TABUK CITY, Kalinga – With the theme “Kooperasyon, Panagkakaysa Patibkeren Tapnu Napintas ti Panaglilinnangen a kas Bumarangay”, Barangay Laya West commemorate their 10th Founding Anniversary and first Vegetable Festival at the Laya West Barangay Hall.
Punong Barangay Hilary Sumbad claims that he and his constituents thought their past festival celebrations were a little bit inadequate and that they would like something better to both entertain and draw outside visitors to their barangay.
They chose to name their festival this year after the crop they are growing because their barangay has the capacity to produce a wide variety of vegetables in the future.
Additionally, Sumbad announced that their barangay beauty pageant had been reinstated and that their current winner would represent them to the Miss Tabuk Pageant in June.
The punong barangay recalled that not too long ago, barangay Laya West was listed as one of the city’s poorest and had the highest percentage of undernourished children.
“Pagyamanan tayu kadagituy farmers nga nalaing nga aggarden ta naikkat tayu ti malnutrition cases tayu,” he said.
Sumbad also hopes that by holding the vegetable festival, locals and farmers would be more motivated to plant more varieties of vegetables which can also become their source of livelihood and help reduce poverty incidence in their barangay.
The barangay and its authorities were commended by Acting City Mayor Dick Bal-o for the new festival’s opening, stating they had the potential to become the city’s vegetable basket.
The barangay was also commended by the acting mayor for encouraging everyone to consume veggies rather than merely meat and junk food in order to maintain good health.
“Isu kara bagak nga ‘Health is Wealth’ uray haan tayu nabaknang iti bulsa ngem nu met haan tayu agsakit, haan tayu karaapan ospital, ay ket naragragsak metlang nga banag dayta,” he said. By Edward Joseph Gacuya