Dr. Arnel N. Del Barrio officially accepted the “torch of leadership”: his duties and responsibilities as acting executive director of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) from the agency’s retired former head Dr. Libertado C. Cruz in a turnover ceremony held June 27 at the PCC national headquarters in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
Del Barrio earlier took his oath of office before Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala during the Department of Agriculture (DA) Management Committee Meeting held June 24 in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.
“For me, PCC is ‘PPP’. It is about the people, creating partnerships, and having the right principle,” he declared in his message delivered before PCC staff, DA and local officials and dairy farmers.
“These three P’s will lead the agency to success,” he added.
He said that it is important to invest in the people that run the agency.
“The human resources should have the knowledge that can be translated into a skill since we position the agency as the lead entity in livestock research. It is also equally important that we have the right attitude, especially in dealing with other people, other agencies and with the farmers, among others,” he explained.
Cruz, who was the agency’s executive director for more than two decades, expressed his confidence in Del Barrio’s capacity as the new PCC head.
“It is a complement to pass the torch to a younger [leader] who can carry the torch throughout with more vigor and compelled with the desire to achieve and meet the challenges of current and future situation. Such is Dr. Del Barrio,” Cruz said.
“One of the things that a leader should have in mind is to set some standard but the better leader will raise that standard farther and I think Dr. Del Barrio is ready to raise that standard,” he added.
Elaborating on his “PPP” principle in leading the PCC, Del Barrio said building partnerships with other entities is very crucial for the success of a program. He further said that the PCC should reach out to these “others” such as the farmers whom he referred to as “PCC’s number one partner.”
Both government and non-government entities are also vital partners in implementing the programs of PCC, Del Barrio added.
He also underscored partnerships with scientists outside the country and to open PCC’s research facilities to more students.
For the last “P”, which is about principles, Del Barrio emphasized dedication, integrity, professionalism and competence as significant core values that PCC should uphold and live up to.
He also cited the three major areas which he wants to prioritize during his term.
These are, he said, strengthening the genetic improvement program of PCC, especially toward upgrading of the native carabaos through continuous crossbreeding; pursuit of the PCC’s Research for Development (R4D) agenda; and strengthening of carabao-based enterprise development (CBED).
“Let us base our researches on the problems of the farmers, bring these to the laboratory, develop a technology and cascade this back to them,” he said, urging a multi-disciplinary approach and more collaboration with other agencies as he believes that this will yield better results.
He challenged the different PCC regional centers that are yet to implement the program to establish CBED in their areas.
“The law [R.A. 7307] states that we should help increase the income of the dairy farmers. If we cannot do that, then we have not performed our mandate,” he pointed.
Finally, Del Barrio urged the members of the PCC family to join hands with him and work as a team in fulfilling the mission of PCC.
