The Pasay City government has launched a program aim to strengthen food security and encourage residents to engage into urban gardening.
Mayor Imelda Rubiano said the program spearheaded by the Pasay City Cooperative Office in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology will benefit city villages and hundreds of residents.
She said the city recognizes the importance of promoting urban agriculture as a measure to address stability of food supply, alleviate poverty, foster social integration among communities, and protect the environment through eco-friendly methods and other alternative and innovative gardening methods.
With the help of DOST’s Gulayan sa Pamayanan program, the project will initially start at Barangay 193 near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport where residents will be trained in the rudiments of urban farming such as hydroponically grown vegetables, nutrition, environment, and waste management.
Among the vegetables that would be planted are pechay, mustard greens (mustasa), tomatoes, lettuce, or plants that can be harvested within 25 to 30 days. Herbal plants such as oregano that can be used to alleviate coughs and colds would also be planted.
“It is our vision under of H.E.L.P. advocacy that we teach our residents how to fish especially during this health crisis,” Rubiano said.
H.E.L.P. stands for (H) Health Care and Housing; (E) Education, Economic Growth and Environment; (L) Livelihood and Lifestyle; at (P) Peace and Order, Palengke at Pamilya.
According to Rowena Buenaventura of the Pasay City Cooperative Office, their office is targeting expanding the program at the barangay level by incorporating the family-based ecological diversion and recycling of waste (FEDROW) program.
“Fedrow is a set of home-based skills that mobilizes households to address Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act 2000 by using recycled and environmentally friendly materials in urban farming and/or gardening.