BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) – Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program top performer is Regional Program Management Support Office (RPMSO) 8 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 during the Annual Financial and Physical Assessment held from January 6 to 10, 2019 at Venus Parkview Hotel.

RPMSO 8 garnered 78.3% financial and physical performance, based on the criteria of 30% obligation, 30% disbursement, and 40% physical accomplishment (beneficiaries provided with livelihood interventions). It was followed by DA SAAD RPMSOs 11 and 5 with 77.7% and 75% performance rates, respectively.

Meanwhile, DA SAAD’s overall disbursement rate is at its all-time high compared to the previous years. The program disbursed 58.03% of its Php 990,654,060 obligated funds. On the other hand, the obligation rate is 92.6% out of its Php 1,069,854,000 General Appropriations Act (GAA) budget for FY 2019.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) SAAD representatives, Elymi Ar-J Tuñacao and Arnel Valenzuela, reported a 99.1% obligation rate, which is equivalent to Php 369,638,000 out of Php 373,000,000. Its disbursement rate is 48.62%.

SAAD Program Deputy Director Ulysses Lustria Jr. encouraged everyone to continue “rolling their sleeves” as ordered by DA Secretary William Dar.

SAAD NPMO Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Head Darwin Pamatmat urged RPMSOs and BFAR to perform better this 2020 as their accomplishments mean positive changes in the lives of the farmers and fisherfolks. 

About the event

DA Cordillera Administrative Region hosted the event, with Regional Executive Director Cameron Odsey welcoming the SAAD national, regional, and provincial implementers.

Assistant Director Dr. Rosana Mula of Agricultural Training Institute, Mary Ann Guerrero of Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Jose Severino Nito of Go Negosyo, and Leny Pecson of DA – Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS) attended the event to discuss and strengthen the collaboration of their organization with the Program.

See SAAD’s partnership with ATI, BPI, AMAS, GoNegosyo for more information

Representatives from the DA – Special Projects Coordination and Management Assistance Division were present as well.

The directions of the SAAD Program for FYs 2020 and 2021 were also discussed. Emphasized plans are the inclusion of areas covered by the Executive Order No. 70 in the 2021 proposals; BFAR’s Fisherfolk Registration (FishR) convergence with the SAAD Farmers Database developed by the SAAD NPMO; market linkage activities to be done through the support of Go Negosyo and DA-AMAS. 

Meanwhile, all DA SAAD RPMSOs participated in the 2nd audio visual presentation of the program with a concept on how they envision their farmers by 2022. The panel of judges includes Deputy Director Lustria as well as BPI, AMAS, and SPCMAD representatives. DA SAAD RPMSO 5 emerged victorious followed by Regions 9 and 8. Winners received Best Video Award certificates and cash prizes. ###

Writer: Jhomai Canlas, SAAD Public Relations and Communications Head