Food security in the Philippines received an added boost as the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (DA-BAFE) welcomed 507 new agricultural and biosystems engineers.
The new engineers were among the 1,392 who passed the September 2021 Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) board examinations held in Manila, Baguio, Cagayan De Oro, Cebu, Davao, Koronadal, Legazpi, Tacloban, and Tuguegarao.
“Our wish is for you to realize the dream of President Rodrigo Duterte for a food-secure Philippines and to double the income of farmers and fisherfolks which is a commendable and high-caliber approach in uplifting the morale and socioeconomic status of Filipino farmers and fisherfolks toward a modernized agriculture sector which the Department of Agriculture is aiming for,” said Engr. Sherwin Valdez, Professional Regulatory Board for Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (PRBABE) member, in a statement on Monday.
He told the new engineers that their services are needed in several industries.
“Marami tayong puwedeng pasukan dahil napaka in demand ng ating propesyon (You can be employed in various fields due to the high demand for our profession),” he said.
The board passers took their oaths online on Friday, administered by PRBABE Chair, Engr. Ariodear Rico, who is also a DA – BAFE Director.
PRBABE member Engr. Juana Tapel, PhD, said there is a lower passing mark this year as against the previous board examination in 2019.
She explained some ABE graduates decided not to take the board examination because it might be postponed or canceled just like what happened in 2020.
The topnotcher of the 2021 batch, Juven Genovia Luzorata of the University of Southeastern Philippines – Tagum, obtained an 83.02 percent grade.
Jan Gabriel Urriza Bernardo of Laguna State University – Siniloan ranked second with a rating of 82.65 percent while Abdullah Peralta Meriales of Central Luzon University placed third with 82.64 percent.
University of the Philippines – Los Baños, under Dean Rosanna Amongo, was the top-performing school for attaining a 93.94 percent passing rate (31 out of 33).
Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, according to the PRC, refers to the profession requiring the “application of the fundamental and known principles of engineering to the peculiar condition and requirements of agriculture as an industry and as a field of science”.
It includes consultation, valuation, investigation and management services on agricultural and biosystems engineering; and management or supervision and the preparation of engineering designs, plans, specifications, project studies and estimates for agricultural and biosystems, aquaculture and fishery, and forest product machinery.
Also covered are agricultural and biosystems buildings and structures, farm electrification and energy systems; agricultural and biosystems processing equipment, irrigation and soils conservation systems and facilities; agricultural and biosystems waste utilization systems and facilities; and research and development, training and extension work, and consultancy services on agricultural and biosystems engineering facilities/services, system and technologies.
Source: Philippines News Agency