MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Edgardo J. Angara’s latest pet project, “Oh My Gulay!”, will be launched tomorrow evening, Feb. 11, at the Manila Polo Club in Makati.

The main aim is to popularize the eating and growing of vegetables, especially among the young. It is pointed out that eating vegetables is the right thing to do to attain good health. The senator who is the main convenor of the project stresses that hidden hunger or mineral and vitamin deficiency is the most widespread cause of malnutrition among children. He said that eating vitamin- and mineral-rich vegetables is the most sound and cost-effective solution to this stealthy, silent killer.

The advocacy will involve a multi-sectoral and trimedia campaign on healthy eating. The campaign includes print, TV, music and online media, tapping today’s most popular artists to promote and lend names to this cause on a pro-bono basis.

The program’s activities will include school feeding programs, vegetable backyard and school gardening projects, distribution of vegetable seeds and seedlings in schools and communities, and the teaching of vegetable cultivation in elementary and high schools.

Angara said that he is much inspired by the immense support expressed by friends in the private sector and the enthusiastic backing by public officials and their respective organizations.

Among the co-convenors of Oh My Gulay! are Lance Gokongwei of JG Summit Holdings, Andrew Tan of Megaworld Corporation, Vic del Rosario of Viva Entertainment, Teresita Sy Coson of SM Investments, Anton Huang of Store Specialists, and Bienvenido '‘Donnie'’Tantoco of Shopwise Philippines.

Also supporting the advocacy are Bro. Armin Luistro of the Department of Education, Dr. Enrique Ona of the Department of Health, Agriculture Sec. Proceso J. Alcala, Dr. Mario Montejo of the Department of Science and Technology and Corazon “Dinky” Soliman of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

**** **** ****

FREE AANI FORUMS – On Saturday.

February 12, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, there will be a forum on organic farming open free to the public. This will be held at the AANI Weekend Market at the St. Vincent Seminary along Tandang Sora, Quezon City.

On February 13, Sunday, from 8 to 12 noon, there will be an Aqua-Kapihan sponsored by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources also at the same venue.

**** **** ****

AANI FARM TOUR – Those who are interested to visit a model goat farm, vermiculture project and a diversified farm operation should join the AANI farm tour scheduled on Saturday, February 19.

Participants will visit the modern goat and vermiculture farm of Rico L. Diaz in Cabuyao, Laguna. Earlier in the morning, the attendees will visit the diversified organic farming operations at the CRTD Farms in Calauan, Laguna.

**** **** ****

RLD GOAT FARM’S VERMICULTURE PROJECT – In 2009 Rico L. Diaz relates that they decided to start culturing earthworms to produce organic fertilizer. Having a lot of goats necessitates a lot of maintenance and daily cleaning, the result of which was a growing hill of manure which they would simply set ablaze. Vermicomposting began more as a waste management practice rather than a business unto itself. However, after trying the resulting organic fertilizer in their pasture, they were very impressed with the results and decided to commercially produce it under the name One Earth Vermiculture.

Today, they are producing around 8 to 10 tons of vermicompost per month. Their main buyers are organic farms.

**** **** ****

INTERNATIONAL BIOTECH CONFAB – An international conference on biotechnology will be held on Feb. 17-18 at UP Los Banos. This is the seminar-workshop on strategic communication on agricultural biotechnology using risk communication methodology. The organizers are the Los Banos-based SEAMEO SEARCA and the Singapore-based Asia BioBusiness. To attend are government policymakers, scientists, and academicians from 10 countries that include 9 of the 10 ASEAN countries (except Brunei) and Peru.

**** **** ****

RICE SEEDS FOR LANAO NORTE – Agriculture Sec. Proceso J. Alcala recently turned over 600 bags of certified rice seeds to Gov. Khalid Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte in behalf of farmers affected by recent torrential rains. Alcala enjoined the farmers to practice organic farming which can produce high yields at less cost.

During his two-day stay in Lanao del Norte, Alcala visited the LFI dairy farm and milk processing facilities at Sultan Naga Dimaporo town to inaugurate its newly set up cheese line and the dairy farms milking parlors.