CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – With relevance to the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) vow to lead the agriculture sector towards sustainable food security, its regional field office in Northern Mindanao (RFO 10) heightens its support to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) “My Pet Plant” project through vegetable seeds distribution to eight public schools within the city.

In recent weeks, key officials of DA-RFO 10, among them regional technical directors Carmelita T. Bajarla and Carlota S. Madriaga, handed over a total of 50 packets of Chopsuey variant comprising pechay, radish, carrots, cauliflower, 50 packets of Garden Salad variant with romaine and iceberg lettuce, tomato, cucumber, 10 packs of okra, 9 packets of pechay, 8 packets of eggplant and 1 pack of kangkong seeds to the DepEd – Division of Cagayan de Oro (CdeO) school representatives.

Recipients from Carmen National High School (CNHS), Gusa National High School – Cugman Annex, Pedro ‘Oloy’ N. Roa Sr. High School, Puntod National High School, City Central School (Velez), Magayad Elementary School (MES), Midkiwan Elementary School and Tablon Elementary School, received the said veggie seeds.

DepEd-CdeO imposed a division-wide intervention to develop students’ psycho-social and cognitive skills through cultivation of vegetable seeds and answer related questions to also debrief them in preparation for SY 2020-2021.

“My Pet Plant Project is an integration to several subjects of the school, from Science which teaches students the germination of seeds and development of plants, to Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) on taking good care of them. It is somehow interconnected to various topics discussed in the classroom,” detailed School In-Charge of MES Ma. Dulce F. Cuerquis.

Meanwhile, Secondary School Teacher I of CNHS Ralf Vincent M. Sabuero stated, the said intervention is not only for psycho-social activity of the students, but also to provide food for consumption to their families.

City Central School representative Nicolas A. Nacaytuna expressed, the said activity will be means to motivate students to see the value of hardwork through planting.

On the other hand, Gusa National High School – Cugman Annex School Head Elizer O. Teruel revealed, that they already have 1,435 students at present and is still accepting enrollees that will also benefit from the said project.

DepEd’s initiative of “My Pet Plant” along with their “Gulayan sa Paaralan” project reinforces DA’s advocacy to increase food adequacy level in the country. # (Irish Mae Juntahan)