The Town's Green Economy

Agricultural sector plays a strategic role in the process of economic development of a country.
Agriculture makes its economic contribution to economic development in following ways: By
providing food and raw materials to non-agricultural sectors of the economy, by creating
demand for goods produced in non-agricultural sectors, by the rural people on the strength of
the purchasing power, earned by them on selling the marketable surplus (farmer's total output
produced minus self-consumption), by providing investable surplus ( monthly income minus
total expenses) in the form of savings and taxes to be invested in non-agricultural sector,
earning valuable foreign exchange through the export of agricultural products, and providing
employment to a vast army of uneducated, backward and unskilled labour (Macatta, 2016).
Therefore, the manifestation of its (agriculture) impact on the economy lies in the effectiveness
of the policies, programs/ projects and diffferent interventions formulate and undertake by the
government especially by the Department of Agriculture. The latter mandated to expand
existing and create new economic opportunities in agriculture, forestry and fisheries (AFF)
sector that induce the participation of small farmers and fisherfolks in many municipalities.

Garchitorena is one of those municipalities that has been dependent on the policies and
different assistance implemented and offered by the government through the years. The
municipality's economy is based on agriculture, with a large tract of land dedicated to
agricultural cultivation and coconut as the primary crop produced. Farming and fishing are the
primary sources of income for the majority of the people in the area. Others use their
entrepreneurial skills to start small businesses or pursue a professional career to supplement
their income ( Manjares, 2021). Ninety-percent (90%) of the land is either forestland or
cultivated as agricultural land and the remaining (10%) are residential, institutional,
commercial, parks and open spaces, and idle lands (Manjares, 2021).

The Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) headed by Saqueo Dy-cok has been continuously and
actively engaging in supporting the marginalized farmers and fisherfolks to sustain their
livelihood and contribute to the economic development of Garchitorena. The following are the
programs enumerated by the Municipal Agriculturist where they focus the most of their time
and effort: Rice program; corn and cassava program; High value commercial crop program,
fishery program, and livestock program. In rice and corn and cassava program, the DA will be
now on it's second year in furnishing farmers the fertilizer voucher discount which is 1.9 million
in total and 5 thousand pesos financial assistance for rice farmers to augment their needs
amidst the pandemic. In the high value commercial crop program, garden tools, seedlings and
fertilizers will be distributed this year to 7 selected and on waiting list of beneficiary barangays.
Under the fishery program, aquaculture farmers have been receiving milkfish (bangus)
fingerlings, validated fishermen are provided with fiber glass paddle and motor boats and
seaweed farmers can request and acquire red seaweed ( gracilaria lichenoides/ gulamang
dagat) from a seaweed nursery located in barangay Dangla. The MAO is implementing the
registration, licensing and operations of recreational boats and issuance of auxiliary invoice for
exporting/transporting of marine products outside the municipality. The former is pursuant to
P.D. No. 474, sec 12 (d) of E.O. 125-A, and sec 10 (1) of R.A. No. 9295 whereby one of its
objectives is to have a safe and environmentally sound regulation of recreational boats while
the latter is by-virtue-of Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) No. 250-2 s.2018. Both ordinances
not only provide orderliness and lawful transactions within the municipality but also generate
income to the LGU. And just as importantly, Pig treatment, deworming, castration,
immunization and assistance in farrowing are several services that the MAO caters within the
livestock program.

Further, as one of the members and leading agencies of National Rabies Prevention and Control
Program , the DA has been conducting anti-rabies vaccination of dogs in accordance with Anti-
Rabies Act of 2007.

Unearthed Deficiencies
Based on the Agriculture sector analysis matrix of the Municipality of Garchitorena
Comprehensive Land Use Plan 2022-2030, there are several identified problems and difficulties
on the technical findings/and observations of the researchers all across the town. These
predicaments are the limited source of irrigation water, lack of irrigation facility, declining soil
fertility due to intensive use of organic fertilizer, lack of farm to market roads, lack of available
agricultural technologies, lack of enterprising outlook of farmers and fishermen, declining
number of farmers, lack of commercial poultry or livestock raisers and absence of
slaughterhouses, and lastly, presence of illegal fishing. These quandaries have their own variety
of implications that have been hampering and slowing down the AFF sector's prolific
contribution to the economic growth of Garchitorena.

Prescribed Nourishments
The MAO devised projected programs, projects and activities from January to December 2023
based on the talks during the formulation of Comprehensive Development Plan- Executive
Legislative Agenda of LGU- Garchitorena leaded by Mayor Leda S. San Luis in coordination with
the DILG last July 25-29, 2022 at Villa Del Rey Resort, Capitol, Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur. These
PPAs have divided in 3 categories. We have the Data Banking and Computerization, Trainings
and Seminars under the Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council
(MFARMC) and Municipal Agricultural and Fishery Council (MAFC), and Extension and Onsite
Research Services and Facilities Related to Agricultural Activities which will provide the
construction of Irrigation Facilities, Establishments of Demo Farm/Nursery, Crop Development,
Livestock and Poultry Development, Fishery Development, Institutional Development and
Livelihood Programs. Due to some functional limitations and jurisdictions among government
agencies, these PPAs will be only addressing several problems aforementioned above
paragraph. The rest are included in the PPAs of other offices and some are actually already
started such as the opening of Toytoy- Camansi farm to market road of the DPWH and
apprehension of five similar cases of illegal fishing by the MPD. Mayor Leda S. San Luis also had
a meeting last September 12, 2022 with the DOST about their project regarding with the
"Establishment of Seaweed Based/ Fish Products Processing Facility" under the Community
Empowerment thru Science and Technology (CEST). She took the opportunity as well to solicit
financial assistance and projects that will help in the modernization of different government
sectors in the municipality especially with the AFF sector.

The present administration is indeed determined and focused to uplift the life of its
constituents by any means possible and appropriate through leaving the good impression in its
governance by accelerating in a fast phase of change with its internal and external transactions
and to its planned projects, programs and activities undertakings.