The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas is eyeing the improvement of the capability of its personnel and is investing on additional equipment as mandated in its five-year corporate plan starting this year.

DA-6 Regional Executive Director Remelyn Recoter, in a phone interview yesterday, said the corporate plan that was launched December 17 last year was more on “internal,” as she cited the need to “develop the capability of our people and facilities.”

DA-6 has four existing laboratories to include the soils laboratory, seeds laboratory, animal diagnostics laboratory, and crop protection center.

Recoter said they would like to add more tests, particularly on the fertility of individual farms. Currently, the soil laboratory can only test nitrogen phosphorous potassium (NPK).

Moreover, since their new office building is expected to be completed by end of this year, the DA is also looking forward to seek an ISO accreditation to “improve management and procedure.”

The DA in Western Visayas will also kick off this year by cascading their corporate plan down to their subordinates.

In addition, there will be trainings to prepare, especially those who are next in line, in anticipation of the retirement of personnel this year.

Along with the corporate plan, DA also launched its new logo design and official hymn. The design was conceptualized by Faye Ann Gasapo of the DA-Philippine Rural Development Project Visayas, while the hymn titled “Kadalag-an sang Agrikultura” was composed by Dante Beriong from San Jose, Antique. (PNA)