Mentoring and Attracting Youth in Agribusiness (MAYA)

Internship Program Completion Report

In partial fulfilment of the Requirements for the

Mentoring and Attracting Youth in Agribusiness (MAYA)

GENELIE C. MAGAYANES
Intern

June 30, 2021

 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

In every success there are always some people whom you

wanted to thank for being part of your journey.
First, I want to say thank you Sec. William D. Dar for
implementing and making this program possible through the Department of
Agriculture-Bureau of Agriculture Research. Thank you for having a heart to
the youth and looking us as the Hope of our Agriculture.
And to the MAYA coordinating unit (The DA-RFO7 Research
Division), I thank you for all the hard work and effort, hoping that you would
not stop doing this in the next MAYA Program. I could see the never resting
job you have just to provide us all the necessary things to do and for the best
of this program. Without you this internship will never been possible.
Also, to the personnel of NORDC-Siaton and San Jose Station
headed by Ma’am Evansueda Abbas I am super thankful for being assigned in
your station. Thank you all, for imparting you experience, knowledge and
skills, most specially to sir Miguel Yucor who’s always with us throughout the
internship. They never failed us in imparting what they have about
Agriculture from the book and from the real world.
To all my fellow MAYA intern, thank you for the time we have
spent during our training let’s not end this by here, but let us go outside and
reveal who we really are. See you soonest and GOD BLESS!!
Rationale:

The Mentoring and Attracting Youth in Agribusiness (MAYA) program

was conceived to address the increasing gap in the development of the
Philippine Agribusiness sector, improving matches between labor supply
and demand and ensuring that the skillsets required meet industry
standards and global competitiveness.

OBJECTIVES

Specific:
I. To develop a young cadre of youth agribusiness leaders that are
market-ready, have the necessary skillsets capabilities and, commitment to
excellence with the right attitude to ensure success that will ultimately
benefit the stakeholders, especially the farmers, fishers and the consuming
public.
II. To advance the agency’s youth in agriculture strategy through two
tracks: Employment track (DA Succession Planning) and Entrepreneurship
track (Inclusive Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship) to provide a steady
pool of competent manpower and technically-abled workforce.
III. To develop and deploy a young cadre of abled, competent,
committed and jobready human resource pool that matches industry
requirements.
IV. To provide equal opportunities to poor but deserving students by
creating career pathways and economic opportunities based on freedom of
initiative and selfreliance;
V. To support growth and institutional development of farmers’
cooperatives and associations (FCA) as well as micro and small enterprises
in realizing food security, resiliency and economic prosperity.
VI. To develop applicable training modules for the Agribusiness
Development Academy (ADA) which includes career path and post-
graduation industryspecific occupations in primary agriculture, agricultural
manufacturing/processing occupations, and agri-preneurial and support
occupations.
In summary, the objectives aim to build a robust workforce with the
right attitude at the workplace, acquired experience and skillsets and
competencies necessary in the social economic transformation of the
Philippine agriculture sector. It shall pursue conscious effort to
professionalize the agriculture in all facets of agricultural occupations
including primary production and processing, agricultural manufacturing
operations, and agrientrepreneurial and support operations towards a Food
Secure and Resilient Philippines, with prosperous farmers and fishers,
beyond the COVID-19 crisis.

The reason I joined MAYA Program is that I wanted to be part of the

change and the solution that the problem of our country is facing specially
in our agriculture sector. That with this program we will attain the
Masaganang Ani Mataas na Kita. Also I wanted to developed may
knowledge and skills when it comes to agriculture.
Methodology:

` During the application there were a lot of process undertaken.

Since almost everything now is done online, So as in MAYA application there
was this link to click in applying, within just an hour after my application the
link was close, it was because they have reach already with the number of
applicants.
After my application online I have waited weeks maybe then received this
email saying,

Magandang araw!

Thank you for applying to the MAYA Program. Your application is currently undergoing

the selection process facilitated by DA Handling Offices (RFOs, BFAR, and SBAAs). 
Successful applicants will be notified once the selection is done. You may also follow our
official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DABAROfficial) for further announcements.
 
Best of luck!
Then, after a week I received a call from one of the MAYA
coordinating office that I am accepted as one of the MAYA intern. The
following day I got an email for my online interview, I feel so happy and lucky
to be accepted by this program. At first I am hesitant to accept the offer
because I needed to travel to Cebu for the 3 weeks of orientation and training
but I realize I need this training for the development of my skill and an edge
for me in applying a job.
The internship has given us a 16 weeks of trainings with theories.
On our first week we have the general orientation about the MAYA program,
the contract signing and with the different inspiring messages from our highly
respected persons working at DA Regional office. They were able to orient as
with the different program and banners of the Department of Agriculture.

DATE ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN

Week 1 March 16, 2021
March 16-19, 2021 - Orientation/contract signing/Pictorial of MAYA in tern
- Discussion about the DA mandate/Food security
Framework by Dr. Gerry Vila
- Discussion about the 12 Key Strategies discussed by Ms.
 Petronila A. Curpoz
- Discussion about One DA approach
March 17, 2021
- Discussion about soil science, fertilizer and soil sampling
by Ms. Gerame O. Calapre and Mr. Gian Saripada
- Discussion about Vegetables
production(upland/lowland) & Herbs by Ms. Nimfa Davis
- Discussion about Management Practice of Banana by Dr.
Bienvenido Acabal Jr.
March 18, 2021
- Discussion about Values Re-Orientation by
Ms. Soledad B. Bensi
- Discussion about Industrial crops-Coffee by Ms. Christine
A. Toriao
- Discussion about IPM by Dr. Bienvenido Acabal Jr.
March 19, 2021
- Discussion about Mushroom Production by Sir Habert
Dimabuyu
- Discussion about Rootcrops by Ms. Nimfa Davis
- Discussion about Mango by Dr, Wilberto Castillo
- Discussion about National Sorghum Production by Sir
Roy Malinao
Week 2 March 22, 2021
March 22-31 - Discussion about Cacao Production by Sir John Dennis
Ranario
- Discussion about RICE Program by Mr. Jonathan Pierre
Limocon
- Discussion about Forage and Pasture by Mr. Antonio B.
Tangayan
- Discussion about Ruminants
By Mr. Raul Migriñ o
- Discussion about Swine
by Mr. Glenn Cajes
March 23, 2021
- Discussion and information about Agri-fishery credit
Program/Agricultural Credit policy Council/Kapital
Access for Young Agripreneurs
- Discussion about Agripreneuship by Ms. Eden Salazar

March 24-26, 29-31, 2021

Work from home
- Read about Business Planning
 references from Ms. Eden Salazar
- Making of Business Model Canvass
Week 3 April 5, 2021
April 5-8, 2021 - Discussion about GAHP(Good Animal Husbandry Practice)
by Dr. Daniel C. Ventura
- Discussion about GAP(Good Agricultural Practice) by Miss
Magna Nola G. Sumagang
- Discussion about Basic Animal Health and Disease by Dr.
Anna Marie Chritine Migriñ o
April 6, 2021
- Discussion about Urban Gardening by Sir Jovanne P.
Januhan
- Discussion about Dragon Fruit Production by Sir Jovanne
P. Januhan
- Discussion about Organic Concoction by Sir Jovanne P.
Januhan
- Discussion about Vermi Composting by Sir Jovanne P.
Januhan
- And site tour in the vermi composting area at DA-RFO7
April 7, 2021
- Tour at RADDL(Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic
Laboratory)
- Discussion about Poultry Production by Sir Antonio B.
Tangayan
April 8, 2021
- Discussion about Native Chicken
- Discussion about Organic Agriculture by Ma’am May
Monticillo
- Discussion about Banana Disease and Management by
Ms. Chritine Torlao
Week 4 April 12, 2021
April 12-15, 2021 - Discussion about Agricultural Infrastructure by Engr.
Cirilo N. Namoc
- Discussion about Value Chain Analysis by Dr. Zeam
Voltaire E. Amper DVM.
April 13, 2021
- Meat Processing by Ma’am Elizabeth Ocaba
April 14, 2021
- Site Visit or exposure at Lamac Multipurpose Cooperative
from their Buffalo production to milk processing and also
on their Tablea Processing. We also went to their upland
resort with the infinity pool.
April 15, 2021
 - Site Visit or exposure at Pestales Multipurpose
Cooperativepolicy Council/Kapital Access for Young
Agripreneurs
- Site visit at SCFSDDS(Southern Cebu Farming System
Research and Development Station)
Week 5 April 16, 2021
April 16-23, 2021 - Decision making
- Making our bi-monthly reports
April 19-20, 2021
- Tractor Operation
- Hand Tractor operation
- Making garden plots
- Munggo bean Harvesting
- Planting camote tops/Sweet Potato (supervised by Sir
Jovanne P. Januhan)
April 21, 2021
- Assigned to work at Ornamentals, Herb and spices, and in
fruits trees Nursery
March 22-23, 2021
- We are exposed and have a tour at the Regional Crop
Protection Centre.
- Discussion about all the biological control that the RCPC
are producing by the RCPC personnel.
Week 6 April 26-28, 2021
April 26-30, 2021 - Work from home
Business Model Canvass (BMC)
April 29-30, 2021
- Immersion/Deployment
- We are Immersed at Negros Oriental Research and
Development under the supervision and management of
Ma’am Evansueda Q. Abbas
Week 7 May 3, 2021
May 3-7, 2021 - Tour in all areas of NORDC station
- Attended Monday Morning with the NORDC Personnel
headed by Ma’am Evansueda Q. Abbas
- Attended the weekly meeting
May 4-5, 2021
- Attended the Famers Field Day/Preference test of a
participatory performance testing and validation of
special rice(NextGen Rice)at Brgy. Mayabon,
Zamboanguita
- Harvesting the NextGen Rice
May 6, 2021
- Report submission
- Prepared a bagging bag with soil for cacao seedling
 May 7, 2021
- Feeding Goats, Chicken, turkey, geese, and duck
- Cutting and hauling of forage for goats
Identification test by Sir Miguel Yukor
- Discussion about CPAR(Community Participatory)
Project
- Interviewed by Miss Maria Ritchel from RAFIS for MAYA
documentation.

Week 8 May 10, 2021

May 10-14, 2021 - Attended Monday Morning with the NORDC Personnel
headed by Ma’am Evansueda Q. Abbas
- Attended the weekly meeting
May 11-12, 2021
- 1st Youth in Agriculture Summit
Theme: Producing Leaders in Agriculture towards New Thinking
May 14, 2021
- San Jose Breeding Station supervised by Ma’am
Mitchegen Tumale.
- Grafting of Cacao assisted by sir Miguel Yucor.
Week 9 May 17, 2021
May 17-21, 2021 - Orient and giving us the instructions on how to use a GPS
device in measuring a field/rice field in preparing to
measure the RCM model farm by Miss Jecca Carin.
May 18, 2021
- Vermi Cast Harvesting assisted by sir Wilson Cadalso
May 19, 2021
- Went to DA-Bayawan City to measure the rice field that
are allocated for the RCM project.
May 20-21, 2021
- Consolidating the reports about what we did at DA-
Bayawan City
- Clean the goatery house and feed the goat.
Week 10 May 24-27, 2021
May 24-31, 2021 - Went to Dobdob and Malunay to visit the
CPAR(Community Participatory) project assigned by sir
Miguel Yucor.
May 28, 2021
- Debriefing about our trip to Dobdob Valencia.
May 31, 2021
- Attended Monday Morning with the NORDC Personnel
headed by Ma’am Evansueda Q. Abbas
- Attended the weekly meeting

Week 11 June 3, 2021

June 3-4, 2021 - Administering Vitamins to goats and chicken
- Wing clipping(Chicken)
- Lecture about farm planning with Mr. Miguel Yucor.
June 4, 2021
- Reported at PATCO Dumaguete
- Lecture about Cacao with Mr. Yucor
Week 12 June 7, 2021
June 7-11, 2021 - Attended Weekly meeting at NORDC-Siaton Station
- Sharing of experiences and learnings to the NORDC staff
June 8, 2021
- Lecture about farm plotting and layout
- Actual farm plotting and measuring
June 9, 2021
- Enhancing grafting skills
- Counting of Cacao trees grown at San Jose Station
June 10, 2021
- Farm Visitation at Valencia and Brgy. Candau-ay
Dumaguete.
June 11, 2021
- Reported at PATCO Dumaguete
- Joined the MAYA-Kwentuhan with Sec. William Dar.
Week 13 June 14, 2021
June 14-15, 2021 - Reported at PATCO and lecture with sir Jonathan Casil
about GPS and RCM
June 15, 2021
- Helping and observing office activities
Week 14 June 16, 2021
June 16-18, 2021 - Reported at PATCO Dumaguete
- Fixing the incubator
June 17-18, 2021
- Reported at PATCO Dumaguete
- Lecture and discussion about Vermicomposting and
vermi culture by Sir Wilson Cadalso
Week 15 June 21-22, 2021
June 21-25, 2021 - Lecture and discussion about farm planning by sir Miguel
Yucor
June 23, 2021
- Discussion about organic agriculture focuses on organic
fertilizer using the Rapid composting method by sir
Jonathan Casil
June 24-25, 2021
- Lecture and discussion about Rice production and
management by ma’am Janelin Cabason
- Lecture and discussion about RCM(Rice Crop Manager)
by ma’am Jecca Carin
Week 16 June 27-30, 2021
June 27-30, 2021 - Report writing

So then, in our last 9 weeks of training since I choose the

employment track and I chose to be in Negros at NORDC(Negros Oriental
Research Development Center)-Siaton Station, here we enjoyed and value
everything we learned during the internship. We’ve got to have a lot of
activities that were scheduled every day. This experiential learning is
something you can keep and share it with your fellow youth.
Aside from those activities our writing and mental skills were also
measured because in every two weeks of our training we were ask to make a
report about all the activities we did and what were our learnings.
Throughout the training the MAYA coordinating unit will also choose the Best
MAYA intern, the Photo Journey and the business plan proposal winner.
So, if you enjoy working with mud or dirt where Agriculture is,
then you have a potential to be one and will enjoy with MAYA program. The
program will end but our learnings will grow and multiply it by sharing.
Discussions:

Joining MAYA as an intern has given me all the opportunities, I

got the chance to travel though with risk of this Pandemic but as a plantliner
we did worry cause got the proper personal protective equipment during our
travels. Throughout the trainings I could never forget the time when we went
to a place in Valencia(Brgy. Dobdob to be specific). We went there to evaluate
one of the project under DA-Research division which is the CPAR(Community
Participatory Project) which is the idea contouring because the area in
Dobdob mostly mountainous or hilly the people there are really relying on
the agriculture produce that they can sale in exchange of other product. Also I
could see the change of their living after adapting the contouring.
We the MAYA intern got the chance to see and have a tour with
the different offices but because of this Pandemic we got only limited access.
After which we were given all the technical agricultural orientation about
crops, plants and animals that we usually have in our farm. They have really
fed us all the necessary information that we will be needing in our future farm.
There were also time that we are doing a hands on activity after we have done
with the discussion, we apply it directly to the farm. We even drove some
machineries that were available in our station.
Also, we got the change to visit some cooperatives like Lamac and
the Pestales multipurpose cooperative, what I like and learn from both is that
the all have the heart to help our farmer, I could see their love and passion of
what they are doing even there are a lot of struggles and challenges along
their success.
Throughout the days of our training there have been a lot of
challenges, especially on our 1st month of the training big adjustment
happens as it was a new place far from families and friends, new people and in
the middle of this Pandemic there is always that risk of having this virus, but
because our God is bigger I always lay unto Him everything and being with
new people I always put in mind that respect should always be. Above all of
this, the love and eager to learn new things prevails.
Conclusion:

Joining MAYA Program as one of the intern makes me

realize that being into farming is harder than we always thought, it takes
courage, love and passion in doing what you want in order for you to succeed.
As I have evaluated myself, I could say that I am now competent, committed
and jobready individual with the right attitude and the skills that matches
industry requirements after joining MAYA. This would not be possible without
the people who mentored us during our training and I am thankful for them,
for the patience and kindness they gave us throughout our trainings.

For the MAYA Program, I hope that there will be more cadre
of youth that will be change in the future. That the bond in agriculture sector
will be much stronger and even better towards a Food Secure and Resilient
Philippines, with prosperous farmers and fishers, beyond the every calamities
and even with this Pandemic that we are facing. Together we can stand.
Recommendations:

The Mentoring and Attracting Youth in Agribusiness

(MAYA) a newly created program under the Department of Agriculture. Over
all the objectives of this program are good and intended for youth to develop
more their underpinning knowledge and skills. As every program there is
always a flaws, since MAYA program is new and there are a lot of adjustments,
I could say and hoping that the next MAYA intern would have a better flow of
all the activities.