Five representatives of the consortium participated in the recently concluded Zamboanga Peninsula (ZamPen) Native chicken FIESTA at iba pa of the Western Mindanao Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESMARRDEC) in Zamboanga City on July 10-11, 2018.
Ms. Love Grace Campano, the Knowledge Management Coordinator of the consortium and Ms. Bella C. Gervacio, one of the project leaders of Bolinao native chicken program joined the FIESTA to draw insights in the conduct of the activity. Also attended the FIESTA was the project team of the Oyster Mushroom Production headed by the project leader Ms. Marites Raboy together with Ms. Jessie Domingo, and Ms. Jessa Cabebe of the University of Northern Philippines, Vigan City.
The 2-day activity, which was held at the Western Mindanao State University (WMSU), focused on the theme WESMARRDEC Partnership: Showcasing S&T Work at its prime”. It aimed to promote matured S&T generated by researchers of the consortium through technology matching, product promotion, and stakeholders’ forum.
Highlighted the FIESTA was the ZamPen native chicken, which is one of the projects supported and funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD). Other activities of the FIESTA were the S&T exhibits and tiangge de fiesta, participated in by the different member agencies of WESMARRDEC; the ZamPen native chicken field emo, wherein students from five colleges of WMSU competed in a dance showdown which featured different steps and stories about chicken; the cookfest, dubbed as “cucina a la ZamPen native chicken, which was also participated by the chefs of four hotels in the city; and the Kapihan, a media conference participated in by local and national media practitioners.
An S&T Business Forum was also conducted wherein three (3) other technologies, on top of the Zampen native chicken, were also presented. These include: Itik Pinas Production, Rubber Root Trainer Technology, and Mushroom Production Technology. A symposium on AANR R&D was also conducted on the second day, which was participated by the Senior High School students. Back to back with the symposium was also a visit to San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm, a community adoptor of the Zampen native chicken technology.
The FIESTA, which is not only a literal festivity as it has been traditionally done in the Philippines, is dubbed as Farm & Industry Encounter through S&T Agenda, a modality of PCAARRD to showcase solutions to every-JUAN’s problems in the AANR sector. This is conducted by various consortia in the country to promote different technologies generated under the ISP of PCAARRD.
The FIESTA was also attended by the 2nd district congressman of Zamboanga City, Hon. Manuel Jose Dalipe, PCAARRD officials led by the Acting Executive Director (ED) Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora, the former ED Dr. Patricio S. Faylon, and the director of the Applied Communication Division, Dr. Marita Carlos. Other consortium present was the Visayas Consortium of Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research Program (ViCARRP).
This year’s ILAARRDEC FIESTA, which is set on December 5-7, will be hosted by UNP as agreed upon during the 2nd quarter meeting of the Regional Research and Development Group.