T. Padilla residents start ‘green revolution’

CEBU City’s potential as an urban gardening site was tested yesterday as residents in barangay T. Padilla planted vegetables on vacant lots.

Environment lawyer Antonio Oposa Jr. led the planting as part of a “green revolution.”

With bolos and water containers, residents along a 350-meter stretch of T. Villa Sreet planted kangkong, camote (sweet potato) and beans along vacant lots, sidewalks, and along easement areas of the Lahug Creek.

Carmen Rebellesa, a resident, said she would support the program because she wants to see more gardens in the community.

“I can’t wait to harvest what we’ve planted,” a sweating Rebellesa told Cebu Daily News.

T. Padilla barangay captain Michael Rallota said he wanted to promote urban gardening in Cebu City as a solution to alleviate hunger and poverty.

“I want our barangay to be the pioneer in urban gardening. That is my dream,” Rallota said.

Rallota, who is also the president of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC), said he would endorse a resolution in the Cebu City Council encouraging other barangays to plant vegetables in vacant lots.

“This can greatly help our problems in food sustainability,” he said.

The vegetables can later be sold in the market as an extra source of revenue, he said.

Oposa’s Road Revolution movement has a pending proposal in Cebu City to enact an ordinance to redesign roads to allot 30 percent for pedestrians, 30 percent for bike lanes, 30 percent for non-polluting mass transit and 10 percent for edible gardens.

Oposa said T. Padilla’s pioneer efforts in urban gardening would hopefully be inspire other local governments to transform the urban landscape.  Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya