Duly recognizing the effort of its SOA enrollees, the City Government of Laoag through its City Agriculture Office organized a graduation ceremony for its 82 SOA graduates this March 10, 2022. 

Held at the Laoag Central Terminal, the ceremony awarded a Certificate of Completion to the graduates along with gifts and tokens from various sponsors in Laoag.

“Maragsakankami iti CGU Laoag iti daytoy a dedikasion ti tumunggal maysa, ngarud, rumbeng laeng a padayawandakayo ta nalpasyo ti kabuklan ti programa ken namnamaenmi nga dakayonton ti kaduami a mangiwaras kadagiti impormasion ken teknolohia a naadaltayo amin”, a message from the City Agriculturist, Engr. Shiela Marie Opelac.

City Mayor, Hon. Michael Marcos Keon also commended the graduates for a job well done that reflects the virtues of Laoagenos amid crisis. “May this simple ceremony continue to motivate you to continue learning and sharing your insights so we may altogether transform our dear Laoag City”, Hon. Keon said.

The City also takes pride for bagging the second spot through Mr. Cipriano Mateo of Brgy. Apaya, Top Achiever Rank 2. In the ceremony, he led the completion of the 57 farmers, mothers, and interested community members through the barangays of Laoag and 25 are the technologists and staff of the City Agriculture Office.

“We are thankful for participating in the School-on-the-Air (SOA) Tarabay iti Pagtaengan, Pagbiagan, Salun-at (TIPPS) ken Dadduma Pay because through it, we sustained our family’s needs amid the pandemic and renewed our ways through the insights shared by our resources speakers”, Mr. Mateo shared.

Another successful graduate, Mr. Dominador Ignacio, also shared how invaluable are his learning in the program and thanked the key players especially the resource speakers and radio stations for their commitment in the program.

Vice President for Research, Extension, and Business, Dr. Nathaniel Alibuyog, and Extension Director, Dr. Marilou Lucas, also received a Certificate of Appreciation for the Mariano Marcos State University. Joining from MMSU are Ms. Mercy Gano, Chief of Extension Directorate’s Applied Communication and resident broadcaster of the SOA and Rimat ti Ilocandia Program, and Ms. Kimberly Miguel, ApCo staff.

“May you all be MMSU’s reflection in your communities. Share your learnings and together, let us make Ilocos Norte sustainable and resilient amid any form of crisis”, Dr. Alibuyog shared.

The SOA Program started last February 10, 2021 as an initiative to strengthen the dissemination of information and technologies generated and fine-tuned by the University. From an enrollment of around 1,200 interested community members, 1,005 successfully complete the program in its 10-month run. Forty-two relevant information and technologies were aired in its partner radio stations, the DWFB Radyo Pilipinas – Laoag every 11-12 AM of Wednesday and Friday, the DWCI Radyo Adjo – Piddig every 5-6 AM of Thursday and Saturday, and the DWNI Radyo Karruba – Burgos every 11-12 AM of Tuesday and Thursday, including the FB Live of the DWFB Radyo Pilipinas FB Page.

The SOA Program was brought by the Extension Directorate, the colleges and units of the University, the Gender and Development (GAD), and the Ilocos Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (ILAARRDEC) in cooperation with the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte through the Provincial Agriculture Office, and the 18 local government units of Ilocos Norte.

Last February 18, MMSU conducted a limited face-to-face graduation ceremony at the Teatro Ilocandia with some 200 attendees including the Top Achievers, SOA Coordinators, Municipal and City Agricultural Officers, agriculturists, and technologists, heads and representatives of partner agencies, and distinguished SOA enrollee-graduates. The ceremony was also shared through the FB Live of the Mariano Marcos State University FB Page accessible at https://fb.watch/bXDhMkLl0X/.

For more information, visit: https://bit.ly/36p7zN0 of the MMSU Extension Directorate FB Page.

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