By JT Llanes
One hundred fifty schools in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) were the beneficiaries of the “Gulayan sa Paaralan” Program (GPP) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) under the High-Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), in collaboration and implemented by the Department of Education-Cordillera (DepEd-CAR).
The “Gulayan sa Paaralan” seeks to provide the optimal supply of nutrition through the consumption of vegetables and fruits, minimizing the malnutrition of students.
It also allows for a learning experience for students, increasing their knowledge and skills in fundamental agriculture and implying a more scientific view of the consumption of securely produced food.
Albert Jay Lab-oyan, DA-CAR HVCDP coordinator for GPP, said the schools underwent the screening process of the Department of Education (DepEd) based on their guidelines, forwarded to the regional agriculture department for the allocation of P1.8 million pesos worth of agriculture inputs for 2023.
The provisions include upland and lowland seeds, cultivating tools, garden hoses, and wheelbarrows.
Of the eight School Division Offices in the region, 20 schools were identified in Abra, 20 schools in Apayao, 16 schools in Benguet, 16 schools in Benguet, 15 schools in Baguio City, 20 schools in Ifugao, 20 schools in Kalinga, 19 schools in Tabuk City, and 20 schools in Mountain Province.
