ANTIPOLO CITY, Rizal — The DA-Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) CALABARZON conducted the second phase of “Training of Trainers on Participatory Guarantee System (PGS)” on February 17-21 at MARIWSKA Integrated Farm, Brgy. San Jose, in this city.
It aimed to capacitate the 33 members of the Marikina Watershed Kaysakat Association (MARIWSKA), a non-government organization based in Antipolo City, on the establishment and operations of the PGS consistent with the Philippine National Standards for Organic Agriculture and other regulations.
The said activity is a follow-up to the training conducted last year wherein the group was trained in Module 1 and Module 2 of the PGS.
It also focused on the preparation of internal standards and manual of operations as well as a mock peer review with Bobcel Integrated Farm and MARIWSKA Integrated Farm which will form part of the core PGS Group.
“Maraming salamat po sa ATI at DA-RFO IV-A sa muling pagkakaroon ng training para sa MARIWSKA para sa katuparan ng pangarap ng aming grupo. Sa sama-samang nating pagtutulungan, ‘di malayo na maabot natin ang minimithing pangarap na PGS certification at accreditation ng ating grupo,” said Patricia Hanna Bayobo.
Experts from DA-Regional Field Office IV-A namely Mr. Arnaldo P. Gonzales from the Organic Agriculture Program and Mr. Marianito E. Mendoza, Jr. from the Regulatory Division, together with Ms. Soledad E. Leal of DA-ATI CALABARZON, served as resource persons throughout the program.
The group will be applying for certification under the PGS by the second semester of the year and they are hopeful that they will be included in the roster of PGS-certified groups in the country.
News by: Soledad A. Leal
