Negros Oriental - In 2020, the Republic Act No. 11511 or the Act Amending RA 10068 (Organic Agriculture Act of 2010) was enacted to recognize the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) as an option for organic certification. Item (g) of Section 14 (Participatory Guarantee System) of the amended OA Act of 2010 states that, “The Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), in close coordination with the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS), shall make available the required training program on organic agriculture standards and processes for PGS groups applying for accreditation”.

In support of this mandate, the ATI in collaboration with BAFS identified a set of preparatory activities for the implementation of PGS. These include the development of training modules, and series of capability-building activities for organic implementers and identified PGS organizations.

To ensure the trainers’ capacity in the establishment and practice of PGS, the ATI together with DA RFO has to conduct a Training of Trainers on PGS. Hence, on March 14 – 25, 2022, a Training of Trainers on Philippine Guarantee System was conducted in Stella Maris Retreat House, Bacong, Negros Oriental. Twenty participants were able to complete the extensive ten-day training.

This training aims to capacitate PGS Groups on the establishment and operations consistent with the organic agriculture standards and corresponding technical regulations.

During the ten-day training, participants learned about the salient provisions, including the implementing rules and regulations, of the Organic Agriculture Act as amended by RA 11511 on Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS); the Organic Agriculture Standards and the National List of Permitted Substances for Organic Agriculture; the general requirements and procedures for accreditation of PGS group; how to conduct of peer review and certification protocols; and the current Philippine National Standards (PNS) for organic agriculture.

“Si kinatibuak-an sa training, na address ang mga kinahanglan sa pagpalambo/promotion sa Organic Agriculture. Represented ang mga lain-laing sectors (practitioners, Academe, Government/LGU’s). Hinaot nga mapaabot sa mga LGU and mandate sa Organic Agriculture para mahatagan ug attention pareha sa ubang commodity. Mahatagan ug insakto suporta sa mga nagka lain-laing ahensya sa goberno (DA, Province, LGU) ang pagpatuman sa programa,” said Janelle C. Romano, the City OA Focal in Bais City – one of the training participants.

Andrew M. Macaambac and Ma. Gracia Soliva-Pungay from ATI RTC -7; Mae Montecillo from Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 7; and Emmanuel A. Odtohan from DA-Provincial Agriculture Technology Coordinating Office have shared their expertise on the topics discussed as resource persons while Ryan Joshua Villena served as member of the training management team.

Should there be any clarifications or inquiries around this training, you may contact Ma. Gracia Soliva-Pungay, Project Officer, through her email at mgspungay@ati.da.gov.ph.