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To honor our countryside heroes, the Department of Agriculture RFO 8 conducted its kick-off activity for the month-long celebration of Farmers and Fisherfolk Month today. This highlighted the various activities that showcase how the department recognizes their contributions to the nation’s food security.

Dir. Rodel G. MacapaΓ±as, DA RFO 8 OIC-Regional Executive Director, shared that despite the crisis experienced across the country, the government continuously provides utmost support to ease the effect of the current crisis on our farmers.β€œπ‘‡β„Žπ‘’ π‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘‘ π‘œπ‘“ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘ π‘–π‘  π‘€β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘“π‘œπ‘œπ‘‘ π‘π‘’π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘  π‘ π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘π‘’ π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ π‘π‘’π‘π‘Žπ‘’π‘ π‘’ 𝑖𝑑 𝑖𝑠 π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ π‘Žπ‘£π‘Žπ‘–π‘™π‘Žπ‘π‘™π‘’ 𝑏𝑒𝑑 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘π‘’ 𝑖𝑠 π‘›π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿ π‘Žπ‘“π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘Žπ‘π‘™π‘’ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘¦π‘π‘œπ‘‘π‘¦. π‘‡β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝑖𝑠 π‘€β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝑀𝑒 π‘ β„Žπ‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘£π‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š β„Žπ‘Žπ‘π‘π‘’π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘”. π‘‡β„Žπ‘’ π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘ π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘π‘œπ‘ π‘‘ π‘œπ‘“ 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 π‘Žπ‘“π‘“π‘’π‘π‘‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘›π‘ π‘π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘œπ‘“ π‘™π‘œπ‘”π‘–π‘ π‘‘π‘–π‘π‘ . 𝐼𝑛 π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘‘π‘–π‘šπ‘’ π‘œπ‘“ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘šπ‘œπ‘›π‘‘β„Ž π‘€β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ 𝑀𝑒 π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ 𝑖𝑛 π‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘ π‘–π‘  π‘ π‘–π‘‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›, 𝑀𝑒 𝑒π‘₯π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘¦ π‘’π‘“π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘  π‘‘π‘œ π‘šπ‘Žπ‘˜π‘’ π‘ π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝑀𝑒 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 π‘Žπ‘π‘™π‘’ π‘‘π‘œ π‘šπ‘œπ‘π‘–π‘™π‘–π‘§π‘’ π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘¦π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘” 𝑖𝑛 π‘ π‘’π‘π‘π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘“π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘šπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘ -π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘šπ‘œπ‘ π‘‘ π‘£π‘’π‘™π‘›π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘π‘™π‘’ π‘€β„Žπ‘’π‘› 𝑀𝑒 π‘‘π‘Žπ‘™π‘˜ π‘Žπ‘π‘œπ‘’π‘‘ π‘Žπ‘”π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘π‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘ π‘’π‘π‘‘π‘œπ‘Ÿ. π‘Šπ‘’ π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘›π‘”π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘‘π‘œ β„Žπ‘–π‘”β„Žπ‘™π‘–π‘”β„Žπ‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝑀𝑒 π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘‘π‘œπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑑 π‘€π‘Žπ‘¦ 𝑀𝑒 π‘π‘Žπ‘› β„Žπ‘œπ‘›π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘š π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘š π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘‘ π‘œπ‘“ π‘ π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘£π‘–π‘π‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘¦ π‘œπ‘π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘π‘’π‘–π‘£π‘’,” he highlighted.

FFMC is also an activity that highlights the collaboration of both the government, and the farmers and fisherfolks through the Farmer Director and Fisherfolk Director who are given the opportunity to lead the department during the month-long celebration. This program empowers the farmer leaders in to participate in creating policies and agricultural administration.

For 2026, a new Fisherfolk Director was installed in the person of Mr. Jesus Patilla. Meanwhile, Engr. Miguel A. Pedroso renewed his seat as Farmer Director.

Along with Engr. Pedroso’s continuous campaign in promoting the jackfruit and ube industry, he would like to push further his objective on increasing farmers’ income for his fifth term. β€œπΌπ‘› π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘“π‘Žπ‘π‘’ π‘œπ‘“ π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘ π‘–π‘›π‘” 𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑒𝑑 π‘π‘œπ‘ π‘‘, π‘’π‘›π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘‘π‘–π‘π‘‘π‘Žπ‘π‘™π‘’ π‘π‘™π‘–π‘šπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘’, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘šπ‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘˜π‘’π‘‘ π‘–π‘›π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘π‘–π‘™π‘–π‘‘π‘¦, β„Žπ‘œπ‘›π‘œπ‘Ÿ 𝑖𝑠 π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ π‘“π‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ 𝑖𝑛 π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘šπ‘œπ‘›π‘–π‘’π‘ . π‘‡π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘’ π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘  π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘“π‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ 𝑖𝑛 π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘ . 𝐼𝑑 𝑖𝑠 π‘“π‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ 𝑖𝑛 π‘π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘£π‘–π‘‘π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘‘π‘’π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘  π‘€π‘–π‘‘β„Ž π‘Ž π‘ π‘¦π‘ π‘‘π‘’π‘š π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘€π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘˜π‘ , π‘Ž π‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘π‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝑖𝑠 π‘“π‘Žπ‘–π‘Ÿ, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘Ž π‘£π‘œπ‘–π‘π‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝑖𝑠 β„Žπ‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘. π‘Šβ„Žπ‘’π‘› 𝑀𝑒 π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘π‘–π‘›π‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘π‘–π‘ π‘–π‘œπ‘› π‘œπ‘“ π‘’π‘›π‘”π‘–π‘›π‘’π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘€π‘–π‘‘β„Ž π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘–π‘™π‘–π‘’π‘›π‘π‘’ π‘œπ‘“ πΉπ‘–π‘™π‘–π‘π‘–π‘›π‘œ π‘“π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘šπ‘’π‘Ÿ, 𝑀𝑒 π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘Žπ‘‘π‘’ π‘Ž π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘π‘’ π‘π‘Žπ‘π‘Žπ‘π‘™π‘’ π‘œπ‘“ π‘œπ‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘ π‘–π‘ ,” he exclaimed.

He also presented his top five agenda items for the upcoming 31 days of his service. These included the reactivation of MAFCs, the strengthening of the jackfruit and ube industries, the reorganization of the Eastern Visayas Learning Sites Association (ELSA), the audit of CSO best practices, and the implementation of Sagip Saka.

With strong support from the DA RFO 8 management, Dir. MacapaΓ±as emphasized the main goal of the strong partnership with the farmers. β€œπ‘‡β„Žπ‘’ π‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘™π‘™π‘’π‘›π‘”π‘’ 𝑖𝑠 β„Žπ‘œπ‘€ 𝑀𝑒 π‘π‘Žπ‘› π‘Žπ‘‘π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘  π‘π‘œπ‘‘β„Ž π‘Žπ‘”π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘π‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘™ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘‘π‘’π‘π‘‘π‘–π‘£π‘–π‘‘π‘¦ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘–π‘›π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘’. π‘Šπ‘–π‘‘β„Ž π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘‘ π‘œπ‘“ π‘ π‘–π‘‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘› π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝑀𝑒 π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ 𝑖𝑛, 𝑀𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘£π‘’ π‘“π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘“π‘œπ‘œπ‘‘ π‘ π‘’π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘‘π‘¦ π‘‘π‘œπ‘€π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘  π‘“π‘œπ‘œπ‘‘ π‘ π‘œπ‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘–π‘”π‘›π‘‘π‘¦ π‘ π‘œ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝑀𝑒 β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘’ 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š π‘–π‘šπ‘π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘  π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝑀𝑒 π‘π‘Žπ‘› 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑑 π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘œπ‘€π‘› π‘π‘’π‘œπ‘π‘™π‘’. 𝐿𝑒𝑑’𝑠 π‘’π‘›π‘ π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘“π‘œπ‘œπ‘‘ 𝑖𝑠 π‘Žπ‘£π‘Žπ‘–π‘™π‘Žπ‘π‘™π‘’, π‘Žπ‘“π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘Žπ‘π‘™π‘’, π‘Žπ‘π‘π‘’π‘ π‘ π‘–π‘π‘™π‘’ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘›π‘’π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘’π‘  π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘Žπ‘™π‘™. π‘‡β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝑖𝑠 π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘œπ‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘œπ‘π‘—π‘’π‘π‘‘π‘–π‘£π‘’ π‘Žπ‘  𝑀𝑒 π‘œπ‘π‘ π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘£π‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘šπ‘œπ‘›π‘‘β„Ž-π‘™π‘œπ‘›π‘” π‘π‘’π‘™π‘’π‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›,” he said.

To give farmers the opportunity to market their goods, 21 farmer associations and MSMEs participated in the Kadiwa ng Pangulo. This will remain open for two days to provide ample time for consumers to shop for fresh and affordable farm goods.