The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading the proposed urban gardening ordinance in the city.
The proposed measure authored by Councilors Leandro B. Yangot, Jr., Isabelo Cosalan, Jr. and Elmer Datuin, seeks to strengthen the implementation of the urban agriculture program of the city government to provide additional source of income to households, ensure food security and boost the city’s nutrition program.
The institutionalization of the integrated food production is funded under the bottom-up budgeting strategy implemented in the city and this shall be adopted as a regular program of the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO).
Among the components of this program include appointment of barangay agriculture team officers, establishment of seedling nurseries at the purok level and distribution of seedlings.
The ordinance claimed that the implementation of the pertinent measures shall tap existing mechanisms and initiatives, particularly those serving the same sector such as the urban poor.
The CVAO shall pursue the establishment of a buy-and-sell program and the put up of processing centers to further the support extended to barangay advocates.
The ordinance mandates the CVAO to submit a quarterly report to the City Mayor on the progress of the implementation of the pertinent provisions of the proposed measure. Such a report shall be copy furnished to the local legislative body for information and further needed action.
The ordinance stated that an initial amount of PhP3 million shall be allocated to fund the implementation of the measure in next year’s annual budget. For 2025, the annual appropriation for the implementation of the ordinance shall be a line item under the budget of the CVAO.
The ordinance tasked the City Public Information Office to devise and implement a public information strategy designed not only to fully inform the public about the pertinent provisions of the proposed measure but also to strongly encourage them to actively participate in the attainment of the objectives of the same.
The proponents claimed that in relation to Ordinance No. 35, series of 2018, it is deemed appropriate to introduce an urban gardening ordinance to help more urban gardeners or enthusiasts and farmers as well as interested city residents to give them more sources of income and livelihood and involve them closer to the projects and programs of the government.
Further, urban gardening is changing the landscape of many cities, with a number of people growing plants and raising animals either at ground level or on rooftops and terraces.
According to them, this sustainable move which many countries still do not recognize as a formal activity is practiced by 800 million people worldwide and helps low-income citizens save money on food purchases, based on the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
In addition, FAO also maintains that urban vegetable gardens can be much more economical and efficient than traditional ones, producing more food per year per square meter of land.
