President Benigno S. Aquino III led this year’s Gawad Saka awarding ceremonies honoring the country’s outstanding farmers and fisherfolk at the Rizal Hall in Malacanang.
In his message after handing out the awards, the President said the Gawad Saka signifies the tremendous potential of the country’s agriculture sector to the national economy and people’s lives.
“Taus-puso ko pong binabati ang mga tumanggap ng Gawad Saka awards ngayong taon na nagpamalas ng kanilang katangi-tanging sipag at husay sa pagpapaunlad ng sektor ng pambansang sakahan at pangisdaan. Nawa’y patuloy kayong magpamalas at magbahagi ng inyong mayamang kaalaman na malaki ang naiambag sa pambansang kaunlaran,” the President said.
Like farmers fighting pests and diseases, the President said his administration is initiating reforms in the government so that the country moves faster towards national progress.
The agriculture sector will always be a priority of his administration, he said, noting the plans that he lined up to develop the sector further in the coming years.
For instance, the national government allotted P61 billion for the annual budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA) for 2012, which is a 60-percent increase from the previous year.
The Gawad Saka awardees include: Anna Cagulada (Davao del Norte), integrated rice farming; Alfredo Roble (Leyte), hybrid rice farming; Diosdado Bermudez (Ilagan, Isabela), corn farming; Wilfredo Martinez (San Luis, Aurora), coconut farming; Roberto Cauilan (Solana, Cagayan), sugarcane farming; Francisco Ching (Mankayan, Benguet), high value crops farming; Ian Neo (Apokon, Tagum City), agri-entrepreneur; Benjamin Lao (Bansalan, Davao del Sur), organic farming;
Danilo Trongco (Lagangilang, Abra), fish culture; Eddie Amorada (Sta. Ana, Cagayan), fish capture; Desiderio Lou (Bacong, Negros Oriental), large animal raising; Genice Dalisdis (Tuba, Benguet), small animal raising; Anthony Suguitao (Aroroy, Masbate), young farmer; Ceferino Dureza and family (Brooke’s Point, Palawan), farmer; Cabacungan 4H Club (Allen, Northern Samar), young farmers/fisherfolk organization;
Balidbid Ric (Salcedo, Ilocos Sur), Rural Improvement Club; Calumpit Multi-purpose Cooperative (Sablayan Occidental Mindoro), small farmer/fisherfolk organization; Kayapa Nueva Viscaya MAFC (Nueva Viscaya), city/municipal agricultural and fishery council; Barangay Rebokon (Dumalinao, Zamboanga del Sur), outstanding barangay food terminal; Sayapot MPC (Tadian, Mt. Province), outstanding barangay food terminal; Bani FARMC (Bani, Pangasinan), fisheries and aquatic resources management council; and Carlso dela Cruz (Abuyog, Leyte), agricultural scientist.
Tags: Abra), agri-entrepreneur; Benjamin Lao (Bansalan, agricultural scientist, Anna Cagulada (Davao del Norte), Aurora), Balidbid Ric (Salcedo, Benguet), Cagayan), city/municipal agricultural and fishery council; Barangay Rebokon (Dumalinao, coconut farming; Roberto Cauilan (Solana, corn farming; Wilfredo Martinez (San Luis, Danilo Trongco (Lagangilang, Davao del Sur), farmer; Cabacungan 4H Club (Allen, fish capture; Desiderio Lou (Bacong, fish culture; Eddie Amorada (Sta. Ana, fisheries and aquatic resources management council; and Carlso dela Cruz (Abuyog, high value crops farming; Ian Neo (Apokon, hybrid rice farming; Diosdado Bermudez (Ilagan, Ilocos Sur), integrated rice farming; Alfredo Roble (Leyte), Isabela), large animal raising; Genice Dalisdis (Tuba, Leyte), Masbate), Mt. Province), negros oriental, Northern Samar), organic farming, outstanding barangay food terminal; Bani FARMC (Bani, outstanding barangay food terminal; Sayapot MPC (Tadian, Palawan), Pangasinan), Rural Improvement Club; Calumpit Multi-purpose Cooperative (Sablayan Occidental Mindoro), small animal raising; Anthony Suguitao (Aroroy, small farmer/fisherfolk organization; Kayapa Nueva Viscaya MAFC (Nueva Viscaya), sugarcane farming; Francisco Ching (Mankayan, Tagum City), young farmer; Ceferino Dureza and family (Brooke’s Point, young farmers/fisherfolk organization, Zamboanga del Sur)