BONTOC, Mountain Province – Various government units and the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College (MPSPC) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to formalize their partnership for the construction of a Climate Field School at the MPSPC College of Agriculture in Bacarri, Paracelis.
The MOA-signing was held at the MPSPC on April 1, 2024, which aims to ensure collaborative efforts to establish and sustain the project for the benefit of the community.
The signatories include the provincial government, the MPSPC, the 10 municipal governments, and several national agencies, including the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Field Office, the Department of Science and Technology-CAR, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-CAR.
According to Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer V Ian Neil D. Culallad, the climate field school is a climate action project of the Mountain Province Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council funded by the People’s Survival Fund (PSF) with a budget of Php 271,150,900. The Provincial Government will also provide an amount of 48 million pesos as its counterpart.
He said that the project aims to bolster agricultural support to farmers, fisherfolk, and agriculture students, and intensify advocacy on climate change adaptation and agriculture. It will also showcase modern, green facilities to promote the modernization of agriculture in the Cordillera Region and the adjacent Cagayan Valley.
“The school will be strategically located in an agricultural and fisheries development zone with active agricultural lands and available support facilities, positioning it for full agricultural modernization,” Culallad said.
In his message, Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. said that the project will be a big help to local farmers and will further boost the agriculture industry not only in the province but also in the whole region.
“We are looking forward to the success of the project that will provide research and learning platforms to our local farmers and at the same time, help address the impacts of climate change,” Lacwasan said.
Moreover, Cong. Maximo Y. Dalog, Jr. shared that the PSF was created by RA 10174 and intended to provide sustainable development to fulfill human needs while maintaining the quality of the natural environment for current and future generations.
“We hope that this will create innovative risk reduction and climate change adaptation programs that will better equip our vulnerable communities to deal with the impact of climate change,” he said.
Dalog also said that the project is very timely in the implementation of mitigation strategies and integrating climate risk management programs while also enhancing the capacity of the local farmers and agriculture extension workers.
Meanwhile, MPSPC College President Edgar G. Cue expressed the significance of the MOA signing as a step in shaping the province not only as a center of excellence but also as an instrument for societal growth and development. He said that the agreement will bring government service closer to the public through shared goals for community development and nation-building.
“As primary service providers and public servants, and as MPSPC envisioned to transform lives and foster sustainability development, we are indeed, responsible in fueling up the community for advancements and innovations while rooted in our rich culture and heritage,” he said.
Cue also recognized the dedication of their partner agencies for collaborating with them in the implementation of the project. “This speaks beyond compliance with our functions as service providers, but more so in the advancement of the common purpose of sustainable development,” he equipped. By Erwin S. Batnag
