To have updates on the status of the rice farming in the province of Cebu, the Department of Agriculture Central Visayas (DA7) conducted a 1st quarter provincial consultative meeting for the city/municipal rice coordinators of the province, held recently at a venue in Cebu City.
The meeting, spearheaded by the DA7’s Provincial Agricultural Technology Coordinating Office (DA7 PATCO-Cebu) and Rice Program, aimed to know the status updates of the 2025 rice project implementation, the challenges encountered and the collaborative strategy to increase production.
Rice is the staple food of every Filipino household.
Marina Viniegas, the DA7’s APCO for Cebu, emphasized the 3C’s, which are Convergence, Cooperate and Coordinate to achieve the goals of the rice program and agriculture as a whole.
Though Cebu is not a rice area, with only a few hectares (ha) planted of around 2,000 ha, but adapting the 3Cs, the challenged of rice expansion be achieved.
Engr. Epifanio Gaudicos Jr., the rice focal person, presented the rice updates, direction, commodity performance, and firming of the CY 2025 targets.
Cebu Province Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Officer, Engr. Ronald Sinoy presented the guidelines and protocols on Palay Production Survey. He answered queries of the participants on rice data of DA and their gathered data.
To report about the status of irrigation systems and IA clustering in the Cebu province, NIA 7 Administrative Service Chief, Girlita Elarcosa, layed out the operationals and Non-operational irrigation systems throughout Cebu. She also answered the concerns of the irrigations
One of the main problem that rice farmers faced is the cost of labor as reported in the meeting amounting to 41% of the production cost. Gaining an average of only P4263 net income for 1 cropping in Central Visayas as per Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Philippine Mechanisation/Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (PhilMech-RCEF) presented to the participants equipments and machineries to amend this problem.
The main goal of this meeting is to have an onhand report and knowledge on the situations on the field, address concerns regarding rice farming in Cebu, copy rice farming methods that works well in some areas of the province and ultimatlely increase rice production in Cebu province.
To monitor and update the status of rice farming in the province of Cebu, the Department of Agriculture Central Visayas (DA7), conducted it’s 2025-1st quarter To monitor and update the status of rice farming in the province of Cebu, the Department of Agriculture Central Visayas (DA7), conducted it’s 2025-1st quarter city/municipal rice coordinator’s consultative meeting for the province of Cebu, spearheaded by the Cebu – Provincial Agricultural Technology Coordinating Office (PATCO-Cebu) and DA7 Rice Program in MJ Suites and Hotel, Cebu City, April 3-4, 2025.
Knowing that rice is a staple food in every Filipino household, these consultative meeting with Cebu’s rice coordinators aims to strengthen rice production in the said province by knowing the status, the challenges to be addressed and collaborative strategy to increase proudction. Pumping the rice production for a more affordable quality rice for the Cebuanos.
APCO-Cebu Marina Veniegas welcomed the participants emphasizing the 3Cs to be followed so that objectives could be achieved, these are Convergence, Cooperate and Coordinate. She also said that Cebu has an obstacle when it comes to rice farming, knowing that the area for rice in the said province is only 2000HA but this could be overcome if the 3Cs are applied.
Engr. Epifanio Gaudicos Jr. being the master of the meeting presented to them rice updates, direction, commodity performance, and firming of the CY 2025 targets..
Provincial Rice Coordinator, OPA Cebu, Joseph Dela Cerna run down the topics and flow of the meeting. Thanking PATCO Cebu for making it a 2 day activity for them to cover all the necessary things to be addressed.
Provincial PSA Office Statistical Officer Engr. Ronald Sinoy presented the updates and presentation of guidelines and protocols on Palay Production Survey. He also clarified the queries of the participants on the data of DA and their own data.
Other discussions include status of irrigation systems and IA clustering in the Cebu, Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund -Mechanization Component.