Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, Regional Director Arnel V. de Mesa, and President Tirso A. Ronquillo of Batangas State University (BatSU) served as special guests for the inaugural broadcast of the much-awaited airing of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region IV-CALABARZON’s DWPB 107.3 FM D’ Ani-Kita Radio – Batangas State University (BatSU) station on October 13, 2020.

This was made possible through the partnership of the DA Region IV-CALABARZON, the BatSU, and the Forefront Broadcasting Company (FFBC).

DA’s Plant Plant Plant Program, African Swine Fever, and Taal Recovery and Rehabilitation Programs, were some of the key topics discussed during the interview.

Sec. Dar reiterated that radio remains one of the most important means of education, information, and entertainment for a large number of people, particularly our farmers.

“Radio is becoming more relevant, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has always been used in agriculture and rural development by our farming communities that are not reached by other modern technologies. Having more community radio programs, like the D’ Ani-Kita Radio, is very purposeful in the country to serve and inspire more farmers and fisherfolk, and provide them with relevant information on the various DA programs, projects, and services. We will ensure that collaborations like this with universities and colleges will continue and be elevated,” the agriculture chief said.

Director de Mesa expressed his gratitude to Sec. Dar, BatSU, and FFBC for allowing this partnership to be realized as he believes that with this strong alliance, more reliable and meaningful information will be given to DA CALABARZON’s clientele. 

“We began from a brilliant idea to launch the D’ Ani-Kita radio to reach the unreached and provide more relevant information to our stakeholders. This radio station is a big step for us in achieving our goal of making a more productive and food-sufficient region,” the regional director said.

It was a great privilege for BatSU President Ronquillo to be chosen as the venue for the establishment of a strengthened community radio station by DA. He said that DWPB-FM will serve not only to disseminate information, but also to provide a platform for learning, with the help of D’ Ani-Kita radio program. 

“The development of this project is very timely because communication is very important, particularly in this time of crisis. It is a great help to increase the means of knowledge and education for the listeners in the region,” Mr. Ronquillo said. 

Six hours of DA developmental talk programs and four hours of actual laboratory airtime, plus eight hours of music, entertainment, and cultural programs initiated by BatSU faculty members and students of Development Communication can be heard, with FFBC providing radio programming, management directions, and sustainability modes. 

With this tripartite agreement, more farmers, fisherfolk, agri-preneurs, and youth in Batangas and the rest of CALABARZON will learn more about DA’s programs, projects, and services.

D’ Ani-Kita Radio can be heard throughout Batangas City and nearby localities. (MAP, DA-RAFIS)