About 300 households joined the container gardening contest in barangay Bakilid, Mandaue City.
Bakilid barangay captain Dionesio Villamor launched the program on Sept. 4. Mayor Jonas Cortes encouraged barangay officials early this year to lead a backyard gardening in their respective barangays.
“Amo gyud ning gibuhat kay among nakita nga daku gyud ni og ikahatag nga kaayohan sa barangay apil na ang paghipos sa among basura (We did this—including the proper disposal of garbage—because this will benefit our barangay), said Villamor in an interview with Cebu Daily News.
Villamor said they have allocated P30,000 for the project, including the prizes to be given to winners of the 10 categories.
Participants will plant green leafy vegetables, herbal plants, bean plants and ornamental plants.
“This project will encourage the people of Bakilid to clean and beautify their sorroundings and at the same time segregate and dispose garbage properly. The program will create a stress-free surrounding and produce good health as it will encourage people to produce organic and nutritious food in the table,” Villamor said.
Mario Marababol, a barangay councilor, who was recently recognized as the most outstanding barangay Kagawad in Mandaue told CDN that the household contestants must set up at least 30 container garden using empty sacks, plastics, plastic pails, tin can, drums, broken mineral water and other recyclable waste materials.
Ignacia Gerona of the Department of Agriculture assisted and gave a seminar to the contestants on gardening. “Pananom sa Nataran Alang sa Kaayohan” is the theme of the first-ever contest.
The launching was joined by the Philippine Taoist Temple outreach progaram personnel headed by Dennis Chua. The group gave packs of rice and canned goods to 400 families in the barangay. /CORRESPONDENT NORMAN V. MENDOZA