Five-Hundred coconut farmers graduated from the School-on-the-Air program Masaganang Cocobuhayan: Radyo Eskwela sa Pagniniyugan on November 5, 2024 at Municipal Gymnasium, Claveria, Cagayan. The program, which ran from May to September 2024, taught participants about coconut production, processing, and business strategies via radio broadcasts and Facebook Live.

The highlights of the program is the awarding of Certificates of Completion and recognition of the Top 5 Achievers who excelled in the program. Mayor Lucille Angelus Guillen-Yapo, Mayor of Claveria, Cagayan congratulated the graduates, encouraging them to apply their new skills to improve their farms and contribute to the industry’s growth.

Dr. Claris Marayag-Alaska, OIC-Center Director of ATI-RTC 02, confirmed the graduates, while Director Remelyn R. Recoter, MNSA, CESO III, Director IV of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), shared an inspiring video message with the graduates. She acknowledged the critical role that farmers play in the country’s agricultural development and encouraged them to continue growing and sharing their knowledge with fellow farmers.

A Techno Clinic was also conducted before the graduation ceremony which provided graduates of the program a chance to engage with experts from Philippine Coconut Authority, DA-RFO 2 and ATI to ask questions, and gain deeper insights into the lessons they had been learning over the course of the radio and Facebook Live telecasts.

The program officially launched on May 28, 2024, in Pamplona, Cagayan, marking the beginning of an educational journey for farmers primarily in the District 2 of the Province of Cagayan.

“Malaki ang naitulong ng School-on-the-air dahil doon makikita nating lahat ang pinakabagong teknolohiya sa niyog mula sa pagpili ng punla hanggang sa pag-aani nito,” said Mr. Jerry Illustrado, the top 1 achiever from Sanchez Mira, Cagayan.

The success of Masaganang Coco Buhayan: Radyo Eskwela sa Pagniniyugan was made possible through the collaborative efforts of various local government units in Abulug, Ballesteros, Claveria, Lasam, Pamplona, Sanchez Mira and Santa Praxedes, Cagayan, partner-agencies and  resource persons from ATI, DA-RFO 02, PCA, DTI, BAI, DA-HVCDP, DA-AMAD  and Cagayan State University. Together, they provided technical assistance and expertise to ensure that farmers had access to high-quality education.

“Marami akong natutunan sa SOA dahil dun din naming nalaman na ang dami pala mga partner agencies na pwedeng umassist sa atin para maiangat yung pangkabuhayan bilang farmer. Magandang paraan yun kung paano lumapit sa mga agencies sa pamamagitan ng kooperatiba,” said Mr. Eugenio O. Salmasan, Jr., the top 1 achiever in Pamplona, Cagayan.

With the knowledge gained from the program, these 500 graduates are now better equipped to improve their coconut farming practices, contributing to a brighter future for the coconut industry in the Philippines.