Farmers’ forum starts tomorrow

The new administration of the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) is determined to dig deeper to get the
root causes on why that the prices of some agricultural products in the province are high compared to other
provinces.
As part of this endeavour, the PGBh through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) will hold the two
days farmers and fisherfolks forum which will start tomorrow and will end up on the following day at the
Ceremonial Hall, 4 th Floor, News Capitol Building, Cogon District, Tagbilaran City.
Governor Erico Aristotle C. Aumentado has wanted to meet with the presidents of the irrigators associations and
peoples organizations, municipal agriculturists (MAs) and representatives from agri-line agencies to tackle issues
and concerns they have been encountered that hampering the development of the agriculture sector as well as to
gather sentiments from them on what priority programs they may deem immediate.
For so long a time, the farmers have been facing the problems of high prices of fertilizers and rice seeds, low
price of palay, high production cost/labour cost and the bad effects of climate change; while the fisherfolks have
been tied have been also tied with the escalating prices of feeds for cultured fishery and fishing gears, investment
capital and becomes victims of unscrupulous fish traders.
The high prices of fish in the province have always been the clamour among the buying public for so many years
already comparing the prices of the same commodities in other provinces.
In the opening program tomorrow morning, Gov. Aumentado will deliver his inspirational message after Vice-
Gov. Dionisio Victor A. Balita could give his message of support; while Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M.
Pamugas will give the agricultural situation in Bohol as Board Member Nathaniel O. Binlod, Sangguniang
Panlalawigan Chairman- Committee on Agriculture and Provincial Agriculturist Liza M. Quirog will give the
welcome message and acknowledge the participants respectively.
Direcor Joel A. Elumba, OIC-Regional Executive Direcor, Department of Agriculture (DA) 7; Dr. Gracia F.
Arado, OIC-Center Director, Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) 7; Candido T. Samijon, Provincial Fishery
Officer, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Elena Fabre, Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA)
Bohol; Jessamyne Anne C. Alcazaren, Chief Statistical Specialist, Philippine Statistic Authority (PSA); Engr. Reyne
B. Ugay, Acting Regional Manager, National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Regional Office-7; and Ms. Fe H.
Evasco, Manager, National Food Authority (NFA) will present their programs and projects.
There will be an open forum and workshop to be undertaken before Engr. Ricardo D. Oblena, CESO III-
Executive Assistant for Agriculture in the provincial government will formally close the preliminary program. (Atoy
Cosap)