials for our rubber planters in the province to accelerate our program,” he said.

Arnaldo Silverio, FARSMCO chairman said that the facility is a big help for their cooperative and vowed to take care the facility entrusted to them.

“Katumanan gyud ni sa among mga damgo, dako gyud ni ug ikatabang sa among panginabuhian,”(It’s a dream come true, it is a great help for our livelihood), he said.

It was learned that the Rubber Processing Facility has a daily capacity of 10 metric tons to produce crumb rubber.

With the said project, no need for rubber planters around the vicinity and neighboring municipalities to bring their produce called cup lump to other regions thereby cutting additional expenses.

They may opt to sell their produce to FARSMCO or just bring it to the facility to be processed into crumb with minimal fee only. 

 

Crumb rubber commands higher buying price of more than two fold for additional income of the rubber planters.

Crumb rubber is ready for processing into products such as boots, tires and other rubber related materials. (Aurelius P. Arais/DA Caraga)

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DA Caraga Strengthens Employees’ Character through Values Orientation Workshop

Me (left) and my groupmates during our activities 

Butuan City- Laying a strong foundation for its newly hired permanent employees, the Department of Agriculture Caraga conducted a Values Orientation Workshop spearheaded by the Human Resources Section.

As of June 30, 2015 there are 144 newly appointed employees assigned in different units to cater the needs of the clienteles in the agricultural sector. 

Resource persons during the workshop were Director II Christopher Mabale of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Agusan del Norte and Human Resources Specialists Ligaya Cueva and Aurora Mantilla of CSC Regional Office.

DA-13 Regional Director Edna Mabeza said that being a public servant demands utmost responsibility.

“We may feel so loaded with work and tired of serving our clients; but we should always remember that we are accountable to every treatment we show to them. We are expected to perform accordingly or even more than expected of us,” Mabeza said.

The Values Oriental Workshop (VOW) is a course that reinforces public service values rooted in the Filipino culture and articulated through social artistry.

Director Mabale said that VOW is adopted as a continuing intervention program pursuant to RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Government Officials and Employees and RA 9485 known as the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007.

He emphasized that it is a must to know important values individually and in an organization in order to attain its goals and to satisfy its clientele.

“Know the direction of your department so you will know what are the values needed to attain its objectives,” Mabale said.

Public service delivery is dependent on the quality of human resources as an effective instrument for development. (Aurelius P. Arais/Fretcher Magatao DA Caraga)

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DA Caraga Partner for Progress in Agusan del Sur

Governor Adolph Edward Plaza of Agusan del Sur

Patin-ay, Prosperidad - Agusan Del Sur Governor Adolph Edward Plaza lauded the Department of Agriculture Caraga for being a strong ally towards the development of the province.

On his State of the Province Address (SOPA) on June 17, 2015 as one of the highlights of the 48^th Founding Anniversary, Plaza underscored the partnership of the Province of Agusan del Sur and the Department of Agriculture on various interventions for agricultural development.

Agusan del Sur is a landlocked province in Caraga Region with an area of 8,966 square kilometers and considered as the 4^th largest in the country thus making agriculture as a prime driving force of its economy.

With its huge land, Agusan del Sur embark on a flagship program called USAD or the Upland Sustainable Agri-forestry Development, a development interventions that cuts across the economic, infrastructure, social, environment, public safety and transforming the bureaucracy.

To date the province of Agusan del Sur had developed 603 hectares for rubber, upland rice, high value crops and established a rubber seedling nursery.

The province also established a 2-hectare rubber budwood garden at the Agricultural Resource Center in Bayugan City and a crumb rubber processing plant to support the rubber industry in the province.

For food production, Agusan del Sur had an area of 92,260 hectares planted with rice and a production of 326,510 metric ton (MT) with an average yield of 3.65 MT per hectare. On the other hand, a total of 23,157 hectares of corn produced 90,674 MT with an average yield of 3.9 MT per hectare.

“We supported the implementation of Organic Agriculture in partnership with the Department of Agriculture Region 13 through the provision of farm inputs and equipment”, Plaza said.

A total of 528 hectares of rice production and 47 hectares of corn were converted into organic farming system with an average production of 3.6 MT and 3.06 MT per hectare, respectively.

“To support the farmers, we have established 11 grains processing center in partnership with the Department of Agriculture serving 1,379.50 hectares and 887 farmers which surpassed the target of 5 units in 2014 or 70% of the total target in 2016”, Plaza added.

The province also provided 118 units of other pre and post harvest facilities jointly funded by the PLGU and DA with 1,120 recipients.

The province was recognized for its good agricultural practices from production to harvesting and post harvest handling and was among the top 5 in the National Corn Quality Achievers Awards by the Department of Agriculture.

On animal health and production program, a total of 1,594 heads of pullets (chicks) were distributed to various associations or individuals. 

“A significant increase of 12.5% on the number of heads distributed as compared to the previous year and consequently a 262.9% increase on the number of beneficiaries”, he said.

PLGU of Agusan del Sur took leap on its climate change mitigating measures by mobilizing the 14 local government units in the formulation of their respective Local Climate Change Adaptation Plan.

 

Expressing his heartfelt gratitude to all stakeholders and fellow Agusanons who in one way or another contributed for the province to rise above the challenges, he added “with the achievement the province have had attained, there are still lot of things to be done.” (Aurelius P. Arais/DA Caraga)

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DA Caraga Cares for Environment

Gathering of environment advocates

Butuan City - The Department of Agriculture Caraga joins hand in the celebration of the World Environment Month this June, 2015.

One of the highlight of the celebration was the conduct of the Environment Fun Walk spearheaded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) last June 5, 2015 wherein DA Caraga was an active participant.

This year’s celebration has a theme “Seven Billion Dreams, One Planet, Consume with Care. 

 

Participated by various government agencies, the fun walk started at Guingona Park traversing J.C.Aquino Avenue and ended at Agusan del Norte Covered Court.

During the short program, DENR Regional Director Nonito Tamayo appreciated all government agencies who took part on the celebration.

“Iisa lang ang ating mundo, dapat nating kalingain” (Our planet is one and only, so we have to care of it), Tamayo said.

He urged the participants that upon returning to respective offices, each should have to look for ways in contributing the protection of the environment.

The theme infers resource efficiency and sustainable consumption and production within the context of the planet’s regenerative capacity. Seven Billion Dreams refer to the world population inhabiting in just one planet. 

The month of June of each year is declared as the Philippine Environment Month by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 237 signed in 1998 by then President Corazon C. Aquino to focus public attention to the protection and conservation of the country’s natural resources. 

As contribution for environmental protection, Department of Agriculture embodied certain measures on its programs such as planting of fruit trees and most is the implementation of the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 or RA 10068. (Aurelius P. Arais/DA Caraga)

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DA Caraga Turns-over Hand Tractors to Farmers

DA Caraga Regional Director Edna Mabeza during turn-over ceremony

Butuan City - To empower farmers to become more productive, the Department of Agriculture Caraga turned-over a total of 37 hand tractors with implements to various farmers associations last April 15, 2015.

In a simple ceremony held at DA Regional Integrated Agricultural Research Station in Taguibo, Butuan City, DA 13 Acting Director Edna Mabeza appealed to the recipients to maintain the farm equipments and utilized it to the fullest.

“Among hangyo kung adunay mga madaut panahon sa inyong paggamit, pahibaw-a kami aron mapangitaan ug solusyon aron dili masayang.” (Our appeal is that if something goes wrong while using the equipment, just tell us so we can look for a solution so it won’t be in vain), Mabeza emphasized.

Of the 37 hand tractors being turned-over, 29 units were under on 85:15 counter parting schemes wherein 85 % of the amount was funded by the government while the remaining 15 % was shouldered by the farmers association or cooperatives while the other 8 units were on full grant.

Nineteen (19) units goes to various farmers association or cooperatives in Agusan del Sur, 9 units to Surigao del Sur, 4 units to Surigao del Norte, 2 units to Butuan City, 2 units to the Province of Dinagat Islands and 1 unit to Agusan del Norte respectively.

Benhur Torreda, chairman of the Sto. Thomas ARB and Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative of Loreto, Agusan del Sur said that they are grateful to the government through DA for providing the needs of the farmers. 

“Dako gyud ang among pasalamat kay mao ni ang among gidamgo nga among madawat” (We are grateful because this is what we are dreaming of), Torreda said.

Hand tractor is used for a faster and efficient preparation of the land before planting.

It was learned from Engr. Rene Morales, chief of the Regional Agricultural Engineering Division that more farm equipments are due to be turned-over to farmers association or cooperatives in the coming days in support to farm mechanization program. (Aurelius P. Arais/DA Info Section)

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