FARMERS DAY/NOV. 14, 2018: Barangay Pamutan with their freesh fruits and vegetables also join the Cebu City Farmers Day 2018 in Plaza Sugbu.(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Plaza Sugbo was filled with freshly harvested fruits, vegetables, and a variety of ornamental plants as Cebu City marked its third Farmer’s Day celebration, Wednesday.
Hundreds of farmers from the city’s different barangays joined the event, organized by the Cebu City government, to showcase not only their produce but also their talents in decorating booths and floats.
City Agriculturist Apple Tribunalo and Councilors Alvin Arcilla, Margarita Osmeña, Jerry Guardo, Mary Ann delos Santos, Sisinio Andales, and Eugenio Gabuya Jr. led the ceremonial ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m.
Shortly before the event formally opened, at least 17 barangays paraded their floats from Jose Rizal Lane to Plaza Sugbu in downtown Cebu for the grand float parade contest.
Barangay Malubog’s float which featured makeshift mannequins as tourists taking selfies in front of a rice terraces-inspired floral arrangement won the contest.
Malubog’s entry bagged a P50,000 cash prize.
Barangay Pamutan, on the other hand, bested 23 other participants in the booth display contest winning P25,000 worth of cash.
In an interview, Tribunalo said that they were glad that more participants joined this year’s Farmer’s Day.
“It’s the grandest and liveliest Farmer’s Day we have yet. We’re grateful for their participation,” said Tribunalo.
“One of the reasons why there’s more who joined this year is maybe because the winners of the contest will immediately receive their cash prize after being proclaimed,” she said, adding that in previous years, the release of the cash prizes suffered delays.