Once again, the province of Bohol was united thru the celebration of the 10th Ubi Festival with the theme: “Industriya sa Ubi Palambuon: Hagit sa mga Bol-anon”. The festival was held on January 21-22, 2010 at the concrete court of Dao Public Market, this city. Secretary Arthur Yap of the Department of Agriculture graced the occasion thru his representative Regional Executive Director Ricardo Oblena. Engr. Oblena recognized the province of Bohol as the largest ubi producing province in the country and is the primary source of the famous “ubi kinampay”. The demand for ubi from Bohol is steadily growing, in fact the provinces of Cebu , Guimaras, Abra and Nueva Ecija, sent buyers and representatives to witness the celebration and bought tubers to be planted in their respective areas.

Congressman Edgar Chatto who is the incumbent senior vice chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food, also exalted the farmers and various stakeholders of the ubi Industry in Bohol and congratulated the researchers of the Department of Agriculture for the initial success of the on-going ubi seed system research and development project after he helped push for the allocation of funds amounting to P4.5million thru the Department. Pureza Veloso Chatto who represented the congressman lauded the organizers of the festival for continuing the tradition for the 10th year. The celebration started in year 2000 as a brainchild of then governor Rene Relampagos and Cong. Chatto while serving as vice governor of the province of Bohol. “Ubi is part of the Boholano culture, generates livelihood and ensures the future of our people”, the first district solon further said.

Dr. Carolyn May Daquio, chair of the Bohol Ubi Center Foundation and director of Agricultural Training Institute launched the Yummy Yam elearning facility for Ubi technologies together with Provincial Administrator lawyer Handel Lagunay, who represented Governor Erico Aumentado and Provincial Agriculturist Liza Quirog, the over-all chair of the Ubi Festival celebration. Ms. Quirog together with Ms. Amancia Medellin, a Boholana rootcrop scientist announced the technological advancements for ubi and the upcoming distribution of more planting materials to the ubi farmers this coming March 2010. Other personalities who graced the festival opening were Boy Bernaldez, manager of Dao Public Market, Ms. Fely Maldora of the Provincial Agriculture and Fishery Council, Edgar Barloso of the Bohol MicroAgri Processors, Edgar Luardo of the Bohol Association of Farmers and Fisherfolks. The event was participated in by 22 local government units of ubi growing municipalities, ubi farmers, ubi processors, students, teachers, researchers, government agencies and other stakeholders. The major highlight of the festival this year was the Product Displays and Selling of Ubi at promotional prices. The ubifest contests included Most Promising Ubi Processed Product, Best Booth, Pinaka (dako) contests on various ubi varieties, Highest Gross Seller and the Literary Musical contests on Poster Making, Rap/Jingle original composition, Kuradang, Balitaw, and Balak.

The Best Booth was awarded to LGU Corella; Most Promising Ubi Processed Product winner was Ms. Editha Torres of LGU Tagbilaran City; Pinaka (dako) Kinampay came from LGU Corella, Baligonhon came from LGU Duero, Kabus-ok was from LGU Garcia Hernandez, and Tam-isan was from LGU Corella and the Highest Gross Seller were the farmers from LGU Panglao. Among the Literary Musical winners were Mr. Dan Brylle Balansag from LGU Tagbilaran City for Poster Making; the Youth Group from LGU Tagbilaran City also won the Rap/Jingle original composition contest; dancers from LGU Garcia Hernandez won the Kuradang competition; the best dancer cum singers of Balitaw came from LGU Albur, and the best local poet for Balak was Ms. Patricia Ocon from LGU Cortes. Boy Galendo the interim president of the Bohol Association of Ubi Growers was also awarded a Certificate of Appreciation.

The Ubi Festival was an annual event celebrated thru the collective efforts of various agencies from the government and non-government sectors such as the Provincial Government of Bohol thru the Provincial Agriculture Office; the Department of Agriculture and its line agencies, such as the Agricultural Training Institute, Bohol Agricultural Promotion Center, the Central Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center, the Bohol Ubi Center Foundation and Bohol Development Foundation. This year the 22 LGUs that participated together with their ubi farmers were from Albur, Anda, Antequera, Baclayon, Balilihan, Calape, Carmen, Corella, Cortes, Dagohoy, Dauis, Dimiao, Duero, Garcia Hernandez, Jagna, Loon, Maribojoc, Guindulman, Panglao, Sikatuna, Talibon, and Tagbilaran City.

Quirog as over-all chair of the festival thanked everyone from various sectors of their support and cooperation that made the event very successful especially the ubi farmers who brought their products to the display stands. Part of the promotional collaterals released by the working committees were posters, news articles, streamers, and a newspaper ad. The provincial agriculturist denied any allegation that her office distributed flyers, ubifest program of activities and streamers bearing the picture of any person. Although there were some promotional items installed and distributed during the opening program and they came from well meaning personalities who wanted to make the event lively and successful such as, a streamer with the picture of Vice Governor Julius Caesar Herrera, a streamer with a picture of City Mayor Dan Lim, and a calendar with Schedule of Activities with the picture of Congressman Edgar Chatto.