To further address food insecurity in the country and capacitate the barangays towards sustainable agriculture initiatives, the Liga ng mga Barangay Provincial Federation Northern Samar Chapter, in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Northern Samar, conducted the Showcasing of Halina’t Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay (HAPAG) Program for Northern Samar and Launching of HAPAG sa Barangay Incentivization Project on August 26–27, 2023.

The HAPAG launch was attended by the Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs, Felecito A. Valmocina, who participated attentively during the Harampang-Huruhimangraw, where he answered all questions from those present.

Aside from the inauguration, the two-day affair showcased a site visit to HAPAG Gardens and Fish Cages in Barangay Macagtas, Catarman.

Since the provincial HAPAG launch in April 2023, the barangays of Northern Samar have been advocating and institutionalizing HAPAG community gardens. To sustain these efforts of the barangays, the Provincial Government of Northern Samar passed Ordinance No. 07, Series of 2023, also known as the HAPAG sa Barangay Project of Northern Samar. The Ordinance institutionalizes and incentivizes the best HAPAG practices observed at the municipal and barangay levels in cultivating and propagating their respective HAPAG community gardens.

Also present at the event are DILG 8, headed by Regional Director Arnel Agabe; Department of Agriculture (DA) 8 Regional Director, Andrew Rodolfo Oraiz; and the Provincial Government of Northern Samar, led by Hon. Edwin Marino Ongchuan, with barangay officials of barangays Polangi and Macagtas of Catarman, Northern Samar.