OUTSTANDING FISHERIES COUNCIL. The Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (MFARMC) of Aroroy, Masbate bagged the 2012 Gawad Saka Outstanding FARMC award. Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (top photo, extreme right), in lieu of President Benigno Aquino III, who did not make it due to inclement weather, led the awarding of this year’s national winners of Gawad Saka—an annual search for outstanding achievers in agriculture and fisheries, conducted by the Department of Agriculture on October 13, 2012 at DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), in Muñoz City, Nueva Ecija. The council received a cash prize of 450,000 along with a presidential citation and trophy. The affair coincided with the 27th anniversary of DA-PhilRice and launch of 2013 as ‘National Year of Rice.’ Also in the top photo are (from left) DA assistant secretary Dante Delima, DA-RFU5 director Jose Dayao, PhilRice director Eufemio Rasco, Jr., Nueva Ecija governor Aurelio Umali, DA assistant secretary Edilberto de Luna and BFAR-5 regional director Dennis del Socorro (9th from left).
Bottom photos: Aroroy MFARMC Chairman Winnie Gregorio proudly holds the presidential citation and trophy; the council members with BFAR national director Asis Perez (7th from left), BFAR-5 assistant regional director Marjurie Grutas, NFRDI chief Melchor Tayamen (4th and 5th from left respectively) and BFAR-5 alternate FARMC coordinator Ronald Canabe (1st from left).