The Department of Education (DepEd) lauded Happy Hollow National High School (NHS) in Baguio City for winning the prestigious Healthiest School Award in Asia.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, August 12, DepEd commended the school and cited its flagship organic farming program as a model for advancing President Marcos’ campaign for food security and sustainability.

Recognized as a DepEd farm school in 2024, Happy Hollow NHS received the AIA Outstanding Healthy Eating Award 2025, along with a US$15,000 (around P840,000) prize for its Project O.R.G.A.N.I.C. (Offering Resources of Growing Agri-product and Nutrition in Community).

The initiative integrates healthy eating, organic agriculture, and waste reduction while equipping students with hands-on skills in sustainable food production, DepEd said.

The school has already trained 168 Grade 12 students in Organic Agriculture Production (OAP), focusing on cultivating mustard greens (mustasa) using organic methods and recycled materials.

Students also mentor younger peers and collaborate with barangay officials, nutritionists, and parents on activities such as backyard gardening, feeding programs using school-grown produce, workshops on planting and harvesting, and nutrition seminars on sustainable meal planning.

The Healthiest School Award, given to schools across Asia that excel in promoting healthy lifestyles, active living, and environmental responsibility, saw Happy Hollow NHS outshine 15 other contenders from Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.

“Sa mga farm school, bukod sa pagtatanim, hinuhubog natin ang bagong henerasyon ng mga lider sa agrikultura at negosyo (In farm schools, beyond planting crops, we are shaping a new generation of leaders in agriculture and enterprise),” said DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara.

“Kapag marunong ang kabataan sa produksyon ng pagkain, teknolohiya, at pangangalakal, mas maganda ang kinabukasan ng ating mga komunidad at mas tiyak ang seguridad sa pagkain ng bansa (When young people are equipped with skills in food production, technology, and entrepreneurship, our communities have a brighter future—and our nation’s food security becomes more assured),” he added.

Students are also being prepared for TESDA NC II certification to boost their future employment prospects, DepEd noted.

DepEd explained that the program has not only helped reduce malnutrition rates—based on improved body mass index (BMI) data—but has also enhanced student engagement, developed practical skills, and strengthened the community’s culture of sustainability.

The farm school model was inspired by the vision of the late Senator Edgardo J. Angara and institutionalized under Republic Act No. 10618, or the Rural Farm Schools Act.

Under the current leadership, the network has grown to 156 farm schools in eight regions, offering agricultural training, technical skills, and entrepreneurship education.