Metro Manila’s Probinsyudad opens its newest urban farm

Are you looking for relaxation away from the hustle and bustle of city life? Come visit the Taguig Integrated Urban Farm.

The farm, which sits in a 2,500-square meter land beside Lakeshore Hall in Barangay Lower Bicutan, Taguig will be officially opened today, December 8, 7 p.m. It is an ideal resting spot for those wishing to take a break from the pressures of everyday life.

The farm overlooking Laguna Lake integrates different kinds of urban farming setups—from gardens that showcase vertical farming that save space, to wooden rack and pole gardens that wow the eye.

Environment lovers will surely love the fruit-bearing lemon, avocado, chico and strawberry trees, among others, planted by personnel of the City Agriculture Office, and the bamboo classroom that emphasize the rural feel of what the city government is rearing to be its next tourist attraction.

“There’s a coffee shop inside, and all the products come from the plants and trees being taken care of in the farm. There will also be a floating barge and Christmas lights on December 8 to coincide with the opening of the urban farm,” City Agriculture Office officer-in-charge Ms. Emelita Solis said.

There is also a pond with tilapia and catfish (hito), a greenhouse where lettuce and salad greens are grown, as well as, a bamboo classroom which will be dedicated for Taguig students visiting the area to learn more about urban agriculture.

But why a farm in an otherwise urban space?

For Solis, the answer is simple: The city government wants to show that there is no conflict between the urban and the rural, contrary to popular belief.

“With this we show that we care about agriculture and farming, that we are a real probinsiyudad,” she said.

City Agriculture Office OIC said that the creation of an integrated farm was also a way to “encourage and inspire” residents to engage in these farming practices for food production.

The outputs resulting from these practices, after all, contribute to the wellbeing of the environment.

“Mother Nature is happy when she sees trees, plants, anything green. Where there are trees, you can be sure that the air there is clean,” she said.

The city’s urban gardening program favors organic farming where pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics, and growth hormones are not used on crops.

Organically grown products are better for the environment and for a person’s health.

The City Agriculture Office also conducts lectures, seminars and trainings regarding urban farming and gardening. They provide technical assistance including distribution of free vegetable seeds.

In October 2014 and August 2017, Taguig Urban Farms have been established in Tipas Elementary School and Eusebio C. Santos Elementary School, respectively.###

FILIPINO VERSION

Probinsyudad ng Metro Manila bubuksan ang pinakabago nitong urban farm

Naghahanap ka ba ng lugar kung saan pwede kang mag-relax malayo sa ingay at gulo ng syudad? Halika na’t bisitahin ang Taguig Integrated Urban Farm.

Ito ay matatagpuan sa 2,500-square meter na lupa sa tabi ng Lakeshore Hall sa Barangay Lower Bicutan at pormal na bubuksan ngayong araw, ika-8 ng Disyembre, alas 7 ng gabi. Maganda itong lugar na pasyalan lalo na para sa mga nais magpahinga mula sa pressures ng buhay.

Ang farm na kung saan tanaw ang Laguna Lake ay nagpapakita rin ng iba’t-ibang uri ng pamamaraan sa pagtatanim — mula sa vertical farming na nagsasave ng space, hanggang sa wooden rack at pole gardens na nakamamanghang pagmasdan.

Siguradong matutuwa ang mga environment lovers sa mga puno ng lemon, avocado, chico, strawberry at marami pang iba, na tinanim ng mga tauhan mula sa City Agriculture Office, at ang bamboo classroom na nagbibigay ng pakiramdam na nasa probinsya ka na siyang nais makamtan ng lokal na pamahalaan sa pagbubukas ng susunod nilang tourist attraction.

“Mayroon pong coffee shop sa loob kung saan lahat ng produkto ay galing sa mga halaman at puno na inaalagaan mismo sa loob ng farm. Kasabay ng pagbubukas ng urban farm ay magkakaroon din ng floating barge at Christmas lights sa ika-8 ng Disyembre,” sabi ni City Agriculture Office officer-in-charge Ms. Emelita Solis.

Matatagpuan din ang isang pond na puno ng tilapia at catfish (hito), isang greenhouse na pinagtataniman ng lettuce at salad greens, pati na rin ang bamboo classroom na para sa mga estudyanteng tiga-Taguig na dadalaw sa lugar upang matuto ukol sa urban agriculture.

Pero, bakit nga ba isang farm sa gitna ng urban na lugar?

Para kay Solis, simple lang ang sagot: Nais ng lokal na pamahalaan na ipakitang hindi nalalayo sa isa’t-isa ang rural at urban, taliwas sa paniniwala ng marami.

“Sa pamamagitan nito, gusto namin ipakita na bilang isang tunay na probinsyudad ay binibigyang halaga natin ang agrikultura at pagtatanim,” wika niya.

Sinabi rin ng City Agriculture Office OIC na ang pagbuo sa nasabing farm ay paraan rin upang maengganyo at magbigay inspirasyon sa mga residente na magtanim ng mga halaman na kanilang makakain.

Maliban pa dito, ang resulta ng mga gawain na ito ay para rin naman sa ikakaganda ng ating kapaligiran.

“Tiyak na masisiyahan si Mother Nature kung makikita niya ang mga berdeng puno at halaman. Kung saan kasi maraming puno, siguradong napakalinis ang simoy ng hangin,” dagdag pa niya.

Mas gusto ng city’s urban gardening program ang organic farming kung saan hindi ginagamitan ang mga tanim ng pesticides, fertilizers, genetically-modified organisms, antibiotics, at growth hormones.

Ang mga tanim na organically grown kasi ay mas maganda para sa kapaligiran at sa kalusugan ng mga tao.

Ang City Agriculture Office ay nagsasagawa rin ng mga lectures, seminars, trainings tungkol sa urbang farming at gardening. Nagbibigay rin sila ng  technical assistance gaya ng pagbibigay ng libreng vegetable seeds.

Noong Oktubre 2014 at Agosto 2017, itinayo ang Taguig Urban Farms sa Tipas Elementary School at Eusebio C. Santos Elementary School. ###