Pangasinan town to turn idle lands into farmlands

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union– Idle, underutilized, and uncultivated farmlands in a western Pangasinan town that is better known for its coastal resources will be harnessed to produce crops and other products.

This was learned from Undersecretary Hermenegildo Dumlao, head of the Northern Luzon Growth Quadrangle Commisison (Northquad), who said that Bolinao town has vast land assets for high value crops, agro-forestry, and livestock and fishery production.

The Northquad chief said that the Bolinao undertaking is part of the Agribusiness Development Program of the Agriculture department "in support of President Arroyo’s 10-point development agenda."

Bolinao is famous for its bounty of fish and marine resources.

Dumlao reported that government leaders led by Rep. Arthur Celeste (First district Pangasinan), Bolinao Mayor Alfonso Celeste, and the town’s council headed by Vice Mayor Elias Quisay expressed their support to the project during a meeting held in El Pescador Resort in Bolinao.

Representatives of Region 1 government line agencies discussed agroforestry technology, backyard raising, farm to market road projects, and seaweed programs during the meeting.

Rep. Celeste urged barangay leaders to identify at least two areas in their villages that could be utilized for the project.

The congressman reported that Senator Juan Flavier has commited to fund the construction of a farm to market road in barangay Zaragoza in Bolinao town.

Dumlao said that the project supports the Agriculture department’s goal of developing at least two million heactares of new land for agribusiness and the sustainable utilization of natural resources.