LUCENA CITY—To fast-track the government programs on science and technology to benefit the local communities, various government agencies in Calarbarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region have linked arms to form a consortium for research and development.
To this end, the provincial government of Quezon agreed to host a three-day event dubbed Staarrdec- Fiesta 2018 which highlights the province’s coconut and native pig industries.
Staardec stands for Southern Tagalog Agriculture, Aquatic and Resources, Research, Development and Extension Consortium, while FiestA stands for Farms and Industry Encounters through the Science and Technology Agenda.
Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, Quezon Gov. David Suarez, Party-list Rep. Anna Villaraza-Suarez of Alona, Southern Luzon State University President Dr. Milo Placino and Cavite State University President Dr. Hernando Robles, among others, graced the ceremonial cutting of ribbons for the opening on February 20. The event ends on February 22.
On exhibit are the various commodities and products of Calabarzon. The event included various technology and investment forums, marketing, technology demonstration and poster-making and photo contests held at the Quezon Capitol Compound in this city.
“This is not an ordinary fiesta of merry-making, but this event is an opportunity for us to invest in research and development to fast-track agricultural development to help our farming community,” said Villar, Senate Committee Chairman on Agriculture and Food, after she was introduced by Suarez, who expressed his gratitude for the presence and support of the lady senator on agricultural programs and development in Quezon.
Villar said she is a firm believer in research and development in science and technology as a legislator. She added that technology and farm mechanization would lower the production cost of the country’s prime commodity, rice, from P12 to P6 a kilo.
She told the participants and delegates from various sectors of the region that the chief rival of the Philippines in rice production is Vietnam, which produces rice at only P6 per kilo, with its labor cost at P1.20 compared to P12 in the Philippines with labor cost at P4.60 due to lack of farm mechanization.
She felt sad that the farmers who feed the country cannot feed their own family as she said the average coconut farmer only has an income of P50 a day, as his coconut tree produces only 40 nuts a year, instead of trying to find ways to increase coconut production to 150 nuts to increase his income from P1,500 to P4,500 a month.
“Let’s continue to find ways to support our agricultural development sector and let’s learn development models to apply to our lives and livelihoods,” Villar said.