A winning spirit in Quezon

Editor’s Note: Starting May until August this year, Agricultural and Fishery Councils (AFCs) across the country conducted elections for their respective officers for fiscal year 2014 to 2016. Among the newly elected Regional AFC Chairpersons (click here to see full list) is former Quezon PAFC Chairperson Guillermo Argosino. This is his inspiring story.

Volunteerism, as the new CALABARZON (Region 4A) Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) Chairperson defines it, is serving others without expecting anything in return.

Mr. Guillermo Agripino M. Argosino, better known as “James,” has spent almost 30 years serving small farmers and fishers in Quezon. Having their best interests at heart, Mr. Argosino ensures that the efforts of small farmers and fishers are recognized and their issues and concerns addressed. He does all these without asking for any remuneration from the government.

For him, “participation in government undertakings, being able to serve as a bridge of understanding between the government and the people, and helping the marginalized sector be heard” are some of the lifetime rewards that an Agricultural and Fishery Council (AFC) volunteer can have.

“In my over 25 years as volunteer leader, I always tell officials of the government that the AFC is their partner in agri-fishery development,” Chairperson Argosino said in an interview.

As Chairperson of the Provincial AFC (PAFC) of Quezon for about six years, Mr. Argosino ensured that there is strong partnership between the AFC and the local government unit.

“We are partners so, we should be able to work together for the attainment of our common goals,” he explained.

The founding Chairperson of the Gumaca Municipal AFC (MAFC) in 1987, Mr. Argosino saw the need to establish a multi-purpose cooperative to help small farmers and fishers and their families in their community.

“During a MAFC meeting, a kakanin (native rice cake) vendor came in to offer us some of her goods. I asked how she manages her livelihood and she said she borrows a small amount from a “5-6” (informal money lending) scheme so she could finance her business. But, she shared that almost all her earnings goes as payment to the money lender,” he recalled.

So, he offered assistance to the vendor and lent her a small amount without interest so that she would be able to earn some money for her family. Days later, some of the vendor’s friends came and approached Mr. Argosino telling him that they were also interested of availing livelihood assistance from him.

There came the idea of putting up the Gumaca MAFC Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC) which aims to help small farmers, fishers, women and youth with their livelihood through loaning services.

When Mr. Argosino was elected as Chairperson of the PAFC of Quezon in 2006, he continued this effort by revitalizing and strengthening the Quezon PAFC Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc. (QPAFC MCI) which now serves as the economic arm of PAFC Quezon. 

The multi-purpose cooperative expanded its livelihood assistance to its member-farmers, small entrepreneurs, fish, fruit and vegetable vendors, small food processors, organic fertilizer producers and goat raisers.

He also initiated the construction of the Quezon AFC Business Center in 2011. This is a joint project of the Quezon PAFC and the provincial government of Quezon which seeks to strengthen the agri-aqua businesses in the province by creating strategic alliances, providing management assistance, training programs and resources for micro-business owners and entrepreneurs. The business center also acts as showroom area for products from the 39 towns and two cities in the province that are part of the ‘one-town-one-product’ scheme.

Recognizing the importance of education and the need to increase the number of new generation farmers and fishers, he collaborated with the BUTIL Farmers' Party on its BUTIL “Karunungan Program” that provides scholarship to deserving youth who want to pursue careers in agriculture and fisheries. To date, the said scholarship program supports a total of 49 students.

He also organized six community-based entrepreneurship programs to help small farmers, fishers, women and youth strengthen their knowledge and capabilities in farm management and learn good agricultural practices to increase production, making them contributors to food security in the country.

Mr. Argosino is also leading a campaign towards natural and organic farming, supporting programs of organic farmers in Tayabas and Pagbilao. The Quezon PAFC has recently partnered with the Japan Agricultural Exchange Council and the Japan International Cooperative Agency in conducting a seminar on safe vegetables and animal production through the mokusaku technology.

The new RAFC 4A Chairperson also helped promote sector representation in Quezon through organizing the Rubber Planters of Quezon, Bamboo and Wood Manufacturers (KARAKA) and Goat Raisers Association of Quezon. 

The 63-year-old AFC leader is also behind the production of a newsletter called the “Quezon PAFC Bulletin.” For him, having a newsletter published is crucial for an organization because “it is a vehicle for promoting transparency on activities and programs of the organization. It also helps facilitate good linkage with our partners.”

Using what he calls “good linkage” that he has established in the local scene, he was able to reach out to farmers and other stakeholders at the grassroots level and find out their issues and concerns. Currently, he added that the Quezon PAFC is focusing on finding solutions on the infestation of coconut scale insects in the province.

Under his leadership, the Quezon PAFC received the Gawad Saka Award for Outstanding PAFC in 2010 and the Quezon Medalya ng Karangalan Special Citation from the provincial government in August this year.

A Business Administration graduate from the University of the East, Mr. Argosino currently manages a family business, the Argosino Crafts and Designs, but, this doesn’t hinder him from devoting himself to the cause of the AFCs.

“Being a volunteer may require me to share my time, effort and personal resources, but I wouldn’t mind how much more I should sacrifice as long as I see that small farmers and fishers are being recognized,” the new RAFC 4A Chairperson stressed.

source: http://nafc.da.gov.ph/NAFCNEWs/2014/winning.html