“I am proud of you, masaya ako sa performance nyo.”
This was the message of Sec. Manny Piñol to the employees of the Department of Agriculture who convened for the 119th anniversary of the agency today, 19 June 2017, at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management Convention Hall.
Piñol acknowledged the efforts and contributions of every DA employee in the attainment of the mission of the Duterte administration towards accessible and affordable food for all.
In his message, the Agri chief instructed the Finance Management team of the Department to trim down programs and projects, and allocate only to those focused on the development of the lives and livelihood of the farmers, fishers and other agricultural stakeholders.
According to the Secretary, the government’s resources and efforts must be concentrated on what will help its major clientele.
“I have seen a lot of changes in the short time that I am here, a change in mindset and program directions, and I am happy with that,” he said.
“Continue your support as we continue to face many challenges,” he added.
In his eleven months as the National Agriculture chief, Piñol has pursued initiatives that have increased production in almost all subsectors of Philippine agriculture.
Alongside a paradigm shift in all national programs, Piñol’s very first action as DA Secretary was to stir a change in the mindset of the DA workforce.
Agriculture performance for the first quarter posted a significant growth of 5.28 percent valued at reached P407.6 billion in gross value, 8.79 percent higher than the previous year’s record.
Under his watch, the DA was able to launch the National Color Coded Agricultural Guide Map (NCCAG) to aid farmers in their production activities.
“With the map, there will be no more guessing game, and farmers will be guided on what specific crop grows best in a specific location,” he said.
The NCCAG considers the challenges of climate change as well as the science-based interventions of government towards climate-ready crop management systems.
Other milestones attained during the first eleven months of Piñol as DA chief was the installation of the very first solar powered irrigation system in M’lang, North Cotabato. The system can pump 1,000 gallons of water on hot sunny days and can irrigate 100-150 hectares farmland.
Piñol also prioritized the setting up of credit window facilities to provide an easy access to farmers and fishers who are often intimidated by the rigid requirements from banks and other financial institutions.
Later today, Piñol will lead the launching of the Balik Sigla sa Ilog and Lawa (BASIL) and disperse 5 million fingerlings at Laguna de Bay in Los Baños, Laguna. BASIL, an initiative under the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, aims to make food accessible to poor families living near lakes, rivers and creeks. As an initial step in addressing poverty, BASIL is designed to ease up the pressure on the country’s coastal fishing grounds, which have been overfished. ### (oda rodriguez/DA-AFID)
