City officials feted winners of the first Baguio Survival Garden Contest during the flag-raising rites at City Hall.
Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, Rep. Marquez O. Go, Vice Mayor Faustino A. Olowan and other city officials awarded prizes to winners from different barangays in the “in-garden” and “container” categories of the contest.
Wagner Mat-an of Bakakeng Central and Amelia Montes of Pinget are the winners in the in-ground and container garden categories, respectively. They received P8,000 each.
Runners-up in the in-ground category are Cherry Lindaoan of Lucnab (P6,000); Marino Rubio of Loakan-Liwanag (P4,000); and Martina Polgue, Pinsao Pilot Project (P3,000).
In the container category, the second, third, and fourth place finishers are Jane Pauline Abanag of Lucnab (P6,000); Eduardo Soriano of Lopez Jaena (P4,000); and Carolina Fanged of Upper Quezon Hill (P3,000).
Consolation prizes of P1,500 each were given to 10 participants in each category.
Recipients in in-house category are Jane Sannad of Middle Quirino Hill; Teresita de Guzman, Happy Hallow; Manuel Rivera, Jr., Pacdal; Leonette Baduyen, Atok Trail; Imelda Urani, Leonila Hill; Enrique Palsiw, Jr., Pucsusan; Luis Dulagan, San Vicente; Concepcion Quidno, Trancoville; Leopoldo Delfin, Ambiong; and Rovilyn Mayat-an of Asin Road.
In the container category, consolation prize recipients are David Abad of Camdas Subdivision; Eliza Bizwayan, Pacdal; Saturnina Garcia, Pinsao Proper; Regina Paytocan, Happy Hallow; Annie Rose Cayasen, Asin Road; Deborah Desierto, Sto. Tomas Proper; Vilma Corpuz, Middle Quezon Hill; Vicente Sito, Leonila Hill; Anita Gamad, Sto. Niño-Slaughterhouse Compound; and Romelyn Vargas of Marcoville.
City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) head Brigit Piok said the contest is by virtue of an ordinance urging recognition of residents and their barangays for their ingenuity and innovation in establishing community and household container gardens.
The survival gardens started during the declaration of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) over Luzon as a means to address food scarcity during that time.
The CVAO and the Department of Agriculture started distributing 20,000 packets of assorted vegetable seeds to the barangays.
Piok said 59 barangays with over 90 entries joined this year’s contest.
She hopes more participants will join in the coming years with the city intending to institutionalize the project.
Contest judges were representatives from the DA, CVAO, City Mayor’s Office, and the offices of councilors Philian Weygan Allan and Joel Alangsab. – Gaby Keith
April 25, 2024
