East Visayas LGUs, agri offices support Matuwid na DAAN website

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
March 13, 2013

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Agriculture expressed appreciation for the overwhelming support from the local government units and agriculture and veterinary offices in Eastern Visayas for the institutionalization of the agricultural related on-line project.

Dr. Wilson Cerbito, DA-8 Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations and the concurrent AGRO-Project manager, informed that said project (AGRO) is a major component of the Matuwid na DAAN or Department of Agriculture Accountability Network.

Dr. Cerbito announced during a recently-held gathering of local government units and various stakeholders that the regional office has come up with its new official website, which prides itself as the first of its kind in the country.

Commenting on the usefulness of such communication tool, Mr. Edgardo Codilla, the Chairman of the Regional Agriculture and Fishery Council (RAFC) said “the website is the agency’s answer to what is being espoused under the law of the land calling for upholding of the right of the people to information on matters and documents of public concern.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Amando Apoderado, the City Veterinarian of Ormoc said “this project inspires us to do more and excel in the development of the agriculture sector in our locale. What we have been doing for our people would reflect in the website.”

Northern Samar Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Jose Luis Acompañado said that this is a challenge for them considering that the supply of data for the sustainability of the website will come from the local government units.

On the other side, he proposed to spearhead a similar project for their province, for them to follow the example set by DA on good governance.

The Matuwid na DAAN website provides a readily-accessible and fully-dedicated medium for the Department of Agriculture's advocacy of adhering to transparency and accountability in pursuing food security while promoting public awareness of its community-focused projects and activities nationwide, Dr. Cerbito said.

Among the features in the website are the profiles of all the DA projects vis-a-vis their fund allocation and cumulative disbursements, completion period, percentage of accomplishment and other relevant data, including regularly updated photos, which were provided by the attached agencies, corporations and regional field units of DA.

Dir. Gary Glenn Fantastico of the Information Technology Center for Agriculture and Fisheries, shared that the website empowers the DA constituents and the rest of the nation because they can track down and report the actual status of the agri-related projects, validate the delivery of government assistance and evaluate the utilization of the resources.

“Thus, the successful operation of the project hinges largely on the people’s vigilance,” he said.