OPA Annual Investment Plan focuses on El Niño mitigation

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) in the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) is defining their
programs and projects that focus on the mitigating measures to lessen  the impact of the El Nino Phenomenon to an
agri-fishery sector that is forecasted to hit the country starting on the third quarter of this year up to the first quarter
next of year.

Leonard Samar from Philippine Atmospheric Geo-Physical Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA)
RADAR Station in Albuquerque, Bohol forecasted that El Nino will take effect from July up to March 2024.
Provincial Agriculturist Liza M. Quirog during the OPA Annual Investment Plan (AIP) 2024  last May 8, 2023,
at Level 007 Hotel, J.A. Clarin, Dampas, Tagbilaran City viewed that if the dry condition would last for nine months
this would be the longest El Nino ever as she recalled that on 1983 the drought lasted for about five months.
Quirog said the presence of this phenomenon would draw so many challenges, thus the OPA would make a plan
that corresponds to the needs of the people aligned with the priorities of the administration of Gov. Erico Aristotle C.
Aumentado.

The provincial agriculturist said that in this abnormal time, the OPA must so prepare considering that the future
of foods in the province would lay down on the shoulder of the OPA and as such the interventions must address the
agri-fishery needs of the Boholanos.

Quirog is optimistic that with the supportive Provincial Budget Officer Peter Ross Retutal who guides on how
the projects and programs are being budgeted and implemented, the OPA could fast track in achieving its mandate.
In that AIP, Retutal presented the budgetary inputs to remind the OPA regarding the planning and budgeting
cycle of which the office-level strategic planning should align with the development agenda of the PGBh.

He reminded the agriculture office of the province that during the preparation of the AIP/budget the first thing to
do is to prioritize and rank the projects. And for the recurring projects, consider the level of appropriations provided
during the current year and evaluate whether the funding requirement is still applicable based on the level of utilized
or unutilized funds.

Retutal added that the proposed budgets must already be supported with Project Procurement Management Plan
(PPMP).

Robert L. Varquez for and in behalf of Provincial Planning and Development Officer Atty. John Titus J. Vistal
presented the updated Provincial Development Framework.
Varquez talked about the Strategic Governance Roadmap and Strategic Change Agenda which include
Environmental Sustainability, Climate Smart-Agriculture, Sustainable Tourism, MSMEs Entrepreneurship, Human
Capital/ Workforce, Governance, Infrastructure and Utilities, Health and Social Services, ICT.

Executive Assistant for Agriculture Nunila M. Pinat delved into the Pillars of Good Governance of the provincial
government which are the following: participatory, transparency, responsibility and accountability that need to be
harmonized and cascaded to the local government units. By Atoy Cosap