City of San Fernando, Pampanga — The Department of Agriculture in Central Luzon recently conducted the Young Farmers Challenge Start-Up Open Category and the Upscale Regional Judging last week at the DA Conference Room here.

The program provided 23 enterprise finalists for the YFC Start-Up to showcase their potentials in their business proposals. In this category, seven enterprises were feted with the Start-Up Regional Awardees who received an additional P150,000 as Financial Grant Assistance.

These finalists include the Kuwaktutubo by John Arex Ocampo from Zambales; AJ's Eco-Coal by Jeavee Mea Ann Lorenzo and Archibald Mato of Tarlac; Kring's Tanglad Jam by Kristine Louis Custodio from Zambales; Lactuca by Micca Curitana and Rogelio Picart Jr. of Aurora; Sirjuan Agriventure of John Carlo Abedoza from Nueva Ecija; Crayvings by Grace Angiela Sta. Ines of Nueva Ecija; and AJA's Quail Egsstra-ordinary by Allen James Anthony Tiong, Alelie Joy Alegado, Kelvin George Arizala, Norman Padua and Jomari Ligsay.

The YFC Upscale Category was conducted afterwards wherein the category aims to provide the chosen enterprises a chance to develop, increase and lift the agri-fishery enterprises by providing additional Financial Grant Assistance.

Six finalists participated in the Upscale Category wherein three were declared winners of the Upscale Regional Awardees who received P300,00 as Financial Grant Assistance.

The winners of the category are Ka-Gatas Dairy Farm of Allen Paul Santos at Mikee Anne Santos from Tarlac, Innov-smarter Agricultural Services by John Carlo Landayan from Nueva Ecija, and the Top 1 of the category REACH by Richard Sarmiento and Ella Marie Pangilinan from Pampanga.

REACH will represent the region for the National Level Upscale Competition.