By Cyrus A. Natividad
Former DA Regional Director Larry Nacionales slices a cake tended by the CPU CARES AA on his Birthday at the Wednesday Assembly in Aganan, Pavia.
On August 16, 2023, the CPU CARES Alumni Association had a lunch meeting at the Centennial Village together with Dr. Blanquita Garcia, the President of the alumni chapter. As the convergence of the College of Agriculture, Resources and Environmental Sciences (CARES) Alumni Association and with other Mindanao Centralians (a.k.a. Grand Reunion in the South 2023) is getting nearer, the Aganan assembly brought out the essential topics on itinerary, program and coverage.
About 75 Centralians have their names already on the list to catch up on reservations, plane tickets and amenities. It’s an interesting trip to visit Norala, South Cotabato and meet some southern Centralians and also some parts of the region.
The attendees of the meeting were served with chicken tinola and a set of delicious ‘vegie’ dishes for lunch during the meeting. The Wednesday meeting at the CPU Centennial Village in Aganan, Pavia is a regular moment of sharing and talking about current events, memories of the past as well as future plans. The topic on agriculture, gardening, and vegetables is a pastime, while experiences during the pandemic are not forgotten. Someone recalled the hobby of gardening and enjoying it “at which time nothing is done better than having exotic plants, propagating edible root crops and planting vegetables for the front or backyard.”
The gardening at home will not be a thing of the past. We will continue to take care what we have started, but not with the sentiment of the pandemic. It is what we actually need now. Personally, we have a home garden with kangkong, alogbate, camote and saluyot. We have plans to add more plots in our backyard.
Among some good things we remember long time ago is the ‘Green Revolution’ that the government implemented with vital support from the rural and even urban vegetable farmers. The program was aimed at giving productivity and support to people for health benefits and pastime, instead of unproductive activities. Citizens and urban households were not spared the twist of time. Thanks for empty cans and broken pots we use for planting tomatoes, peppers and eggplants and put them among herbs at the front yard. Coming back to gardening could give us a part of an economic solution, and alternative medicinal option as well. This is a gift from God!