CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga – – Women of 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) beneficiaries in Balawag this city turned green the government reservation at their place.
They planted a parcel of the lot (about 1.5 hectares) with organic vegetables and is now a source of food. This homegrown project has lessened their dependence on vegetables from Benguet and other provinces sold in the market. Whatever surplus from what they produce, they sell.
Bernadette Dayagon, a 4Ps parent leader, is happy to inform that they save much from their kitchen spending since they now seldom go to the market at the city proper to buy vegetables. “Aside from the communal garden, each 4Ps family has its own backyard garden,” she said.
Barangay Nutrition Scholar Christina Diwayan shared that malnutrition decreased from 13 last year to nine this year, which is partly attributed to vegetables the women grew organically.
“Our community garden is also a source of nutritious foods. Our children were able to get from the vegetable we raised the necessary vitamins for their growth”, she said.
Rosenda Dalunag, another 4Ps parent leader, said they were able to apply the knowledge they learned from their trainings in basic agriculture in their community garden.
Angie Biluwan, another 4Ps member, said they will also engage in integrated farming to help protect the environment.: “We all know that everything in our surroundings are repositories for our survival, so we must protect them by planting also trees and tending them,” she said
In their testimony, the beneficiaries said they are happy to have little savings from the stipends they are receiving from the 4Ps program which they can spend on other family basic needs. They are quick to say they are all committed to sustain their community garden in response to the condition set in the 4Ps program which is to maintain the overall well-being of the family. **JDP/PAB-PIA CAR, Kalinga
