BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved a resolution strongly urging all the city’s 128 barangays to create their respective committee on agriculture to cater to all agriculture concerns in their areas of jurisdiction.
The resolution authored by Councilors Leandro B. Yangot, Jr., Maria Mylene Victoria G. Yaranon, Arthur Alad-iw, Elaine D. Sembrano, and Faustino A. Olowan stated the Baguio City Agriculture and Fisheries Council in coordination with the City Veterinary office requested for the creation of the committee on agriculture in every barangay of the city pursuant to CAFC Resolution No. 001, series of 2018 to allow barangay officials to be able to immediately act on agriculture concerns being brought to their attention.
The resolution underscored the creation of the committee on agriculture in the city’s 128 barangays is imperative to ensure that all agricultural concerns in their areas of jurisdiction will be given preferential attention by those tasked to be in charge of the committee.
“If we develop the barangays, we are developing the city as a whole, thus, improving and developing the agriculture sector in the barangays is considered to be contributing in the development of the city as a whole,” the resolution stated.
The resolution added the barangay, which is the smallest political unit in a locality, plays a vital role in the successful implementation of the declared policy of agricultural development in the grassroots level.
According to the approved measure, the local government is duty-bound to protect life and advance the right of its citizens to food self-sufficiency, sovereignty and safety, sustainable livelihood and social equity in accordance with the rhythm and harmony of nature.
Section 16 of the Local Government code provides that every local government unit shall exercise the powers expressly granted, those necessarily implied therefrom, as well as powers necessary, appropriate, or incidental for its efficient and effective governance and those which are essential for the promotion of the general welfare.
Section 2 of Republic Act (RA) 10068 otherwise known as An Act Providing for the Development and Promotion of Organic Agriculture in the Philippines state that it is a declared policy of the State to promote, propagate, develop further and implement the practice of organic agriculture in the country that will cumulatively condition and enrich the fertility of the soil, increase farm productivity, reduce pollution and destruction of the environment, prevent the depletion of natural resources, further protect the health of farmers, consumers and the general public, and save on imported farm inputs.
The resolution explained towards the realization of the wisdom of the law, a Comprehensive Program for the Promotion of Community-based Organic Agriculture Systems which include, among others, farmers-produced purely organic fertilizers such as compost pesticides and other farm inputs, together with a nationwide educational and promotional campaign for their use and processing as well as adoption of organic agriculture system as a viable alternative shall be undertaken.
The approved resolution will be transmitted to the city’s 128 barangays for their further needed action once it will be signed by Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan
By Dexter A. See
