Mr. Justo Pacificador, Organic Focal Person of the Muncipality of Pototan, Iloilo invited the Central Iloilo cluster to attend the meeting of Pototan Organic Practitioner Association (POPA). The chairman of the cluster, Mr. Ronie Bautista shared with the group what had been accomplished so far as the result of the four consecutive meetings of the cluster hosted by different member Municipalities emphasizing the important roles of LGU, CSO and Business. While, the Program Coordinator of ESSA, Gemma Sumague gave a brief introduction what is ESSA and what are the ESSA clusters, why there are ESSA clusters and its purpose.
Mrs. Llane Cordero, POPA President reiterated with ESSA Central Iloilo cluster the direction of the association towards – one, giving value to the harvests of the organic farmers through eliminating the third person to cut the cost so that organic produce is affordable to all and other successful activities the association had been doing. Align with the plan of the cluster, the farmers shared that they also going to hold a sort of “Market Market” to introduce their organic products this coming October 2020 and invited ESSA Central Iloilo cluster to introduce ESSA to the Municipality of Pototan.
The meeting successfully ended with the agreement that the group will attend the next scheduled meeting on October 9, 2020 to be hosted by the Municipality of Passi, Iloilo and the sharing of one of their members how organic farming and eating organic products change her lifestyle and health.