NEGROS ORIENTAL, PHILIPPINES—A year-end assessment and turnover ceremony was conducted by the Department of Agriculture-Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Region 7 in Plaza Maria Luisa Suites Inn, Bishop Epifanio Surban St., Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental on January 29, 2018.
Updates were discussed on the ongoing process of 2017 SAAD project implementation. During this event, checks were also turned over to seven (7) municipalities of Negros Oriental including Amlan, San Jose, Sibulan, Tayasan, Vallehermoso, Jimalalud, and Bayawan.
SAAD Regional Focal Person (also Chief of Operations Division of Region 7), Engr. Eugene Cahiles, Jr., provided updates on Food Production and Livelihood Component of the 2017 SAAD Program. He also discussed the budgetary allocation of Negros Oriental and the status of the projects to be implemented by DA-RFO 7, including fund transfer.
Engr. Cahiles also shared a glimpse of what’s ahead for SAAD in the year 2018. He stated that the budgetary allocation is Php 62,730,000.00, which will be divided between Negros Oriental and Siquijor. He added that, in Negros Oriental, there will be only two (2) interventions to be given to the ten (10) poorest municipalities which would focus on the upland rice and the goat production.
Also in the event were SAAD Negros Oriental staff, SAAD National Program Management Office’s (NPMO) Ms. Fe E. Ybañez, PATCO’s (represented by APCO) Ms. Sarah J. Perocho, Municipal and City Agriculturists from the twenty-four (24) municipalities of Negros Oriental, as well as Amlan Vice Mayor Bentham Dela Cruz and San Jose Mayor Atty. Mel Nick Logronio, together with municipal accountants and treasurer.
To ensure continuation, Area Coordinators (ACs) were advised to monitor the procurement process until the distribution of project interventions to the seven (7) said municipalities, now that the turned-over checks are already in their hands.
Writer: Ela Arciaga, PR & Communications Officer
