LIFS Hosts Successful First Pista sa Uma

By: Raul Jason Obrence

The Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division of Roxas City made history by holding the first-ever Pista sa Uma at Loctugan Integrated Farm School (LIFS) in Loctugan, Roxas City. LIFS, the first-ever farm school in the city, served as the perfect venue for the said event, showcasing the success of the Farm School Program of the Department of Education.

LIFS is one of the 26 farm schools established in the entire Western Visayas based on Republic Act 10618, also known as “An Act Establishing Rural Farm School as Alternative Delivery Mode of Secondary Education” and Regional Memorandum No. 149, series of 2021.

During the press conference, Education Program Supervisor Gorgonio Batilaran emphasized that aside from teaching students to farm, they will also be agriculture as stated on the Farm School Curriculum Map.

The school’s principal, Mario Cerujano, happily invited interested students from various backgrounds to enroll in the school as long as they are interested in agriculture.

Dr. Roel F. Bermejo, Schools Division Superintendent, expressed his gratitude towards the different sectors of the government who showed their support to the farm school. He highlighted that the farm program is a big help not just to students but also to the community as a whole.

After the press conference, the school conducted a talk show with the presence of different government agencies that promised their support for the farm program. The agency present included the Department of Agriculture, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Trade and Industry, and others.

The Pista sa Uma event had an

Agricultural Product Exhibit, participated in by different schools and clusters of Roxas City Division. The event also included other activities such as Binayli, Pahampang sa Uma, and Cooking Contest.

The school was filled with great music, local foods, and delicacies, and stories of authentic agricultural Filipino, creating a nostalgic ambiance for the participants. The event started with a parade that started from Crossing Lanot to the school.

The success of the first-ever Pista sa Uma in Roxas City only shows the positive impact of the Farm School Program on the community. It is expected that more