There will be no cakes, balloons or sumptuous food or grand celebrations.
The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, the second oldest agency of the Philippine government established in 1898, will celebrate its anniversary with week-long activities which start with prayers on June 19 and actual field work during the rest of the week.
On June 23, which is the official anniversary date, President Rody Duterte will lead DAF officials and workers in the launching of the Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA) Credit Program in Malimono town, Surigao del Norte, considered as the country’s poorest town with a poverty incidence of about 90%.
In a memorandum which I signed today, all the top officials of the Department will join the flag-raising ceremonies on June 19 in the Central Office.
This will be followed by a convocation where prayers of thanks for the bountiful harvests and excellent growth in the agriculture, fisheries and livestock sectors during the First Quarter of 2017 which hit 5.28%.
After the Monday ceremonies, each regional office will be tasked to conduct field activities such as conducting trainings and seminars on agriculture, livestock and fisheries.
The culmination of the week-long activities will be the dramatic launching of the PLEA Credit Program designed to extend loans to farmers and fishermen to enhance their productivity.
The loaning program is offered collateral-free with a 6% interest per year. It is designed to extend loans ranging from P10,000 to P50,000 per farming or fisher folk families.
(The photo showing me, Kalinga Governor Jocel Baac, CAR Director Lorenzo Carangian and the Kalingan provincial agriculturist working under the shade of a tree in Balawag, Tabuk City, Kalinga is what I would like to see in the different regions of the country. Photo by Robert Domoguen, DA-CAR.)
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