• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
An ordinance designating the third week of May of every year as Bacolod City Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Week in the City of Bacolod to promote, boost, and empower the agricultural sector, was passed by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod on first reading on March 3.
Authored by Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr., the proposed ordinance said the City of Bacolod accords high priority to the development of agriculture and fisheries, not only to achieve equitable distribution of opportunities, income, and wealth but also to enable farmers and fisherfolk to be maximize their contribution to the economic growth of the province.
To be known as the “Bacolod City Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Week Ordinance,” the measure provides that the City of Bacolod recognizes the indispensable role of farmers and fisherfolk in community and economic development.
Accordingly, the right of farmers, farmworkers, fisherfolk, and their cooperatives and associations to participate in the planning, organization, and management of programs will be recognized. The City will provide support for agriculture and fisheries through appropriate technology and research, and adequate financial assistance, and marketing programs, among other support services, the ordinance said.
A Bacolod City Agricultural Summit will be held every three years, on any day during the Bacolod City Farmers’ and Fisherfolk:s Week to discuss the prevailing issues and challenges in the agricultural sector; introduce effective and efficient solutions; and promote consensus-building among stakeholders.
The Office of the City Agriculturist (CAO) will serve as the technical secretariat of the summit, as well as that of the agricultural fair to be held throughout the Bacolod City Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Week.
An annual consultation meeting will be conducted, led by the City Mayor and Sangguniang Panlungsod, with farmers and fisherfolk groups in Bacolod City to identify and address key concerns, foster cooperation, and formulate priority action areas; while the City Agriculture Office will integrate these priorities into their respective programs, projects, and activities.
The initial funding for the implementation of the ordinance will be sourced from the current year’s appropriation of the CAO. The City of Bacolod will allocate the necessary budget, as proposed by the CAO, for the implementation of this ordinance.*
