AGRICULTURISTS and extension workers in the region were recognized during 2017 Regional Rice Achievers Awarding (RAA) Ceremony held at Lewis Grand Hotel, Angeles City over the weekend,
This included five provincial agriculturists, one municipal agriculturist, 12 local farmer technicians, and 88 agricultural extension workers.
RAA is part of Department of Agriculture (DA) interventions and incentive system to encourage local government units, Irrigators Associations (IAs), Small Water Impounding System Associations (Swisa), Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) and Local Farmer Technician (LFTs) to contribute their share in increasing farmers’ harvest and incomes to attain national rice sufficiency.
The winners, who received a plaque of recognition and P20,000 cash, were the Provincial Agriculturist (PA) Ma. Gloria SF. Carrillo of Bulacan; PA Serafin Santos of Nueva Ecija; PA Imelda Inieto of Bataan; PA Edilberto Salenga of Pampanga; and PA Alicia Cruz of Tarlac; Municipal Agriculturist George Payumo of Paniqui, Tarlac; LFTs awardees included one from Aurora; three from Tarlac; one from Bulacan; six from Nueva Ecija, and one from Zambales; and AEWs awardees included nine from Bataan; 16 from Bulacan; 30 from Nueva Ecija; 11 from Pampanga; 11 from Tarlac; and 11 from Zambales.
Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness Dr. Andrew Villacorta served as the guest speaker.
Villacorta acknowledge the role played by the awardees in linking the DA agricultural interventions to the farmers.
“DA recognized all your hardwork, you are the one who closely see our farmers and the assistance need by them, your experience and expertise are the source of information in providing the intervention. We may not be our direct supervisors but our working relationship remains satisfactory, if not excellent. The role of the PA, MA, LFTS, and AEWs are vital as the region is considered as the Rice Granary of the Philippines. And other regions look up to Central Luzon as it is a model region when it comes to rice production,” said Villacorta
Also present during the ceremony were DA Central Luzon Regional Executive Director (RED) Engineer Roy Abaya, Regional Technical Director for Operations and Extension Crispulo Bautista, Jr., Regional Technical Director for Research, Integrated Laboratory, Administrative, and Finance Lawyer Jennilyn Dawayan, Farmer RED Engineer Francisco Hernandez, Operations Chief Benjamin Baltazar, Alternate Rice Focal Person Eduviges Pelayo, and the Agricultural Program Coordinating Officers.