According to Albert Einstein, “It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.” This quote shows humanity’s capacity for generosity. Generosity, after all, is one of the fundamental traits that makes us human. It also helps us to become more understanding of the needs of those around us and become more self-aware of our actions.

This principle of generosity may be the foundation of the establishment of the school garden at Mt. Heights Tala. The school garden at Mt. Heights High School started through the initiatives of the City Link assigned at Barangay 183 North Caloocan of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and the school Principal Ms. Amelia Batalla. The school principal wanted to have partnership with the Pantawid Pamilya members because she knew that most of the members were mother. She thought that it will be effective and efficient if the efforts are coming from the members.

The objective of having a school garden was to help the Pantawid members with their food consumption and for the school feeding program. It started through a meeting with the people involved in the initiative like the Community Organizer, City Link, School Principal, and Pantawid Pamilya members.

On August 6, 2018 the school had a kickoff event for the establishment of the school garden. Pantawid Pamilya members, students, City Link, Child Welfare Assistant and Community Organizer which conducted a demonstration activity for the Pantawid Pamilya members on Urban Farming given by the City Agriculture Staff or Parks Administration of Caloocan were present during the event.

Through partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources National Capital Region, the school received 46 seedling trays or 4,600 seedlings to start the school garden. According to the Pantawid Pamilya members, the school garden helps them lessen their daily expenses because provides food for their families, at the same time they are happy because they can also help the school in providing the food for feeding program.

This December, when the Community Organizer visited the school garden the Principal proudly show their garden which was very fruitful and overflowing of vegetables. According to Ms. Batalla, the Pantawid Pamilya members were already harvesting the produce and also used the produce for the feeding program.

While having produce to harvest is a positive impact of the project, the unity and cooperation shown by each person involved is what truly makes the initiative remarkable. The Pantawid Pamilya members who work in the garden were very thankful because they were given a chance to be involved in Urban Gardening.

They also appreciated one of the main of the garden, which were to give and share the produce to the needy especially for those students who were attending the feeding program. They said this motivated them to work harder in the garden.

In three months since they established the school garden they have faced many challenges. Despite these obstacles, they were able to overcome it. Effort, time, commitment, care, and patience are the key ingredients to the success of their garden, according to the members.

Having concrete goals and objectives has helped the project become succesful.  The Gulayan sa Barangay project aims to help the Pantawid Pamilya members to be self-sufficient through gardening aside from food consumption they can also use it for marketing which they can sell the produce and be their additional income. Department of Social Welfare and Development is capacitating the members to be more proactive and knowledgeable in a way that they can stand on their own in pursuing their different dreams for their family.