Filipinos are now conscious of their health and want to eat healthy food safe from toxic chemicals, Efren Moncupa, lead convenor of Go Organic! Philippines said.

As such, he said it is only proper for public markets to have an “organic” section where the health-conscious can buy organic food such as organically-grown products such as rice, vegetables and fruits.

Some grocery stores, Moncupa noted, have started to put up an organic section. Restaurants now have an organic menu which they offer to customers with discriminating taste for healthy food.

“Filipino consumers are becoming more conscious of their health and the food they eat. The problem is they don’t know where to buy organic food. Public markets should have an organic section where organically-grown produce can be accessed,” he said.

Such initiatives support the campaign for farms in the Philippines to go organic.

Go Organic! Philippines, a consortium of non-government organizations (NGOs) promotes organic farming and is taking the lead in implementing the Organic FIELDS Support Program (OFSP), a program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Soils and Water  Management (BSWM).

Phase 1 of the project, which was launched by Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap in November 2008 ended last April 2009. Phase 2 of the project is currently in the pipeline.

“Local government units should similarly put up an organic food section in the market. It is also ideal that LGUs put up a bagsakan center for organically- grown agricultural products, as well as byproducts, in support of the growing organic industry,” Moncupa, a former agrarian reform undersecretary, who is now with the Malasimbu Agricultural Cooperative, said.

Local officials of Alaminos City, Pangasinan and Samal, Bataan have initiated the move to turn their towns into organic zones. Aside from promoting organic farming among farmers, Mayor Hernani Braganza, a convenor of Go Organic! Philippines, had ordered the administrator of the public market in the city to put up an organic section.

He said one way of promoting organic farming is to institutionalize support, such as market access for both the consumers and organic food producers.

Mayor Rolando Tigas of Samal, who wants the entire town to go organic, is spearheading the move to convince farmers to shift from conventional to the more sustainable organic farming to boost their income.

Tigas has asked members of the Municipal Council to pass several resolutions in support of organic farming.

These include resolutions declaring the municipality of Samal an organic zone, declaring one day every week as organic farming day; promoting, developing and assisting organic farming in Samal, and declaring a portion of Samal Public Market for wholesaling organic agricultural products.

Roland Cabigas, LLPI managing director said such initiative boosts the ongoing campaign for farms in the Philippines to go organic.

He added institutional support from LGUs boosts the chances for local projects initiated by the national government to succeed. Cabigas urged local chief executives to take the lead by joining the organic bandwagon and support efforts to promote organic farming in the Philippines.