Taguig aims for better environment and healthier lifestyle through urban farming

Metro Manila’s ‘ProbinSyudad’

Taguig City, which prides itself as Metro Manila’s “ProbinSyudad,” continues to implement programs which aim to retain aspects of agricultural life amidst its rapid ascent as one of the fastest growing cities in the country.

The rapidly developing city, home of the Bonifacio Global City and the ARCA South business districts, has managed to retain 202 hectares of agricultural land used for cultivation of melon, rice and high-value crops like kinchay. City Agriculture Office head Emelita Solis said this size of agricultural land is still economically functional despite the inevitable conversion of land into residential, commercial, and industrial uses characteristic of highly urbanized cities.

Mayor Lani Cayetano said the city government intends to preserve at least 25 hectares of agricultural land. To achieve this goal, the city government is aggressively promoting urban farming and gardening. This goal is not prompted by nostalgia for an agricultural past, but for pragmatic reasons. The city government views urban farming not only as a source of income for its residents but as a way to promote a better environment and a healthier lifestyle.

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 conducts lectures, seminars and trainings regarding urban farming and gardening. It also provides technical assistance including distribution of free vegetable seeds.

The showcase of the city government’s urban gardening program is the “Taguig Urban Farm” in Tipas Elementary School which hosts a vegetable garden and small concrete fish pens for growing tilapia and catfish fingerlings.

To encourage residents to create their own “urban farms,” the City Agriculture Office held the first Gulayan Contest for Women last December 19, 2016.

The competition was divided into two categories: home-based category, which is for backyard vegetable gardens and container gardens, and community-based category which is for all barangays with community vegetable gardens.

For the home-based category, the first prize was awarded to Epifania DC. Tagacay from Brgy. South Signal Village. Second prize was given to Joy Wininah F. Caoile from Brgy. Central Signal Village; third prize was given to Corazon L. Echano from Brgy. New Lower Bicutan and Jocelyn T. Remolete from North Daang Hari got the fourth prize.

The first prize of the community-based category was won by Carla Bernal’s team of Brgy. San Miguel; the second prize was awarded to Gina R. Gentallan’s team of Brgy. Calzada; Susan M. Benavidez’s team of Brgy. Bagumbayan bagged the third prize and Madelyn Bataller’s team of Brgy. Western Bicutan won the fourth prize. All winners received cash prizes.

The competition focused on women or mothers who prepare meals in their homes, and therefore are expected to feed their children with nutritious food.  ###

FILIPINO VERSION

‘ProbinSyudad’ ng Metro Manila

Taguig itinataguyod ang urban farming

Tinagurian na “ProbinSyudad”, patuloy ang Taguig sa pagpapatupad ng mga programang naglalayong panatilihin ang kahalagahan ng agrikultura sa kabila ng mabilis na pag-unlad ng lungsod.

Ayon kay City Agriculture Office head Emelita Solis, sa kabila ng patuloy na pag-unlad at paglaganap ng komersalisasyon at industralisasyon sa Taguig ay napanatili ng lungsod ang 202 ektaryang lupain na tinataniman ng mga produktong pang-agrikultura gaya ng melon, palay, at high-value crops tulad ng kinchay.

Sa pagnanais ni Mayor Lani Cayetano na pangalagaan at may matirang 25 ektarya ng lupang maaring taniman sa Taguig, ang lokal na pamahalaan ay agresibong ikinakampanya ang pagsasaka at paghahalaman sa lungsod. Nakikita niya ang urban farming hindi lang bilang isang uri ng mapagkakakitaan kung hindi isa ring paraan upang itaguyod ang mas maayos na kapaligiran at mas malusog na pamumuhay.

Kaugnay nito, ikinakampanya ng Taguig ang pagsasagawa ng “organic farming” dahil sa magandang epekto nito sa kapaligiran at kalusugan ng mga tao. Ang organic farming ay isang uri ng pagtatanim kung saan gumagamit ng natural na pamamaraan at hindi ginagamitan ang mga tanim ng kahit anong gamot gaya ng mga pataba sa lupa, pamuksa sa mga peste, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics, at growth hormones.

Kaugnay nito, nagsasagawa ang City Agriculture Office ng mga lecture, seminar, at training tungkol sa urban farming at gardening. Namimigay rin sila ng teknikal na tulong pati na rin ang pamimigay ng mga libreng binhi.

Ang “Taguig Urban Farm” sa Tipas Elementary School ang nagsisilbing modelo ng urban gardening program ng lungsod kung saan mayroong gulayan at maliliit na fish pens na ginagamit sa pagpapalaki ng mga tilapia at hito.

Kaugnay nito, hinimok ng lokal na pamahalaan na simulan ng mga Taguigeño ang kanilang sariling “urban farms,” sa pamamagitan ng kauna-unahang Gulayan Contest para sa mga kababaihan na pinamunuan ng City Agriculture Office noong nakaraang ika-19 ng Disyembre taong 2016.

Hinati sa dalawang kategorya ang nasabing kompetisyon: home-based category, para sa mga may gulayan sa bakuran at container gardens at community-based category para sa lahat ng barangay na mayroong gulayan sa kanilang komunidad.

Para sa home-based category, ang unang parangal ay napanalunan ni Epifania DC. Tagacay ng Brgy. South Signal Village, ipinarangal naman ang ikalawang parangal kay Joy Wininah F. Caoile ng Brgy. Central Signal Village, ang ikatlong parangal ay nakamit ni Corazon L. Echano ng Brgy. New Lower Bicutan at si Jocelyn T. Remolete ng North Daang Hari naman ang nakakuha ng ikaapat na parangal.

Nakuha naman ng grupo ni Carla Bernal mula sa Brgy. San Miguel ang unang parangal para sa kategoryang community-based; nakuha ng grupo ni Gina R. Gentallan mula sa Brgy. Calzada ang ikalawang parangal; ang grupo ni Susan M. Benavidez mula sa Brgy. Bagumbayan ang siyang nag-uwi ng ikatlong parangal; at ang grupo ng Brgy. Western Bicutan sa pamumuno ni Madelyn Bataller ang siyang nagkamit ng ika-apat na premyo. Ang lahat ng nagwagi sa nasabing patimpalak ay nakatanggap ng cash prize.

Nakasentro ang kompetisyon sa mga kababaihan o mga ina na siyang pangkaraniwang naghahanda ng masustansyang pagkain sa kanilang mga pamilya lalo na sa kanilang mga anak. ###