LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – In support of the government’s mandate to promote organic agriculture in the Philippines and safeguard the health of farmers, consumers and the public, the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR) continuously assists in the implementation of Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) in the region.
In line with this, the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS) in coordination with the DA-CAR and the provincial government conducted an Office and Witness Audit with the Our Farmers Haven (OFH) Federation, Inc. on February 25-27, 2025.
The activity enabled for the verification of the group’s compliance on accreditation requirements and Participatory Organic Certification Scheme guidelines, specifically the processes of PGS certification and inspections for organic certifying bodies (OCBs).
During the office audit, the assessment team thoroughly examined and verified the group’s documents and records. This included a detailed review of the effectiveness of the group’s manual of operations and internal standards, as well as assessed the peer reviewers’ competence in conducting farm inspections.
During the witness audit, two organic farms located in Barangay Sagubo in Kapangan underwent a peer review process by the group’s peer review committee. The applied scopes were crop and animal production.
The peer review committee, as stipulated in Department Circular No. 2, Series of 2022, was tasked with evaluating the farming practices of their peers to ensure compliance with relevant Philippine National Standards for Organic Agriculture, as well as the internal policies and procedures established by the PGS Group.
Upon addressing the identified audit findings, it is expected that the OFH will become the fifth accredited PGS-OCB in Benguet and the seventh group to achieve this accreditation region-wide. OFH received its Participatory Organic Certification in June 2024. This anticipated success will further bolster DA-CAR’s standing as having the most accredited PGS-OCBs in the country.
As a PGS Group, OFH has received various interventions from the DA-CAR’s Organic Agriculture Livelihood Program. Precil Sales, Regional Organic Agriculture Program focal person, said that the program aims to increase the supply of organic produce and address the challenges faced by organic farmers. “In 2024, OFH received molasses, chicks, bended pipes, UV plastic sheets, and vegetable crates, with the establishment of 14 greenhouses planned for 2025,” Sales said.
The livelihood program is based on proposals and targets PGS groups including registered civil society organizations that have the potential to become certified PGS groups within two years from the receipt of interventions.
The three-day audit was facilitated by key personnel from the DA-CAR’s Regulatory Division, Regional Agriculture Organic Program, and Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center Cordillera office. By Jay R. Sagario
