LGU MANOLO FORTICH RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING UTANAN SA TUGKARAN PARTICIPANTS THROUGH AWARDING CEREMONY

17th Utanan sa Tugkaran Awarding Ceremony

In its 17th year of recognizing communities, barangays, and schools for their outstanding presentation of local vegetable gardens through the Utanan sa Tugkaran Program, the Local Government Unit of Manolo Fortich honored this year’s awardees during the Utanan sa Tugkaran Awarding Ceremony on November 13, 2024, at the Municipal Gymnasium, Barangay Tankulan, Manolo Fortich.

Established in 2007 during Mayor Rogelio N. Quiño’s first term, the Utanan sa Tugkaran Program was created to address the increasing cases of malnutrition and stunting among children in the municipality. The program primarily encourages barangays, zones, and schools to cultivate their own local vegetable gardens in their backyards, making these goods accessible to the community, especially children.

In his message during the awarding ceremony, Mayor Rogelio N. Quiño shared how the program has successfully reduced malnutrition rates, “Ang Utanan sa Tugkaran na atong gimugna tuig 2007, kaniadto ang atong malnourished is 29%. Sa hinay-hinay nga gi-introduce nato ni nga program nga makatabang sa atong mga bata, tuig 2016, less than 1% nalang ang atong malnourished. Kini tungod kay gipangusgan jud ang masustansya nga pagkaon ngadto sa mga bata.”

At the same time, Committee Chairperson on Farmers, Coun. Elzevir A. Dagunlay, expressed that such initiatives help children understand the importance of vegetable consumption, “Agi sa atong Utanan sa Tugkaran, mas maayo na masugdan gyud sa mga bata ang pag-ila sa importansya sa mga utanon ug masustanya nga pagkonsumo sa pagkaon especially diri sa atong lungsod para ma anad gyud sila hangtod sa pagdako.”

 

Spearheaded by the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO), evaluations were conducted in October 2024 among various communities, schools, and the 22 barangays of Manolo Fortich to identify the top three winners in the hinterland, midland, and highway categories for Utanan sa Tugkaran and Communal Garden. Additionally, the top three scorers were identified for the Gulayan sa Paaralan.

 

The following are the results of the Utanan sa Tugkaran Contest 2024:

 

Utanan sa Tugkaran

 

Hinterland

1st - Barangay Santiago

2nd - Barangay Minsuro

3rd - Barangay Guilang-guilang

 

Midland

1st - Barangay Sto. Niño

2nd - Barangay Lingion

3rd - Barangay Sankanan

 

Highway

1st - Agusan Canyon

2nd - Damilag

3rd - Tankulan

 

Communal Garden

 

Hinterland

1st - Zone 3, Barangay Minsuro

2nd - Zone 4, Barangay Santiago

3rd - Zone 2, Barangay Guilang-guilang

 

Midland

1st - Zone 5, Barangay Mantibugao

2nd - Zone 6, Barangay Sankanan

3rd - Zone 5, Barangay Lingion

 

Highway

1st - Mulberry, Barangay Tankulan

2nd - Zone 4, Barangay Damilag

3rd - Zone 1A, Barangay Mambatangan

 

Gulayan sa Paaralan

1st - Kitam-is Elementary School

2nd - Sankanan Elementary School

3rd - Kalugmanan Elementary School

 

Highschool Level

1st - Ticala Integrated School (Junior High School)

2nd - Alae National High School

3rd - Sankanan National High School

 

In their second consecutive year winning first place in the Gulayan sa Paaralan category, Kitam-is Elementary School Gulayan sa Paaralan Coordinator Jaime O. Lood shared how their school has maintained this achievement. “Ang pinakaimportante jud aning pagdaog namo is ang unfathomable ug unconditional effort sa tanan mga teachers and school heads. Mga bata ug parents and stakeholders nga ni support hilabina ang mga real-time poultry farm na sila gyud ang nag supply sa among fertilizer ug ang tabang pud sa among last nga daog diri.”