The Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, through its Extension Services Division and the Master in Disaster Risk and Management (MDRM) program, spearheaded a comprehensive needs assessment on September 12, 2025, in San Fernando, Camarines Sur.
The activity gathered barangay captains and representatives of barangay LGUs in the municipality to identify needs and priority development concerns of every barangay and explore collaborative solutions addressing disaster preparedness and mitigation measures, as well as livelihood opportunities for vulnerable community sectors in the area.
Present in the assessment was the newly elected Municipal Mayor of San Fernando, Hon. Betty Ann Kristine D. Fulgentes, who expressed full support for the initiative of CBSUA. Mayor Fulgentes emphasized the value of aligning academic expertise with grassroots realities, noting that “the insights gathered here will guide San Fernando in addressing urgent community needs, from disaster preparedness to sustainable agriculture.”
Present in the activity is Hon. Malou Belga, President of Liga ng mga Punong Barangay of San Fernando, and Mr. Jason Ajero, the Office Head of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRMO) of San Fernando, provided updates on local disaster preparedness and community resiliency gaps in the said area.
The session was facilitated by the CBSUA faculty members of the MDRM program, namely Dr. Rene N. Rabacal, Mr. Genlud Bascuña, Mr. Murry Cate, and Mr. Chris Ian Pan. Supporting them were staff from the Extension Services Division, led by Mr. Marvin R. Molin, Unit Head of the Project Monitoring and Evaluation Unit (PMEU), and Ms. Bethe Mae Ricafort.
During the activity, priority needs were identified, some of which are the strengthening of the municipality’s disaster risk reduction and management at the barangay level, improving basic infrastructure, such as roads, water systems, and drainage facilities, expanding agricultural support through introducing resilient crops, and capacity building for barangay officials and local peacekeepers (tanod) in DRR.
The assessment results will serve as a foundation for tailored extension programs and technical assistance in the municipality. The initiative aims to ensure that the university’s outreach efforts remain responsive to the evolving needs of local communities and long-term partnerships.
Mayor Fulgentes emphasized that partnerships like this reflect “a shared commitment to uplift the lives of Fernandinos through evidence-based planning and sustained collaboration.” | 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘯 𝘙. 𝘔𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘯, 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘌𝘚𝘋 𝘛𝘦𝘢𝘮
