PhilRice’s Field Day Series This Season Take-off

24 September 2010, Bagong Sikat, San Jose City, Nueva Ecija. The first PalayCheck Field School’s (PFS) Farmers’ Field Day and Forum (or simply Field Day) for this cropping season was conducted in this barangay today. It was participated by over 250 farmers from eight PhilRice-assisted neighboring barangays of this city, and jeep-loads of PhilRice employees, officers and guests.

PhilRice chief Atty. Ronilo A. Beronio, Congressman Joseph Gilbert F. Violago, City Mayor Marivic V. Belena and other city and provincial government officers graced the occasion with their presence and active participation.

This Field Day program is composed of invocation, singing of national anthem, messages and remarks from various local personalities, farmer-leaders, as well as from concerned PhilRice staff.

As one of the main speakers, PhilRice chief Atty. Beronio updated the crowd of the latest technologies, extension and management strategies that the Institute is adopting. He differentiated the current technology transfer used by PhilRice from the traditional or conventional way of equipping rice farmers with rice technology. For instance, PhilRice today focuses its communication campaign on the “whys” of the farm practices rather than on the “how-tos”. As a lawyer, the PhilRice chief wishes to develop our farmers, not just as technologist but also as rationale being, doing everything for a reason. To exemplify, he asked, “why should we level the field?” There must be reason/s for doing so.

The Field Day ended with free-lunch for everybody courtesy of PhilRice.

This cropping season’s Field Day series is a part of the Rice Specialists’ Training Course (RSTC) where PalayCheck Field School (PFS) is conducted in eight barangays. Each barangay has at least 25 farmers, who are provided with the latest rice production technologies. The Field Day showcases the PalayCheck system of rice production. (JSF)

Microteaching Exercise for 47 Rice Sufficiency Officers

This blogger has the opportunity to serve as evaluator for the microteaching exercise on Sept. 13 to 15, 2010 for the 47 RSO 6th batch of RSTC (Rice Specialists' Training Course) series.

I was really amazed, as to how well and good these RSOs did in that exercise. With a very few exceptions, I rated most of them as very satisfactory to excellent in terms of teaching skills.

The criteria used for evaluation were:

1. Mastery of the subject matter, which included competence, ability to answer questions, and ability to illustrate/emphasize key parts of the presentation.

2. Clarity of presentation and explanation, which included voice projection, mannerisms/gesturing, projected enthusiasm during the delivery, and ability to adjust to the audience’s level.

3. Effectiveness of teaching method used, to include choice of teaching methods and use of props or samples to convey the idea/message.

4. Quality of the visual aid used, to include clarity, organization and impact.

5. Rapport with participants like eye contact and enthusiasm to hear participants’ views.

I teach speech communication in a bible college, and I can’t help but compare my students with the RSOs. Among my theology students, there are many potential good materials as public speakers as they deliver sermons in a class exercise; so do with these RSOs who seem to be very knowledgeable about the principles and practice of a persuasive speech. Microteaching, just like delivering a sermon, aims at selling one’s ideas. Too, both may be categorized as salesmanship ability.

The pool of evaluators seems unanimous in concluding that this batch of 47 RSOs are now prepared and ready to face the challenge of agri-extension work with rice farming as the development strategy.(JSF Blogs)

Some Insights on Haggai 2010 Asia-Pacific Summit @ Marriott, Manila

Selected Photos and captions: (From Bottom to Top)
1. The entire summit participants official photo.
2. Group photo with HI founder/chairman Dr. John Edmund Haggai, officers of the Institute, and batchmates in class M0810@Maui, Hawaii (Ramesh and Garvic), among others.
3. Indian participants in a special presentation.
4. Pakistanis in a special number.
5. A photo-op with another batchmate (Jose Marero) and wife Rose and fellow participant Ners Padua.
6. Special photo-op with former Isabela governor Grace Padaca.
7. With Rose Falla.
8. With a long time friend and colleague, Mrs. Eppie. C. Acosta.
9. Alex Lacson (former senatoriable) with his testimony during the Summit.
10 and 11. This Blogger.

“Haggai Institute is not a theological seminary nor an academy for theologians. It is neither an advocate nor another Church-planting organization. Haggai Institute is a worldwide community of leaders with passion for evangelism.” This, if I may paraphrase, is the statement of HI founder Dr. John Edmund Haggai during his official message at the first ever Asia-Pacific Summit of HI 81K alumni worldwide. This summit was participated by 250 alumni from 21 countries, 137 of whom are from the host country Philippines.

Emphasized in this summit is the vision-mission of HI which state: VISION – Help ensure that the Gospel is presented in the power of the Holy Spirit with cultural relevance and sensitivity to all peoples, especially in non-evangelized parts of the world. MISSION – To advance the skills of qualified Christian leaders to more effectively evangelize their own people and train others to do the same.

I am one of those highly privileged and blessed to be involved in the HI’s great activities like advanced leadership training. My participation in this summit rekindled my commitment to take the Great Commission, thereby making the people as disciples of Christ, no matter how meager my role be in the circle of evangelization.

In this summit, I was able to meet in person, HI brethren I only meet in cyber like our very own Susan Chomi, Leny Petines, Reinier Puno, Liliybeth Garcia, Freddie Mero, Philip Pattaguan, Jun Sermonia, current HI-Phils. Executive Director Leonito Jacinto and many many more. It was also an opportune time to say hi and hello to our former facilitators in Maui training like Nono Badoy, Don Espina, Pat Melicor, Arthur Dhanaraj, and many more. An occasion to make “beso-beso” with old-time colleague Eppie Acosta, and my nominators to Haggai course, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Jimenez, who incidentally is the current president of HI-Philippines alumni association, while Glo Jimenez, the first lady is a former fellow officer of the Dept. of Agriculture’s postharvest bureau.

The summit also enables me to be aware of what and how evangelism is going on in other places/countries where Hi alumni are, from Armenia to Zamboanga (A to Z), so to speak. I was amazed how Romania gave birth to HI center in their once communist country, even without the formal “approval” of Dr. John Haggai. Afterall, as what Dr. Iona Ceuta philosophized, birth certificate is issued after the birth and not before the birth. And that India has constructed-built their own building to house HI evangelistic activities. Truly, every God’s work is a success true and through.

If you my network members will remember, I likened my attendance to HI training (in Maui) as a “foretaste of heaven” in solitude with God. In this summit, I felt the same, as what Alex Lacson puts it, “if I died right after my HI Singapore training, I am sure I would go straight to heaven”. Truly, holy activities like this summit of disciples make one more Christlike. God bless Haggai, God bless the organizers, God bless us all. All praises be to the Father. (JSF Blogs)

FOCIG: Playing a Pivotal Role in the Government’s Moral Transformation

Caption: Like planting rice, FOCIG is sowing the seeds of genuine Christian values in the hearts of the government people. (Photo by JSF)

On September 7-8, 2010, this blogger has the opportunity to sit-in in the moral recovery seminar at PhilRice, Maligaya, Munoz, Nueva Ecija, together with the 6th batch of RSO (Rice-Sufficiency Officers) trainees. The program is still quite relevant in the light of the persistent issue of graft and corruption in the government.

The seminar was conducted by FOCIG (Fellowship of Christians in Government, Inc.) with Bro. Sito R. Silva as the main resource person. Like other Moral Recovery seminars of the government, the training module of FOCIG is aimed at upgrading the attitudes (affective domain) of the participants as it relates to the effective and efficient discharge of one’s duty as public servant.

In this module, the proponents looked into the team-building capacity and professionalism of the participants as important elements in increasing work efficiency. It cited relevant verses from the Word of God to be applied at workplaces. It emphasized 2 mother virtues like Integrity and Excellence among the government workers. Finally, it cited the life and passion of the Lord Jesus Christ as the perfect model of service to mankind.

FOCIG may be contacted at 3/F Excelland System 1 Bldg., Congressional Avenue, 1106, Quezon City, Tel. (02) 9287168 (Landline), (0917) 827-5165 (Mobile), E-Mail: focig@mozcom.com. All praises be to God. (JSF)

KOPIA, a Copy Cut of PhilSCAT?

Just a personal reflection on the memo of PhilRice chief about its hosting a Korean agriculture center.

PhilRice will host the Korean Program on International Agriculture (KOPIA). As I read the document, I can't help but said to myself, "kopyang kopya ng KOPIA ang PhilSCAT". PhilSCAT stands for the Philippine-Sino Center for Agricultural Technology, a collaborative program between the Phils. and PROC on hybrid rice and agri-mechanization. It is where I worked with during its entire Phase I in 2003 - 2009.

KOPIA, as the memo indicates, shall also deal with rice-based agriculture and farm mechanization. Aside from R&D (perhaps adaptation studies), KOPIA shall also be involved in training and promotion activities.

Not bad; afterall, there is really nothing wrong duplicating a good program. The more, the merrier, as a cliche goes. And more farmers shall be benefited. (JSF Blogs)