During the recently held Provincial Convergence Meeting in Boro Bay Hotel, Borongan City, PSTC Eastern Samar initiated the formal turnover of project funds amounting to Php 3,498,382.00 to five proponents: Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) – Guiuan Campus, ESSU-Salcedo Campus, LGU-Quinapondan, ESSU-Maydolong Campus and ESSU-Main Campus, Borongan City. In addition, DOST-8 also released PhP 400,000.00 to ESSU-Can-avid Campus for the establishment of organic fertilizer production center and LGU-Arteche for livestock feeds production. These livelihood funds granted to the recipients are part of the total allocation from DOST-NDRRMC Yolanda Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Program (YRRP) and the DOST-8 Grants-in-Aid Program. The hand-over of funds were witnessed by Dr. Lucia P. Dauz, DOST-8 Regional GIA Coordinator, and assisted by Engr. Alfie Nino Bongasia, Coordinator for YRRP Projects and Engr. Blenda Aserios, Provincial YRRP Project Assistant.
Engr. Emiel Prisco N. Discar, SRS-II and Provincial Coordinator for the GIA and YRRP Projects, stressed that grant funds from DOST-NDRRMC and DOST-8 GIA are expected to provide livelihood opportunities to more than 500 low income families in eight municipalities affected by the Super Typhoon Yolanda last November 8, 2013 and Typhoon Ruby last December 6, 2014. The funds are intended for technology acquisition, product packaging and labeling development, consultancy for productivity improvement and technology trainings for the following projects: establishment of meat processing facility, high value crops processing, cacao nibs processing, veggie noodles processing, tuna fish processing in the municipalities of Mercedes, Salcedo, Quinapondan, Hernani, and Maydolong respectively. Products are expected to be sold not only to the general public but also in support to the nutrition program of DOH, DSWD and DepEd and in support to the agriculture productivity projects of DA, OPAS and LGU-Eastern Samar.
Furthermore, Dr. Dauz, led the discussion on the Implementing Guidelines for the Grants-In-Aid and YRRP projects, emphasizing the system of procurement and donations of technology equipment, proper preparation of liquidation and periodic reports and other salient features in the memorandum of agreement.
The activity was actively participated by the different stakeholders as represented by the Directors for Extension Services and Accountants of the five (5) ESSU Campuses, Municipal Agriculture Officers and Accountants, representatives from people’s organization, representatives from the Provincial Offices -Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Office of the Provincial Agriculture Office Services (OPAS). All of them expressed their support especially on the complementation of agency’s resources for sustainability of the projects. “When united there is strength” said Dr. Vicente V. Agda, the Director for Extension Services, who also extended his gratitude to the DOST in behalf of the ESSU Campuses for being recipients of the S&T community projects.
