A total of 1,100 packs of assorted vegetables seeds were given by the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) to stakeholders on July 28, 2020 at the agency compound.
DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga handed over the 150 packets of seeds to representatives from Camaman-an National High School, 50 packets to Barangay Nutrition Committee of Pagatpat, Cagayan de Oro City, and 450 packets each of sinigang and chopsuey seeds to the Municipal Agriculture Office of Lantapan, Bukidnon.
Kelvin Kent E. Giron, Secondary School Teacher I of Camaman-an National High School said, the Department of Education Division of Cagayan de Oro has recently launched the ‘My Pet Plant’ project which aims to encourage children to venture into urban gardening as they continue to learn their usual subjects.
“The school plans to distribute the vegetables during the opening of classes this August to prepare students and parents to a learning modality during this health crisis,” he detailed.
Meanwhile, Jhon Ketz L. Gayla, Area Technician of the City Agriculture Office in Cagayan de Oro, who received the seeds on behalf of the Barangay Nutrition Committee in Pagatpat, CdeO, shared, they will be using the seeds as tokens to participants in their Household Container Gardening contest during the culminating activity of their Nutrition Month.
On the other hand, Acting Municipal Agriculture Officer Neptali C. Ambos of Lantapan, Bukidnon stated, they will be distributing the seeds during their “Hatod Serbisyo sa Barangay” program.
“We will be giving out the seeds to the 14 barangays and various schools in our area, as support to their ‘Gulayan sa Paaralan’ endeavor,” he added.
RTD Madriaga revealed that the agency has utilized P3.3 million for the provision of vegetable seeds of which 877.092 kgs or 23,508 packets have been provided to clients as of July 25, 2020.
“In line with the directive of President Rodrigo R. Duterte during his State of the Nation Address, the agency continues to strengthen its efforts in providing vegetable seeds to various stakeholders through the Plant, Plant, Plant program,” she added. # (AMBManto, DA-10)