CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — The Butil Farmers Party in cooperation with the City Government of San Fernando launched the “Gulayan sa Paaralan” program at the San Isidro Elementary School the other day.
Butil Representative Agapito Guanlao told Sun.Star Pampanga that they aim to encourage schools to go into agricultural production to teach students the importance of the production of vegetables in the economy and in promoting healthy eating habits.
Guanlao said schools can utilize their idle lands around school buildings in setting up school gardens that are productive and which produce could be used for school-based feeding programs or could be sold to the immediate community.
The launching was attended by City Vice Mayor Edwin Satiago, Barangay Captain Nestor Lingat, Principal Ariel Garcia and local officials.
The Butil Farmers Party donated gardening tools, shredders, seedlings, organic fertilizer, assorted seeds and sprayer for the school’s gardening program.
Guanlao said they also sponsored the feeding program of 150 undernourished children through a supplemental feeding along with the milk feeding of 200 students. The milk feeding program is in partnership with the National Dairy Authority.
Section 16 of RA 7884, otherwise known as the National Dairy Development Act of 1995, provides that the Authority shall provide support for the government’s nutrition program by producing milk and dairy products sourced from small farmers and dairy cooperatives nationwide.