MBTF promotes planting of malunggay and alucon (baeg)
BALON DAGUPAN NEWS
CITY – Mayor Belen T. Fernandez is encouraging everyone to plant malunggay and alucon (baeg) in their community as an alternative source of food during floods and typhoons and other calamities in celebration of the Nutrition Month with the theme: ‘Kalamidad Paghandaan: Gutom at Malnutrisyon Agapan’.
Malunggay and ‘alucon’ are loaded with vitamins and minerals that can be an effective remedy against many kinds of ailments. Both grow in wild and can survive with less water.
In fact, all parts of the malunggay tree are usable for nutritional and medicinal purposes – from the roots, trunk and branches to the leaves, flowers and seeds. The leaves are famous vegetable ingredient in soup, fish and chicken dishes. It can actually be eaten raw, but best added in meals due to its high concentration of nutrients.
The roots are used to make tea, while the trunk, after it is scrapped and squeezed for its juice is used to clean wounds.
City Nutrition Officer Leah L. Aquino who together with City Agriculture Officer Emma J. Molina and Barangay Tebeng Punong Barangay Helen F. Fermill led in the planting of 70 cuttings of malunggay and ‘baeg’ on July 10 in barangay Tebeng.
‘Alucon’ or ‘baeg’ is likewise rich in Vitamins A, B, and C, and contains calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron.
“Baeg can be our alternative source of food aside from malunggay and we can even eat its ‘ulnos’ aside from its bunga”, disclosed Aquino.
Tebeng was chosen as the pilot barangay for the propagation of malunggay because it has started exploring an alternative livelihood on making malunggay muffins.
Molina said that it is best that Barangay Tebeng diversify its malunggay trees in support of their program in time for the city’s Production Center opening where they can display their commodities along with other local produce from the different barangays.
Fermill, on the other hand, is grateful for the city’s support in helping them propagate more malunggay trees in their area and in developing their program on making malunggay muffins which can be a permanent source of income in their barangay. (Joseph C. Bacani/ CIO)
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