Published at Balita.ph- March 11, 2012 12:16 am

LUCENA CITY, Quezon, March 10 – To ensure bringing good news on agricultural reforms, innovations and success stories to the listening public, especially in the countryside, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has teamed up with the government-owned Radyo ng Bayan for agriculture news broadcast.

This was disclosed by Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, who was guest of honor and speaker at the 23rd anniversary of DWLC-Radyo ng Bayan-Lucena last Wednesday. He told the Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS), which operates DWLC Radyo ng Bayan in this city and other parts of the country, that programs on agricultural reforms and innovations are now in place and his department is ready to bring the good news to a wide range of clients and the listening public nationwide.

Alcala explained the Philippines will no longer be importing rice from other countries after 2013 and, as such, will be exporting the prime commodity to these countries starting 2014.

Alcala said that with the continuous increase of rice production by Filipino farmers, the country is slowly gaining ground in its rice self-sufficiency program in 2013, noting the country has imported about 2.4 metric tons (MT) of rice in 2010, whittled it down to 860,000 MT last year, and to just about 500,000 MT this year.

”I was given marching orders by President Benigno Aquino III to introduce agricultural reforms and innovations and that the DA thrust now is to reintegrate various programs and activities in agriculture, introduce economies of scale, and help farmers sell their products in the market,” he said.

“We are facing the agricultural challenges head-on just to improve the lives of farmers in the country, and we are trying to bring up the production of rice, vegetables, livestock, seafood; and introducing food processing and replicating the Sariaya (Quezon) experience of establishing Sentrong Pamilihan (vegetable trading center) in other parts of the country," he added.

The DA secretary spoke in mixed English and Filipino in the celebration led by PBS Director Dante Cruz, Deputy Director Mariano Rodriguez, RB-Lucena station manager Mayet Balquedra together with the contingent of local radio and newspaper reporters, who felt upbeat by a recent radio poll survey that the DWLC radio station now ranks fourth among AM radio stations nationwide.

For his part, Cruz vowed that DWLC radio will always deliver the good news with “no icing, no embroidery, just the plain truth," adding PBS will be opening up a regular radio program focused on agricultural activities.

The celebration was also graced by the presence of Quezon police provincial director Senior Superintendent Erickson Velasquez, Army Cols. Eduardo Ano of 201st Infantry Brigade and Narciso Alamag of Task Force-Lucena, Lucena City Vice Mayor Rhoderick Alcala, among others. (PNA) scs/CTB

Source: DA teams up with Radyo ng Bayan for agri news broadcast