SUKAILANG, Surigao City - Provincial and municipal coordinators of the School-on-the-Air (SOA) on Urban Gardening convened for the mid-assessment hosted by the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center 13 on July 12, 2023, at JB Nature Farm in barangay Sukailang, Surigao City.

Mr. Fil Victor A. Babanto, Chief of the Information Services Section of ATI acknowledged the coordinators from 14 participating Local Government Units who are in the frontline, ensuring smooth implementation of the SOA.

During the activity, Mr. Angel R. Fazon, program anchor and provincial SOA coordinator reported a total of 537 individuals as official enrollees from the municipalities of Alegria, Bacuag, Burgos, Claver, Dapa, Mainit, Malimono, Placer, San Francisco, Sison, Socorro, Surigao City, Tagana-an, Tubod. Fazon enumerated minor issues such as poor radio signals in some areas, and the delay in the retrieval and submission of documents from the enrollees. He mentioned that few enrollees keep on with the lectures they missed on-air through FB Live.

Mr. Babanto facilitated the discussion on how to manage these challenges and encouraged the updated posting of information and the status of submission via group chat for easy access and prompt response. He also mentioned the plan for the unified conduct of post-assessment, and set a timeline for the submission of reports and documents from the respective coordinators, as the program is nearing its final broadcast session on September 14, 2023. 

The SOA is conducted by ATI in coordination with the Provincial Agriculture Office of Surigao del Norte through Provincial Agriculturist Ruby Ann Lagahit.