THROUGH DOST GALING PCAARRD KONTRA COVID-19 PROJECT
The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) held a seminar on March 4, 2021 and organized by the Livestock Research Division (LRD) and was attended by the officers and PDL from BuCor’s minimum security facility.
The project sites of the Council’s project, “Assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of village-scale chicken meat and egg production system.”
The Alternative livelihood and food source opportunities for Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) in Muntinlupa will soon help raise broiler and layer chicken.
The said project is an initiative under the “Manok at Itlog para sa Pamayanan,” a component of the GALING-PCAARRD Kontra COVID-19 Program of DOST-PCAARRD.
This was discussed during seminar on basic broiler and layer chicken production and management at the Minimum Security Compound (MinSeCom) of BuCor in Muntinlupa.
“Aside from imparting knowledge and assistance, PCAARRD also hopes to learn from firsthand experiences of the project beneficiaries” Dr. Synan S. Baguio, LRD-PCAARRD Director highlighted.
The project expected to develop a profitable and sustainable village-scale meat and egg production system to ensure food availability within communities during health emergencies and calamities.
PCAARRD will give three batches of broiler chicks with 1,800 chicks/batch as well as 384 ready-to-lay layer chickens.
The Council will also supply a feather plucker machine, chiller, freezer, feeds, and pre-fabricated cages covering the 10-hectare agricultural land of MinSeCom.
Supt. Sheroky T. Bilibli, officer-in-charge of MinSeCom’s work and livelihood program, says the area will soon be developed into a MinSeCom agricultural ecotourism and business center.
” 70% of future profit will go directly to the PDLs; 20% will be used for area maintenance; and 10% will be used in their MinSeCom commissary” Bilibli explained.
One of the family of the PDL beneficiaries who knew about the program were very grateful for the support of the DOST PCAARRD for such project that will greatly impact them.
Details from Gian Carlo D. Camacho, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services, Mj Olvina Balaguer of DZMJ Online, Makabuluhang Jornalismo your happiness Channel, 09053611058, maryjaneolvina@gmail.com and konekted@dzmjonline.net
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DA, BuCor CONVERTED IDLE LAND TO A PRODUCTIVE LAND FOR FOOD PRODUCTION UNDER THE URBAN AGRICULTURE PROJECT
“Let’s put up a sustainability plan for this project to be continued even beyond the time that we will no longer be here to support it. Make it a self-sustaining business model, the model that we can start working on so that we build up the capacity of the Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL),” Agriculture Secretary emphasized.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar and BuCor Director-General and Undersecretary Gerald Bantag formally launched the “Gulayan sa Pamahalaan” under the UAP with a harvest festival at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntilupa City on February 11, 2021.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) firmed up their new partnership for the Urban Agriculture Project (UAP), wherein available lands of BuCor will be used for food production.
Officials present during the event include DA Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Director Eduardo Gongona, and BuCor Assistant Secretary Gabriel Chaclag.
He added that the PDL should be engaged to be part of enhancing food security for themselves and for their family.
Through the DA-BuCor Memorandum of Agreement for agriculture development, arable land at the NBP reservation will be developed into an agri-fishery site that will help reform PDL, prepare them for community integration, and support Metro Manila’s food requirements.
In three years, plant nurseries, seed production facilities, breeder farms, fish farms, and composting facilities will be established, while maintaining fruit, vegetable, livestock, and fish farm within the 80-hectare NBP reservation.
According to Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Assistant Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban, every seed planted by the partners at BuCor and the PDL symbolize hope for the future.
Meanwhile, Secretary Dar challenged the BPI to upscale the UAP implementation through partnerships with different government agencies and private sector stakeholders to help lessen the impact of the pandemic.
“The program is in line with one of the priorities of BuCor which is the implementation of the ‘Gulayan sa Pamahalaan’ Agro-Industrial Project. We are optimizing the utilization of the available lands of BuCor, so we are looking forward to our partnership with DA,” BuCor Assistant Secretary Milfredo Melegrito explained.
DetailS from Gumamela Celes Bejarin, DA-AFID, Mj Olvina Balaguer of DZMJ Online, Makabuluhang Jornalismo your happiness Channel, 09053611058, maryjaneolvina@gmail.com and konekted@dzmjonline.net
DA AND BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS INK DEAL FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM
On January 25, 2021 – Agriculture Secretary William Dar signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Bureau of Correction (BOC) Director-General and Undersecretary Gerald Quitaleg Bantag for the implementation of DA-BuCor Agriculture Development Program (ADP).
The MOA signing ceremony was witnessed by Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Noel Reyes, BPI Director George Culaste, and BPI Assistant Director for Administration and Operations Gerald Glenn Panganiban.
To ensure that food is sufficient in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Department of Agriculture (DA) continues to expand its Urban Agriculture Program (UAP) through partnerships with various government and private agencies on community farming system.
The DA-BuCor ADP aims to develop arable land in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) reservation in Muntinlupa City into an agri-fishery development site to fulfill its mandate to reform Person Deprived of Liberty (PDL), to prepare them in their reintegration into the community and support the food demand of the NCR.
Part of the agreement, DA will establish plant nurseries, seed production facilities, breeder farms, fish farms, and composting facilities, while maintaining fruit vegetable, livestock, and fish farm within the 80 hectares (ha) NBP reservation.
DA will also provide technical assistance, support services, and template of agricultural production for other initiatives including the “Balik Probinsya Program”, and the DA’s Plant, Plant, Plant Program to BuCor employees and PDLs.
Currently, the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) has been assisting BuCor in managing their farm planted with eggplant, mungbean, squash, corn, banana, and papaya. The income generated will be managed by BuCor.
The DA-BuCor ADP shall initially take effect for three years, subject to renewal or extension by both parties.
(Details from Kristel Merle & photos by Alan Jay Jacalan, DA-AFID, Mj Olvina Balaguer of DZMJ Online, Makabuluhang Jornalismo your happiness Channel, 09053611058, maryjaneolvina@gmail.com and konekted@dzmjonline.net
