Advocating Government Greening Program

A variety of fruit trees of different kinds and a bunches of vegetable tops and root crops were availed by our school, Cubay Elementary School as price as one of the winners in the BPI on-the-spot cooking contest held recently at the nursery compound of the government agency.

These fruit trees could serve as the planting materials for the school tree planting activity. These are only a portion of planting trees in implementing the National Greening Program of the PH government that all government employees and students shall plant ten (10) trees per year for six (6) years. The program started in 2011 and will end in 2016.

NGP main objectives are to consolidate and harmonize all greening efforts of the government agencies, schools, civil society and private sectors to implement sustainable management of natural resources through resource conservation, protection, and productivity enhancement and climate change mitigation by expanding forest cover.

CES Spicy Kalabasa Okoy Menu

I have witnessed recently the on-the-spot cooking contest sponsored by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) recently as a part of its field day, showcasing organic agriculture and other projects of National Crop Research and Development Center here in La Carlota City.

I observed that this contest could be a good avenue and development for prospective professional cook. School pupils from Grades V and VI participated in this half-day cooking contest.

Actually, BPI Agricultureal Center Chief IV, Milagros B. Abaquita sent a communication inviting those Grade V and VI pupils of five selected elementary schools within the vicinity of the center and our school, Cubay Elem. School was one of the participating schools. The other schools were Nagasi ES, Ferlou ES, Haguimit ES, and La Granja.

Negros Farmers Organic Festival Harvests Millions

The week-long 6th Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival earned Php2 million in gross sales, said Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. who spearheaded this year's festival under its Negros First Development Agenda.

The farmer festival was held on Dec. 16 to 20, 2011 at the Provincial Capitol grounds.

Twenty-five top chefs and restaurateurs, which 17 were Manila-based, joined the CookFest, to demonstrate their special menus using local and organic ingredients.

The chefs considered the Negros Island as a major source of organic products for they cannot find them by bulk or with consistent supply in Luzon for their respective restaurants in Manila, said Ramon “Chin-chin” Uy Jr., president of Organik na Negros! Organic Producers and Retailers Association.

Negros First and Biggest Organic Festival Slated

The first and biggest 5-day organic festival in the Philippines of the Negros Island Organic Farmers is on December 16 and it will last until 20 at Provincial Capitol Grounds, Bacolod City.

As one of the largest fairs of certified organic food product here in the country, it started in 2006 and made a name for the Negros island as "the Organic Food Bowl of Asia" for being the major producer of organic products in the country.

More than 100 farmers will showcase their best products like Locavore, native, Artisanal, Vegan, healthy and other sustainable produce.

Exhibits will be appreciated at the Organic na Negros! Market and event booths at Gatuslao Street and South Capitol road (fronting the Negros Forest and COA office).