3rd year OA Festival here slated
The Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist and the Organic
Agriculture (OA) Stakeholders have been always working to promote OA in the Province of Bohol for healthy
environment and sustainable agriculture.
As evidence, the 3 rd year of conducting the OA Agriculture Festival which carries theme “ Panginabuhiang
Organiko, Kaugmaong OK Kaayo” is scheduled this month and next months in the agricultural province of Bohol.
Provincial Organic Focal Person Maricel C. Barloso bared that the OA Fest this year will be conducted on
September 24-25, 2024 in San Miguel for the second district, October 24-25, 2024 in Bohol Island State University
(BISU) for the third district, and on November in Tagbilaran City for the first district of which the dates will still be
agreed.
Barloso said that on the September 24-25, 2024 festival in San Miguel Gymnasium, Governor Erico Aristotle C.
Aumentado will deliver his inspirational message as his wife 2 nd District Congresswoman Vanessa C. Aumentado
will lead to give the messages of support together with San Miguel Mayor Ian Gil G. Mendez, San Miguel Vice
Mayor Faustino D. Bulaga, and Provincial Agriculturist Liza M. Quirog; while Professor Jose T. Travero,
Chairperson-Organic Agriculture Technical Working Group (TWG) will give the statement of purpose as Municipal
Agriculturist Felix M. Lucip will give his welcome message.
The opening activity in the morning would be very meaningful and colorful as the Kadiwa Ng Pangulo (KNP)
will be launched and the ribbon cutting will be done at 9:30 in the morning after the Thanksgiving Mass and parade
in which the Provincial DILG Director Jerome G. Gonzales will give the statement of purpose for KNP.
On the same day after lunch, there are Organic Agriculture Information Dissemination will be conducted after
Nemesio B. Calacat, KBOOM President could give his message.
Mae Montecillo, Regional Organic Focal Person and Barloso will present the Plans, Activities and Programs of
OA; Andrew M. Macaambac, ATI RTC-7 Organic Focal will give the updates on Youth Intership Program on OA
and other ATI OA related activities; Sheryl Lane Mar, Intern- Youth Internship Program on OA; and Rona M.
Denque, Manager-Green Thumb Farm will discuss the OA sa Negosyo: OA Towards Enterprise.
There are contests with prizes at stake to be conducted on the second day to wit: Creative Art Contest, Best
Organic Food Products, and Highest Sales Contest. The awarding of winners, synthesis of the two days activity, and
the giving of certificates will be done in the afternoon of the second day of the festival.
The first OA Festival was conducted on November 16-18, 2022 at the Bohol Cultural Center which brought the
theme “Healthy Lifestsyle through Organic Farming Methods and Practices Results to a Sustainable Agriculture in
Bohol”; while the 2 nd OA Festival was conducted in two separate areas and dates: November 13-15, 2023 at the
Bohol Showcase Center, Tagbilaran City for the first district; and November 29-30, 2023 in Talibon (2 nd district)
bringing the theme “ Panginabuhiang Organiko, Kaugmaon Segurado”.
In the province of Bohol now, there are five Boholano organic farmers whose commodities and farming practices
are certified by the Bureau of Agriculture and Fishery Standards (BAFS), National as Participatory Guarantee
System (PGS) Certified Farms as Organic.
They are Rona Denque – Sambog, Corella (Mushroom); Efrenia Holt – Cabayugan, Calape (vegetables, fruits
and chocolate); Emmanuel Gamonez – San Roque, Balilihan (rice, vegetables, organic soil ammendments/organic
fertilizers); Marilou Escalona – Bingag, Dauis (vegetables and goats); Jomer Balas – Cambacay, Batuan (vegetables,
fruits and beekeeping.
Barloso could not account on how many Boholano farmers who are engaging organic farming but she confirmed
that the numbers are very small compared to the farmers who are engaging conventional farming. However, the
numbers are increasing.By Atoy Cosap