Dumalag named WESVARRDEC’s best FITS center

By Niño S. Manaog

University Extension Associate

Capiz State University

Most promising, indeed.

In the first Regional Techno Gabay (TG) Summit and Technomart of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) held on May 25–26, 2011 at the Amigo Plaza Mall in Iloilo City, the Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center based in Dumalag, Capiz clinched the top prize for Best FITS Center. The FITS Center was launched only in May 2009.

Based on the citation, FITS Dumalag scored high in organization and management, delivery of FITS Services, maintenance of minimum requirements, and resource generation and linkage, four criteria announced by WESVARRDEC.

Led by FITS Manager Ronelyn De Tomas, FITS Dumalag received a certificate of recognition and cash prize from WESVARRDEC Director Joseph Edward Idemne and TG Coordinator Anna Mae Relingo during the closing rites on May 26, 2011 at the same venue. They were joined by Capiz State University (CapSU) TG Team Leader Eduardo Navarra.

According to its 2010 Annual Report, the proactive leadership of Dumalag FITS Manager Ronelyn de Tomas fully supported by the staff and the dynamic involvement of Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) Randy Fancubila helped render services to some 3,500 farmers for the past year.

FITS Manager De Tomas attributes the achievement to the support of their local government led by Municipal Mayor Lilia Castro and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Capiz. Since its launch in May 2009, the Center conducted extensive trainings and activities for the Dumalag Bamboocraft Producers Cooperative (DBPC), a 28-member organization led by MS Randy Fancubila, in order to take bigger steps to improving the bamboo technologies in the municipality

WESVARRDEC’s appointment of Randy Fancubila as MS for engineered bamboo in 2010 helped usher in the effective and efficient services by the Center for the year.

In the same event, the Capiz State University booth also featured MS Fancubila’s engineered bamboo table, trophies and bamboo planks, much to the curiosity and delight of walk-in visitors. The CapSU team also brought the abaca ropes and woven materials from FITS Jamindan and abaca plant sampled from the farm of MS Igmedio Llamelo, among others.

For two days, managers and staff from FITS centers based in Dumalag, Jamindan, Dao and Ivisan, all of Capiz manned the CapSU booth, promoted their products to walk-in visitors and attended the MS and technology forums sponsored by WESVARRDEC.

Awardees and officials share the best moment
of FITS Dumalag's achievement.

CapSU, Capiz FITS centers’ products showcased in WESVARRDEC’s TG summit

By Niño S. Manaog

University Extension Associate

Capiz State University

Capiz State University maintains ten
campuses across the province of Capiz.

In the 2011 Regional Techno Gabay (TG) Summit led by the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) held on May 25–26, 2011 at the Amigo Plaza Mall in Iloilo City, the Capiz State University (CapSU) research and extension services were featured, along with the products of its Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) and Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) centers.

Led by TG Team Leader Eduardo Navarra, the CapSU booth featured the engineered bamboo of MS Randy Fancubila of FITS Dumalag. MS Fancubila showcased bamboo table, trophies and sample bamboo planks, much to the curiosity and delight of walk-in visitors. Navarra’s team also brought the abaca ropes and woven materials from FITS Jamindan and abaca plant sampled from the farm of MS Igmedio Llamelo. 

CapSU featured the novelty products and accessories made from coconut shells of FITS Ivisan, the vermicast bags from FITS Panay, indigenous micro-organism (IMO) used as foliar fertilizers from FITS Dao, and fisheries brochures prepared by FITS OPA Capiz. FITS Ivisan’s coco shell products are manufactured by prospective MS Roosevelt Villarde of the town, while the production of FITS Dao’s IMO foliar fertilizers is led by their Technology Services Specialist (TSS) Genes Estialbo.

CapSU's new FITS centers with their
respective focus commodities.

CapSU brought the products of the FITS Centers to open opportunities for processors and producers and usher their products into wider and bigger markets.Guided by the events theme, “Science and Technology in Every Product

According to TG TL Navarra, the partner member agency and this type of activities is the best link of the said products to potential markets and buyers. CapSU’s initiative is hinged on the consortium’s Technomart modality which aims to bring the commodities and technologies to the general public. In the two-day exposure of the CapSU FITS’ products, “we expect that Ivisan’s coco shells find bigger buyers, and Dumalag’s engineered bamboo locate potential market niches to which it can supply,” Navarra said.

The effort was supported by FITS centers led by their respective managers, namely: Ronelyn De Tomas of Dumalag, Susan Dordas of Dao, Remedios Llamelo of Jamindan, Audie Belargo of OPA Capiz, Letecia Andrada of Ivisan, Jun Hiceta of Panay and Leonardo Barcenas of President Roxas.

WESVARRDEC awards ICT equipment to FITS Jamindan

By Isaac Abello

WESVARRDEC RAC Staff

On May 10, 2011, WESVARRDEC Director Joseph Edward Idemne turned over the information and communications technology (ICT) equipment to the personnel of the FITS Center based in Jamindan, Capiz.

One unit of Acer desktop and its accessories plus printer and other related devices were received by FITS Manager Remedios Llamelo and Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) Igmedio Llamelo at the WESVARRDEC office at UP Visayas in General Luna St., Iloilo City.

According to Regional Management Information System (RMIS) Coordinator Nilo Araneta, the provision of ICT equipment will “help enhance the delivery of services of the FITS Center to farmer beneficiaries.”

The new equipment will also facilitate easy access to and production of needed IEC materials, technology updates and other similar resources to be sourced from the said municipality.

FITS Dumalag's new facilities launched

By N. Manaog

University Extension Associate


It's a bigger and better Dumalag FITS Center.

After some nine months of construction and refurbishing of their facilities, the officials and personnel of the Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center based in Dumalag, Capiz led the inauguration and blessing of their new facilities on May 4, 2011 in Poblacion, Dumalag, Capiz.

The new facilities are a two-room dormitory for male and female, a Training Hall that can accommodate 100 persons, and an 8m x 10 m Display Center which houses their bamboo products, vegetable and crops. Now, FITS Dumalag also boasts of the two refurbished offices, namely: the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist and the office of the Municipal Agriculture and Fisheries Council (MAFC).

Backed by Dumalag Mayor Lilia Castro, FITS Manager Ronelyn De Tomas welcomed some 200 guests representing 16 barangays of Dumalag town including farmers, government personnel, 4-H Club members and ordinary townsfolk. FITS Manager Ronelyn De Tomas attributed the achievement to the full support that FITS Center enjoys with a number of agencies and offices.

After De Tomas urged the farmers to patronize and maximize the use of these facilities, she thanked the agencies who helped and provided various types of assistance to FITS Center Dumalag—including PCARRD-DOST, WESVARRDEC, DTI Capiz and the Capiz State University, its partner member agency. De Tomas credited the full support of Vice-Mayor Eriberto Castro, chairman on agriculture Leo Teves and MAFC Chairman Noe Fantilaga and the entire personnel of Department of agriculture detailed in Dumalag.

The efforts and initiative of the center were well lauded by WESVARRDEC Director Joseph Edward Idemne, Provincial Board Member Emile Ardivilla, DTI Capiz Director Ermelinda Pollentes and Techno Gabay Coordinator Anna Mae Relingo, who witnessed the said rites.

According to WESVARRDEC Director Idemne and RTGP Coordinator Relingo, FITS Dumalag ranks top in the FITS centers list, being equipped with a training hall, dormitory and display center. For its big number of activities and involvements in the consortium work in the past two years, the officials recommended the Center for nomination in the Best FITS Center in the Techno Gabay Awards this year.

For his part, Techno Gabay Team Leader Eduardo Navarra of the Capiz State University takes pride in the Center’s full involvement in the engineered bamboo, now considered a promising commodity nationwide. According to Navarra, regional and national PMAs are interested in visiting FITS Dumalag to see and learn firsthand the engineered bamboo technology of its Magsasaka Siyentista Randy Fancubila. Anytime soon, Capiz State University will facilitate said initiatives for the FITS Center.

Other representatives came from the DTI Capiz, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) Region VI, Capiz State University and Pioneer Hybrid Seed Company.

BIGGER AND BETTER

The new facilities include (clockwise from left) a display center 
which houses their bamboo products, vegetable and crops, 
dormitory for male and female and a Training Hall 
that can accommodate 100 persons.

With Reports from Isaac Abello

WESVARRDEC RAC Staff