Iloilo to take part in the National Coffee Tree Planting Month
Iloilo Province will be taking part in the National Coffee Tree Planting Month celebration and as part of this activity is the tree planting in Melyssa Farm, Barangay Rizal, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo to be held today, July 30, 2009.
The Philippine Coffee Board, Incorporated (PCBI) and the Department of Agriculture signed a Memorandum of Agreement last October 2008 for a program called Pilipinas, Gising at Magkape (PGAM). The goal of the program is to increase local coffee production in order to attain self-sufficiency, by way of rehabilitation and rejuvenation of poorly maintained coffee farms and planting of additional hectares.
According to Nicholas Matti co-chairperson of PCBI and PGAM Area director for Visayas, they are launching PGAM during this month of July 2009 in five strategic locations all over the country in their quest to save local coffee industry.
Expected to grace the tree-planting activity in Barotac Viejo is Secretary Arthur Yap of the Department of Agriculture, Mr. Nicholas Matti, Director Visayas Area, Miss Pacita U. Juan, PGAM Director. On the part of the Municipal Officials of Barotac Viejo, they are led by their Municipal Mayor, Raul C. Tupas, Hon. Isidro A. Engada, Jr. and Dr. Ulyssses L. Valdez, Chairman of the Yrong Yrong Coffee Growers Association and the Area Partner.
The tree-planting activity will be led by Sec. Arthur C. Yap together with the Board Members of the PCBI, Municipal Officials, Provincial Officials and Guests. The rehabilitation and fertilization of coffee trees will be led by the PCBI Board and Mr. Ramon Estella, Jr. of Tri-Max Agro Commodities Corporation.
On his part, Governor Niel D. Tupas, Sr. welcomes this move by the Philippine Coffee Board since Iloilo has been producing coffee though not on a large scale basis but still new technology and development on the coffee industry is welcome in Iloilo Province, he added. (Capitol News)