One of the challenges of establishing a communal garden in an urban community is finding an available lot or area. In order to overcome this, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program members of Barangay Hulong Duhat had to think outside the box.
To have access to an available land for their garden, Pantawid Pamilya members established a partnership with the Malabon Elementary School, the oldest school in the Local Government Unit (LGU) that was established in 1903.
The school allowed Pantawid Pamilya members to utilize a portion of their land for urban gardening. The garden was already established before the Pantawid Pamilya farmers contributed to its maintenance. There are two (2) garden inside the school both maintained by Pantawid Pamilya members when they started urban gardening last year of June. The school welcomed the Pantawid Pamilya members as they were guided by Ms. Editha Legaspi the caretaker of the School Gardens for three (3) years, who is also a Pantawid Pamilya member.
The development and maintenance of the garden became a joint effort of Pantawid Pamilya farmers and the elementary students of Malabon Elementary School. There are 80 active Pantawid Pamilya farmers engaging in gardening and helped it established.
The garden is incorporated in the lesson of the elementary students’ agriculture lessons conducted by a Pantawid Pamilya farmer. The harvested vegetables are cooked for school’s feeding program and Pantawid Pamilya farmers are also allowed to consume the vegetables.
The garden received a water tank that was placed inside the garden, giving it easy access to water. They also received seeds from City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) last year of November.
Last July 13, 2018 the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) provided 102 trays of seedlings through the coordination of the Community Organizer, Mr. Rovheen Conrad M. Bandola and the City Link, Ms. Wilnalyn Borromeo of the area.
The garden went through challenges as well; the most recent was during typhoon Ompong. Due to strong wind, the garden’s fence collapse. The Pantawid Pamilya Farmers fix the garden fence immediately after typhoon left the country.
A notable feature of their garden about is their capacity to plant rice despite being located in an urban area. This proves that any type of gardening can be feasible through hard work and dedication.
Another exceptional feature of their garden is the cooperation of Pantawid Pamilya farmers and elementary students with the active support of the school behind the collaboration. It is a shared effort of the students and the Pantawid Pamilya members. Because of this, Pantawid Pamilya members working on the urban garden and the school administration became partners on some of the school’s activities such as Clean-up Drive and Brigada Eskwela.
The strong partnership between the two parties can also considered as an accomplishment for the beneficiaries, who managed to earn the trust and the total support of the school.
Because of the consistent cooperation of Pantawid Pamilya Farmers and the school, it won twice as the Division’s Best Implementer of “Gulayan sa Paaralan” for the year 2015-2016 and 2016-2017.
When they were asked about how the garden helps them individually, they said that it has become a hobby for them. They also consider it to be beneficial, as it promotes healthy living by eating vegetables and also vieww it as a great form of exercise. Though they did not earn money from it, they are highly committed to the garden because it promotes cleanliness. They added that they also feel satisfied knowing that the produce from their garden are used for the feeding program for the elementary students.
Through coordination with Barangay Secretary of Barangay Hulong Duhat, the Pantawid Pamilya farmers are planning to establish another garden in the community which will be supported by them.