LOCAL chief executives of Benguet and Mt. Province were invited by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol for field visit to Israel to observe and study their agricultural technologies.
Andrew Villacorta, assistant secretary designate for agribusiness and field operations, asked Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año in a letter for travel authority for 14 local chief executives of Benguet and Mt. Province.
Some chief executives of both provinces signified their intention to join the visit slated for November 25 to December 1.
Mayor Romeo Salda of La Trinidad, Benguet disclosed the visit was decided prior to an earlier meeting in Baguio City with Piñol who invited them to visit farms in Israel.
Salda said Piñol raised the idea for the local chief executives to visit Israel to learn their agricultural technologies, marketing and production.
Sometime in April 2018 during the Byaheng Bukid conducted by the Department of Agriculture, the mayors were informed that the Embassy of Israel in the Philippines was inviting Filipino leaders and technical people to undertake field visits in Israel to observe and study their agricultural technologies.
The list of delegates was endorsed to the Embassy, which issued invitations to the concerned chief executives and DA staff who have expressed willingness to provide their travel and accommodation expenses.