Participants and facilitators, together with ATI Bicol Center Director Elsa A. Parot, strike a 'progress' pose.

PILI, Camarines Sur- The Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center V (ATI Bicol) conducted a two-day activity titled “Harmonizing Strategies: Presentation of FY 2025 Plans and Programs and Needs Assessment for FY 2027” on February 26–27, 2025, at Isarog Hall, ATI RTC V, San Agustin, Pili, Camarines Sur. This initiative aimed to align plans, projects, and activities (PPAs) for FY 2025 and craft a comprehensive needs assessment for FY 2027.

Key stakeholders, including Provincial Local Government Units (PLGUs), the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office V (DA RFO 5), and ATI Bicol representatives, attended the event. In her opening remarks, ATI Center Director Elsa A. Parot expressed her gratitude to the participants, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in harmonizing regional agricultural programs. Ms. Nida H. Garcia, Planning Officer II of the Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Unit (PMEU), provided an overview of the event’s objectives, expected outputs, and schedule.

The focal persons for DA RFO V and ATI Bicol banner programs presented their respective FY 2025 PPAs, including activity titles, venues, and target participants. This was designed to avoid duplication of initiatives across programs. Additionally, Mr. Roberto B. Santos, Jr., former M&E Officer, introduced the new AEW Online Registry System, UnExSys, highlighting its potential to streamline monitoring and evaluation processes. Meanwhile, Dr. Emmanuel L. Orogo, ATI Bicol Assistant Center Director, discussed the ATI Curriculum Commodity Framework, a tool for identifying targeted training needs and improving AEW adaptability.

The workshop featured break-out sessions where banner program representatives collaborated to draft the FY 2027 needs assessment. These sessions addressed concerns and ensured that updates were integrated into program plans. Ms. Garcia presented the summarized outcomes of each group, noting that the assessments will be consolidated and reviewed by ATI Technical Staff to meet the FY 2027 Budget Call requirements. Specific to the National Livelihood Program (NLP), discussions included completing FLS-GEM reports at the LGU level and requests for post-training support from DA-RFO 5 NLP.

By fostering collaboration and strategic alignment, the activity marked a critical step toward modernizing and streamlining agricultural extension services in the Bicol Region.