TRAINING. The first batch of farmers from the Municipality of Sibalom in Antique province listen during a briefing on the use of a four-wheel tractor on June 4, 2022. Rhea Dacallo, president of the Uswag Durog Rivergems Farm which is the TESDA Accredited Training Center, said on Friday (Aug. 19) that around 150 farmers will undergo training.(Photo courtesy of Uswag Durog Rivergems Farm) SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique - Six batches composed of 150 farmers from the Municipality of Sibalom will be trained on the production of high-quality inbred rice seeds and farm mechanization for increased production and reduced labor cost. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) accredited training center, Uswag Durog Rivergems Farm, started the Training Induction Program (TIP) for the first batch on Friday. "There are six batches composed of 25 farmers per batch who had been oriented about the program," said farm president Rhea Dacallo in an interview. The farmers
KNOWLEDGE TOUR. Participants of a training-workshop on community-based ecotourism development sponsored by the United Nations Development Program-Biodiversity Finance Initiative, in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, at Sibalom Natural Park in Antique. Held May 25 to June 3, 2022, the training equipped stakeholders with concepts on community-based ecotourism as the park has opened as a tourism destination in March. (Photo courtesy of SNP) SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique - The United Nations Development Program-Biodiversity Finance Initiative (UNDP-BIOFIN) trained select residents, environment officials, and personnel from other government agencies on how to properly care for and nurture the Sibalom Natural Park (SNP). The SNP, about 12 kilometers away from Sibalom town proper, opened as an ecotourism destination on March 1. It has a total land area of 12,289.91 hectares, with 5,511.47 hectares covered by Presidential Proclamation 282 and Republic Act