Taguig transforms dumpsites into recreational sites, urban farms

In Taguig, dumpsites transform into beautiful lots that showcase ‘probinsyudad’ living.

The lots once filled with trash before Mayor Lani Cayetano assumed office are no hopeless cases, as the city turns them into eventful hangouts.

“We’ve always wanted to stay true to our ‘probinsyudad’ principle, striking a balance between modernization and tradition, advancement and the environment, urban and rural,” said Mayor Lani. “It comes naturally that we convert unused, vacant or abandoned lots so that they work to the benefit of our people and our understanding of the kind of city we are.”

Concretizing this agenda now are two parks in Barangay Lower Bicutan: Taguig Lakefront Community (TLC) Park and Taguig Integrated Urban Farm.

A makeover turned a dumpsite into the TLC Park, a 600-square-meter lot. The park was inaugurated in 2014.

“We are creating a place where every visitor – regardless of their social status – can enjoy themselves, with the company of their families or friends,” said Taguig Manpower Training Center officer-in-charge Maria Anabelle “Bingle” Santos, who spearheads the management of what has now turned into a destination for many Taguigenos.

TLC Park offers activities for various purposes, all free of charge. It has traditional Filipino games for youngsters, a train ride for toddlers, biking for families, film showings for barkada. Hoopers can use the basketball court. Students can study or practice there, with so much room to go about.

Park personnel have conducted daily afternoon classes for kids who’ve become regular visitors, where they teach some lessons in basic literacy, good manners and, of course, song and dance.

A much bigger land conversion project was the 2500-square-meter farm right beside Lakeshore Hall, known as the Taguig Integrated Urban Farm. The farm, launched in December 2017, now marries the urban with the rural, when for years before the Cayetano administration it served as a dumping ground for garbage.

The urban farm showcases various methods to do farming in the context of a city: vertical farming, wooden rack and pole gardening. All these ways can be learned in a bamboo classroom dedicated to urban agriculture.

It has a coffee shop and an orchidarium surrounded with fruit-bearing trees and vegetables, from tomatoes to eggplants, okra, lettuce, cabbage and mustard, among others.

The harvest does not go to waste, noted City Agriculture Office officer-in-charge Emelita Solis. “Our produce usually goes to the feeding programs conducted by our local government and, in some cases, to different institutions like Bahay Pag-Asa and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.”

The farm exhibits sustainability, wise land use, livability and food security for Taguig residents and visitors, she added.

“We’re trying to teach people that all this is possible in the city setting,” said Mayor Lani. “You can turn neglected spaces into places of engagement or showcases of livability. You can carve out in-city spaces so you can take people’s minds off all the hustle and bustle, and provide them a place to slow down, breathe deep and appreciate life.”

Escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and visit the two sites. TLC Park is located at 393 C-6 Road, is open from 7 am to 9 pm every day, except on holidays. Taguig Integrated Urban Farm is located beside Lakeshore Hall in Barangay Lower Bicutan. Non-Taguigeños are welcome. ###

FILIPINO VERSION

Sa Taguig, mga dumpsite binago at ginawang recreational site, urban farm

Sa lungsod ng Taguig, ang mga bakanteng lugar ay binago at pinaganda upang maging angkop sa pagiging bansag na “probinsyudad.”

Ang mga lupang dating nakatiwangwang lang at tinatapunan ng basura bago umupo si Mayor Lani Cayetano bilang punong lungsod ay binigyang buhay muli at ginawang maayos na pwedeng bisitahin at pagpalipasan ng oras ng mga tao.

“Nais namin na maging totoo sa bansag na ‘probinsyudad’ kaya naman napapanatili namin ang balanse sa pagitan ng modernization at tradition, advancement at environment, urban at rural,” ayon kay Mayor Lani.

Aniya pa: “Nagiging natural na sa amin na i-convert itong mga unused, bakante o abandonadong mga lupa upang sa gayon ay magbigay ito ng pakinabang at benepisyo sa mga tao at maging akma sa lungsod bilang ‘probinsyudad.'”

Kasama sa mga lupain na naisaayos ay ang dalawang parks sa Barangay Lower Bicutan: Taguig Lakefront Community (TLC) Park; at Taguig Integrated Urban Farm.

Ang dumpsite naman noon ay naging TLC Park na ngayon. Isa itong 600 square-meter lot. Ang TLC Park ay pinasinayaan noong 2014.

“Lumilikha po tayo ng mga lugar na kaaya-aya sa mga bibisita kahit sino pa man sila, basta sila ay mapapasaya kasama ang kanilang mga kaibigan o pamilya,” wika pa ni Taguig Manpower Training Center officer-in-charge Maria Anabelle “Bingle” Santos, na nanguna sa pagpapaganda ng mga bagong destinasyon para sa mga Taguigenos.

Ang TLC Park ay lugar kung saan pwede ang iba’t-ibang mga aktibidades, libre at walang singil.

Naging paborito na itong lugar kung saan madalas maglaro ang mga kabataan, train ride sa mga bata, biking para sa mga miyembro ng pamilya, film showings sa mga barkada. Ang mga hoopers naman ay pwedeng maglaro rito ng basketball.

Ang mga estudyante naman at pwedeng mag-aral o magpraktis sa malalawak na lugar.

Ang mga park personnel naman ay regular na nagsasagawa ng afternoon classes para sa mga kabataan na madalas bumisita rito, kung saan itinuturo ang mga lesson sa basic literacy, good manners at kadalasan ang song and dance.

Ang isa pang malaki na land conversion project ay ang 2,500-square-meter farm katabi lamang ng Lakeshore Hall na kilala bilang Taguig Integrated Urban Farm. Ang farm, na inilunsad noong December 2017, ay ehemplo ng paghahalo ng urban at rural na lugar, malayo sa dati nitong itsura nang matagal na panahon bago ang administrasyon ni Mayor Lani na tambakan lamang ng basura.

Ang urban farm ay pamamaraan kung saan ang farming ay pwedeng isagawa sa isang syudad, gamit ang wooden rack at pole gardening. Ang lahat ng ito ay pwedeng mapag-aralan sa isang bamboo classroom na inilaan lamang para sa urban agriculture.

Ito ay mayroong coffee shop at orchidarium na napaliligiran ng mga punong namumunga ng iba’-t-ibang prutas, mga gulay mula sa kamatis, talong, okra litsugas, kalabasa, repolyo, mustard at iba pa.

Ang mga ani ay hindi napupunta sa basura, ayon pa kay City Agriculture Office officer-in-charge Emelita Solis. “Our produce usually goes to the feeding programs conducted by our local government and, in some cases, to different institutions like Bahay Pag-Asa and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.”

Ang mga farm ay merong sustainability, wise land use, livability at food security para sa mga residente ng Taguig at mga bisita rito, wika pa ni Solis.

“We’re trying to teach people that all this is possible in the city setting,” saad pa ni Mayor Lani. “You can turn neglected spaces into places of engagement or showcases of livability. You can carve out in-city spaces so you can take people’s minds off all the hustle and bustle, and provide them a place to slow down, breathe deep and appreciate life.”

Inaanyayahan ng lungsod ang mga bisita na tumungo sa mga lugar na nabanggit at makaiwas sa busy na lugar ng ibang lungsod.

Ang TLC Park ay matatagpuan sa 393 C-6 Road, at bukas ito mula 7 am hanggang 9 pm araw-araw bukod lamang kung holiday. Ang Taguig Integrated Urban Farm naman ay matatagpuan katabi ng Lakeshore Hall sa Barangay Lower Bicutan. Kahit hindi mga Taguigeños ay welcome dito. ###