The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Region 12 completed 28 of 45 capability-building activities, or 62 percent of its target, as of March 31, 2026, with corresponding use of its Php 71.06 million allocation under the General Appropriations Act. These updates were presented during the 1st Quarter Regional Assessment held on April 14 – 15, 2026 at Venue 88, General Santos City.
The activity strengthened program implementation, enhanced support for farmers, and addressed operational challenges. It was attended by Regional Executive Director John Pascual, DVM; Engr. Erwin Arguelles, Chief of the Field Operations Division; Cecilia Parcon, Chief of the Research and Development Division; Engr. Julie Mie Belongan, OPBME Unit Lead; Karen Kris Ocumen, SAAD Accountant; and Niño Anzano, SAAD Report Officer. Also present were Agricultural Program Coordinating Office Team Leaders Joy Misterio of Sarangani, Rey Domingo of Cotabato, and Marvin Segovia of Sultan Kudarat, along with unit heads and staff from the Regional and Provincial Program Management Support Offices.
In his message, RED Pascual highlighted the importance of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement in delivering services to farmers. Engr. Arguelles also encouraged SAAD staff to remain committed and confident in their work.
During the assessment, SAAD-RPMSO Unit Heads and Area Coordinators presented updates on their respective units and provinces, including accomplishments, issues and concerns, proposed solutions, and strategic directions.
Moreover, the activity highlighted best practices across units. The Social Preparation Program Management (SPPM) emphasized the importance of integrating Gender and Development (GAD) principles in training, including setting up child-friendly corners and breastfeeding areas. The unit also pushed for the establishment of a Social Preparation Dashboard to support real-time monitoring and reporting. Meanwhile, the Food Production and Livelihood (FPL) unit stressed the need for timely procurement and strict adherence to project timelines to avoid delays. It also reiterated the importance of complete documentation during on-site training, deliveries, and inspections.
The Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development (MAED) unit focused on improving efficiency through task decentralization, particularly by assigning Area Coordinators (ACs) to handle data encoding using Google Sheets. The Information Technology and Database Development (ITDD) unit emphasized strengthening data integrity to address encoding errors and inconsistencies. It also proposed investing in dedicated servers and digital subscriptions to improve data management systems.
For the Public Relations and Development Communication (PRDC) unit, efforts are underway to explore different types of content across social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, while continuing the production of magazines and quarterly newsletters translated into Filipino for distribution to beneficiaries. On the administrative and procurement side, the idea of setting up a community kitchen during on-site training was raised as a practical and efficient approach, especially in far-flung areas with limited access to paved roads.
The 1st Quarter Regional Assessment served as a venue for coordination, knowledge sharing, and planning among implementers. By aligning efforts, addressing gaps, and reinforcing accountability across units and provinces, the activity is expected to improve program delivery and strengthen support services for farmer-beneficiaries across Region 12.
