Bincungan Elementary School under the leadership of its principal, Mrs. Joy Jade Relos, was declared as Tagum’s 1st Gulayan sa Paaralan Excellence Awardee for Rural Category. Photo by Leo Timogan of CIO Tagum
TAGUM CITY—Six school-based vegetable gardens in the urban and rural categories were recognized by the City Government of Tagum as it rolled out its first Gulayan sa Paaralan Excellence Awards last September 15, 2014 at Big 8 Corporate Hotel.
This marked the first time for the local government under the leadership to Mayor Allan L. Rellon to hold such event to recognize the efforts and contribution of schools in institutionalizing the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP) in all elementary and secondary schools in the city.
Apokon Elementary School under the leadership of its principal, Mrs. Ma. Elena Ferido, was declared as Tagum’s 1st Gulayan sa Paaralan Excellence Awardee for Urban Category. Photo by Leo Timogan of CIO Tagum
Bincungan Elementary School topped the list in the rural category, while San Isidro Elementary School and La Filipina Elementary School was declared second and third placers, respectively. In the urban category, Apokon Elementary School was adjudged the first place winner, followed by Mangga Elementary School and Magugpo Pilot Central Elementary School as second and third place winners.
The top three winners in each category received 10,000 pesos, 7,000 pesos and 5,000 pesos, respectively, while those included in the top 10 finalists also received 2,000 pesos.
In this file photo, Mayor Allan Rellon was given a tour by Bincungan Elementary School Principal Joy Jade Relos in their Gulayan sa Paaralan. Their GPP was declared as first place winner for the rural category in the 1st Gulayan sa Paaralan Excellence Awards. Photo by Leo Timogan of CIO Tagum
The awarding ceremony culminated the citywide two-month rigorous evaluation process where schools were judged on sustainability, garden quality, nutritional outcomes, educational relevance and generation of community participation.
In his speech, Mayor Rellon said the ceremony is a fitting tribute to all the people involved who took part in strengthening the GPP—from students, principals, teachers, barangay officials, parents and volunteers.
Six school-based vegetable gardens in the urban and rural categories were recognized by the City Government of Tagum as it rolled out its first Gulayan sa Paaralan Excellence Awards last September 15, 2014 at Big 8 Corporate Hotel. Photo by Leo Timogan of CIO Tagum
He challenged the implementers to sustain the program, saying that the award is only secondary to the main purpose of implementing a win-win mechanism to sustain the schools’ feeding programs in a bold vision of eradicating malnutrition in the city.
Mayor Rellon also announced that aside from the GPP, the city government under the City Agriculture Office will also implement the Gulayan sa Barangay and Gulayan sa Kapurokan following his directive in making Tagum as a model city in vegetable farming. | Louie Lapat of CIO Tagum