TINONGDAN, ITOGON, BENGUET — May 7, 2025 — The Urban and Peri-Urban Harvest Festival was celebrated at the Tinongdan Indigenous Peoples Organization (TINPO) Community Garden in Tinongdan during the Community Urban Agriculture and Management Forum (CUAMF) Summit on Wednesday.
Organized to promote food security and sustainable practices, the festival brought together farmers, local officials, agricultural experts, and community members to share knowledge, showcase innovations, and deepen their engagement with urban agriculture.
Experiential Learning on the Field
The event began with hands-on learning experiences across various farming areas. Participants toured the TINPO community farm and engaged in practical demonstrations, from vegetable and fruit harvesting to land preparation, hydroponics, and backyard poultry management.
Participants later took part in harvesting upland kangkong and cassava. Additionally, the farmers from TINPO demonstrated the proper techniques for cutting stems of kangkong and cassava as planting materials.
All participants and guests were requested to plant tomatoes, eggplant, and celery as a symbol of their commitment to sustainable agriculture.
Opening program at Binga
After the harvest festival, the participants proceeded to the Binga Gym for the formal opening program. Ms. Haily Allilis opened the event with a prayer, followed by the Philippine National Anthem. Mr. Edwin O. Atumpag, the Barangay Chair of Tinongdan welcomed the attendees, highlighting the importance of urban farming to local food resilience. Further, Ms. Cherry Mae Pacio acknowledged all the participants.
Ms. Perla Epie, NUPAP focal of ATI-CAR, provided the overview of the festival. Mr. Norberto Pacio, President of the TINPO, emphasized the organization’s role in promoting community-based gardening initiatives.
Messages of support were delivered by Ms. Joan Bacbac (DA-CAR Technical Adviser to the Office of the Regional Executive Director), Director Charlie Sagudan (ATI-CAR), and Ms. Leah O. Abando, Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) representative, all reaffirming their institutional backing for urban agriculture programs.
Keynote speaker Engr. Michael Tauli, on behalf of Mayor Bernard Waclin, underlined the importance of local government support and school-based gardening programs, which he described as a foundation for cultivating future “food champions.”
Skills Training in Hydroponics
One of the highlights of the summit was the hydroponics demonstration by Mr. Marcon K. Sison, owner of Domegarden, a model urban farm in Benguet. He taught participants about different hydroponic systems such as Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), Deep Water Culture (DWC), and drip irrigation, emphasizing the need for proper understanding of water pH, lighting, and nutrient management.
Mr. Sison invited interested participants to his farm for more in-depth, hands-on training, reinforcing his commitment to building local capacity in soilless agriculture.
Competitions Celebrate Agricultural Creativity
The festival also featured spirited contests, such as the Vegetable and Fruit Basket Arrangement, where participants artistically displayed local produce, and the Urban Agriculture Quiz Bee, which tested knowledge on organic farming and sustainability.
The "Okes ni Patatas" (Best Potato Peeler) contest challenged speed and precision in peeling potato, while the "Uyon ni Kayabang" (Kayabang Relay) paid homage to indigenous traditions with a race involving rice-filled woven baskets.
The Urban Harvest Festival and CUAMF Summit in Tinongdan succeeded in not only showcasing the richness of community-based agriculture but also in strengthening regional ties and local capacity toward a more sustainable and food-secure future.//Jomar Guerzon, PAFES Technical Support Staff
