‘Food security is rewarding’- EdSa

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – “Food security is rewarding. We’ll be rewarded when we make sure that all plants and vegetables we grow are safe to eat, for us to be protected from all diseases so that we could all stay healthy.”

This was the remark of Mayor Edwin Santiago when he delivered a speech during the awarding ceremony of City of Agriculture and Veterinary Office (CAVO) at City Hall here yesterday.

“We push our efforts forward for food security, and that is why we teach Fernandinos how to plant their own food in their backyards, schoolyards, and other public places. Even if you do not have enough money, as long as you have your own fruits or vegetables, you and your family will not end up starving. May you all continue your planting routines,” Santiago said.

The ceremony covered all of CAVO’s edible landscaping and container farming contests, which were divided into five categories namely Gulayan sa Kababaihan, Edible LandscapingGulayan Sa Health Center, Edible Landscaping-School Level, Edible Landscaping-Container Farming Household Level, and Edible Landscaping-Clustered Barangay.

Engineer Francisco Cangco Jr., CAVO Agriculturist and Crop Division Chief, said the event fostered public awareness on health, nutritional, and economic benefits of the food the farmers sustained.

For the winners of Gulayan sa Kababaihan, Barangay Magliman bagged first place while Barangay Juliana, Barangay Sta. Teresita, Northville of Barangay Calulut, and Barangay San Pedro won second to fifth places, respectively.

Barangay Panipuan was titled first place in the Edible Landscaping-Gulayan sa Health Center category, while Barangays Baliti and Quebiawan got second and third place citations.

Calulut Integrated School was awarded first place in the Edible Landscaping-School Level category while Sindalan Integrated School, Pampanga High School, Malino Elementary School, and San Fernando Elementary School were placed in second to fifth places.

Alexander Cunanan of Barangay Bulaon earned the first place title in the Edible Landscaping Container Farming-Household Level while Anna Victoria Pangilagan of Barangay Malino, Hilda Salta of Barangay Bulaon, Mary Jane Dampil of Barangay Bulaon, and Jem Ivan Sunga of Barangay Bulaon received the second to fifth place titles.

Barangay Bulaon was named first place in the Edible Landscaping-Clustered Barangay category, while Barangays Malino and Magliman were granted the second and third place awards.