BACOLOD CITY — The City of Bago, dubbed the rice granary of Negros Occidental, was recognized by the Department of Agriculture (DA) as one of the country’s top rice producers.
Bago was among the 2017 Rice Achievers, a recognition it received for the first time. It was the only local government unit awardee from Western Visayas this year.
“Bago City takes pride in receiving the honor for the first time,” said Mayor Nicholas Yulo in a statement released on Friday night.
Yulo and city agriculturist Carlito Indencia received the award, which includes a trophy and a check worth PHP1 million, from Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol and Senator Cynthia Villar during the rites held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Thursday.
Indencia said Bago was awarded for surpassing the national average yield for rice production.
Figures from the City Agriculture Office showed that Bago produced 4.2 tons of rice per hectare in 2017, higher than the 4.01-metric-ton minimum requirement set by the DA.
Indencia added that the southern Negros city contributed 19.57 percent to Negros Occidental’s total rice production.
Currently, Bago’s rice sufficiency level is at 235.67 percent.
Moreover, Yulo attributed the award to the implementation of various programs and projects, including interventions and support services provided by the city government to its farmers, which resulted in a significant increase in rice production.
Bago was part of the seven provinces and 15 cities and municipalities awarded by the DA this year.
The provinces received checks worth PHP4 million each, while the cities and municipalities got PHP1 million each aside from trophies.
Eight irrigators’ associations for the national and communal irrigation system categories and three small water irrigation system associations were also awarded trophies and checks worth PHP500,000 each. ( Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
