By Claro A. Lanipa
PAGADIAN CITY – The Department of
Agriculture (DA)-9 in collaboration with the city government here held
Wednesday a “Walk for Rice” to highlight the culmination program of the National
Rice Awareness Month celebration.
Some 800 participants composed of national and local
government officials and employees, academe, and non-government organizations
joined the walk around the city’s main streets that ended with the culmination
program at the city gymnasium.
In his welcome address, Councilor Christopher Ariosa, committee
on agriculture chair, said “to sustain sufficient rice production, let’s join hands
and help each other toward achieving progress and development not only for our
own self but for the betterment of every one particularly our children and our
children’s children.”
As the chair of the agriculture committee in the city
council, Ariosa expressed his commitment and support to the
government’s program, which is anchored on the theme “Sapat na Bigas, Kaya sa
Pinas,” and encouraged everyone to stay united.
On the other hand, Mayor Romeo Pulmones whose message
was read by City Administrator Prixio Daniel, said “the government’s effort to
attain rice sufficiency is a laudable and encouraging vision, but to achieve
this there is really a need for the cooperation of everyone, the farmers,
policy makers and the consuming public.”
“Let’s not entrust this program only to the farmers or just
leave it to the government to achieve rice sufficiency in country; everyone has
to do his part,” Pulmones added.
“Today we are culminating the celebration of National
Rice Awareness Month, but the pursuit to attain rice sufficiency continues. Let
us help each other because none other who will benefit from this program except
us in this present time and let us also prepare for the generations to come,”
Mayor Pulmones concluded. (PIA9)