NEGROS ORIENTAL—The Department of Agricultural (DA) – Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program in Region VII (Regional Field Office/RFO VII) holds its First Assessment Meeting in Plaza Maria Luisa Suites Inn, Bishop Epifanio Surban St., Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental on March 6, 2018.

SAAD Negros Oriental staff, SAAD Regional Program Management Support Office (RPMSO) headed by the Regional Focal Person (FP) Engr. Eugene C. Cahiles, Jr., Provincial Agricultural Technology Coordinating Office (PATCO) represented by the Assistant Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer (APCO) Mr. Virgilio Awayan, together with Municipal and City Agriculturists in Negros Oriental, met to discuss the progress of identifying and profiling SAAD beneficiaries for 2018 as well as the on-going distribution of interventions for 2017.

Zamboanguita Municipal Agriculturist Office (MAO) raised why their municipality wasn’t included in the Program. FP Engr. Cahiles, Jr. clarified that only the top ten (10) poorest municipalities are included in the Program.

Negros Oriental is one of the approved priority provinces for 2017-2022 SAAD Program implementation chosen based on the poverty statistics report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in 2012.

 

Writer: Ela Arciaga, PR & Communications Officer