The City Agriculturist Office (CAgrO) is intensifying its efforts to expand Philippine Good Agricultural Practices (PhilGAP) certification among Davao City farmers, through the upcoming Food Safety Month on October 22, 2025 in Malagos, Davao City.
Cheryl Quinto, CAgro Agriculturist II, said the event will feature PhilGAP-certified farmers who have adopted regulated farming protocols aimed at reinforcing food safety standards at the production level, and promoting certified farming as a cornerstone of public health.
“Isa na sa atung gina strengthen nga nagahatag tag information dissemination regarding good agricultural practices kay sila mismo ang naga produce sa atoang food, sila pod makaingon nga safety atung ginakaon. Nagsugod gyud sa farm ang produkto na safe gud siya (One of the things that we continue to strengthen is the dissemination of information on good agricultural practices, because the farmers produce our food, and they can confidently say that what we eat is safe. The safety of our food truly begins at the farm),” she told Madayaw Davao over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.
A PhilGAP certification ensures that agricultural products are grown and handled accordingly to safety protocols, including proper pesticide use and post-harvest handling. While synthetic pesticides are permitted, their application is regulated to prevent misuse and protect consumer health.
Quinto also emphasized that food plays a significant role in health, which is why safety must be ensured at every stage from farm to port, especially for fruits and vegetables distributed across the city.
She added that the health and safety of Dabawenyos remains a top priority in the city’s food production.
“Health is our priority, safety is our priority sa atung pagkaon maong gina pa kusgan gyud. Since, naa sa atung mga framers ang sinugdanan kung ang pag produce nila ana kay quality og safety so, maka expect gyud ta na atung makuha na pagkaon is safety pod dria sa Davao City (Health is our priority, Safety is our priority, that’s why we continue to strengthen our efforts. Since our farmers are the foundation of food production, and if they produce quality and safety goods then we can expect that the food we get here in Davao City is safe as well),” she said.
The food safety month aims to encourage more farmers to get a PhilGAP certification and will also include exhibits, which are open to Dabawenyos. CIO
