Press Release

In order to assess plans and programs targeted for the first and second semesters of the current year and to
formulate targets for next year’s operations in conformity with the new normal condition, the Office of the
Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) conducted the mid-year assessment last Friday at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan
(SP) Session Hall, Provincial Capitol Building. 
Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas led the six division heads: Rosanna G. Lamdagan
(Agribusiness Division), Gemma G. Encabo (Admin Division), Gertrudes S. Fuentes (Crops and Productivity
Division), Evelyn Maligsa (Planning Division), Remedios Regacho (Fishery Division), and Marjoe Rey Labonite
(Research and Agricultural Support Services) together with some section heads in assessing and discussing matters
relative to plans and programs of OPA.
Dr. Pamugas said that it cannot be denied that the implementation of some targets for the first semester and early
part of the second semester has been affected by COVID-19.
Along with this Pamugas said that we would still be very grateful to the Almighty because agriculture would not
be so affected compared to tourism.
Farmers are not prohibited to go on farming and so with the fishermen to go on fishing for their livelihood unlike
with the people in the tourism sector.
Pamugas said let us treat the situation as a challenge in our quest geared towards agriculture in the new normal
condition.
He said that the OPA targets are in conformity with the plans and programs of Governor Art C. Yap to boost
production in order to sustain food supply for Bohol.
The RASS Division has programmed several projects for farm mechanization and irrigation; Crops and
Productivity Division (Advance Rice Technolgy (ART) 160, ART 120 – the planting of hybrid and inbred rice,
Agricultural Rural Transformation (ART) Corn Technology 100); Fishery Division (rehabilitation and expansion of
fish ponds/cages).
Agribusiness Division (building sustainable agribusiness through ART Tabosa Bohol, linking farmers’,
producers’ and processors’ products to clients and buyers among others;  Admin and Planning Divisions have set the
tone for sound management in dealing the plans and projects at the OPA.
Some division and section heads described that the plans and programs are so ambitious but Dr. Pamugas said
that we have to face this big challenge unmindful what difficulties we have encountered just for the good of the
Boholanos we are serving. (Atoy Cosap)

OPA MID-YEAR ASSESSMENT. Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas leads the Office
of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) Mid-Year Assessment last Friday held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan
Session Hall, Bohol Provincial Capitol discussing and planning the needed programs to boost agriculture
inBohol.

Governor Art C. Yap challenged the Boholano farmers through the Municipal Agriculturists (MAs) and Municipal Agricultural Officers (MAOs) to engage in farm mechanization by availing loans being offered by the Land Bank of the Philippines with 3% interest rate payable within 10 years.

Gov. Yap during the Provincial Coordinating Committee on Agri-Fishery (PCCAF) meeting last Monday held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall attended by the MAs/MAOs said that it is the right time to take this good opportunity to borrow money to buy farm machineries to expand farm areas for mass production.

The governor explained that our dreamed increase production would not be achieved if we are only contented or concentrated on the areas what have been tilling now.

He urged the MAs/MAOs to establish the cluster areas composed of adjacent municipalities which have the areas of thousands of hectares (has.) and choose what commodities commonly suitable in the areas so that it could come-up with mass production.

The governor has a high hope that once our production would be increased at a high level, the province could establish processing centers that would generate more jobs to the Boholanos.

During the PCCAF meeting, Gov. Yap intently listening assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas who facilitated to gather the target data from the MAs/MAOs regarding the number of hectares in their respective localities to be planted with different agricultural products such as rice, corn, ubi, sweat potato, coffee, cacao, banana, endemic fruit trees among others.

Pamugas expected that in the next planting season more farm areas would be tilled since during the PCCAF meeting the MAs/MAOs themselves personally gave the figures on the number of hectares to be planted from their potential areas for different commodities.

On that meeting, Gov. Yap urged them to produce more Saba banana which is good in market, nutritional and as an additional staple for food security in the province.

He also advised them that those municipalities who have smaller areas for corn, ubi and other crops like Albur and Baclayon to plant it with fruit trees and vegetables. (Atoy Cosap)

Gov. Yap challenges farmers to boost

production thru farm mechanization

FARM MECHANIZATION. Gov. Art C. Yap (left photo) challenges the Boholano farmers through the Municipal Agriculturists (MAs) and Municipal Agricultural Officers (MAOs) during the Provincial Coordinating Committee on Agri-Fishery (PCCAF) meeting last Monday at the SP Session Hall to engage in mechanized farming and avail loans from Land Bank of the Philippines to buy farm machineries; while Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas (right photo standing with mic) facilitates in the gathering of target data to be planted of different agri products from among the MAS/MAOs in the said meeting.

Aiming to manage and fully develop the 16,232.8 hectares (has.) of updated potential corn areas, the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) proposed to purchase farm machinery to boost corn production and sustain food sufficiency level in the province of Bohol.

Marjoe Rey Labonite, Head-Research and Agri-Support Services (RASS) Division, OPA and Provincial Corn Coordinator Leon M. Parac, Jr., said that the provincial government is determined to acquire 10 units 4WD 90HP tractors, 10 units Recirculating Dryers, 10 units corn Shellers, 5 units Flat-Bed Dryers, 5 units Dump Trailers, 5 units Combine Harvesters, and 2 units of 6-Wheeler Elf Truck to be rented by the 13 towns which are considered as corn cluster areas namely: Anda, Alicia, Danao, Sagbayan, Carmen, San Miguel, Dagohoy, Sierra-Bullones, Trinidad, Ubay, Dimiao, Valencia and Mabini.

Labonite and Parac said these 13 municipalities have only 29 units of 4WD 90HP tractors of which Ubay and Sagbayan have six each; San Miguel and Trinidad (three each); Danao, Dagohoy, and Dimiao (two each); while Alicia, Anda, Carmen, Sierra-Bullones, and Valencia have one tractor each.

These corn cluster areas have 9, 254.8 has. of updated potential corn areas which supposed to have at least 40 units to capacitate their farm machinery program, they said.

The project is under the Advanced Rural Transformation (ART) Corn Technology 100 of Gov. Arthur C. Yap which was officially launched last July 2, 2020, in Ubojan, Sagbayan, Bohol participated by the local officials led by Sagbayan Mayor Restituto Suarez III and Second District Board Member Frans Gelaine Garcia simultaneous with the distribution of corn seeds to the farmers of the town.

The ART Corn Technology 100 strongly encouraged the corn farmers to plant hybrid corn which has good yield performance up to five tons per hectares which is more advantageous compared to traditional corn variety which has a yield performance from two to three tons per hectares.

CORN AREAS PLANTED

Parac said that based on records at the OPA as reported by the corn technicians, Bohol has only 2,360 has. planted with the different varieties of corn starting April to June 2020: 1,342 has. are planted with Open-Pollinated Variety (OPV), 542 has. (traditional variety), 464 has. (hybrid) and 11 has. (sweet corn variety).

These areas planted could have been increased if the data from the eight municipalities with no corn technicians namely: Alburquerque, Lila, Baclayon, Loay, Tubigon, Calape, Loboc and Panglao have reported and consolidated.

With regards to the stocks of corn in the province, last March during the harvesting period, Bohol had produced 2,723.57 sacks of corn grits that would only last for 7.96 days as the daily consumption of Boholanos of corn is 342 sacks.

Parac disclosed that corn farmers are in need of farm machinery, post-harvest facilities, corn seeds (hybrid, conventional hybrid, open-pollinated variety) and fertilizers.

He said the province has corn seeds program wherein the distributions have already been started, but not enough for the needed requirements among corn farmers.

For this year, the PGBh has only 443 sacks of corn seeds of which 243 from the supplemental budget and the 200 sacks from the regular budget purchases. (Atoy Cosap)

ART CORN TECHNOLOGY 100. Gov. Arthur C. Yap (left driving the tractor) leads the launching of the “Advanced Rural Transformation (ART) Corn Technology 100 and the corn seeds distribution last July 2, 2020, in Ubojan, Sagbayan as he encourages the Boholano corn farmers to plant hybrid corn to boost production.                                                                                                                             Foto JUN PARAC (OPA)

Striving to treat the buying public, most specifically the senior citizens, to avail farm gate or cheaper prices of agri-commodities, the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) conducts, starting last week, the Agricultural Rural Transformation (ART) Tabo sa Bohol/ KADIWA on Wheels on every Thursday and Monday instead of doing this every Friday and Monday of the week at the CPG Park fronting Bohol Wisdom School (BWS), CPG North Avenue, Cogon, Tagbilaran City.

Rosanna G. Lamdagan, Chief-Agribusiness Division, OPA said that originally the ART Tabo sa Bohol/KADIWA on Wheels was set every Monday at the CPG Park and in the identified towns. But due to the adamant requests by the buying public for additional day of operation in Tagbilaran City, the PGBh has granted the request to hold twice a week every Friday and Monday.

Lamdagan said that after the previous operation, the OPA received requests by the senior citizens sector to change Friday to Thursday so that they could go freely and buy agri products.

With this, Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas had recommended the request to Governor Arthur C. Yap and it was approved that the mobile market would be conducted every Thursday and Monday of the week.

Last Thursday’s Tabo saw some senior citizens accompanied by relatives trooped at the mobile market to buy agri-commodities and commented that the prices were cheaper than those at public markets and malls.

Under the implementation of the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) in this time of COVID-19 pandemic, individuals aging 65 years old and above are allowed to go outside their residences every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the week.

Lamdagan emphasized that in the Tabo during Thursday, only those agri-commodities locally grown/raised in Bohol are to be sold at farm gate prices, while every Monday the product in Bohol and those coming from other provinces are allowed to be sold but at prices lower than those at the markets and malls.

The ART Tabo sa Bohol/KADIWA on Wheels conducted at identified municipalities has been patronized by the Boholano buying public.

Since the ART Tabo sa Bohol/KADIWA on Wheels formally launched last April 14, 2020 in Poblacion, Dauis, the total sales as of last Thursday would reach up to P7,276,290 beating the target of P5 million up to December 2020.

The program has encouraged the Boholano farmers to expand their farms because there is a sure market for their products, Lamdagan remarked. (AtoyCosap)

HIGHLY FREQUENTED ART Tabo sa Bohol/KADIWA on Wheels at the CPG Park fronting Bohol Wisdom School, CPG North Avenue, Cogon, Tagbilaran City by the Boholano buying public to include the senior citizens due to cheap farm gate prices of agri-commodities grown/raised in Bohol.

Photo ALFREDO AMORA, JR. / OPA

Gov. Art C. Yap has assured anew the Boholanosthat the province of Bohol has sufficient food supply.

Gov. Yap issued the statement amid speculations that food supplies might be affected by Covid-19 pandemic.

The governor said that based on the gathered data from the Office of the Provincial Government (OPA) and National Food Authority (NFA), the food supplies in Bohol are safe.

Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas bared that based on the weekly prices monitoring of agri-commodities at the public wet markets and malls conducted by the OPA staff, there are no signs that the supplies are dwindling.

Pamugas reported that prices of agri-commodities remain stable and within the suggested price ceilings set by the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) in the time of implementation of price freeze law.

He said that well-milled rice can be bought at P40-44 per kilogram (/kg.), regular milled (P38-43/kg.), corn grits at P36-38/ kg., while prices of other commodities are still stable.

The Assistant Provincial Agriculturist said that we can expect more supplies in the coming months as the wet cropping season has already been started since last month and because of frequent rains most of the farmers have planted the agricultural plants that augment the supply.

Pamugas also reported the increasing production of vegetables in Bohol relatively keeping prices low in the markets.

He said that since Bohol was under community quarantine the vegetable seed distribution programs of the PGBh through OPA has been strengthened and has encouraged Boholanos affected by the quarantine to engage in planting vegetables or backyard gardening.

National Food Authority Information Officer Joel Lim said that there is no problem regarding supply of NFA rice in the province of Bohol.

Lim said that based on the last stock inventory there are 16,000 bags of NFA rice at their bodega in Tagbilaran City.

However, he clarified that this number of sacks have been intended only for relief operations by the Local Government Units (LGUs) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) of which every LGU has been allocated at 200 bags at P1,250 per sack.

The NFA information officer bared that to date they could not buy palay on their procurement program because of the high prices offered by rice traders to the Boholano farmers at P23-25 per kg. which is according to him beneficial to farmers considering the government support price of palay is only P19/kg.

He said that on the event that the 16,000 would be depleted they can request immediately for shipment from Cebu NFA bodega which still has 110,000 bags allocation until the end of December for Bohol.

With the sufficient stocks of commercial and NFA rice in Bohol, the Boholanos need not to worry about the food supplies in the province, Lim remarked. (AtoyCosap)

SUFFICIENT FOOD SUPPLY.Gov. Art C. Yap assures the Boholanos that the province has sufficient supply of foods as the provincial government gets the assurance from National Food Authority (NFA) and the local rice traders the sufficient stocks at their bodegas. Photo by Alfredo C. Amora, Jr., OPA staff

The Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) has given the chance to cater the needs of the buying public to buy Bohol-grown/raised agri-commodities at farm gate prices and other products coming from outside the province at also cheaper prices.

This after the PGBh starting last Friday conducts the Agricultural Rural Transformation (ART) Tabosa Bohol/ KADIWA on Wheels twice a week, every Friday and Monday, at CPG Park in front of Bohol Wisdom School (BWS), CPG North Avenue, Cogon, Tagbilaran City.

Rosanna G. Lamdagan, Chief-Agribusiness Division, OPA clarified that agri-commodities to be sold every Friday are locally grown or raised in Bohol at farm gate prices, while every Monday products sold will also include those coming from other provinces like Cagayan and Bukidnon at cheaper prices compared to those at public markets and malls.

Lamdagan emphasized that the Tabo which was launched last May 18, 2020 has also been conducted in identified municipalities who wish to be the venue of the mobile market.

The Tabo selling rice, corn, fish, dried fish, vegetables, fruits, root crops, fish, eggs, cooking oil, meat, dressed chicken, and favorite Boholano delicacies was already conducted in Cortes, Loon, and Loay and continue to be being conducted in Albur every Tuesday, and in Dauis (every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday).

The program has surpassed the targeted total sales of P5 million until December of which as of July 7, 2020 based at the records at the OPA, the operations had gotten a total sales of P6,136,927.30: Tagbilaran – P1,760,491; Dauis – P2,713,529; Albur – P1,084,853; Loay – P359,642.10; Loon – P178,341; and Cortes (P40,070).

The ART Tabosa Bohol/KADIWA on Wheels has been patronized by the consuming public as agri-commodities can be bought at cheaper farm gate prices. (AtoyCosap)

Caption:

FRESHBohol-grown or Bohol-raised agri-commodities are sold weekly every Friday and Monday at ART Tabosa Bohol/KADIWA on Wheels at the CPG Park fronting Bohol Wisdom School, CPG North Avenue, Cogon, Tagbilaran City at farm gate prices.

In an effort to answer the needs of the Boholano buying public to buy Bohol-grown/raised agri-commodities at farm gate prices and other products coming from outside the province, the Agricultural Rural Transformation (ART) Tabosa Bohol has been conducted twice a week at the CPG Park fronting Bohol Wisdom School, CPG North Avenue, Cogon, Tagbilaran City.
Rosanna G. Lamdagan, Chief-Agribusiness Division, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) said that starting on Friday the ART Tabosa Bohol will be conducted for two days every Friday and the usual operation every Monday at 8a.m. to 6p.m.
Lamdagan said that since the Tabo was launched last May 18, 2020 it has been patronized by the consuming public, thus the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) through the OPA has decided to add another day in the program.
However, she explained that the agri-commodities to be sold every Friday are locally grown or raised in Bohol at farm gate prices while every Monday sold are products in Bohol and coming from other provinces like Cagayan and Bukidnon at cheaper prices compared to those at public markets and malls.
Lamdagan invited the wholesalers are retailers from malls and wet markets and peddlers selling the agri-commodities along the roads in the different barangays of Tagbilaran City to purchase in bulk at the ART Tabosa Bohol every Friday for them to avail the farm gate prices.
Governor Art C. Yap launched the ART Tabo sa Bohol to encourage the Boholano farmers to become entrepreneurs by selling their agri-products and link them to possible traders.
Gov. Yap believes that with the sure market of the locally produced agricultural products, the Boholano farmers would encourage them to expand their farm lands for more production and bigger income.
Earlier, the governor explained that Tabo is also aimed at decongesting markets and malls to support the implementation of social distancing in this time of health crisis brought about by Covid-19.
The products to be sold at the ART Tabosa Bohol are rice, corn, fish, dried fish, vegetables, fruits, root crops, fish, eggs, cooking oil, meat, dressed chicken, and favourite Boholano delicacies such as budbod pilit, suman pilit, bukhayo, moron, bingka, putong balanghoy, dinumugang saging, and suman balanghoy. (Atoy Cosap)

The Bohol Ubi Growers Association (BUGA) Ubi Demo Farm which is strategically located in a tranquil agricultural area in Pandol, Corella is eyed to be another agri-tourism destination in Bohol to prove that the province is known for the different varieties of Ubi especially the “Kinampay.”
The farm has a total area of 1.1 hectares (has.) if fully developed in a lot owned by the Maligsa brothers Cresencio and Esmeraldo of which the latter is the president of BUGA.
The area is being developed into a demo farm in collaboration with the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) and the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA-RFO)-7.
Rufa Ugay, High Value Commercial Crop (HVCC) coordinator, OPA said that the PGBh has provided the inputs to BUGA such as; Ubi planting materials, fertilizers and cultivator.
Ugay bared that close to 12 metric tons of Ubi Baligonhon variety planting materials were dispersed by provincial government to the association and the 250 sacks of organic fertilizer.
She explained that in the dispersal program, the association would need only to return back the same number of kilos and will be rolled out to the Ubi growers to be planted in the next planting season.
BUGA president Maligsa said that of the 1.1 has. about 6,000 square meters (sq.m.) have been developed and hopefully next planting season the entire area would be fully tilled.
Maligsa said that of the close to 12 metric tons of Ubi planting materials in the dispersal program of the PGBh 2,000 kilograms (kgs.) of it were being planted at the demo farm and the almost 10,000 kgs. were being dispersed to Ubi growers who are members of BUGA.
He said that the DA-RFO7 also gave 300 kilos of Ubi Kinampay planting material and were being planted at the demo farm.
Maligsa has a high hope that more Ubi tubers could be sold on the next Ubi Festival come January considering the big volume of Ubi dispersal by the PGBh to the Ubi growers.
The BUGA president said that once the harvesting time comes, the growers must set aside the equal number of kilos to be returned back to the OPA for the dispersal program.
Meanwhile, Maligsa bared that the association has a plan to construct a rest house to shelter the visitors especially from the provincial government and for the Ubi growers themselves when rains come in time of land preparation, growing and harvesting of UBi.
Rosanna G. Lamdagan, chief-agribusiness Division, OPA said that Ubi is among the crop together with rice, corn, and cacao that have to be given top priorities in the administration of Gov. Art C. Yap to expand the production to ensure food sustainability in the province.
In an effort that the BUGA Ubi Demo Farm would become a agri-tourism destination, she said the possibility is not remote considering the strategic location of the farm in a peaceful barangay of Pandol, Corella which has a very fresh air being surrounded with trees and free from noise pollution of which only the voices of birds that are singing while perching on the branches of the trees being heard. (Atoy Cosap)

CAPTION:

BUGA UBI DEMO FARM. Some 1.1 hectares of Ubi demo farm located in Pandol, Corella is also eyed to become an agri-tourism destination in the province of Bohol. The 6,000 square meters of this area are already planted with different varieties of Ubi especially the Ubi Kinampay. When visited by the OPA personnel led by Rosanna G. Lamdagan last Tuesday, the standing crop is growing to almost two meters long. Photo by Alfredo Amora, Jr.