SANTIAGO CITY—Better known for rice and corn, this agricultural city may soon focus on cut-flower production after demands for locally-grown blooms have recently escalated in the local market.“To keep a steady supply of cut-flowers for City Hall, I recommended the planting of acclimatized blooms of different varieties including the popular chrysanthemums, asters, roses, tuberose and the national flower sampaguita at the city agriculture research center,” said Santiago City administrator Perla Buencamino.
Of all cut-flower varieties introduced a few years ago to women’s village organizations in the city, tuberose better known as azucena, has dislodged nearly all other ornamental flowers commercially grown in the city in terms of survival against cruel weather.
Recently, however, other cut-flower varieties tested in the city’s climatic conditions have proven suitable like other blooms popularly grown only in the uplands.
“There is no harm in trying/ We can have them planted during typhoon-free cooler months,” said Santiago City Mayor Amelita Navarro, a known flower enthusiast.
The cut-flower industry has seen bright prospects as a cottage-backyard project for local women dominated by mothers cum housekeepers. Financial support came from the city government through the city’s cooperative development office.
“We spend so much on cut-flowers especially on Valentine’s Day because most of the supplies come from the Cordillera and the nearby province of Nueva Vizcaya,” said Buencamino.
To provide livelihood for idle women in the villages, cut-flower projects have been launched city-wide after a series of city-sponsored seminars.
“Selling sampaguita from our backyard kept me going to school,” said information technology senior Gretchel dela Cruz of Isabela State University–Santiago campus.
A number of vegetable vendors in the city public market have also started selling locally-grown cut-flowers along side locally grown vegetables and fruits.
“Like vegetables, cut-flowers have already been a part of our daily lifestyle. The lovely blooms enhance the beauty of our work place due to the natural ambiance they add,” said Navarro.
