Tuburan to focus on agriculture-tourism

CEBU, Philippines — Over 350 local farmers from Tuburan Town, Cebu, benefited from services and learned from the vision offered by the Post-State of the Nation Address Forum 2024 the other day.

Tuburan, known to be the coffee capital of Cebu, aims to transform agriculture into a sustainable tourism experience that highlights local products while preserving and promoting local culture.

Tuburan Mayor Democrito Aljun Diamante thanked the Philippine Information Agency of Central Visayas (PIA)-7 for holding the post-SONA there, emphasizing that it brought much-needed focus on the agricultural sector and the hardworking Tuburanon farmers.

He said numerous programs are in place to support farmers and improve agriculture and transformations will include programs like infrastructure investments, training, and partnerships with other government agencies.

"Pinaagi sa pagtinabangay ug sa tanang sektor sa katilingban mausab nato ang kinabuhi sa atong katawhan ug pinaagi niini mausab nato ang atong pinalanggang Pilipinas," said Diamante.

PIA Director-General Katherine Chloe de Castro said that the post-SONA in Tuburan is the third event of its kind held in the Philippines, following similar forums in Oriental Mindoro and Sultan Kudarat.

Various government agencies were present to offer a service caravan for Tuburan residents. Among them, the Department of Agriculture (DA)-7 distributed seedlings to local constituents.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development-7, through its Sustainable Livelihood Program, provided ?2.2 million in assistance to six associations. Projects included general merchandise, mushroom production, poultry production, and tilapia tank culture, benefiting residents of Barangays Cogon, Gimama-a, Montealegre, Colonia, and Caridad.

In addition, ?3,000 was given to 350 coffee farmers through the AKAP program.

The Department of Health-7 provided free pneumococcal and flu vaccines, while the National Irrigation Authority-7 offered rice at ?29 per kilo as part of a rice caravan.

This discounted rice is available to vulnerable households, including senior citizens, single parents, persons with disabilities, and beneficiaries of the government’s 4Ps program.

Other agencies present to extend services included the Philippine Statistics Authority, Department of Science and Technology, PAG-IBIG Fund, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Trade and Industry, and National Bureau of Investigation.

One of the beneficiaries, Jelyn Mojado, 30, expressed her gratitude for the event, noting that the accessible government services were invaluable, especially given the distance to the town.

“Nakatabang jud kay niduol g’yud dayon ko sa NBI, pasalamat ko kay maayo nalang natambagan ko nila… Ang uban sa mga benefits parehas aning barato na bugas dako jud na tabang,” said Mojado.

Agriculture-Tourism

Speaking on behalf of Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco during the event, DOT-7 Regional Director Judy Gabato said there is now a fusion between agriculture and tourism, colloquially known as agri-tourism, where visitors can immerse themselves in the rural way of life such as exploring farms and other agricultural properties, and participating in the actual cultivation process.

Gabato said that this trend is thriving globally, as more and more people seek authentic, hands-on experiences that connect them to the land, the food they consume, and the people who grow it.

She said that from harvest festivals to culinary tours, agricultural experiences are becoming major attractions for tourists and what makes this sector so appealing is its ability to cater to a wide and diverse audience.

Agri-tourism, she said can help rural areas capture a share of the growing global tourism market, providing not just an economic lifeline but also an opportunity to showcase their unique agricultural practices and regional specialties.

Diamante, whose town is also into agri-tourism aside from coffee, urged his constituents to change their mindset and break-free from the cycle of poverty through hard work.

“Dapat gyud nato i-change mindset sa pobre natong kaigsuonan to be productive and dili magsalig sa gobyerno o public officials. That is why we have to empower them and teach them how to fish and teach them also for financial literacy and stability. May panultion nga if we will give them fish they can only eat now but if we will teach them how to fish, they can eat for their whole life,” said Diamante.

Also to bolster agricultural productivity in Tuburan, DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research and the municipality officially signed a deed of donation for a two-hectare plot of land.

The lot will be used for the first satellite office in the Visayas of DA-BAR, aiming to bring advanced research and agricultural support closer to local farmers and communities.

“Bureau of Agricultural Research will cater the whole Visayas and Mindanao to research unsay dapat nga itanom ug unsay mga technology and science-based nga pag-uma unya ang atong buhaton is kugi ra g’yud,” Diamante added. — (FREEMAN)