OPA conducts coco tree planting and growing

OPA IN ACTION. Provincial Agriculturist Liza M. Quirog leads the employees of the Office of the Provincial
Agriculturist (OPA) last Thursday in the coconut tree planting and growing activity in Baguhan, Dimiao, Bohol. Photo
by Jonrix Edrote, OPA staff

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) in its intensified tree – growing and planting activities in the
province of Bohol had planted some 358 hills of coconut seedlings last Thursday in the mountainous areas of
barangay Baguhan, Dimiao, Bohol.

This proposed project aims to provide a sustainable and high – quality source of grafted tropical fruit tree
seedlings, coconut seed nuts and other planting materials to support the government’s national food security agenda,
climate-smart agriculture initiatives, and livelihood programs for farmers.

Provincial Agriculturist Liza M. Quirog led the regular employees, Job Order Workers (JOWs), and Contract of
Service (COS) workers of the OPA in the third round of planting coconut seedlings in the areas which brought to a
total of closed to 800 hills were already planted.

Quirog bared that the planted seedlings have been taken cared – of, and monitored by the LGU and OPA to prove
that the activity is not only for planting but also for growing.

The Provincial Agriculturist last Tuesday sent Memo-Advisory to all department heads, heads of attached offices
and chiefs of hospitals informing them about the activity and she assigned a skeletal force to ensure continued
service to the stakeholders during the activity.

Marjoe Rey A. Labonite, Head – Agri – Facilities, OPA bared that the PCA Provincial Field Office had provided
the 1, 500 Katigan Variety coconut seedlings which could bear fruit from four to five years after planting.
He said that the remaining coconut seedlings will be scheduled for planting momentarily.

The barangay Baguhan is the place wherein the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) in partnership with the
Local Government Unit of Dimiao, Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 7 (DA – RFO 7), Philippine
Coconut Authority (PCA), and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) proposes the establishment of a 50 hectares (has.)
Visayas Tropical Fruits Scion Grove and Plant Nursery cum Provincial Coconut Seed Garden. By Atoy Cosap