Masbate town gives away seeds to keep folks on COVID-19 quarantine busy with food production

LEGAZPI CITY—The agriculture office of a town in Masbate province is giving away vegetable seeds to give residents something to do in their otherwise idle time during the Luzon-wide quarantine against COVID-19.

The agriculture office of Dimasalang town started distributing the seeds on Monday (March 23) in an effort to help residents grow their own food, or at least vegetables, while under quarantine restrictions.

Officials even came up with a slogan for the campaign: “Food is Always in the Home”, or Faith.

Irish Cabrera, municipal agriculturist, said the seeds had been given to local government units as assistance in the aftermath of storm Tisoy, which hammered parts of the Bicol region. The seeds, she said, were “just so timely” as no one knew “when this health crisis will end.”

The agriculture office was planning to distribute at least 1,000 packets of assorted vegetable seeds, including okra, amapalaya, squash, eggplant and tomato. The seeds were provided by the Department of Agriculture.

Residents of seven out of 20 villages already received the seeds through their village chieftains.

The seed distribution was a way to encourage everyone at home to engage in backyard vegetable production to spend their time wisely while on quarantine.

Edited by TSB