Monday, October 29, 2007 Hooked on abaca and gov't service By Joy Romares-Sevilla
PERSEVERANCE and determination. These are the two attributes that has helped Dr. Olympio B. Macarayan become the regional director of the Fiber Industry Development Authority of the Department of Agriculture Southern Mindanao.
With perseverance and determination, however, Macarayan is often perceived as strict by people in his workplace, and even by his own brothers and sisters. Behind this perceived strictness is but a reflection of his dedication to his work.
He served Fida from 1979 after he was "pirated" from the Davao Experiment Station in Bago Oshiro, Davao City where he worked for four years. His first work in Fida is to research on abaca.
He said his first work in Fida was not new to him as he was once a researcher of the Bureau of Plant Industry.
"I never dreamed of becoming a government employee, only when I was in college when I realized that I want to be employed in the government," Macarayan expressed.
A native of Nabunturan, Compostela Valley Province, Macarayan, 54, and father of two, finished Bachelor of Science in Agricultiure major in Agronomy in Mabini, Compostela Valley and took up his masters degree in Agronomy at the University of Southeastern Philippines (Usep) in Bo. Obrero, Davao City. He also finished his doctorate in the same university in 2000.
Agriculture is Macarayan's passion. During weekends and holidays, he used to stay in his orchard farm where he personally takes care of his fruit trees.
"Possibly, I will be involved in the scientific community if I was not in this position," he said.
Aside from perseverance and determination, Macarayan said faith in God is the reason why he is successful in his life. He received various awards for his researches and studies and was recognized nationally as the best researcher, which he considered as his greatest achievement.
Being in the top position, Macarayan said he is an idealistic, but considerate boss.
"I always want my staff to finish their work with expected quality and once they finish their work earlier, I will not bother even if I will see them relax," he said.
Challenges are also expected being in the top position. "There will be a lot of people who will pull you down and you will realize that you cannot please everybody, but you can always do your best to do what is expected of you," he said.
With regards the thrust of his office, he said, Fida is now advocating in reducing poverty among the indigenous people in the uplands, rehabilitating the watershed, and protecting the remaining forests by way of expanding the areas of abaca.
Fida's advocacy was supported by the City Government of Davao. In fact, Councilor Leonardo R. Avila III has partnered with the agency and adopted abaca as the newest strategy for poverty reduction in the uplands and also in the protection of watershed and the remaining forests.
"Fida's program has been focused on the lumads, our partnership with Councilor Avila started last year, he adopted the abaca program when he saw its advantages," Macarayan said.
He added that Davao City is the commercial center of abaca in the Philippines way back in 1920s, but abaca was outpaced by other agricultural crops and eventually lost in the market when plastics came in. But nothing beats natural fibers and now the world market is realizing plastics can never replace the valuable Manila hemp.
"Now that there is a demand of abaca in the world market and since Davao City is the venue of production before, there is no reason why we cannot revive abaca production even by 50 percent," he said.
It was learned that in 1920s, Davao City had more than 45,000 hectares of abaca, now, only 787 hectares was left.
"Fida encourages farmers to engage in abaca planting, the market is ready and the buying price is high. If farmers will engage in abaca planting, they should be serious and they need to commit themselves in the activity, rest assured, Fida is here to support and to give them technical assistance," Macarayan advises.
