LOS ANGELES, Butuan City - The power of airwaves remains relevant and far-reaching today, it is on this belief that the Agricultural Training Institute – Caraga Region (ATI-Caraga) launched on April 17-19, 2018 the School-on-the-Air (SOA) programs on Cassava and Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) in the three provinces of Caraga region. These will run for 16 weeks and airing will start on May 2018. A total of 1,500 enrollees are expected to graduate from the program sometime in September of the same year.

The SOA on Cassava Production was launched in Butuan City last April 17, 2018. Targeted number of graduates is 500. Enrollees will include farmers, students and individuals who are interested in growing Cassava and come from the 10 towns of Agusan del Norte and the cities of Butuan and Cabadbaran. Tentative airing schedule will be every Tuesday 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm starting May 29, 2018 via Hope radio.

Meanwhile, in Agusan del Sur the SOA on GAHP/Livestock Production was launched on April 18, 2018 in Patin-ay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur. Number of graduates is targeted at 500. Maiden broadcast is tentatively slated on May 4, 2018 at DXSF and every Friday thereafter from 5:00 am – 6:00 am.

Moreover, the launching of the SOA on GAHP/Livestock Production took place last April 19, 2018 at the Provincial Convention Center in Surigao City. Like in other provinces, 500 enrollees are also expected to graduate from the program. All the 21 towns of Surigao del Norte including the lone city of Surigao are enjoined to participate. It was agreed among the coordinators during the briefing and launching that it will be aired over DXSN every Wednesday from 5:00 am – 6:00 am starting on the last week of May 2018. However, Ginalyn V. Arbutante (Information Officer II of ATI-Caraga and SOA Regional Coordinator) clarified that there could still be changes in the SOA schedule depending on the outcome of negotiation with the radio stations.

Hon. Melva P. Garcia, Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Surigao del Norte, during her welcome message expressed her appreciation to ATI for utilizing broadcast media in educating farmers on new technologies toward the achievement of food security. She encouraged everybody to listen to the radio because believes that in spite of the onslaught of gadgets and internet-based technologies, radio is still a cheap and powerful tool in disseminating local news and valuable information to the people especially those in the rural areas.

Samuel L. Calonzo, OIC Center Director of ATI-Caraga, manifested his happiness for the conduct of SOA in Surigao del Norte because it has been a long time since the province had such program. He vowed that the implementation of SOA will be closely monitored by ATI to ensure its successful conduct.