Harbor Town Hotel, ILOILO CITY, November 20-22, 2019 – The Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 6 conducts Planning Workshop for FY 2020 which aims to strengthen and improve the implementation of the program in the province of Negros Occidental and Antique.

Present in the activity are the SAAD National Program Director, Myer G. Mula; the Regional Technical Director (RTD) for Operations and Extensions, Rene Famoso; the Chief of Operations Division, Dominador Marquez; and the Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Division (PMED) Chief, Mira Talabong.

Discussed in the program is the status of the ongoing projects in the three (3) municipalities of Don Salvador Benedicto, Laua-an, San Remegio. Also discussed, are the direction and plans for the additional municipalities of Moises Padilla, Calatrava and Valderama, which are represented by the Provincial and Municipal Agriculturists of Negros Occidental and Antique.

In his speech, Mula put emphasis on the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte which is to deliver quality services and interventions to the agricultural and fisheries sectors. He also said that the new direction of SAAD is to be a comprehensive and inclusive program. This means that SAAD will have closer coordination with other DA offices such as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), and the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR).

Another important matter discussed is the imperative inclusion of the areas covered by Executive Order No. 70, series of 2018. This will augment the government’s commitment to expanding its services.

At the end of the workshop, there are minor but relevant changes that will be incorporated in program implementation: the crafting of the SAAD’s new Implementing Guidelines for FY 2020 – 2022 which will provide improvements in addressing the needs of the regions, the appointment of only one focal person in the Central Office for both DA-SAAD and SAAD-BFAR, the conduct of one mid-term impact assessment, and the enhancement of the SAAD national website. ###

Writer: Mouril C. Legaspi, DA-SAAD VI Personnel

Copy Editor: Jennifer A. Valcobero, SAAD Planning and Monitoring Officer