LOCAL EXEC: ROOT CROPS PRODUCTION BOOMING IN BARCELONA, SORSOGON

The local government of Barcelona town in Sorsogon Province has refocused its food security initiatives for its people by implementing root crops production since the onset of the pandemic last year.

In an interview with Presidential Communications Secretary Martin M. Andanar on September 30, via Network Briefing News, Barcelona Mayor Cynthia Falcotelo-Fortes shared that aside from its dominant agricultural products, the town is also enjoying the booming outcome of root crops production.

“The Local Government Unit initiated root crops production. It was during the ECQ noong nabuo ang ideya na ito na magtanim ng root crops. [The Local Government Unit initiated root crops production. It was during the ECQ that this idea to plant root crops was born.],” Mayor Fortes said.

The idea of root crops production has also led to the establishment of an ECQ market for families in the town wherein they can buy food essentials and agricultural commodities by means of ECQ coupons issued by the LGU.

According to Mayor Fortes, around 10 hectares in the town have been converted into areas for planting root crops to respond to the increasing demand for such products since the implementation of community quarantine last year.

“Ang ginawa po ng LGU ay cash for work scheme po ang ginamit dito initially, around 20,000 lang po ang apat na barangay at napapalago na po nila ito. [What the LGU did was to implement a cash for work scheme. Initially it was only around 20,000 in four barangays and this has grown already.],” she added.

‘Upskilling the People’

Aside from diversifying its agricultural programs, the local government initiated the production of soap made out of Cosmos flowers or also known as Barcelona blooms in the locality.

“Part of the LGU’s mission is upskilling the people and building them up,” she pointed out, citing that the program is aligned in the upskilling product development under the vision of the Sangguniang Bayan.

So far, the program has also reached schools, particularly for parents and teachers in the communities wherein they also produce Cosmos soap that will be available in the local market, Mayor Fortes said.