A main event of the annual Panaad sa Negros Festival, the Pasidungog sa Panguma, Pangisda kag Pangkasapatan ceremony, which honors outstanding farmers and fisherfolk, took place on Saturday.
The ceremony, coordinated by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) and the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), was led by Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr.
For farming, the individual farmers that were honored include Felicisimo Pajanconi, Bikee Cabaluna, Ben Ayco, Lee Aplaon, Reneboy Sombria, Antonio Jesus Orbina, Roy Rivera, Delia Edianel, Benjie Naro, Rosie Alit, and Rosely Basalan.
Hinigaran won for Outstanding Municipal Agricultural & Fishery Council, while Kabankalan City won for Outstanding City Agricultural & Fishery Council.
Among the other awards, Marikudo Ati Community won for Outstanding Indigenous Cultural Community; the Efren Teodoro Family was named Outstanding Farm Family; CASA Agrarian Reform Cooperative took Outstanding Small Farmer Organization; Bagonbon Small Farmers Association won the Outstanding Cluster Association with Highest NFUCIP (Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program) Enrollees; and Gil Montilla SWISA was named Outstanding Small Water Irrigation System Association.
In the fisheries category, some of the recipients include Jorge Elemento, Ramy Entierro, Ruel Libo-on, Sr., the Kalipay Small Fishermen Association, the Silay City Bantay Dagat, the Ilog Bantay Dagat, the Wilson Alico Family, and the Hinoba-an Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Management Council (FARMC).
Meanwhile, awards for women and youth were also distributed, with Ricky Dalgontas winning for young farmer, Josefina Tizo among rural women, Green Earth 4H Club winning for young farmer organization, and the Hacienda Nasipunan Women’s Association RIC of Barangay 13 in the RIC category./WDJ