Bohol as “Outstanding Province” in C. Visayasin RCEF program

The Provincial Government of Bohol through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA)’ endeavor geared
towards the development of the agri-fishery sector has not been put to waste as it was being recognized and awarded
in the national and regional tilts.

Just recently, the PGBh Thru the OPA received the Excellence Award as Outstanding Province in the entire
Central Visayas in the implementation of the RCEF (Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund) Program.
Provincial Agriculturist Liza M. Quirog, Vice-Gov. Dionisio Victor Balite and Provincial Seed Coordinator
Lorebien Lagapa received the award during the awarding ceremony last Tuesday held at PhilRice, Murcia, Negros
Occidental.

Mayor Juliet Dano of Sevilla, Bohol, and Municipal Agriculturists (Mas) Mitchel Varquez from Sevilla, Avelina
Lopeseros (Trinidad), and Marianito Doydora (Ubay) were also received the awards in the program.
Provincial Rice Seed Coordinator Lagapa bared that the RCEF Program in Bohol has benefited the 29, 237
Boholano farmers who received the quality certified rice seeds of about 45, 830 bags (20kgs./bag).

Lagapa said that it was not easy to receive the award because this would be based on criteria which are the
following: distribution rate 40%, syncing rate 10%, syncing participation 20%, far management 10%, seed stock
card and inventory report 10%, resource mobilization 5%, and participatory governance at 5% of which the province
of Bohol got the rating of 99%, the highest rating in all the provinces in Central Visayas.

The planting of certified seeds that showed an increase of yield at 3.6 metric tons per hectare during the first
semester has contributed a lot to getting the award, Lagapa emphasized.

Provincial Agriculturists Quirog,and Vice – Gov. Balite said that all these we owed to the MAs, Municipal
Municipal Agricultural Officers (MAOs), and rice technicians and most especially the Boholano farmers in the
province as they thanked them for their unwavering support of the programs and projects of the provincial
government.

Also attending the awarding ceremony were Department of Agriculture-Regional Technical Director (DA-RTD)
Joel Elumba, PhilRice Negros Director Leo Sta. Ines, Chief, Science Research Specialist Dr. Rizal Corales from
PhilRice Nueva Ecija, Marchel Brina, BPI-NSQCS Region 7, and PhilRice Staff in Bohol Care Jason Parina and
April Badajos. By Atoy Cosap