BINONDO, Manila – The Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) recently held the Binhi ng Pag-Asa Program (BPP) 5th National Summit and Year-End Assessment, gathering 52 youth beneficiaries from the participating provinces.
The Binhi ng Pag-asa Program (BPP) is the Institute’s collaboration with the Office of Senator Grace Poe (OSGP), whose overall objective is to empower the youth by enhancing and strengthening their leadership and values toward their agripreneurship journey. This year’s participating provinces included Tarlac, Laguna and Oriental Mindoro.
ATI Deputy Director Antonieta J. Arceo welcomed the participants and while recognizing the important role of the youth in the agricultural sector, she mentioned the various youth programs of the Institute to help capacitate them in engaging with the sector. Arceo also delivered Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.’s message of support, where the Secretary reiterated the crisis of the sector specifically the aging population of the Filipino farmer and the crucial function of the youth to achieve the objectives of the current administration – that is, revitalizing and strengthening the sector through youth participation and active collaboration.
Representing Senator Grace Poe-Llamanzares was her Senior Political Officer Leaross Valerio, who expressed the Senator’s message of support and announced the second phase of the program “Sibol ng Pag-Asa” or Sibol.” Valerio mentioned that the youth beneficiaries of the program from 2017 to 2023 will be tapped to undergo extensive training in agribusiness and will be given additional support amounting Php 150,000 to Php. 200,000 based on their business proposals.
Photo shows OSGP Leaross Valerio, along with ATI Deputy Director Antonieta J. Arceo, ATI-Regional Training Center Director Joey Belarmino, and Senior Agriculturist Nemielynn Pangilinan led the ribbon cutting for the booth competition.
Likewise, the event featured the participants’ exhibits showcasing the vibrant culture of the three participating provinces, where participants from Laguna emerged as the winner for the best booth and product display, followed by Oriental Mindoro and Tarlac.
The summit also included knowledge exchange sessions where Senior Political Officer Armani Miguel G. Narca of the OSGP led the discussion on “Innovative Leadership Strategies for Sustainable Agriculture: Navigating Challenges and Embracing Opportunities”which focused on the role of the youth in the sector. Subsequently, BPP graduates Michael Grande, Jomary Niqui, and Nahum Cupiado shared their stories in “Youth-led Agribusiness: Revitalizing Communities through Agriculture” during the panel discussion.
To further the knowledge of the participants. Bukid Amara Farm Owner Michael Caballes delivered a lecture on Smart Farming: Empowering Youth with Technology.
BPP National Competitions
This year’s BPP National Summit included various competitions participated by the youth beneficiaries who won during the provincial summits, where they showcased their creative skills and knowledge, while engaging with the different issues in the agricultural sector.
Photo: ATI Director Remelyn R. Recoter and OSGP's Brian Poe-Llamanzares award the prize to Lester B. Guillermo, representative from Tarlac who won 1st place in the on Agri-Innovative competition with his “Tuyo Lang” project.
For the video making competition highlighting the summit’s theme “Magsasaka’t Mangingisdang Kabataan, Pag-Asa at Lakas ng Matatag na Agrikultura,” youth participants from Laguna was proclaimed as the winner, followed by Oriental Mindoro and Tarlac as the second and third place.
Six graduates of the program likewise showcased their produce as entry for the Agri-Innovative: Project Pitching competition, where Lester B. Guillermo from Tarlac was hailed as the champion for his “Tuyo Lang” product. The second place was bagged by Oriental Mindoro’s Sibol Saka Papel by Vesnerjch C. Dela Torre and Mark Allen D. Fortu, while the third place went to Laguna’s Sabor De Passion of Cheerly Antoneth C. Azucena and Kim B. Gutierrez. Three other competitors won consolation prizes of agri-fisheries supplies.
The summit also included a contest on Agri-Legislative Policy Making where the participants submitted their proposals aiming to ensure comprehensive support for the youth-led agricultural enterprises. The entry from Oriental Mindoro with their proposed bill entitled “Ani Kabataan Program” was proclaimed the winner.
The event was held last November 27 to 29, 2024 at Swiss BelHotel Blulane, Binondo, which also marked the culmination of the 2024 BPP implementation.
