Dolores Ceralbo of Barangay Pandanon in Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental, won the national search for Outstanding Rural Women, or Gawad Parangal sa Katangi-tanging Kababaehan sa Kanayunan, of the Department of Agriculture Dec. 8.
Ceralbo, who is the vice chairperson of the Pandanon Integrated Balangon Farmers’ Association (PIBFA), received her awards at PhilRice Science City of Muñoz in Nueva Ecija, the DA6 said.
She won in the regional search for Outstanding Rural Women in Iloilo City Oct. 14, the DA said, adding that her group is a recipient of rice and mushroom production projects of the Special Area for Agricultural Development or SAAD Program in Western Visayas.
Her passion for sustainable agriculture started with her simple goal of providing three meals daily for her family. “Through her dedication and hard work, Ceralbo was able to establish her organic integrated farm.”
The search for Outstanding Rural Women is an annual undertaking of the DA since 2003 to give due recognition to rural women, who showed excellence in their field endeavors and have made both outstanding achievements in agri-fishery development and significant impacts in the lives of their fellow rural people.
It also documents the success stories of Filipina farmers and fishers to focus public attention on them as role models for women empowerment, the DA said. ||
