DA promotes National Year of Rice in Panagbenga

By Redjie Cawis & Fely Ann M. Del Rosario

Monday 4th of March 2013

BAGUIO CITY, Mar. 4 (PIA) -- The recently concluded Panagbenga 2013 or the 18th Baguio Flower Festival celebrations in this summer capital has drawn the attention of the public on the importance of rice and the National Year of Rice 2013.

Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Regional Technical Director for Operations Danilo Daguio said the DA joined the festivities of the Panagbenga to promote the advocacy campaign of 2013 as the National Year of Rice which was declared by President Aquino under Proclamation no. 494 on October 18, 2012.

The DA participated in Grand Float Parade Dancing on February 24 with its beautifully crafted float bearing the NYR 2013 logo and the tagline “Sapat na Bigas, Kaya ng Pinas.” The float won the first place beating the other 18 competing floats.

Designed with colorful flowers that came from the province of Benguet, the DA float depicted the strong and unified support and commitment of the six provinces in the Cordillera – Abra, Apayao, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province, to achieve rice self-sufficiency in the country starting year 2013.

Aboard the float were ladies in their native Cordillera costumes and the different varieties of rice found in the region as well as rice alternatives such as rootcrops.

DA-CAR Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division Chief Pat Annanayo said the float parade as part of the celebration of the Panagbenga became a venue for the department’s “Panatang Makapalay” to reach not only the locals, but also the tourists. He added that the message it conveys will be of great help for the people to conserve rice.

“Ang Panatang Makapalay ay para ipaabot sa mamamayan ang kahalagahan ng bigas,” Annanayo said.

The DA also had a booth during the week-long Session Road in Bloom with the NYR as its theme. Displayed were organic rice and vegetables, the One Town One Product of the different municipalities and provinces and information materials such as flyers and brochures on the NYR and the different programs and projects of the government in agriculture.

Individuals who came to the booth of the DA were encouraged to support the NYR advocacy campaign thru the Panatang Makapalay or the Rice Pledge.They were urged to recite the Panatang Makapalay so that it be instilled on them.

Daguio reported that the Cordillera is a rice self-sufficient region in 2012 having a rice self-sufficiency level of 119 percent but he stressed the regional challenge in 2013 for the whole CAR is to produce 524, 998 metric ton of palay to be able to contribute to the rice self-sufficiency goal of the present administration thru the NYR 2013. (JDP/ RC and Fely Ann M. Del Rosario)