NAGA CITY (May 5, 2012) – Agriculture Secretary Proceso I. Alcala urged 450 local executives, provincial government representatives, members of people’s organizations and other government employees, ” to go organic" in agriculture during the Luzon-wide Awareness Seminar for Local Executives on the implementation of Republic Act (RA) 10068 or the “Organic Act of 2010” held at the Avenue Plaza Hotel in this city on Friday (May 4).
Alcala projects that only 15% from the total national agricultural produce maybe organic in the first year of the Organic Law implementation, but he emphasized that organic farm produce has a big potential market particularly in foreign markets like Hongkong and Singapore.
The Agriculture Secretary also cited that Philippines remains a potential source of organically produced agri-products and the country is still free from the contamination of “Bird flu virus” and “Foot and Mouth Disease” (FMD) and Philippines remains a source of livestock export to Korea and Taiwan.
At the culminatin of the Organic forum, top brass of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) inked a Joint Memorandum Circular that empowers over 800 mayors and governors to implement an agricultural organic plan for the towns and provinces nationwide.
Earlier, Secretary Alcala held dialogues with agriculture stakeholders in Camarines Norte province and handed over farm implements, machineries, planting and fishery seedlings worth about P 13.7 Million, aimed to help growing coconut and pineapple cooperatives in Basud and San Lorenzo Ruiz towns in the province. (SONNY SALES)