Itogon backs organic farming

Sunday, October 23, 2011

THE municipality of Itogon supports the country’s policy to promote, propagate, develop and implement organic agriculture, with the creation of the Municipal Technical Committee on Organic Agriculture (MTCOA).

The MTCOA was created through Executive Order (EO) 24, issued by Mayor Oscar Camantiles last October 11 in accordance with Republic Act (RA) 10068, or the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010.

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RA 10068 provides that every municipal mayor should form a committee to implement programs in line with the National Agriculture Program.

The EO stated that the municipality is not only known as the premier gold producer in North Luzon but is also blessed with a climate conducive for agriculture, which allows export competitive agriculture products.

Itogon’s constituents mostly rely on agriculture as their primary source of livelihood and as support to other sources of livelihood in the community. The municipality admitted that there are farmers who are practicing commercially sound agriculture, disregarding the various effects of it on soil fertility, environment and the health of the consumers.

But with the organic agriculture, the soil fertility will be enriched, while productivity will be increased, said the EO.

“It [organic agriculture] will further prevent depletion of the country’s natural resources and it will protect the health of the communities,” said the EO.

The Itogon MTCOA will be headed by Mayor Camantiles as chairman, while Whigas Cilo is the vice chairman. Members are Marleen Guerzon, Adriano Carantes Jr., Imelda Nuguid, Veronica Comising, Angela Cariño and Brigilda Gayao.

The Department of Agriculture under its Regional Field Unit has the following representatives: Aida Payang, Vicente Puguon, Jeannie Claire Piggangay and Marcelo Apidos.

All the village chiefs were also included in the MTCOA.

The EO identified the duties and responsibilities of the members of the committee. It will take effect immediately.

In line with the EO, the Municipal Agriculture Office conducted an orientation on the organic agriculture act last October 18 in Bua, Tuding. The activity was attended by 35 participants, who are vegetables, rice and orchard farmers, livestock raisers and fish growers.

Members of the MTCOA also attended the orientation.

The Agricultural Training Institute of the Cordillera gave P15,000 for the orientation.

Speakers presented the implementing rules and regulations of RA 10068, the national standard on organic agriculture products, functions of the municipal executive committee, and profiling of the farmers.