SIFCare received recognition and honor from the provincial government of La Union when it awarded SIFCare Program Development Officer Ramon Tamayo with its first ever Sadiri environmental award. “Sadiri” is an Ilocano word meaning “inspiration”, “fort” or “model” and the Sadiri Award is given to persons who excel in the campaign for environmental protection.

Although the Sadiri Award is bestowed upon individuals, the citation extensively applauded the work of the SIFCare in the province of La Union through its Program Development Officer and the numerous volunteers he has guided and motivated. Indeed, the environmental strategies of Mr. Tamayo have impacted many government agencies including the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture.

The citation reads as follows:

The Sadiri Award is presented to the Program Development Officer of SIFCare in La Union in abiding recognition of his outstanding leadership and unparalleled commitment in championing the cause for the protection of the environment and preservation of agriculture and marine resources, manifested by his unequivocal commitment in spearheading the implementation of various environmental programs and projects in the province of La Union. The SIFCare program Go Palay (Good Organic Palay¬) teaches rural farmers the natural ways of organic rice farming using traditional varieties of rice and effective soil enriching strategies, thus ensuring that rice farmers gain higher incomes with less damage to their health and protecting both organic rice consumers and the environment from the effects of harmful chemicals. To be noted is the implementation of Healthy Aqua Resource Initiatives (HARI), which is a simple effort to clean and rehabilitate wells in public schools and communities, thus delivering a very essential need to many people who are deprived of a clean water source and creating a huge impact on people’s health, thereby remarkably advancing the government’s thrust towards environmental protection and natural resources conservation for sustainable development.

The award was presented on the 1st day of March 2016 at the City of San Fernando, La Union during the 166th La Union Founding Anniversary Program with the theme: “Savoring the Fruits of Good Governance, Love, Unity, Peace and Order through Prayers”(Nanamen Dagiti Bunga ti Napudno a Panagserbi, Ayat, Panagkaykaysa, Umos ken Talna Babaen ti Kararag).

Giving the award to the SIFCare Program Development Officer were ranking officials of La Union led by Governor Manuel Ortega, Vice Governor Aureo Augusto Nisce, and Congressmen Francisco Ortega III, Victor Ortega and Eufranio Eriguel. The Sadiri Award was created under SP Ordinance No. 22-2012 and conferred under SP Resolution No. 73-2016.

Visit sifcare.org/programs or our Facebook to know more.