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Executive Order No. 116
When the Department of Agriculture (DA) was reorganized in January 1987 under the Executive Order No. 116, the Bureau of Agricultural Extension (BAEx), the Philippine Agricultural Training Council (PATC) and the Philippine Training Centers for Rural Development (PTC-RD) merged, and paved the way for the establishment of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI).
The ATI started its operations in 1987 with 10 training centers from the former PTC-RD. A year after, more training centers were set up adding nine Regional Training Centers (RTC) and seven Farmers’ Training Centers (FTC).
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Network of Training Centers
In 1989, more facilities were installed -- adding seven FTCs, seven Regional Fishermen’s Training Centers (RFTC) and the International Training Center on Pig Husbandry (ITCPH). Since then, a total of 41 training centers geographically located nationwide comprised the ATI's network of training centers.
In 1990, ATI Farmers' Training Center or FTC was established in Butan City which was then under Region X. Its office was located at the Capitol compound, with 17 staff under Dr. Efraim C. Nicolas, the Center's first Training Center Superintendent (TCS). It was also on that year when ATI-FTC was transferred in the compound of the Northern Mindanao State Institute for Science and Technology (NORMISIST) under a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed in November 1987 which stipulated that ATI shall utilize the existing training facilities of NORMISIST including the dormitories, demonstration farms for training purposes.
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Republic Act 8435
ATI’s role as the DA’s extension and training arm was strengthened with Republic Act 8435 or the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) of 1997.
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RFTCs back to BFAR
The RFTCs were turned over to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, while the FTCs were renamed Provincial Training Centers. To date, ATI is operating with its 16 Regional Training Centers and one International Training Center on Pig Husbandry.
In early 2002, the ATI- FTC became a Regional Training Center (RTC) in the newly-created Region 13. It covers the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur, plus the cities of Butuan, Surigao, and Bislig. Today it caters to recently-established province and cities such as the Province of Dinagat Islands and the cities of Tandag, Bayugan, and Cabadbaran.
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Quality Management System
ATI received a plaque of recognition from the Government Quality Management Committee for successfully establishing its Quality Management System leading to its ISO 9001:2008 certification. Likewise, ATI Training Centers in the Cordillera Administrative Region, regions II, VI, VIII, XII, and XIII as well as the International Training Center on Pig Husbandry have earned their certifications after complying the same ISO standards.
