Urdaneta City promotes veggie backyard gardening
A revolution is on in Urdaneta City.
A “green revolution”, that is.
Mayor Amadeo Perez Jr. said the city’s Tulungan sa Purok project, a spin-off from the Green Revolution project introduced by former First Lady Imelda Marcos in the 1970s, encourages people to plant vegetables and fruit trees in their own backyard to enable residents to cope with the impact of rising prices of rice and other food products.
Perez said “motivating people to plant their own vegetables in their own backyards” is a way of “helping the people help themselves” and discouraging the dole-out mentality.
The city government distributes free vegetable seeds and seedlings, sourced from its own nursery, to the barangays leaders who, in turn, distribute these to the households.
Perez said barangay leaders have found the project as timely as it notjust provides food but serves as a deterrent to crimes since young people can be seen busy tending their gardens.
“The Tulungan sa Purok aims at developing self-reliance, food production, improved health, sanitation and beautification,” he said.
Special community gardens have also been designated for senior citizens.
Perez estimates that about 14,000 households out of the total 24,000 inthe city are participating in the program and he hopes to encourage more.
“We are prodding our people to plant,” he said.
Tied to the program is an annual competition among the barangays wherein the most productive, the cleanest and beautiful communities will be awarded special projects worth P500,000 to P100,000.
“Only the lazy person will go hungry in our city,” Perez said.#
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
