Quezon province declared ‘2017 Hall of Fame awardee’

Provincial agriculturist Roberto Gajo (left) poses with Gov. David Suarez and ALONA Partylist Rep. Anna Villaraza Suarez at a symposium o...

Provincial agriculturist Roberto Gajo (left) poses with Gov. David Suarez and ALONA Partylist Rep. Anna Villaraza Suarez at a symposium on food and nutrition in Bangkok, Thailand.

by JOHN A. BELLO 

LUCENA CITY, Quezon – Quezon province has been declared hall of fame awardee in the 2017 Regional Gawad Saka Awards (RGSA) for outstanding farmers and fishers of the province in the whole Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region.

The award, given last Oct. 27 at the Batangas Provincial Capitol, recognized and honoured 7 farmers and fishers. They are: Florencio Perez, outstanding rice farmer from Tiaong; Jerson Cabriga, outstanding young farmer from Tayabas; Angelito Mendoza, outstanding high value crops farmer from Sariaya; Nilo Barrameda, outstanding fisherfolk from Calauag; Rossana Sinapilo, outstanding organic farmer from Candelaria; Pinagdanlayan RIC, outstanding rural improvement club from Dolores; and Ninieveh Fortun-Glinoga, outstanding small animal raiser from Pitogo.

Barrameda and Mendoza are included in the National Gawad Saka as finalists.

As Hall of Fame awardee, Gov. David ‘Jayjay’ Suarez was named outstanding governor, while provincial agriculturist Roberto Gajo was also recipient of the award along with Cristina Lucila of the Information and Training Division of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) and as provincial Gawad Saka focal person.

Suarez was elated of the award saying it proves the determination and persistence of the farmers and fishers to show their best for the agricultural sector in the province.

Gajo said he shared the honor and triumph to all those in the agricultural sector of the province.

“Nakakatuwa naman po maging Hall of Famer ang Quezon. Ito po ay hindi lang naming tagumpay. Kayo po (mga magsasaka) ang dahilan kung bakit natin ito nakamit,” Gajo told his fellow Quezonians.

Gajo chairs the Provincial Gawad Saka Committee with Lucila as vice chair and focal person. Members include coordinators from various sectors such as fishery, corn, farmers association, rice sector, youth, provincial RIC, among others.

The OPA conducts an annual search for outstanding agricultural achievers which aims to recognize and encourage greater productivity in the field of agriculture. Specifically, it is designed to search for outstanding farmers and fisherfolk who are successful in their areas; to search for exemplary achievements that can be duplicated by others, serve as role models in the province and to share their expertise with others in their sector.

Recently OPA has conducted seminar on Integrated Diversified Organic Farming at Quezon National Agricultural School in Pagbilao; training on cacao propagation for Alabat Cacao Association in Bgy. Camagong, Alabat; distribution of 10,000 guyabano seedlings in Sta. Catalina, Atimonan; and validation of Gulayan sa Paaralan in Sariaya.