The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office III (DA RFO III) celebrated the success of the 2024 Gulayan sa Barangay (GSB) Program during its Provincial and Regional Awarding Ceremony held on November 21, 2024, at Royce Hotel, Clark Freeport Zone in Mabalacat City, Pampanga.
The event honored the region’s top GSB implementers and highlighted the significant impact of the GSB Program in promoting sustainable agricultural practices and local food systems across Central Luzon.
Launched in 2021, the GSB Program aims to support barangays in establishing vegetable gardens that provide communities with fresh and nutritious food. Through this initiative, the DA RFO III has empowered local residents to cultivate and produce vegetables on their own, promoting food security, improved nutrition, and a stronger sense of community involvement.
The program, which initially focused on creating model vegetable gardens in each barangay, has since seen tremendous success. Each garden, usually covering at least 600 square meters, encourages ten or more households to try vegetable gardening. This helps provide fresh produce for local consumption while offering a way for residents to earn a steady income.
The GSB Program continues to thrive as barangays produce a wide variety of vegetables, boosting local food production and enhancing the overall health and welfare of the community.
This year, a total of 38 barangays in Central Luzon benefited from the GSB Program. Each recipient barangay was provided with essential interventions, including vegetable seeds, garden tools, and other farm inputs, which they can use for their gardens.
During the event, the top three GSB implementers from each province in Central Luzon were recognized, with the first-place winners representing their respective provinces in the regional competition.
1st Place with P380,000 cash prize – Brgy. Calantipay, Baliwag City, Bulacan
2nd Place with P200,000 cash prize – Brgy. Mucdol, Dipaculao, Aurora
3rd Place with P100,000 cash prize – Brgy. Imelda Valley, Palayan City, Nueva Ecija
In addition to the major awards, several barangays were recognized with special awards, each receiving Php 5,000.00 in cash for their achievements:
- Facebook Favorite – Brgy. Imelda Valley, Palayan City, Nueva Ecija
- Best Crop Museum – Brgy. Mucdol, Dipaculao, Aurora
- Best Innovations with Recycled Materials – Brgy. Calantipay, Baliwag City, Bulacan
- Best in Household Replications – Brgy. Tuyo, Balanga City, Bataan
- Best Scrapbook – Brgy. San Isidro, Botolan, Zambales
- Best Seed Bank – Brgy. San Miguel, Lubao, Pampanga
- Best Storage – Brgy. Calantipay, Baliwag City, Bulacan
- Best Gulayan sa Barangay Advocate – Brgy. Calantipay, Baliwag City, Bulacan
- Best Nursery – Brgy. Imelda Valley, Palayan City, Nueva Ecija
- Kumikitang Gulayan sa Barangay – Brgy. Calantipay, Baliwag City, Bulacan
- Best Audio-Visual Presentation – Brgy. Rang-Ayan, Paniqui, Tarlac
- Best Kapitan – Hon. Cecilia T. Tolentino – Brgy. Calantipay, Baliwag City, Bulacan
- Best Mayor – Hon. Mayor Ferdinand V. Estrella – Brgy. Calantipay, Baliwag City, Bulacan
The event also featured the awarding of the 2024 High-Value Crops Achievers’ Awards (HVCAA), which recognized the Top 10 Outstanding Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) for their exceptional service and performance in advancing the HVCDP. Each of the Top 10 received Php 20,000.00 in cash. The recipients were:
- Judith U. Mateo
- Manuel B. Amatorio
- Nelita K. Abordo
- Raymart C. Santiago
- Marlon B. Pascua
- Salvacion N. Gaspar
- Daisylyn G. Villasfer
- Christian Allen A. Ventura
- Angelica C. Buena
- Marry Rose D. Bautista
Atty. Joycel R. Panlilio, Assistant Secretary for the High-Value Crops Development Program, graced the event as the Guest of Honor. In her speech, she emphasized the importance of collaboration, innovation, and resilience in Philippine agriculture.
“Today, we are not just celebrating success but also recognizing the spirit of resilience, innovation, and hope that drives the heart of Philippine agriculture,” Atty. Panlilio stated.
She highlighted the GSB Program as a shining example of bayanihan, the Filipino tradition of working together for the common good, and stressed the connection between the GSB Program and the Zero-Kilometer Food Project, which aims to promote locally sourced food and strengthen food systems at the community level.
Atty. Panlilio encouraged everyone to continue working together to ensure the program’s success.
“Let us keep the momentum going, embrace new techniques, share the knowledge we gained through this project, and continue to innovate,” she said. ### (Gerald Tongol, DA 3-RAFIS)
