Sen. Cynthia A. Villar is urging the public to support the “Brigada Eskwela” program of the Department of Education (DepEd).
Part of the program is promoting the “Gulayan sa Tahanan” or “Urban Vegetable Gardening at Home” activity, which Villar will be supporting by distributing seedlings of various vegetable seeds to schools all over the country.
“This is my humble way of joining the ‘Brigada Eskwela,’ by giving them seeds and organic fertilizers from my composting and vermicomposting facilities which they can plant in the school compounds,” Villar, who chairs the Senate committee on agriculture and food said.
The “Brigada Eskwela” will start this year, and aside from promoting sustainable food supply the program also stakeholders to communicate on how they can support the school during emergencies.
Villar has also filed various bills in the Senate to bring back school-based vegetable gardening or the “Gulayan sa Paaralan” activity.
She filed Senate Bill No. 147 or the Instructional Gardens Act, which mandates the establishment of instructional gardens in all elementary and secondary schools, public or private, making it a requirement for the creation and issuance of permits for schools.
The bill aims to institutionalize the “Gulayan sa Paaralan” program to promote health awareness, good nutrition, and help curb malnutrition.
As a proponent of vegetable gardening or backyard farming, the senator said she is happy that Filipinos now have a better appreciation and increased interest in growing their food during the ongoing community quarantines due to COVID-19.
According to Villar, everybody needs to be productive while following the government’s “stay at home” policy to avoid getting infected with the virus.
“By growing your food, you can be assured of having nutritious foods on the table while contributing to the country’s food sufficiency and sustainability,” she said.