A PLEDGING town in Apayao and an irrigators group in Kalinga were given recognition during the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Rice Achievers Award (RAA) 2016 held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City recently.
Tanggal Swip Small Impounding Dam Association Inc. (TSSDAI) of Tabuk City, Kalinga was awarded as one of the Outstanding Small Water Impounding Systems Association while Luna, Apayao was also recognized as one of the Outstanding Municipalities.
The organization received a plaque of recognition and a cash prize of P500,000.
"It is an honor receiving an award and never in our dreams did we envision being in this stage. This event is an eye-opener for us and for other stakeholders too, that there are still much to do to improve the rice industry and our labor in doing so will yield bountifully, in harvest and recognition," Jerry Estino, TSSIDAI president said.
"Thus, may this be a challenge to everybody to do their work with passion and dedication," Estino added.
Luna Mayor Josephine Bangsil, Municipal Agriculturist Florencio Agustin and Agricultural Extension Workers Jane dela Rosa and Gloria Estelon served as representatives of the municipality to receive the plaque of recognition and a cash prize of worth PHP 1,000,000.
In addition, DA’s Undersecretary for Operations Ariel Cayanan said the agency believed the value, even of the smallest effort exerted for the betterment of the local rice produce. Hence, the utmost support and recognition should be given to the various stakeholders.
The annual event recognizes the excellence of the provinces down to the municipalities, cities to various organizations, supporters and technicians in the field of agriculture, which serves as an intervention that paves the way in attaining the goal of rice sufficiency.
“The activity is a great avenue for more formed partnership and strengthening the linkages between stakeholders,” Cayanan added.
Senator Cynthia Villar, who chairs the committee on agriculture and food challenges the stakeholders trials are still at hand and will still come, but with the collective efforts of everybody, nothing is impossible for the rice industry’s growth and development.
Winners of the RAA 2016 were selected based on their incremental increase in rice harvest and average yield per hectare over 2016 levels amount of budget devoted to rice project and initiatives, the number of farmers benefitted, and degree of quality seed utilization, among other criteria. (PR)