'Gulayan' bears fruit in Dagupan schools

MANILA, Philippines - A program that encourages students and teachers to engage in backyard gardening and livestock raising in schools for livelihood, nutrition and environmental preservation has born fruit in the Gulayan sa Paaralan Pagsasarili project for public schools in Dagupan City, Pangasinan.

Alma Ruby Torio, schools division superintendent, said the program not only helps provide food for feeding programs in the schools but also helps create a clean environment conducive to learning by using organic waste as fertilizers.

The program is implemented by the Department of Education and Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez.

Last week, Carael Elementary School won the top prize of P20,000, breaking the six-year winning streak of Lucao Elementary School, which won the second prize of P17,000.

Twelve other schools took home runner-up prizes. Special awards were also given, including Edwin Gorosa of the North Central Elementary School for the best agricultural teacher, Carael Elementary School for best medicinal garden and best agricultural research, among others.

Also awarded were the winners of the cook fest that was held in February at the CSI Atrium and which featured the produce from the gardens.

The project was patterned after the Gulayan sa Barangay, a continuing program of the Department of Agriculture, which aims to promote food sustainability by encouraging schools to engage in backyard gardening, fish culture and livestock raising.

Each school has to have all these agricultural components to qualify, and are judged according to the following criteria: 70 percent for backyard gardening, 20 percent for aquaculture and 10 percent for livestock.

The contest, which began in October last year, involved five high schools and all the 33 elementary schools in the city.