A campus vegetable cultivation project dubbed as “Oh My Gulay (OMG)” was launched on Thursday by Global Business Power Corp. (GBPC) at the South City Central Elementary School in Toledo City.
The launching was held in cooperation with the Department of Education as part of the Nutrition Month celebration.
Oh My Gulay is an advocacy program that aims to augment the nutritional needs of underprivileged children through the cultivation of vegetable gardens in schools.
According to a study by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), three in every 10 Filipino children ages 5 years old and below are too short while two in every 10 children are underweight.
In line with this year’s Nutrition Month theme, “Gutom at malnutrisyon, sama-sama nating wakasan,” OMG supports the nation’s efforts in addressing hunger and malnutrition issues by eating vegetables and by encouraging the community to plant vegetables in their own backyard.
GBPC’s subsidiaries Cebu Energy Development Corporation and Toledo Power Company have partnered with GT Metro Foundation, the family foundation of Metrobank founder Dr. George S.K. Ty, to bring OMG in South City Central Elementary School, Sangi Elementary School and Talavera Elementary School in Toledo City, Cebu.
These adopted schools will be provided with teaching materials, seeds, gardening tools and other planting materials. Technical training on vegetable farming will also be conducted by East West Seed Foundation.
The Oh My Gulay project will help improve the health of the children in Toledo City as well as provide savings for their families as they don’t have to buy vegetables anymore for their viands.
Participants will fully appreciate the benefits of the program once they harvest tomatoes, eggplants, squash, spinach and other vegetables in October,” said Engr. Leah Diaz, GBPC vice president for Toledo site operations.
Dr. Tiburcio Dacalus, head of the Department of Health in Toledo City, expressed gratefulness to GBPC power firms in Toledo, Cebu Energy and Toledo Power, for helping the DOH encourage the children to eat vegetables.
“I am happy that GBPC is here to help us (DOH), panagsa ra ang mga kumpanya na mutabang ug ingon ani (most companies seldom assist in this kind of endeavor),” Dr. Dacalus said during the kick-off ceremony.