DA honors agri-workers from R-12

COTABATO CITY - For working doubly hard and for working beyond working hours, the Department of Agriculture is set to confer award to ten agricultural extension workers from North Cotabatofor this year’s National Quality Corn Achievers’ Awards (NQCAA) in Cagayan de Oro City on October 22. Amalia Jayag-Datukan, DA 12 regional executive director, said the corn technicians who are from North Cotabato province will join other outstanding AEWs assigned on corn production from all over the country.They represented the SOCCSKSARGEN region in the national search. Datukan identified these farm achievers as Danilo A. Puno, Ellafe U. Lopez, Jocelyn Z. Ragunton, Liliy Flor M. Balos, Maria Eden B. Barredo, Rolando A. Erese, Shiela Marie M. Asinas, Henie D. Pusta, all from Alamada town Elizabeth V. Salao of Carmen and Delina F. Abellanida of Midsayap, North Cotabato, All of them will receive P20,000 each and a certificate from DA’s Agri-Pinoy Corn Program led by National Corn Program Director Edilberto de Luna in ceremonies to be held at Limketkai Mall. The lady director said that these awardees obtained the recognition after facilitating corn farmers in their respective area to achieve greater productivity through unique and innovative corn farming systems. Last year, the region produced two winners namely Delina Abellanida and Rosario Ibesate from Midsayap who each received P20,000. Director Datukan congratulated the outstanding corn technicians and attributed the successive feats of farmers in the province to the successful implementation of the provincial government’s agriculture programs through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist and DA 12 Agri-Pinoy Corn Program led by OIC-Regional Technical Director for Operations and Regional Corn Program Coordinator Zaldy Boloron. The awardees are also invited to the 4-day 10th Philippine National Corn Congress, also in Cagayan de Oro City with their travel and accommodation expenses charged to DA 12,” she said.