The Agricultural Training Institute in MIMAROPA conducted a culminating activity on February 27, 2025, for the ten dedicated interns of the Youth Internship Program on Organic Agriculture (YIPOA) Batch 2, who successfully completed their nine-month classroom learning and farm training with their farm partners at the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in MIMAROPA, Barcenaga, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
During the program, ATI-MIMAROPA Center Director Pat Andrew B. Barrientos extended his congratulations to the interns through a video message. Meanwhile, Assistant Center Director, Mr. Norberto C. Maur inspired them to persevere and be more dedicated to farming.
“Kapag narinig, madaling malimutan; kapag ginawa, matagal makalimutan. Kapag laging ginagawa, magiging habit na iyon. Ang pagsasaka ay hindi lamang natututo sa apat na taon o walong taong pag-aaral. Sa ating ginagawa, dapat may plano, panalangin, at trabaho - tatlong sangkap para sa matagumpay na pagsasaka”, Mr. Maur shared.
Aside from receiving a certificate of completion and tokens, the interns were also granted initial financial assistance of PhP150,000.00 to support the implementation of their farm business ventures, which are expected to be completed within the next 12 months. The following are the business enterprises of the interns:
- 𝐆𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬 (Torres Vermiculture Farm)
- 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐨 𝐌. 𝐉𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐰𝐚 (Chili-Rick's Organic Chili Oil)
- 𝐀𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐂. 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐨 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐚 (Lokal Organik Meat Farm)
- 𝐑𝐡𝐞𝐚 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐍. 𝐀𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐧 (Organic Rice Production)
- 𝐄𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐃. 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐚 (Organic Aquaculture)
- 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐁. 𝐌𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐧 (Free-Range Poultry Farming/Egg Production)
- 𝐓𝐞𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐨 𝐋. 𝐁𝐮ñ𝐚𝐠 𝐈𝐈𝐈 (Baldo's Agri-Farm)
- 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐂. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐳 𝐉𝐫. (Hog Raising)
- 𝐑𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐎. 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐧 (Organic Sow Herd Production)
- 𝐑𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐞 𝐑. 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐬 (Raise Organic Swine)
Among the guests at the culminating activity were the farm partners from Mary Help of Christians School (Mindoro), Inc., Gabutero Organic Farm, and Lola’s Healthy Farm, Inc., where the interns acquired their knowledge and skills in organic agriculture during their internship. Representatives from the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office in MIMAROPA and the Provincial Agriculturist’s Office of Oriental Mindoro also attended the event.
