Gov. Villafuerte launches Phl’s biggest convergence initiative

PILI, CamSur – A full field of government agencies, local government units, LGOs, NGOs, corporate partners, multinational industrialists, entrepreneurs and investors, and a cross-section of CamSur individual stakeholders converged to full-capacity at the CamSur Convention Center Friday morning, March 11 to join the province headed by Governor Villafuerte  the launch of the Convergence CamSur model, conceded to be the most comprehensive countryside development initiative in the country.

The CamSur Convergence Initiative program as presented by Governor Villafuerte himself received spontaneous kudos from the lead agencies represented during the launching by DA Usec Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, DENR Usec. Demetrio I. Ignacio and DAR Asec. Felix Perry A. Villanueva.

Keynote speaker Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries and is knowledgeable on practically all species of convergence programs since the concept started becoming popular in 1999, commented that the CamSur model is the most practical and realizable convergence mechanism he has come across, thus far.

Marriz B. Agbon, CEO of the Philippine Agricultural Development and Commercial Corp., the leading NGO participating in the program described the convergence initiative of the province as most appropriate, applicable, and feasible which will contribute in accelerating the economic growth of CamSur and the country as well.

As presented by Governor Villafuerte, the Convergence CamSur model integrates priority food productivity and livelihood concerns which will link and coordinate the economic activities relative to the project with all stakeholders, government and private, into an industry or enterprise in order to strengthen agricultural production in all areas of the province most especially in the countryside.

The system of convergence will connect the efforts, resources and projects of the major agencies of the government like Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

According to Governor Villafuerte, there has been deep analysis and study of  areas which will benefit from the convergence program and clustering were made of these areas such as Caramoan Cluster, Lagonoy Cluster, Presentacion and Libmanan cluster taking into account crops indigenous in these areas as well as livelihood activities.

The funding requirements of the projects in the cluster areas will be sourced from the so-called counterparting scheme that will come not only from the coffers of the provincial government and national government agencies but also from involved municipal and barangay government units.  Participating farmers can also contribute to the capital sharing.

The program will be complimented by infrastructure, irrigation and farm to market roads projects-components which will be essential to the program.

Among the highlights of the convergence launching included the signing of memoranda of agreements on various energy relative projects such as on solar power, wind power, bio-mass, and bamboo coal which will help provide cheaper sources of energy to the province.  The other MOUs included coconut water processing and biotechnology information, education and technology exchange cooperation.

The launching also featured the turn-over of projects to identified LGUs such as  irrigation projects, farm to market roads, shallow tube wells, retrofitting of mechanical dryers and nurseries by DA represented by USEC Bernadette Romulo Puyat.

Other projects which were turned over included Agrarian Reform Communities Projects for enterprise development and rural infrastructure including the distribution of certificates of land ownership award  conducted by DAR ASEC Felix Perry A. Villanueva;  Turnover of Tree Seedlings to LGUs as part of the NCI Greening Program and Handog Titulo by DENR USEC Demetrio Ignacio.

Other luminaries also present during the launch were Congressmen Luis Villafuerte and Sal Fortuno, Antonio Tiu, President, Agri-Nurture, Inc., Gawad Kalinga Founder, Tony Meloto and Korean businessman Bruce Lee, Stephen Anderson, Jovy Araneta and other local and foreign investors.  (GBClaveria/stn MMEC)

Comments (0)