The Philippine Carabao Center at Mariano Marcos State University (PCC at MMSU) participated in the week-long celebration of the 11th Farmer’s Festival at Batac City, Ilocos Norte on May 1-5, 2019.
The festival is an annual celebration of the city to give due recognition to the farmers who are constant partners in agriculture and economic development. This is also a form of thanksgiving for the bountiful blessings that the Almighty has granted to the city’s agriculture sector.
The celebration kicked off with a motorcade around the city and a Thanksgiving Mass participated in by local government officials, national government agencies, and different farmer-organizations.
This year’s theme “Rambakan ti Panagdur-as iti Biag ni Mannalon” revolves around celebrating the farmer’s progress in his life. Several competitions, such as the Search for the Best Decorated Carabao, were held. Staff from the center in the persons of Dr. Catherine P. Dabalos and Mr. William A. Gudoy served as Board of Judges for some of the competitions.
Other activities such as technology fora and field demos were also held. There was also a Fun Run and distribution of Hybrid Vegetable Seeds, water pumps, generator sets and harvesters to farmers and farmer-organizations in the city.
PCC at MMSU participated as one of the exhibitors. The center was able to showcase its technologies, as well as promote its carabao-based products for the duration of the festival. It also served as a venue for farmers’ queries related on carabao upgrading to be answered.
All staff of the center also participated in the Grand Parade featuring the Carosa Parade, Parade of Floats and the Carabao/Cattle Parade. They were joined by KalaBoy and KalaGirl, the agency’s official mascots.
A plaque of recognition was given to the center for consistently demonstrating its commitment and active participation in the activities of the City of Batac Farmers’ Festival for 11 years (2008-2019), thereby making it more colorful and successful.
A Certificate of Appreciation was also given to the center in grateful acknowledgement and recognition of its invaluable support during the 2nd Farmers Festival 2019 of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte.
