City officials recently enjoined the 128 barangays to establish and operate their respective barangay community gardens in full support to the Halina’t Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay (HPAG) sa Barangay project.
In a resolution, local legislators stated that the local government fully supports the HAPAG sa Barangay project and enjoins the compliance and partnership of the city’s barangays for the realization of the prescribed goals and objectives.
In response to the recent pronouncement of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in which he expressed that one of the thrusts of his administration is to address hunger and food insecurity among Filipinos, the Department of the Interior and Local government (DILG) issued Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2023-001 that outlined the guidelines in the implementation of the Project HAPAG sa Barangay project to address the said issues.
Further, the DILG issuance was also anchored on Section 17 of the Local Government Code of 1991, Executive Order No. 131, series of 2021 or the devolution of certain functions of the executive branch of local governments among others and Ambisyon Natin 2040.
The said issuance outlines the rules and responsibilities of the local government units in implementing the project which stated among others that the barangay shall identify the areas where the community garden shall be established and set up the community garden in a vacant area preferably owned by the barangay or local government concerned.
Moreover, the barangay shall also ensure the formulation or if existing, revision or updating of the barangay nutrition action plan in line with the full devolution, to include the establishment and maintenance of barangay community garden, provision of seedling materials and agricultural equipment and facilities among others.
The council claimed that the HAPAG sa Barangay project is in support of the thrust of the national government to addressing the pressing concerns of hunger and food insecurity aside from it being cognizant of the role of the barangays as essential partners in addressing the said issues and aims to strengthen the capacities of the barangay towards sustainable agriculture.
The said initiative promotes urban agriculture where households and the community are encouraged to produce fresh, healthy and affordable fruits and vegetables from their backyards and vacant spaces within the barangays through the establishment of barangay community gardens.
The council claimed that community gardens in urban areas like the city will help families cope with the rising cost of food and assure ready access to healthy and nutritious meals.
The council stipulated that the City Health Services Office, through the barangay nutrition scholars, and the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office shall coordinate and assist the barangays in the implementation and reportorial requirements of the said project. By Dexter A. See
