Sorry to disappoint Beatlemaniacs out there but this week’s piece is not about one of the Fab Four’s greatest musical masterpieces but rather about the fruit itself, that is, strawberry. It must be due to lack of geographic knowhow or just plain ignorance that most people outside the Cordillera associate the luscious seasonal fruit to Baguio City and not La Trinidad, Benguet where it is actually grown and propagated.
You can’t blame them, I guess, since visitors usually buy strawberry products at the Baguio public market and not in La Trinidad. Besides, being the country’s Summer Capital, most tourists would like to have their products with the mark “Made in Baguio City” on it even if it is more expensive. That’s fortunate for Baguio and maybe not so for La Trinidad where the strawberry farms are.
Anyway, our beloved City of vanishing Pines and Ibaloys may soon have its own strawberry farms rivaling that of La Trinidad as the city government through the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) under Dr. Brigit Piok has established eight strawberry greenhouses so far in several barangays in the Summer Capital for livelihood purposes. She said project implementation commenced last year with six of the green houses funded by the Department of Agriculture and two by the Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation, Inc. through the initiative of Mayor Benjamin Magalong. Four more similar structures are planned to be erected by the end of this year with suitable areas currently being looked at by the CVAO, Piok said.
She said the city government is collaborating with an association in the barangay where the strawberry greenhouse is erected, and whose members are expected to propagate and care for the plants to supplement their livelihoods. San Andreas and Sweet Charlie are the strawberry varieties used as planting materials in the greenhouses, Piok said.
She said the mayor met recently with DA Sec. William Dar regarding the possibility of providing more funds that will sustain the project until next year and beyond. The mayor also promised to look for other sources of funding for the project, which is in line with its 15-point agenda specifically strengthening livelihood and entrepreneurial services. Cheers!
FYI: The protection of vaccination is much stronger than recent infection with Covid-19, according to a new study of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among adults hospitalized with symptoms similar to Covid-19, unvaccinated people recently infected with Covid-19 were over five times more likely to test positive for COVID-19 compared with people who were recently fully vaccinated. This study highlights the importance of getting vaccinated, even if you’ve already had Covid-19. Learn more at bit.ly/MMWR7044e1.
Here’s “Then I Realized” by an unknown author: “And then I realized/ that to be/ more alive/ I had to/ be less/ afraid/ so/ I did it…/ I lost my/ fear/ and gained/ my whole life.”
We are live on-air every Wednesday, 8 to 9 a.m., over K-Lite FM 96.7 radio to report on the latest news and information emanating from the city government of Baguio. You can also call us at the Public Information Office at (074) 442-2502 or visit the office at the second floor of City Hall. Keep safe, y’all!
Let’s end with a prayer: “Thankful Lord, that You’ve blessed me beyond measure. Thankful that in my heart lives life’s greatest treasure. That You, dear Jesus, reside in that place and I’m ever so grateful for Your unending grace. So please, heavenly Father, bless this food You’ve provided, and bless each and every person invited..” (from the internet)
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless and keep us all safe.
