The 18th Palay Festival in the municipality of Narra formally kicked off yesterday, October 18, with the theme “Palay Festival Ipagdiwang, Agrikultura at Turismo Susi sa Pagsulong ng Bayan.”
The festival, which originally started in 2002 with its former name as “Anihan Festival” is inclined to celebrate Narra’s farmers including the town’s agricultural milestones, being Palawan’s “rice granary.”
The festivity opened with a thanksgiving mass in the RVM Gymnasium and civic parade attended by Narra Mayor Gerandy Danao, staff of the local government unit (LGU), Narra barangay officials and participants, private sector employees, students from different schools, religious sectors, sponsors and local citizens.
After the civic parade, Narra LGU hosted “Gawad Agrikultura,” a special program for the local farmers of all barangays and the awarding of the southern town’s Outstanding Farmers of the Year.
Danilo Intong, Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director for MIMAROPA, served as the guest of honor during the opening program.
Intong, during his speech, said his office is open for coordination with the local municipal tourism of Narra to develop the town’s potential to boost agricultural tourism, given that the municipality is gifted with vast rice fields and agricultural products.
“Hindi ba ninyo alam na ang mga turista ay nagbabayad sa ibang lugar para lang matuto mag bayo ng bigas, maka-experience magtanim at magtahip ng bigas? Ayusin na natin, huwag umasa lang sa gobyerno, dapat matuto kayong tumaya. Ang sinasabi natin, may potential ang farm tourism,” Intong said.
The LGU together with the staff from the local Municipal Agricultural Office (MAO) conducted a deliberation to all farmers in the municipality, inclined to give credit and recognition to this year’s outstanding farmers who took their time and effort in producing highly recommended agricultural products, including crops, fish, rice and such.
The Gawad Agrikultura Award is divided into different farming and fishing categories such as Integrated Farming, Hybrid Rice Farming, Ornamentals and Flowers Production, Hybrid Corn Farming, Hybrid Rice Farming, Fish Culture/Tilapia Farming, Inbred Rice Farming, High Valued Commercial Crops Farming, Vegetable Farming and Outstanding 4H Club.
Awardees for this year’s Gawad Agrikultura includes Minda Galas of Barangay Burirao, Aser Hidalgo of Barangay Tarities, Jolly Paloma nd Arnulfo Java of Barangay Caguisan, Cynthia Alo and Andres Bonggik of Barangay Princess Urduja, Rizaldy Agsamosam of Barangay Aramaywan, Rey Fernandez and Melchor Bermudez from Barangay Sandoval, Erlinda del Rosario from Barangay Tinagong Dagat, and the Barangay 4H Club of Tinagong Dagat.
Each of the awardees received a plaque of appreciation for their valuable contribution in the agricultural and farming industry and a cash prize from LGU.