26 March 2016, Magalang, Pampanga, Philippines.  On 25 May 2016, President Soriano and leaders of the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) met to explore the feasibility of FEED support to PSAU scholars; the establishment of a FEED Nursery dedicated to the propagation of Climate Smart Agriculture and seedling production for tree-planting; and the expansion of the over 70 species grown in PSAU’s Bamboo Forest.

Established in 1885 as Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC), PSAU is a state-funded Philippine university situated on 500 hectares of agricultural land along the western slope of majestic Mount Arayat*.

The University was fully chartered in 1974, by virtue of Republic Act No. 4576 “An Act Converting the Pampanga National Agricultural School in Magalang, Pampanga into Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC).” This was complemented by Republic Act No. 8292, also known as the “Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997.” As the “agricultural” word attached in its name, it is mandated to offer agriculture and agriculture-related curricular programs, notwithstanding the offering of allied fields.

SDGs, officially known as “Transforming our world: the 2030 agenda for sustainable development“- an intergovernmental set of aspiration goals with 69 targets.

FEED’s partnership with PSAU is feigned to expand  both parties’ reach, partnerships and impact towards other students in need of scholarship support; to academic institutions and organisations also aligned to #nature-based activities, studies and policies; as well as this involved with the #restoration, protection, preservation and promotion of #biodiversity, carbon sequestration and integrated #watershed management initiatives with impact in communities in the #Philippines.  FEED’s aligns its #education & #environment mission with a number of the 17 universal (United Nations) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) that balance the environmental, #social and #economic dimensions of Sustainable Development.

The most pertinent SDG goals guiding FEED’s mission at core concern:

• Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. If done right, agriculture, forestry and fisheries can provide nutritious food for all and generate decent incomes, while supporting people-centred rural development and protecting the environment.
• Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning.
• Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Affordable, scalable solutions are now available to enable countries to leapfrog to cleaner, more resilient economies.
• Goal 17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development – between governments, the private sector and civil society. These inclusive partnerships built upon principles and values, a shared vision, and shared goals that place people and the planet at the centre, are needed at the global, regional, national and local level.

The SGDs are inextricably linked, whether poverty eradication or clean energy, life on land and water, to peace & justice.  FEED seeks to partner with more agents for change along these themes. Contact: info@feed.org ph / +63 (0)917 552 4722.

Maria(ng) Sinukuan is the diwata (fairy) or mountain goddess associated with Mount Arayat in Pampanga, Philippines, and is a prominent example of the mountain-godesses motiff in Philippine mythology, other prominent examples being Maria Makiling of Los Baños and Maria Cacao of Cebu.*Mount Arayat is considered a mystical one, the legendary home of Aung/Aring Sinukuan/Sinkuan/Suku or the Fairy known as diwata Mariang Sinukuan depending on which version of the story the readers or listeners prefer, but in ancient Kapampangan folklore as well as the research known to have been gathered by Kapampangan students of Henry Otley Beyer, it was and is the abode of Apung/Aring Sinukuan.

Sinukuan is associated with the unusual bounty of the forests in Arayat, and with the profusion of animals there. Watching over the needs of the people in the nearby town, she used to regularly leave fruits and animals at the doorstep of locals who needed food during hard times.

(c) FEED, Inc. For more information, contact: Anne-Marie Bakker, VP Operations at info@feed.org ph or text/call +63 (0)917 552 4722.