BRGY LOS ANGELES, BUTUAN CITY- The Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center (ATI-RTC) 13 recently conducted the first Regional Agriculture and Fishery Extension Network (RAFEN) meeting this year.

Several participants from different Partner- Agencies (PAs), Local Government Units (LGUs), and State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) joined in the virtual meeting on July 8, 2020.

Planning Officer II Nena Lomuntad acknowledged participants online and presented updates of the ATI-Caraga as of this year 2020 and upcoming activities. Included in the agenda is the 2020 Program projects and activities (PPAs) refocused activities. Updates on Scholarship Program was also discussed as well as the results based monitoring and evaluation (RBME) of trainings conducted.

Ms. Lomuntad served as the Project Officer who handles any engagement with the RAFEN members.

Moreover, Senior Agriculturist and Assistant Center Director Heracleo A. Paler presided the meeting. He also acknowledged queries from the participants with regards to the programs and projects of ATI particularly on the scholarship one.

On the other hand, Ms. Mary Grace Salve, Media Production Specialist II and the Focal Person of the Educational Assistance for the Youth (EAsY AGRI) Scholarship Program explained the criteria and related updates about the status of the student-applicants. She mentioned that out of 51 applicants, only 27 qualified during the second screening. As of date, waiting for the final and shortlisted applicants from Region 13 to be endorsed to the Central Office.

The virtual meeting was attended by the personnel and staff from the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA-RFO) 13, Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Philippine Rice Research Institute- Agusan Experiment Station (PhilRice-Agusan) and the National Meat Inspection Services (NMIS).

There also the online presence of the personnel from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and representatives from different (SUCs) such as Caraga State University (CSU), Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology (ASSCAT) and Surigao del Sur State University (SDSSU)-Tagbina Campus.

However, Provincial Agriculturists and their representatives from the Provincial Agriculture Offices of Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and the Province of Dinagat Islands also showed their presence online.

ATI-Caraga Center Director Samuel L. Calonzo expressed his profound gratitude for everyone’s active virtual participation.

“Thank you very much to all our partners who attended here in our virtual meeting. I hope we continue to do our best according to our mandates as what our government expects us to do.” Calonzo stated.