Bohol targets 1M cacao trees through 

10-year public-private partnership

By Elvira C. Bongosia 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) — Bohol is targeting to plant 1 million cacao trees over the next 10 years through a public-private partnership scheme between a chocolate farm and the local government unit of Catigbian (LGU Catigbian).

Catigbian Mayor Benjie Oliva said his administration will develop the town’s cacao industry in partnership with the Bohol Chocolate Farm, with a plan to establish plantations on a 200-hectare property acquired by the local government.

He spoke at the World Chocolate Day celebration last week hosted by the farm in Barangay Canmano, Sagbayan town.

“We are committed to supporting the planting of 200 hectares of cacao in Catigbian by utilizing available idle and public lands for long-term agricultural productivity and livelihood development. This is part of our vision to create more opportunities for our farmers and communities through cacao,” Oliva said.

The project aims to convert idle land into cacao farms, giving farmers additional income and a ready market for their harvest through Bohol Chocolate Farm’s partner-grower program.

Sagbayan Mayor Asuncion Ybañez said the town backs the initiative.

“Sagbayan strongly supports this initiative as the home of Bohol Chocolate Farm. We believe cacao farming can strengthen agri-tourism, community-based enterprise, and local livelihood while helping position Bohol as a future origin of real chocolate,” Ybañez said.

Bohol cacao production

Bohol Chocolate Farm, the first cacao nursery in Bohol accredited by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry, said it will provide farmers with planting materials, technical assistance, and guidance on cacao production.

The farm also encouraged farmers, cooperatives, landowners, and people’s organizations to become partner growers, offering discounted cacao seedlings, farm management support, and a guaranteed buyer for harvested cacao beans.

Bohol Chocolate Farm founder Rosario Amores-Hudson said the long-term expansion program could produce about 800 metric tons of fermented, dry cacao beans annually at full bearing capacity.

She said this would reduce Bohol’s dependence on cacao beans sourced from outside the province and strengthen the local chocolate value chain.

“Today is the sweetest day of the year, but it is also a day of great purpose. When we think of chocolate, we think of happiness. But true appreciation begins when we understand where that happiness comes from,” Amores-Hudson said.

As part of the celebration, Bohol Chocolate Farm and the JCI Chocolate Hills Jaycees held a chocolate-awareness activity for 30 children from Barangay Canmano, joined by their parents and guardians.

The activity featured a cacao-themed coloring session and an introduction to growing cacao trees, processing of cacao beans, and chocolate-making.

The celebration closed with a call for partnership among farmers, landowners, cooperatives, local governments, civic organizations, and private-sector stakeholders to build the Boholano cacao industry. (ECB/PIA-7 Bohol)

Bohol Chocolate Farm and the JCI Chocolate Hills Jaycees launch the Seed to Bean Project during the World Chocolate Day celebration on July 7. The project includes the donation of 1,000 cacao seedlings to the Nueva Vida Sur Women’s Association in Carmen town to support community-based cacao farming and women’s livelihood. (Bohol Chocolate Farm photo)

Bohol shows improvements across 

all major nutrition indicators in 2026

By Elvira C. Bongosia

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) — The Provincial Government of Bohol continues to combat malnutrition, with the Provincial Nutrition Council (PNC) coordinating interventions across local government units, national agencies, development partners and communities.

During the launch of the 2026 Nutrition Month celebration at the New Provincial Capitol, Provincial Nutrition Program Coordinator Glenda Grafilo presented a report on improved nutrition indicators among preschool children in the province.

“Based on the 2026 Operation Timbang Plus conducted from January to March, Bohol recorded a total of 88,675 preschool children below 5 years old who underwent weight and height assessment,” Grafilo said.

Results showed improvements across all major nutrition indicators compared with 2025.

Underweight prevalence declined from 2.54% to 2.32%, while stunting decreased from 5.63% to 5.24%. Wasting dropped from 0.89% to 0.68%, and overweight and obesity decreased from 1.86% to 1.77%.

Grafilo said among the province’s flagship nutrition initiatives is the P10-million Milk Feeding Program, which provided milk and fortified bread to 2,617 underweight and wasted children for 90 days to help improve their nutritional status.

The province also implements maternal and child nutrition services, micronutrient supplementation through Vitamin A and iron distribution, infant and young child feeding promotion, growth monitoring, nutrition education, food security initiatives, nutrition-in-emergencies programs, and other community-based interventions to reduce malnutrition and prevent overweight and obesity.

Support for Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) remains a priority through the provision of honoraria, capacity-development activities, regular meetings, and the annual BNS Summit.

Bohol’s monthlong nutrition campaign

As part of the 2026 Nutrition Month celebration, the PNC will distribute food packs on July 16, 20, 23, and 27 to 126 children ages 6 to 23 months in selected municipalities with a high prevalence of severe underweight and severe wasting.

A synchronized fruit-bearing tree-planting activity will be held on July 21 in partnership with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Municipal and Barangay Nutrition Committees, and Barangay Nutrition Scholars to promote food security and environmental conservation.

Nutrition and diet counseling sessions will be held on July 24 in selected municipalities with a high prevalence of overweight and obesity to encourage healthier eating habits and lifestyle changes.

The celebration will culminate on July 31 at the Bohol Cultural Center, with an awarding ceremony for outstanding participants.

This year’s celebration carries the national theme “Nutrisyon at Kalikasan, Ating Pangalagaan!”, aligned with the 2023-2028 overarching theme “Sa PPAN: Sama-sama sa Nutrisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat!”. (ECB/PIA-7 Bohol)