Gov. Lilia Pineda shares a big smile with farmers honored at the Pampanga Day activity on Wednesday.
Photo by Ric Gonzales
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Farmers and members of Indigenous groups in Pampanga have been honoured at the week-long founding anniversary celebration led by Gov. Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda.
Pineda and Board Members Monina Laus, Fritzie David-Dizon and Trina Dizon graced the “Aldo ning Ortelano” and “Aldo ning Katutubo” for farmers and Aetas, respectively, in separate programs at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center here on Wednesday.
Pineda said the “farmers and Aetas had longed been neglected and they deserved special treatment” on the 440th founding anniversary of the province, dubbed Pampanga Day. It’s simultaneously held in Los Angeles, USA and its opening on December 3 was graced by the first-term governor.
Officials led by Provincial Administrator Andres Pangilinan Jr. disclosed that it was Pineda who pushed for the programs honoring the farmers, most of whom depend on rice production.
He added that the governor had prioritized the general welfare of some 15,000 Aetas in Porac, Floridablanca and Mabalacat towns.
Roy Imperial, governor’s consultant-adviser, said the Pampanga Agricultural Modernization Program (PAMP) was drafted in line with the Food Staple Security Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
He said Pineda will assist “poor farmers” with less than 2 hectares of farmland each. Imperial is a former high-ranking DA official in Central Luzon.
Imperial said that Pineda had instructed him and Crispin Guintu, acting provincial agriculturist, to ensure the production of seedlings resilient to the effects of climate change.
Pineda had put up seedling production centers in Magalang, Sta. Rita and Lubao.
“The farmers will produce better and faster if we supply them with seedlings. Now, they don’t have that burden of producing seedlings which takes long time,” Imperial said.
In Floridablaca, Pineda is set to inaugurate the zipline in Nabuklod where most of the Aetas in the province are based. She wants the area to be a tourism area and vegetable production center. It is expected to benefit indigenous people.
On Friday night, the Mutya Ning Kapampangan pageant will be held at the Bren Guiao Convention Center.
The Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awards (MOKA) will be held in the same venue on December 11. It is considered as the major event of the Pampanga Day celebration.
