Farmers and fisherfolk from Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur were celebrated in a vibrant display of agricultural pride during the Aldaw Dagiti Mannalon festival on May 8, 2024. The event, held as part of the municipality’s 282nd founding anniversary celebration, highlighted the important role of farmers and fisherfolk in the community’s development.

Coinciding with Farmers and Fisherfolk Month in May, the festival featured a lively float parade where farmers creatively showcased their agricultural products. The floats were adorned with rice, vibrant arrays of vegetables, high-value commercial crops, livestock, and various agricultural processed products.

Farmer Director Benjamin Y. Campañano, who attended the festival, expressed his gratitude to the local government for recognizing the immense contributions of agriculture to the town’s progress.
“Sa mga magsasaka, batid po namin ang hirap, pagod, at sakripisyo ninyo upang kayo ay makapagbigay ng kasiguruhang supply ng pagkain sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino,” Campañano remarked, acknowledging the sacrifices made by farmers to ensure food security for every Filipino households.

Campañano assured the farmers of the Department of Agriculture’s unwavering support, emphasizing the shared goal of achieving “Masaganang Agrikultura, Maunlad na Ekonomiya”. He also appealed for the farmers’ cooperation, recognizing their indispensable role in realizing these aspirations.

As part of the festival program, lectures on modern farming techniques were conducted to empower farmers with knowledge and skills essential for enhancing productivity and sustainability.

The program concluded with awarding the float parade winners, followed by the tradition of “pinnadigo,” a common Ilocano practice where food is shared.