Sustaining agricultural development and ensuring food security in a fast-growing city is quite a challenge. 

Development is sometimes measured by the presence of high-rise and modern infrastructure facilities, and robust business establishments, but to Dr. Evangeline P. Calubaquib, agriculture remains a city’s major economic driver. 

Vangie, as her friends fondly call her, hails from the premier Ibanag city of the North - Tuguegarao City. She graduated with an Agricultural Engineering degree from the Isabela State University as a grantee of the National Integration Study Grant of the State Scholarship Center in 1986. She also obtained her Master of Arts in Agricultural Engineering at the Cagayan State University in 1997 and her Doctor of Public Administration at the Cagayan Colleges Tuguegarao in 2002. Her dissertation entitled “Women Participation in Agriculture in the Cagayan Valley Region” was hailed as an outstanding research study.

She started her career as an extension worker at the Department of Agriculture in 1987, was promoted to Field Technologist in 1988, and as agricultural technologist in 1989. She transferred to the Tuguegarao City Agriculture Office in 1990 as an agricultural technologist, then was promoted to Municipal Agriculturist in 1999 and eventually to City Agriculturist in 1999 when Tuguegarao was converted into a city. 

As the city agriculturist, she continued to enrich her knowledge and capabilities on agricultural technologies, especially the newly discovered technological innovations that have benefited the farmers in the city. She attended various trainings and seminars within the country and abroad including the International Course on Agricultural Extension and Training Methodology in Jakarta, Indonesia, and in Japan. 

Vangie was instrumental not only in the improvement of the agriculture sector in the city but also in enterprise and livelihood developments, and economic growth. She led the formulation of the city’s Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization Plan which served as the blueprint of the city government’s implementation of agricultural and fishery programs in the fast-growing city. The tool also served as their strategy for attaining sustainable agricultural development in the city. 

The modernization plan was also recognized as a major instrument in attaining the city’s quest of increase the productivity of the farmers and fisherfolk, the key towards food security, proper nutrition, the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, and livelihood opportunities.

Vangie also intensified the promotion of high-yielding varieties through the provision of quality rice, corn, and vegetable seeds, as well as fertilizers and pesticides to farmers. 

City Agriculturist Evangeline P. Calubaquib brings barangay officials and farmer groups into the demonstrations farms to let them appreciate and adopt the technologies that they are introducing. (Photo courtesy of Calubaquib)

She also strengthened farmer’s organizations, rural-based organizations, federations such as the Rural Improvement Club, 4-H Club, Irrigators Association, Farmer Cooperatives, and community folk that are interested in urban agriculture in the barangays and schools. 

The use of pest control is crucial to the city as it may affect the environment and other livelihoods.  That is why the city agriculturist initiated mitigation measures on the control of pest and diseases in all crops and established an early warning system for proper pests and disease management that ensures and promotes environmental safety.

Increased production and profitability of crops, livestock, fisheries, and vegetables were successfully achieved in Tuguegarao City through the conduct and establishment of techno demo farms, crops plus livestock, and organic urban agriculture that was introduced by the city agriculturist. 

She was also instrumental in the provision of livelihood assistance to rice and corn-based farming systems, vegetable farmers, fishpond operators, and cacao growers through the provision of seeds, planting materials, fertilizers, and training.

Evangeline P. Calubaquib, city agriculturist, introduces the successful urban gardening techniques to Mayor Maila Ting-Que. (Photo courtesy of Tuguegarao City)

Through her efforts, the city government was able to provide agricultural infrastructure support, farm machinery, post-harvest facilities, irrigation support, credit, marketing, and insurance to the farmers in coordination and collaboration with other national agencies and service providers. 

Education and skills development are also part of Vangie's management, ensuring the farmers of enough skills in agriculture. That is why farmers’ learning sites, demo farms, and farm tourism sites were established in the city.

Recently, Vangie introduced urban gardening by establishing a model urban garden within the compound of the City Hall. The garden serves as a showcase for the public to appreciate food production even in subdivisions or urban settings with minimal planting area or even for those living in high-rise buildings. 

Her passion for agricultural development is manifested in her initiatives and innovations for the city’s farm laborers. She initiated the conduct of agricultural extension and technical assistance programs that ensured farmers' adoption of recommended package technology on rice, corn, fishery, vegetables, and other high-value commercial crops.

She was also instrumental in the development of plans, strategies, programs, proposals, and policies on agriculture that seek assistance from national agencies and other external services to facilitate agricultural development in the city. Through her passion for assisting local farmers, the city acquired agricultural equipment and facilities that benefited thousands of farmers in the city.

The land preparation costs also dramatically dropped to P700 from the P2, 400 per hectare while wastage on agricultural products declined to just 3 percent from five to 20 percent in the previous data. 

With her dedicated service towards capacitating farmers and improving the city’s economy through agricultural production, she received numerous recognitions from various prestigious award-giving bodies including the Most Outstanding Lady City Agriculturist of the Philippines in 2001, Gawad Galing Pook Award in 2005, Gawad Saka Search for Outstanding Agri-Fisheries Achievers in 2016, National Quality Corn Achievers Award in 2018, Best Employee Award in 2019, Plaque of Commendation by the Eight City Council of Tuguegarao City, and the National Quality Corn Achievers Award in 2019. 

With over three decades of public service, Vangie's dedication and passion for agriculture have strengthened and sustained the farmers' livelihood and contributed much to the city's economy.  (OTB/PIA Region 2)