SAN PEDRO CITY lone district Congresswoman Ann Matibag has boosted the sampaguita planting industry in Laguna province in February to enrich the environment of her hometown and uplift the lives of her people.
With the support of Senator Loren Legarda in protecting the country’s vast nature and environment, the 40-year-old lawmaker has continued and doubled her sampaguita planting programs all over San Pedro early this year reviving the city as the Philippines’ sampaguita capital.
“It’s February, and it’s Valentine’s month, so I encourage everyone to give our loved ones with fresh bouquet of sampaguita instead of roses,” Matibag said. “We are optimistic that the Sampaguita industry will continue to bloom nationwide with our project.”
Matibag together with the people, teachers, school personnel, barangay officials, TUPAD workers and other constituents are planting sampaguita in vacant lots, schools and other venues in the 27 barangays to sustain one of the city’s main livelihood programs throughout the years.
She has a partnership with the School District Office that already started last year to plant sampaguita in school gardens.
As a member of the housing and urban development, natural resources and trade and industry committees in the House of Representatives headed by Speaker Martin Romualdez, Matibag is encouraging her fellow lawmakers to support the local sampaguita industry.
“With this program, we are not only helping the livelihood of the people of San Pedro, but we are also promoting the great culture of our city,” Matibag added. “The sampaguita industry is the symbol of our city and we’re proud that it’s blooming again.”
She also expressed gratitude to Senator Legarda’s support of DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program “Kabuhayan” to the city, where sampaguita growing is one of the programs that provide basic business opportunities and jobs to the people.
“We are very thankful to House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senator Loren Legarda for helping us to our Sampaguita livelihood projects,” she said. “Sampaguita is the symbol of our people for so many decades.”
The City of San Pedro in Laguna, according to Matibag, is known for its sampaguita plants and flowers for the past decades, the oil of which can be used to make soaps, perfumes, cosmetics, deodorants, silks for clothing, and herbal medicines, among others.