BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — Three farmers and a farmer association from Cordillera were among the agricultural champions recognized by the Department of Agriculture (DA) during the 2023 National Farmers’ and Fisherfolks Month Celebration held in Quezon City on May 15.
The DA recognized these farmers for their “invaluable role and contribution in ensuring the country’s food and nutrition security as well as for being an active partner of the DA in its various program implementation for the development of the agriculture and fisheries sector.”
The Tublay Organic Practitioners Agriculture Cooperative (Benguet) was recognized under the Organic Agriculture Program Distinguished Farmer Category. The plaque of recognition was received by Ben Domingo.
Basilio Ngaseo, Jr. from the Manpat-a Farmer’s Association in Balili, Mankayan, Benguet was hailed as a High Value Crops Development Program Distinguished Farmer in the vegetable category.
Dick Evasco of the Atok Arabica Coffee Growers Marketing Cooperative (Benguet) was recognized under the Industrial Crop Category.
Another distinguished farmer is Margareta Joseph from the Fit and Farm in Baguio City under the Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program.
“Through the Farmers and Fisherfolks Month, our Republic rightly salutes the men and women who produce our food and celebrates their contribution to our nation and society. Filipino farmers and fisherfolk by their much ingenuity and resourcefulness, have nourished our people and provided for the betterment of our standards of living for as long as our nation has ever existed,” DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban said.
This celebration is for the “recognition of the hard work that our food producers selflessly offered to ensure that all Filipino households will have food on their tables every day,” he added.
It also acknowledges all Filipino agricultural and fisheries laborers in their efforts towards the advancement of food production in the country. **JDP/DEG-PIA CAR
