FULL SUPPORT FOR AGRICULTURE
Sec. Lapeña airs strong support for Mango industry in Samal Island
ON POINT: TESDA Sec. Lapeña met the mango farmers and processors of IGACOS, Davao del Norte and delivered the agency’s future plans in the development of mango production and processing in the Island.
Secretary Isidro Lapeña, chief executive of the Technical Education and Skill Development Authority (TESDA), bared rousing words of support on skills development and livelihood opportunities for the mango farmers and processors of the Island Garden City of Samal.
Said words were shared during the first day of the community-based training on Mango Processing that gathered farmers and processors on June 15, Saturday, at Samal Island City College in Brgy. Peñaplata, Samal District, IGACOS, Davao del Norte.
Sec. Lapeña charged that Samal Island is a promising place for mango production as it has perks and settings likened to Guimaras Island, the mango capital of the Philippines which is home to the claimed world’s best mango.
“Samal Island is almost exactly the same with Guimaras. The Island has large volume of limestones, that is good for raising mango”, Sec Lapeña said emphasizing that limestone helps improved plant nutritional status and fruit technological quality of mango.
The secretary furthered that the supports will be done in active collaboration with the Local Government of IGACOS and the mango Industries of the city to drive the agency’s banner program, the TESDA Abot Lahat.
“Lahat ng tulong para sa manga, aasahan ninyo na magkakaroon dito sa Samal”, he said that he will immediately schedule meeting with the mayor-elect of the City. “Ang suporta ng TESDA, ng gobyerno para sa Samal ay full. It will be a full support para maging maayos ang manggahan natin”.
Meanwhile, training will run from June to July this year, with classes every Saturday handled jointly by provinces of Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur/Davao City.
The training will lodge effective techniques on how to produce value-added products using mangoes, especially those that did not met export standard, overripe and the likes turning them into jams, marmalades, jellies, among other products.
The food processing trainer is Theresa B. Rozaldo, LPT of the Regional Training Center-Korea Philippines Vocational Training Center in Buhisan Tibungco, Davao City. Rozaldo told the training aimed to extend opportunities to the residents of the Island, again echoing TESDA’s Abot Lahat principle.
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY: ENGR. JERIC F. BILITA
