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DIPOLOG CITY | May 2, 2022 – To strengthen partnership with stakeholders in promoting safe and responsible use of agricultural pesticides, FPA Zamboanga Peninsula conducted a seminar participated by pesticide company Field Technicians and Representative assigned in Zamboanga del Norte last April 28, 2022.

The main purpose of the activity is to orient companies’ frontline workers on FPA mandates and functions and at the same time give updates on some of the Agency’s guidelines, especially on Product Stewardship.

Provincial Officer (PO) Paulyne Kim Alfuente discussed and presented the role of FPA, its core mandates, and its functions. PO Charlie Limbag discussed the General Information on Pesticides including MoA Labelling.

On the other hand, Regional Officer (RO) Alex Paalisbo shared some important points about Insect Resistance Management (IRM). While PO Michael Tuico discussed Product Stewardship and Post Registration activities which included the do’s and don’ts during field promotional activities.

The technicians were also given a pre-test and post-test to assess their knowledge and learnings after the activity. All major topics were cited from FPA Pesticide Regulatory Policies and Implementing Guidelines also known as the Green Book.

Socialization through basketball friendship games was also organized on the same day to build and create camaraderie among field workers.

The event will be recreated in other provinces of Zamboanga Peninsula to focus on orienting technicians in FPA processes.

DAVAO CITY | April 28, 2022 – The FPA Davao Region (RFU 11) was invited by the Department of Agriculture Philippine Good Agricultural Practices (PhilGAP) as a resource speaker for GAP training on Vegetable Production held last April 8, 2022, at the Food Terminal Inc., Daliao, Toril, Davao City.

Thirty (30) farmers participated in the seminar. FPA Provincial Officer (PO) Louie Palarao discussed two (2) GAP modules specifically Environmental Management and Workers’ Health, Safety and Welfare.

For his discussion of Environmental Management, PO Palarao tackled the potential environmental hazards or negative environmental impacts that occur on and off the property as a result of the production, harvesting, and postharvest handling of fruits and vegetables.

For Worker’s Health, Safety, and Welfare, he pointed out steps to managing the risk of hazards to worker health, safety, and welfare by assisting in the identification and assessment of the risk, as well as controlling, monitoring, and reviewing the hazards.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 11 and the Davao City Agriculture Office also join forces in the said event.

Sources:

Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards. (2021). Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Fruits and Vegetable Farming – Code of Practice. http://www.bafs.da.gov.ph/bafs_admin/admin_page/pns_file/PNS%20Good%20Agricultural%20Practices%20…

Jollibee Group Foundation. (2019). Administrative Circular No. 1 s 2018: Manual on Philippine Good Agricultural Practices (PhilGAP). https://www.jollibeefoundation.org/public/assets/pdf/publications/02%20-%20PhilGAP%20Manual.pdf

Department of Agriculture. (2018, January 16). Rules and Regulations on the Certification of Philippine Good Agricultural Practices (PhilGAP) for Crops, superseding Administrative Circular No. 10 Series 2013. https://www.da.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ac01_s2018.pdf

DAVAO REGION| April 27, 2022 – Thirteen (13) establishments were issued a notice of violation (NoV) during the clean-up drive operation in Davao de Oro and Davao Oriental on April 19-20, 2022 for selling fertilizer and pesticide products without a license to operate.  These establishments were advised to obtain a permit and accreditation from the agency and attend the ASD training.

Led by Supervising Agriculturist of FPA Region XI, Marrisa Napalit, there were four (4) dealers and dealer-repackers in New Bataan, four (4) in Davao de Oro’s Maragusan, and five (5) in Lupon, Davao Oriental were issued the said NoVs.

Moreover, Stop Use, Move, Sale (SUMS) orders were issued to three (3) establishments for selling unregistered and even expired agricultural inputs. The FPA has confiscated 400 items in total.

A clean-up drive operation is a regular enforcement activity in the field to determine whether fertilizer and pesticide handlers and the products they sell to the public and the warehouses comply with existing FPA rules and regulations.

Dinapigue, Isabela | April 28, 2022 – FPA Region 02, headed by Mr. Leonardo A. Bangad, Regional Officer, conducted training on responsible use of agricultural pesticides in Brgys. of Bukal Norte and Dibulo, Dinapigue, Isabela on April 27 and 28, 2022, respectively in collaboration with the municipal government thru its municipal agriculture office and Meljay Agribusiness Corp. and Tagchem Dragon Diatribution Inc.

The said training was attended by 44 rice and vegetable farmers coming from different barangays. It was noted that the municipality has a total agricultural land of 470 hectares (ha) composed of a rice area (250 ha), vegetables (20 ha), and 200 ha for coconut. However,  the main source of income of the community is through fishing because Dinapigue is a coastal municipality of Isabela.

It was discussed to the farmers the importance of following the direction in the label, practicing good agricultural practices, integrated pest management (IPM) and pesticide poisoning cases, and first aid management.

Mr. Sannyfel L. Nieves, Municipal Agriculturist, thanked the FPA region 02 for initiating this activity. The participants were also thankful for the information imparted to them. As a parting message, Mr. Nieves assured the farmers of more training like this and requested the FPA Region 02 to assist, support, and help inform their farmers.

In response, Mr. Bangad assured that FPA will always ready and available to conduct another training like this as it is one of the FPA’s prime mandates; to educate the farmers.