The first ever all-female batch in the history of the Sugarcane Farm Technician Course (SFTC) completed their 45-day in-house training.
The SFTC, spearheaded by the Sugar Industry Foundation, Inc. (SIFI), conducted its 11th batch this year in partnership with the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod (USLS).
The scholars went through a series of trainings on how to become efficient sugarcane farm technicians. Among the classes were agribusiness and financial management, basic first aid, values formation, basic farming skills, soil sampling, and integrated pest management.
The scholars also went on an educational tour to agriculture and sugarcane-related institutions. They had a brief mill-site tour at the Hawaiian-Philippine Company in Silay City – where, despite being on off-milling operations, the scholars were exposed to large-scale sugarcane processing.
In Photo: The SFTC Batch 11 Scholars together with (L-R) Rodel Clavite (USLS Agribusiness Farm Manager), SIFI Skills Training & Health Officer Milen Joy Abad, SIFI Education Project Officer Angelica Hebionada, HPCo Security Department Ric Trajera, HPCo Co-generation Engineers Christine Joy Barsanas and Jene Marie Sancho, HPCo HR Manager Gloria Pasustento, and SIFI Communications Officer Mary Briseis Dequinto.
Thereafter, they were welcomed by the Philippine Sugar Research Institute Foundation (PHILSURIN)’s pathologists and laboratory staff who introduced the sugarcane tissue culture process, the RSSI life cycle and how it could be prevented through bioorganic substances.
In Photos: Josie Buletin (Assistant Plant Pathologist) and Rosalyn Luzaran (Station Manager) of PHILSURIN indulge the SFTC scholars in sugarcane tissue culture and RSSI life cycle and treatment.
The next day, the scholars visited the Peñalosa Farm in Victorias City to learn more about organic farm agri-preneurship.
The SFTC Batch 11 scholars with Mr. Ramon Peñalosa Jr., Mrs. Grace Peñalosa, together with SIFI Skills Training & Health Officer Milen Joy Abad, USLS Continuing Education Staff Vine Malabor, and SIFI Education Project Officer Angelica Hebionada.
The scholars also went through the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s 3-day Outreach Program for the Sugarcane Industry or OPSI Training, where they learned the fundamentals of being a sugarcane farm technician.
The SFTC Batch 11 held their Completion Rites on August 8, 2026 at the Santuario Hall 1, University of St. La Salle-Bacolod. They were joined by SIFI Project Officers Milen Joy Abad (Skills Trainings and Health), Angelica Hebionada (Education), and Mariz Tina Mispeñas (Livelihood), alongside USLS coordinators Leizel Del Sol (Director, Continuing Education), Rowena Japitana (Senior Office Associate, Continuing Education), Bea Emma Bachinela (Agribusiness Department Chairperson), and Vine Malabor (Staff, Continuing Education). The Completion Rites was graced by USLS President Br. Joaquin Severino Martinez, FSC, and SIFI Treasurer Joseph Conrad F. Ledesma, who also delivered the Grantor’s Message.
Photo Courtesy: University of St. La Salle – Bacolod (Facebook Page)
The scholars performed their self-written song called “Padayon Lang” in appreciation of the support that they received from their instructors and fellow scholars. Fersia Malabor, who spoke in behalf of the scholars, said that, “We were given the opportunity to show that women also belong to agriculture – not only in classrooms or offices but in the fields, in farm management, in research and extension, and in leadership. I hope that because of our batch, more young women will have the confidence to pursue careers in agriculture without hesitation.”
This batch was made possible by the utmost support and collaboration of the representatives, officers, partner planters, and instructors of SIFI and USLS.
