More than 500 coconut farmers across all municipalities in Aurora completed the "Masaganang Coco-buhayan: Radyo Eskwela sa Pagniniyugan" (SOA-CFIDP) with its graduation ceremony held on October 17, 2024 at Senator Edgardo J. Angara Convention Center, Reserva, Baler, Aurora.
Spearheaded by tthe Agricultural Training Institute-Central Luzon (ATI-CL) in partnership with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), the SOA aimed to enhance knowledge on coconut production and processing among farmers, enabling them to establish farm enterprises.
During the opening of the program, Mr. Juan F. Milar, Jr., Division Chief I of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Aurora, representing Regional Manager III, PCA Mr. Dennis D. Andres, expressed gratitude to all guests, particularly the coconut farmers who participated in the SOA-CFIDP.
Additionally, messages were delivered by representatives from Aurora, led by Hon. Rommel Rico T. Angara, Representative of the Lone District of Aurora; Hon. Reynante A. Tolentino, Governor of Aurora; and Hon. Pedro M. Ong, Jr., Vice Mayor of Baler.
Senator Cynthia A. Villar, Chair of the Senate Committee on Food and Agriculture, also extended her congratulatory message to the graduates, also Dr. Eduardo L. Lapuz, Jr., Regional Executive Director of the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office III extends his message of gratitude to the graduates.
Furthermore, Keynote Speaker Dir. Antonieta J. Arceo, Assistant Director of ATI, expressed her message of gratitude for the accomplishments of the graduates, stating, βHindi lamang dito natatapos sa SOAr ang pagiging magsasaka ng niyog. Magagamit ninyo ang inyong mga natutunan sa programang ito sa mahabang panahon.β
Ms. Gloria Lugad, one of the graduates, conveyed her heartfelt thanks to everyone behind the SOA-CFIDP, saying, βGusto ko pong pasalamatan lahat ng personnel na nasa likod nito, maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat. Sa aming pag-aaral po sa SOA, marami kaming natutunan. Noon ay traditional way of farming na namana natin sa ating mga magulang, pero ngayon ay mga bagong pamamaraan.β
Moreover, the journey of the coconut farmers activity began through broadcast platform from June 15, 2024, to September 13, 2024, across three radio stations: RTV Baler, Radyo Kawadi, and Radyo Kaedup, along with live streaming on the official Facebook pages of ATI-CL.
Experts from PCA, Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office III, and ATI-CL served as resource persons of the program. The SOA was conducted in Aurora since it has been identified as one of the major coconut areas in Central Luzon aside from Zambales and Bataan.
