NOW Newsletter Issue 1 2014

NOW Issue#1
Issue #1
April 2014
Manila Waldorf School Class of 2014
April 2013
Tony Meloto: A
Man of Vision
Enchanted Farm and the
Meaning of Life
Enchanted Farm’s Star
Social Entrepreneurs
Quezon City Hall: Working
Towards a Better Tomorrow
Payatas: Trash Talkin’
The
1
Joy of Urban Farming
NOW Issue#1
April 2013
“Developing the individual to establish their role in the
community for change and a sustainable future.”
Table of Contents:
Editorial.......................................................................................................3
Enchanted Farm and the Meaning of Life.....................................4
Tony Meloto: The Vision.......................................................................6
Quezon City Hall: Hands for a better tomorrow...........................8
React and Respond.................................................................................10
Trash Talkin..............................................................................................11
Interviews...................................................................................................13
Entrepreneurs............................................................................................14
A Dream for Others: Ate Cherie’s Story.........................................18
What’s Brewing: Enchanted Farm Food Products Review......19
Urban Farming...........................................................................................20
NOW NEWSLETTER
Editor: Hans Obusan
Assistant Editors: Sabine Antigua . Patricia Concepcion
Photos: Sabine Antigua . Sharlynn Templado . Isa Belmonte
Layout: Maureen Piers . Alex Abo-Hamda
[email protected]
Class 11 would like to acknowledge:
Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte
QC Vice Mayor's staff
Mr.Tony Meloto
Enchanted Farm social entrepreneurs
Isaac and Isa Belmonte
Herr and Lorraine Obusan
Our many thanks!
2
NOW Issue#1
April 2014
Editor’s Note
Two of the most valued things in this world are time and money. It dictates the way we live our lives,
and is the way we receive the things that we desire most. With money we can buy the coolest pair of
shoes and the latest iphone released. And with time, we could enjoy precious things that we cannot
put a price on - perhaps watching the sunrise at the break of day. Yet inspite of this, both we
squander, both we take for granted, and both slip through our fingers
without us even noticing.
One of my first experiences in handling money was in Grade 6, when I
Hans M. Obusan worked as a waiter in our Advent Fair Roman Café. This was the first time
we were given the responsibility to handle money, and it was a huge
undertaking that planted us onto the very first rungs of the business
ladder. Being a newbie, during my first shift I accidentally gave someone the wrong order, and
some lucky fellow ended up with a free glass of juice. Looking back at that event it was here
that i realized that loss is relative. My loss was the lucky fellow's gain! Another thing that
dawned on me was that a deed - in this case, my mistake, had an effect on myself and others.
This simple initial experience with money is just as important and universal to me now as it
was back then. Now we find ourselves in a world of turmoil, wherein the eradication of
poverty and hunger seem to be unsolvable and the degradation of our environment,
unstoppable. More and more we become aware that an economy and a society, which takes and gives nothing in
return, will not get us out of our current unstable situation. The world seems to be teetering on the brink of chaos.
Can one even do something about this morose situation? Can one afford to feel helpless? Should we allow a few slips
of paper and the slowly inching arms of a clock trap us into the proverbial rat race where no thought is given to the
quality nor meaning of lives?
For the past year our class has been grappling with the realities of the world. Our eyes were opened to the fact that
problems we experience here in our country are the very same experienced by countries all over the world. After the
initial "trauma" of the gravity of the situation, we were introduced to a few Non-government organizations which have
made quite an impact towards attaining the UN Millenium Development Goals. You will read in this newsletter about
our experiences in two organizations, The Enchanted Farm and the Quezon City Hall Government. These have
profoundly affected our way of thinking.
These two organizations are responding to the needs of the times. Innovative and creative in their approach to
problems, they work towards restoring the dignity and self respect of humankind. Both have creatively found ways to
reach out to people and strengthen the sense of community in their respective areas yet strengthen
and nurture each individual's self. Both have offered support and have created opportunities to
those who dare take a step out of the usual way of doing things.
Money need not just mean profit for corporations nor corruption in government. Money can
create opportunities. Opportunities for rich and poor to work together in socially responsible
enterprises. Opportunities for government to genuinely reach out to its wide populace and in
return gain an active citizenry that will work hand in hand in achieving a better city.
There are personalities in this newsletter who have seized these golden opportunities and have
created situations where one's gain may not necessarily mean another's loss; Where establishing
a deep sense of community from one's own contribution, be it time or money, will bring about
true change, in ourselves and in others.
We need to NURTURE ourselves, our fellow human beings, our environment, OUR WORLD.
The moment we see ourselves in the other and the others see themselves in each, will be the
moment true change will happen. That moment could be NOW.
3
NOW Issue#1
April 2013
Enchanted Farm.
and
the Meaning of Life
Somewhere tucked in Barangay Encanto,
Angat, Bulacan is the Enchanted Farm. This once idle 14 hectare farm has slowly
and remarkably transformed into living
proof of social change. There, dignity is restored to those who have little
of it. There, opportunities are given to those who dare to creatively work
with others. There, being part of a community can be fully experienced. And there, dreams of a better life for both rich and poor can be realized. How is this farm effecting social change under the guidance of Mr. Tony Meloto, its founder and driving force? The Enchanted Farm is a farm-village university. It is a school and market incubator for social enterprises. Entrepreneurship and dreaming big are what it espouses. There were many French interns and Young Filipino
social entrepreneurs when we visited. We even had the chance to speak to two French interns who shared with
us this surprising view : that the Philippines is a land of opportunities! How remarkable and even odd! Many
Filipinos plan on going abroad a(er they graduate and even take courses that could easily
lead to getting a job abroad yet there they were, two French interns in their twenties,
telling us how much they loved the Philippines. They thought that here they could explore
possibilities, learn anything, be creative and most importantly, could dream big and realize
this dream in a socially responsible way. How amazing!
Joni with the Sibol
There are many other interesting stories in the farm. One is the story of how the businesses
of social entrepreneurs there have taken off. As you will read in this newsletter, it was a
result of a lot of hard work, guts, respect for one another, experimentation,
kids
encouragement, inspiration and full support from its founder. These young
entrepreneurs were able to “incubate” their businesses in Enchanted Farm to a point
where the products are now considered “world class”. They are also tirelessly and
persistently developing other products that will naturally branch out from the original one. Another interesting story is that of the ladies whose lives changed when they decided to
brave their own circumstances and realize their dream in the farm’s setting. They were
helped by business savvy people to start a mutually beneficial partnership which eventually
worked really well. The benefits of this kind of genuine concern for people and
environment have spread to their families and others they are in contact with. The
Happiness level here is high and very infecting! As we walked through the town, we sensed that it was not a typical urban neighborhood. The people were warm, welcoming and seemed to have an aura of confidence, energy and
positivity. A closer look at the hustle and bustle happening there will show why. In the Farm is a
school for children ages four to six called Sibol. We were treated to poetry and songs by these cute little
children. At a very young age, they are taught through song and poetry the values of the farm. And through
this early learning program, the children are given what the Farm believes, is a good foundation for later
learning and living. As for the children ages seven and up who have to go outside the Farm to study, they still
get supported by the farm through an allowance.
Kabahayan, is one of the Farm’s successful programs. It aims to build houses for the poor who move into the
community. There are currently 50 families and 45 houses in the Farm - all with charming gardens at the front.
A sweat for equity agreement is offered here. If a family is interested in having their own house in the Farm,
instead of paying for it, they work for it by building with other families a row of houses. To promote a stronger
sense of family and community, none of the families knows who will get which house. They end up building
4
NOW Issue#1
April 2014
homes for each other, ensuring that their neighbor will have a good roof over their
head. Only when the houses are finished will they draw lots for their particular
house. When a family becomes part of the community, they have a choice to work for
the Farm or not. Those who work inside the Farm are given an allowance, but there
are also others who choose to work outside the farm. We saw this kind of brotherhood and new way of thinking in the farm’s various
programs. Aside from the enterprises being cooked up there, there are also the
Bayananihan, Green Kalinga, Tourism and Livelihood programs. For the Bayanihan
and Livelihood programs, residents are each given a plot which they can use to grow
their own vegetables. The organic method is used by them and for all raw materials
grown in the farm. These are sold in the Enchanted Farm Cafe in Commonwealth and
are also distributed to the families in the community. Many residents are also partners
in the social enterprises being ‘incubated’ in the Farm. The Green Kalinga program focuses on care for the environment and promotes ”green ways”. One of the Farm’s
major partners is Hyundai. This company is currently funding the construction of a beautiful “green building” right at the entrance of the farm. This will attract many tourists who would like to know more about alternative
sources of energy aside from the social enterprises. Shell is also one of its major sponsors as it was responsible
for paving the roads in enchanted farm. It has also put up a building there. All these things have made
Enchanted Farm THE place to visit. Schools send bus loads of students that they might gain a new perspective
of agriculture and social development while companies consider the Farm an ideal place to hold team building
activities. Visitors will realize the Filipino’s true potential in the Farm’s products and the way they work as a
community. All these programs support the Farm’s aims to achieve economic sufficiency and productivity in a socially
responsible, innovative and sustainable way. This new way of doing things is even experienced in the way the
farm is governed. The farm is like a barangay with its own governing body which helps resolve and settle the
issues inside the community. All members of the community have to follow the rules and regulations. There is a
no drinking rule, a no drugs rule, a bawal ang tamad rule and other usual rules a barangay would have. They are
allowed a maximum of two penalties until they are asked to leave the Farm. However, a creative way to find a
solution to problems is always taken. Sometimes an assembly is called to deal with a problem in a gentle way
rather than the standard punish, fine and put to jail system. Communication here is important. A process is
undertaken so that those involved are able to realize what they have done yet keep their dignity and selfrespect. This more positive way of handling things has led to the reform of many and a more harmonious way
of co-existence. So as much as possible, everyone stays in the farm. Why, this is something that Manila Waldorf
School also does with high school students! Endless conversations happen among students, between teacher
and student or student and student, just to resolve an issue. To be open and really listen to what’s being said, to
courageously speak from the heart and mind, and respect for each other are needed for this way to be truly
effective. In Enchanted Farm, our eyes were opened to many things. Mr. Meloto
shared with us his wonderful dream to eradicate poverty and bring the
Philippines to first world status. His message is powerful and clear: both
rich and poor can dream big together and work together to realize their
dreams. In reality, the Enchanted Farm is not all business - make no mistake about
this, behind its wholistic and innovative ways is the desire to help people
develop fully. It’s about establishing real relationships, harnessing the
creative spirit in everyone and helping people realize their true potential. Many people go through the rigors of daily living and most of their earthly
existence without really knowing the purpose of it all. However, a few individuals just in their twenties and
from the old world at that, have found all the way in a rural Philippine farm, the meaning of their lives.
5
NOW Issue#1
April 2013
The Vision
Clara Pettersen and Patricia Concepcion
The dream of going from “rags to riches” is a
near-universal one. Tony Meloto however, decided
to take his dream one step further. Instead of being
content with raising his own family out of poverty,
he aspired to do all that he could to eliminate
poverty altogether.
Antonio Meloto, also affectionately known as
“Tito Tony”, was born to a lower middle class family
near a shoreline squatter community in Bacolod
City, Negros Occidental. Because of his brilliance in
business, he was able to become an American Field
Exchange Scholar in the De Anza High School in
Richmond, California, and later he earned a full
scholarship to the Ateneo de Manila University
where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Economics
degree. From there, he went on to a successful
career as an entrepreneur before joining the Couples
for Christ association, where he rapidly rose the ranks and decided to use his position to help
expand the organization to include not only couples, but also the youth. Later, he further expanded
his project to incorporate the development of the troubled youth as well, starting with those in
Bagong Silang, Caloocan City, once considered to be the worst slum in Manila and an utterly
hopeless case. It was Tito Tony’s vision and the faith and dedication of everyone involved that
transformed Bagong Silang and everyone in it, and that promises to do the same for every other
poverty-stricken community that it can reach.
Due to his humble beginnings and his firsthand experience with hardship, he was able to
develop a deeper understanding of what poverty can do to people. When Tito Tony spoke to us of
the poor, it was not with the contempt or pity that most people seemed to have for them, but instead
with a sense of hope and respect. He could see that the poor were only victims of circumstance and
their own tortured mindset. Their spirits had been broken and their dignity stripped from them, so
that they were incapable of even seeing the potential within themselves to achieve more.
It was Tito Tony who saw this potential, what he described to us as “the genius of the poor.”
Though many of them may not have been able to complete their schooling, they have an inherent
brilliance all their own. This is what he believes we must tap into; this could be the key to
eliminating poverty. If we can give these people back their sense of self worth, and renew their sense
of purpose by giving them the responsibility of maintaining a community and enterprise of their
own, the disease of poverty will no longer have a breeding ground in their environment or in their
6
NOW Issue#1
April 2014
minds. Gawad Kalinga does away with the “slum mentality”, as Tito Tony calls it, and teaches these
people how to live again.
Tito Tony has become a father figure to many in the Gawad Kalinga organization, and indeed
when we met him, he was completely down-to-earth and devoid of pretention, instead exuding
warmth and undeniable charm. He was genuinely interested in our own thoughts and opinions, and
when he saw our hesitance and uncertainty to ask questions, he took the lead and actively engaged
each of us in easy conversation. When he spoke of Gawad Kalinga and his hope for the future, there
was a twinkle in his eye and a sense of absolute confidence in the people’s capability to do more and
be more.
Gawad Kalinga is about more than educating the poor and restoring
their humanity; it is also working to reintroduce the spirit of
bayanihan. It is about making heroes of everyday people and
showing them what it means to care once more. Tito Tony
adamantly states that he does not simply want people to pity those in
poverty, but instead, for people to see what he sees in the poor, and
to find it within themselves to join the movement to heal the ever
widening gap between the social classes. It is not only the poor who
must wake up to the world. We cannot allow ourselves to spiral into
apathy. We cannot simply be content with the way things are. We
must keep striving to become the best versions of ourselves, and
keep working for a better future.
This is Tito Tony’s dream, but a dream is little more than pretty words unless it is backed by
something concrete—unless it is turned into action. With his background in business and his
understanding of poverty, Tito Tony has come up with innovative new ways of working with the
poor. These include “sweat equity”, put into practice in Gawad Kalinga communities such as the
Enchanted Farm where the new residents pay for their homes with hard work rather than with
money, as well as the idea of “social entrepreneurship”, wherein the goal in the business venture is to
gain economic and environmental sustainability as well as social balance.
Gawad Kalinga has now reached 2,000 communities in the
Philippines and is making progress even in other developing countries
such as Indonesia, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea. It has changed
the lives of countless people and is aiming for a poverty-free
Philippines by 2024. All of this stemmed from one man, a true
visionary who is well on his way to accomplishing the impossible with
the help of likeminded people, who have opened their hearts and
minds and are working with him to build better homes, better lives
and a better world.
*Mr. Tony Meloto will be a keynote speaker at the opening of The
Planet Workshops Global Conference at the UNESCO Shanon, Tony Meloto and Isaac
headquarters in Paris on June 3 to 5, 2013. He will also be the Belmonte at the Grassroots cafe.
Speaker in its Closing Plenary Session. This is recognition of his
efforts in pioneering a new economic model that will lead to real,
sustainable economic growth in a socially responsible way. Kudos to Tito Tony ! Proud to be
Filipino! See The Summit @ UNESCO at http://www.planetworkshops.org/en/441/program/
7
NOW Issue#1
April 2013
QC Hall: Working Towards A Better Tomorrow
Alex Abo-Hamda
Corruption, inaction, empty promises --- these are words commonly
linked to government. Everyday I leave my house, I see trash sprinkled
throughout the streets. Informal settlers occupy nearly every vacant lot
outside exclusive subdivisions and beggars eagerly await diners when they
exit a restaurant or tap at windows of motorists in quite a few
intersections. Because of my experiences and observations, I concluded
that taxes collected by the government are not spent on improving the city
nor helping the impoverished. Perhaps some of it end up in the pockets of
officials. In a defeatist way I often ask myself, "Can change happen at all"? During a recent three day visit to QC Hall, organized by the Office of Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, with my classmates, I
realized that I was mistaken. I got a glimpse of a local government which had a vision for its constituents. A local
government which aims to be transparent, visible, accessible and responsive to the needs of its people.
Our visit began with a tour of City Hall - Our first stop was the Office of the Secretary where we met the OIC
Secretary. Atty. John omas S. Alferos III. He's built up so much to reach the position he is in now and to this day
remains proud of his work. Despite the workload, he doesn't complain. His office studies heaps of paperwork - from
checking if ordinances made are consistent with the Constitution, to doing
research for councilors or checking minutes of sessions of the City Council. I
found out that ordinances are elaborate, truly a means by which the local
government makes into law needed programs such as regulating the use of plastic
and Styrofoam or re-zoning a particular area in the city.
With accessibility as one of its core values, the QC government created the "City
Council Centralized Receiving and Information Unit" (CCCRIU) wherein anyone
can file a suggestion, complaint or proposal with this unit located right at the
front desk of the entrance of City Hall. is remains confidential. is system has
resulted in more order in City Hall, less cues in councilors' offices, better tracking
of requests/complaints and quick response to frequently asked information
questions.
To even be more accessible and transparent, the city government uses modern technology. Simply hop on to your
internet browser to www.quezoncitycouncil.ph. Any issue you may have may be emailed directly to the councilor of the
committee concerned or the vice mayor herself. One can also read actual minutes of sessions and study discussions
during sessions regarding any issue the Council is focusing on.
If technology isn't your thing then you might want to see living proof of how the council is able to discuss issues of
constituents and proposes ordinances during Monday sessions, where anyone can attend. All ordinances approved are
on the website and accessible in their E-Library also located in the city hall. Visibility and transparency - I could see
that the city government is practicing these.
It is sincere in educating its citizenry the best they can and more importantly, it tries to get them involved. Why, the
entire class even went to the Carlos Albert High School wherein three teams of the city government went from classroom to classroom, educating and encouraging the students to
visit and make use of the city council's website. Check out this link: http://
www.quezoncitycouncil.ph/childrenscorner-photogallery-schools.php , spot us under the
“Carlos L. Albert High School”.
One thrust of the Vice Mayor that is truly noteworthy and shows that the government is
responsive to its citizenry is her programs aimed at empowering women and other minority
groups. ese are aimed at providing them safety, support, protection and opportunities.
She is involved with an NGO called "Husay Pinay" and has recently opened a Center for Women
quezoncitycouncil.ph
8
NOW Issue#1
April 2014
and LGBTs. She also provided a Breastfeeding station that is easily accessible, located in the ground floor of
City Hall near the councilors' offices. It is a baby pink, cooled room with puzzle mats on the floor, a few toys
and a nice couch overlooking a flat screen T.V. It is for mothers who need to go to City Hall to do some
form of transaction yet need a place of respite for their Toddlers or need to breastfeed their babies. It is
also for City Hall female employees who are still breastfeeding their babies they've left at home and so
would need to express their milk while at work, in a peaceful, conducive environment.
We did not just stay in City Hall, we also walked to the Quezon Memorial Circle. I was pleasantly
surprised to discover a recently built underpass which connects the City Hall to the Q.C. Circle. It is a
marvel! It not only maintains cleanliness and safety ( a security guard is stationed there even at night)
but also makes the effort to educate passersby on important dates in Quezon City History,
information on its present Mayor Herbert Bautista and President Manuel L. Quezon.
Quezon City Memorial circle, is not only a pleasant, relaxing park conveniently filled with small eateries.
It is also home to another project of the Vice Mayor: "e JOY of Urban Farming". is project seeks to
promote and expand urban farming - in places limited by space, schools and barangays. Ms. Tina, the
lady handling the project, explained that this project hopes to promote healthy nutrition and present
new livelihood opportunities. Vermi-compost is used to enrich
the soil instead of harmful pesticides. Discarded 1 litre soda
bottles are used as pots and strung to hang. I asked if I could
purchase one of these “vertical gardens” but nothing in this
area was for sale, not even the vegetables grown there
organically. e Joy of Urban Farming gardens just recently
relocated to this bigger area. Ms Tina cited barangay Holy
Spirit efforts in urban farming - its produce is now used in its
feeding program. What a success! Anyone interested in starting a business can
write the vice mayor's office to request for a starter kit and the needed training.
My initial observation that the city has many problems was indeed confirmed by
our QC hall visit. However, my stereotype view of an irresponsible city
government was negated. I have realized that the QC government has
instituted various programs aimed at addressing the needs of its people. It is
innovative in its approach and seeks to develop and empower its residents.
Ms. Tina explaining the JOY
of Urban Farming.
With this exposure, i have realized that one can no longer continue living just to make it to the top and get a good salary.
Donating a few pesos or slipping a few coins into a beggar's hand simply won't result in
change. One needs to change one's ways and thinking!
With Patrick at the
Session Hall
e dictionary defines the term "individual" as “single, separate”. If we go back to the Latin
roots of the word, in-dividuus, it means “not divisible”. A community is not merely held
together by money, or signatures to a petition or even good programs. A community is
formed and strengthened when each is able to give support to the other and when each is
strong enough to be able to offer to another a hand to hold. A local government unit can
succeed only if its constituents follow its laws, keep themselves abreast of its programs and
participate in them. I have gained a new appreciation for transparency, visibility,
accessibility and government response. e government has shown me that yes, change
CAN happen! In fact, change IS happening!
e problems are many and seem insurmountable but change can be sustained if we each do our part. I remember
distinctly a line in Jose Rizal's novel Noli Me Tangere : "Cowardice comes from one's overly love of self". Often we don't
do anything for fear of repercussions. It's time to ask ourselves: "Will we remain cowards and live our lives for ourselves or
will we muster enough courage so as to extend ourselves in consideration of the welfare of others?"
Let's be courageous. Let's each to the other be the needed hand that holds, the hand that can join with other hands.
Hands which reach out and link together with other hands. Hands whose common goal is CHANGE. Hands that will work
for a better tomorrow.
9
NOW Issue#1
April 2013
React and Respond
by Joy Laraya
Improving and taking care of a city as large as Quezon City requires an
organization wherein the local government and the city’s residents have a
system of effective communication and coordination aimed at working
together towards achieving a common goal for the benefit of all involved.
It is important that the people of the city are participative and
attentive to the programs and services delivered by their government so
that they are aware not only of the efficiency of their officials but also the
capability of the authorities and their staff, so as to avoid ignorance and the
pointing of fingers. This is the reason why the Quezon City Council organizes
seminars for schools and barangays to inform them and find out what their
expectations are and in the process, to guide the councilors so that they
can come up with legislations responsive to the needs of their
constituents. The seminars give focus on orienting the people about the
Quezon City Council, their roles and responsibilities and, more
importantly, how the people can keep in touch with them. This
establishes a more solid and reciprocal relationship between the city
government and the citizens. The councilors are no longer merely
inaccessible faces and names, but rather engaged and involved partners
and aides.
Presently, the council has a website
"To
whom
much
is
(http://quezoncitycouncil.ph), which is
designed to act as a bridge between the
given,
much
is
people of the city and their local
expected"
government. Through this social
medium, the citizens can send their
Vice
Mayor
Joy
complaints, commendations or
suggestions for city ordinances. They can
also secure information about the council and their projects, ongoing
activities, social events and other agendas. In this way, the people can have a say in their own local
government and can better understand the processes that go into the making and passing of the laws
that govern their city.
10
NOW Issue#1
April 2014
Trash Talkin’
A Visit to the Payatas Landfill
Sabine Antigua
Trash. Junk. Waste. These are worthless things we don’t need
anymore. They take up space in our homes, so we throw them out—
out of sight, out of mind. Cleaned up and all done, right?
Nope!
Sometimes, the thing that we forget when clearing out trash is where
the trash is going, so long as it’s out of our way. But what isn’t
common knowledge is that the waste thrown away by hundreds of
people every day accumulates into one smelly, dangerous trash
monster. But monsters can be tamed.
The Payatas landfill is a facility where all the waste of Quezon City
With Christian and Engineer
residents (and residents of other cities) is dumped, and it got so that on July 10, Louis Sabater.
2000, a landslide occurred in the area after two typhoons
hit Manila. The weight of all the trash from the dumpsite
took out many of the nearby residents’ homes and killed over 300 people. After this tragedy, the
council started working to prevent such a thing from happening again.
Many Quezon City residents are familiar with the revolutionary ‘no more plastic bags!’
ordinance, but this is one of the many ways they are trying to combat the scalability of the
landfill, which will reach maximum capacity in two years and in which case we’ll have to refer to
it afterward as a ‘landfull.’ There are other ways of fighting this so-called monster. One of them, is
of course, recycling.
The Payatas facility recycles plastic, metal, paper etc. and compost biodegradable waste as well. It
has impressively harnessed the experience of junk shop owners and trash scavengers to help in
segregating and recycling the trash, turning it into a livelihood for those impoverished in the
area. Aside from using the metal for buildings, they also make bags, Christmas decors and bricks
—in fact, the very bricks that pave the sidewalk in Tomas Morato and elsewhere! With these
people also having families of their own, the PPA (Payatas Poverty
Alleviation) program tutors and educates their children, giving them
a chance to earn a scholarship. The community is basically geared towards earning a
livelihood by turning trash into treasure.
One of the more remarkable tactics of the project is the use of RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel.)
And that’s exactly what it sounds like: the Payatas landfill staff harnesses methane gas from
the waste to convert into energy. And this energy is what powers the entire facility—and
200 houses in the community, plus street lamps! Now THAT’S what I call unlimited power,
given that 5000 trucks of garbage arrive at the landfill from various points of the city every
day. Every Friday is known as ‘free ironing day’ in which village mothers get to ‘make plantsa’
for free using the energy generated by the plant. Plastic and combustible trash is also being
converted into alternative fuel, rather than using coal.
To ensure that a landslide doesn’t happen again, the staff plants vetiver grass, grass which roots grow down deep and hold
the foundation soil together to prevent the trash from breaking apart.
However, there are a still a few loose ends to the way the facility is run, despite everything they have done so far. Incredible
controversies surround the plant, such as the issue of where the waste will go once the landfill reaches maximum capacity,
and its severity is taking a toll on nearby residents, such as the people of a suburban village nearby Payatas who moved
out, abandoning their property because of the contaminated river nearby and the unbearable smell .The situation has
become serious ever since the closure of Smokey Mountain in 1993 and the trash was diverted to Payatas and the nearby
San Mateo landfill, which is also a point of controversy. With little attention towards recycling and reducing the trash,
Payatas landfill grew bigger and bigger. Finally, the wake-up call arrived when the landslide occurred in 2000. Now, the
11
NOW Issue#1
April 2013
government is taking measures to prevent a similar tragedy and minimize the trash going into the landfill, not just by
passing the anti-plastic bag ordinance but also by working to recycle the materials in the landfill with the help of the local
people. The future of the incoming waste is uncertain, but for now, the facility has to work together in managing the waste
of the city. Someday, they tell us, the Payatas landfill will close down and they’ll terraform it into an eco-park for tourism,
yet another way to help the local community. And it is a looming reminder of our carelessness in the past, telling us to be
more responsible in the present, although not many heed the warning and this ignorance
and apathy causes people to take what they throw away for granted, unaware of the
repercussions of their actions.
Despite its uncertain and controversial future, one must be appreciative of the measures
being taken in order to fix the problems caused by the past and help a community, reduce
waste, promote tourism, power the city and provide livelihood all in one go, by focusing on
an ideal for a better future now.
PAYATAS IN NUMBERS:
500 – no. of trucks delivering waste to the facility every day
50 -- percentage of waste to be used in RDF
12—years since the Payatas landslide tragedy
13—percentage of trash being carted away to a separate plant for
reworking
54—percentage of trash being composted (biodegradable)
1000 tons of garbage = 1 megawatt= over 200 houses –power
conversion rate of methane gas harnessing
2—more years till Payatas Landfill becomes a landfull (reaches max
capacity)
‘If there’s a future we want it now!’ – Paramore, Now
Contributors to this article:
Jed Roxas
Alex Abo-Hamda
Patricia Concepcion
12
NOW Issue#1
April 2014
Interviews
right. I need to point out what I believe to be right as
well).
Several interns have helped Ate Cathy with the
enterprise, and she shared how it was heart warming
to see people from different backgrounds take part in
the work. She even said that there was a time when
she did not want to get close to the interns because
she feels sad and cries when they leave. But Ate Cathy
values her relationship with people, having that sense
of belonging within the community.
Ate Cathy
Maureen Piers
We met Ate Cathy of the Gawad
Kalinga – Enchanted Farm at
little hut where they made the
Golden Eggs, one of EF’s many
enterprises. Before Ate Cathy got
i n to t h e E n c h a n t e d Fa r m
community, she rationed food to students and
teachers in a public school in her barangay. Although
her income was enough to send her children to school
and put food on the table, Ate Cathy dreamt of a better
life for her family. She often worried on the safety of
her children where they lived, especially because their
house was near a road where many cars pass through.
Ate Cathy applied for a house in Enchanted Farm, and
has been living there for several years now. When asked
how her life has changed, she said “Sa dati naming
tirahan delikado. Dito may bahay ka, tahimik ang buhay,
tapos may trabaho ka pa” (It was a lot more dangerous
where we used to live. Here you have a home, life is
peaceful, and you can even have a steady job.)
Ate Cathy does the finance, inventory, packaging, and
processing of the eggs at the enterprise, a choice she
made upon joining the community. Mr. Alvie Benitez, the
entrepreneur of the Golden Egg and Ate Cathy’s boss is
very close to her. It was evident how Ate Cathy has that
sense of responsibility as a member of a community
when she shared: “Minsan sinasabihan ko yan sya [Alvie]
pagka nakikita ko na may mali siyang ginagawa. Kasi
hindi naman dahil boss mo siya, tama siya palagi.
Sinasabi ko din yung sa tingin ko tama” ( Sometimes I
correct him when I see him doing something wrong.
Just because he’s my boss doesn’t mean that he’s always
13
Ate Cathy attends classes in the school at the
Enchanted Farm after her work. She has classmates
who are much younger than her, but she says it doesn’t
bother her because everyone respects the others’
desire to learn. She wants to pursue her dream of
becoming a nurse to be able to support her children
when they finish high school.
“Ano po ang pangarap niyo?” (What are your dreams
for the future?)
Ate Cathy: Simple lang, gusto ko lang makaipon. (Simple,
I only want to save up money.)
“Sa lahat po ng meron kayo ngayon, bahay, trabaho,
sasabihin niyo po ba na mahirap kayo?” (Given all that
you have now; a house, a job…would you be able to say
that you still find yourself in hardship?)
Ate Cathy: Mahirap kami kasi hindi kami katulad ng
ibang taong nabibili lahat ng gusto nila kaagad. Pero
ayos lang yun, kasi kahit mahirap ka, wag lang may
sakit. Kasi kung may sakit ka, wala ka nang chance para
maka-trabaho; mawawalan ng pagkain sa lamesa, tapos
yung mga anak mo hindi makakapasok sa school. (We
live in hardship because unlike other people, we can’t
buy the things we want right when we want them. But
that’s alright, because being poor doesn’t matter as long
as you stay healthy. When you get sick, you lose the
chance to work, you don’t get to provide food for your
family and your children don’t get to attend school.)
Ate Cathy is an individual who has shown us that when
we have established and acknowledged our worth in the
community, our responsibilities, we are empowered to
take action and in turn, bring about change.
NOW Issue#1
April 2013
Ate Cora and Ate Lourdes
Patricia Anne C. Concepcion
By now you’ve probably already heard a dozen times about how the Enchanted Farm is a
platform not only for business, but also for change, but it can be difficult to truly believe
in this without fully understanding what it means. What they are working to change are the
limitations of social boundaries, and social change is not simply a matter of giving people
in need money, it is about giving them opportunities. Two of the many people given such
opportunities are Ate Cora and Ate Lourdes. Having been introduced to Gawad Kalinga
four years ago through the Couples for Christ association, these two nanays have since
embraced the Enchanted Farm community, affecting its path as much as it has affected
theirs.
However, they relate that in its early years, there was a lack of available jobs within the community itself, and the
nanays struggled to adjust to the new lifestyle. They had to be taught essential skills for their new way of life, such as
agriculture and pig farming. Over time the Farm grew, and slowly, its potential was fulfilled. Ate Cora and Ate Lourdes are
currently working not only in the Grassroots Kitchen, which serves organic Filipino food, but also within the gourmet goat
cheese and salted egg enterprises, which not only provide them with a source of income but also with a purpose, and has
helped them understand that in order for their community to flourish, they must work together, not only with their fellow
residents, but also with the business people who come in to help their ideas take off. Ate Cora and Ate Lourdes explain that
on the Farm, the residents work with the lawyers and businessmen, not under them. Both factions share their knowledge with
one another, and in fact, it is often the older and wiser ates who have to teach the business-minded city-folk about the more
physical and practical side of the work.
But according to these two ladies, one of the most important things offered by the Enchanted Farm is the chance to
raise their families in peace. Unlike most parents they no longer have to worry about their children falling into vice or
becoming victims of crime, because of how well they know their neighbors and how much they trust them. They say that it is
also good to know that the Farm will be able to provide their children with jobs in the future, if they so choose.
This is what sets the Enchanted Farm apart from other projects that seek to help the poor through charitable
donations. While a noble effort, it only ever proves to be a short-term solution. What the Enchanted Farm does is give people
like Ate Cora and Ate Lourdes is a chance; the chance to learn, to work and to dream.
CAKE RAFFLE!
Thank
you
Top
Cakes
for
the
delicious
chocolate
cake.
All
proceeds
went
to
Class
11.
"Help
send
us
to
the
international
youth
conference
Switzerland!"
The
winner
was
drawn
on
March
22,
2013
(Bahaginan).
www.topcakesweddingcakes.blogspot.com
Entrepreneurs
Justin Morente and Hans Obusan
Each time you open a bag of chips or buy a new set of clothes, do you ever
stop to consider where they came from or how they came to be? And how
often, despite knowing their negative effects, have you bought or consumed
them anyway? The fact is, most products being churned out to the global
market are simply a means to an end, with no concern for the effects they
have on the environment nor of the people who produce it.
This is where the Enchanted Farm comes in.
The products, and the people who make them, keep in mind the welfare of
the people and environment around them, and make sure that they benefit
from them as well. These entrepreneurs think outside of the box, bringing
new solutions to old challenges, all of them having sacrificed and gained
much to understand the importance of community and hard work. Yet
these ideals are made concrete through financial backing and support,
business savvy, and uncompromising, world-class quality.
From food and toys to cosmetics, these products work to benefit local
farmers and farmlands, breaking away from the mold of consumerism and
reverting back to sustainability and community. These are the stories of
remarkable ideas, and the remarkable people behind them.
14
NOW Issue#1
April 2014
Ate Maricel
Justin Morente, Hans Obusan and Patricia Concepcion
Shanon
Justin Morente, Hans Obusan and Sabine Antigua
Do you know the difference between lemongrass and citronella? These two grasses look and almost smell identical, yet if you end up brewing the wrong one, the difference can be as far from drinking tea to drinking insecticide. And when we say tea, we only mean 'the best iced tea ever'. At least, that's what it says on the bottle of Bayani Brew, Enchanted Farm’s first organic beverage.
Shanon Khadka is one of the many young entrepreneurs in the Farm and he was the one who came up with the idea of Bayani Brew from one of the arm's local mothers, who served it to Tito Tony and his initial 'disciples' when they first visited, back when the farm was nothing but grassland. Made from five different kinds of leaves, the tea was originally meant to ease stomach pains but its distinct, sweet and tangy flavor struck the entrepreneurs and an idea for a new product was born. Having a background in chemistry, but having no practical use for it, Shanon decided to put his skills to use, combining food preparation with his expertise. Between collecting lemongrass in the sun, experimenting in the kitchen, and marketing the product, days became weeks, and weeks became months, but eventually, with the help of “The Brew Crew”, who help test and perfect the recipe, Shanon emerged with a quality product that became an instant hit outside of the community.
Now Bayani Brew is one of the most successful products of both Gawad Kalinga and the Enchanted Farm, selling more than 20,000 bottles per month, and slowly finding its way into the mainstream market. From a homemade recipe to a soon to be nationwide product, Shanon has proved that hard work, dedication, and ingenuity ultimately have refreshing results. 15
Kesong Puti is a staple of Filipino breakfast fare, enjoyed in every corner of the Philippines, produced by artisans and mothers alike. This characteristic cheese is a cornerstone of Filipino cuisine, savored by both young and old, rich and poor, all enjoying its traditional saltiness that goes perfectly with hot bread.
K e s o n g P u t i i s delicious no matter how you eat it, and the cheese p r o d u c e d a t Enchanted Farm is no exception. From heating the milk to a n e x a c t t e m p e r a t u r e , applying just the right amount of v i n e g a r , a n d shaping it with hands submerged i n s c a l d i n g h o t w a t e r , A t e M a r i c e l practices cheese making like something of an art form. Jerick Limoanco, One
of the prime movers of
Enchanted Farm. Our
many
thanks
for
organizing our trip!
Since coming to the Enchanted Farm, Ate Maricel has come a long way from selling vegetables on the roadside just to make a living for her family. She was taught how to make cheese by Xilca Alvarez, a former lawyer turned entrepreneur who jumpstarted the cheese making business on the Farm. She encouraged Ate Maricel to help her with the workload, and the two ended up becoming good friends. Despite the struggles that come with co-managing a business, with friendship and patience, Xilca taught Ate Maricel how to manage the cheese making enterprise, and both women found themselves inspiring the other not to give up on themselves.
Having taken over the cheese business, Ate Maricel has now formed a sense of community with the farmers who supply her with the milk she needs for the cheese, each depending on the other to support their livelihood. Her husband is likewise a changed man, from being jobless, he has since gotten a job as the local baker, who provides fresh bread to go with his wife’s cheese for the residents of the Farm each morning. She is currently experimenting with different ingredients, from simple additions like garlic to more elegant blends like truffle oil, and has since gone into making cream cheese as well. And after much pressure, patience, and care, Ate Maricel’s business, much like her cheese, is quickly being eaten up. NOW Issue#1
April 2013
Alvie
Justin Morente and Patricia Concepcion
Do you know the difference between a bibe and a pato? How about between termite soil and regular soil? Or the difference between a career and a calling?
These are all things that Alvie learned after becoming part of the Enchanted Farm. At first, he was just another worn down college student, but after accidentally stumbling in on a lecture about Gawad Kalinga, he found that Tony Meloto’s words and values rung true and ignited something inside of him, making him rethink his own values and future. After the talk, he approached Tito Tony and, following several visits to the site for the Enchanted Farm, Alvie realized that what Gawad Kalinga was offering him was a purpose in life; the one thing he had always been missing.
However, his parents did not react too well to the news that their child had decided to quit school, even offering to buy him a car as long as he finished college. Trying to please everyone, Alvie attempted to juggle both college and his part-time job at the Farm, but not only did his grades begin to suffer, he also began to neglect his other responsibilities. The ducks he had bought in an earlier attempt to kick-start his own business had begun laying eggs, which soon began to rot without his supervision. Eventually, Tito Tony told him that he could not live two different lives, so Alvie chose the life that he felt would fulfill him most; life at the Enchanted Farm.
But Alvie was not a businessman, and he estimates that he had to experience “countless” failures in the beginning. However, he says that it may have actually been a good thing that he didn’t know the rules of business” going into it, because that allowed him to try every alternative, break all the rules and find the ones that worked for him. He works closely with the residents of the Farm like Ate Maricel, who helps him tend to the ducks and the eggs, and keeps the books for him.
What makes Alvie’s product unique from the typical salted egg is its color. Instead of using the toxic red dye that seeps through the semi-permeable eggshell membrane and contaminates the egg inside, Alvie uses his own organic turmeric based dye, which is non-toxic, has several health benefits and gives the eggs a lovely golden color. Because of this distinctive color, Alvie has named his enterprise “The Golden Egg.” This specific coloring also coincided with Noynoy Aquino’s election as president. Alvie’s only issue with the coloring now is that since he does not paint it on thickly like others, the golden eggs do not always come out uniformly colored, making some of them look less desirable and cost less as a result.
Also, rather than simply submerging the eggs in an extremely salty solution for a short period of time, Alvie has found a better way of salting them. By caking them in a layer of mud made from completely bacteria-free termite soil and keeping them in a controlled solution for a longer stretch of time, the salty flavor is more evenly distributed and the eggs are kept from getting too salty.
The Golden Egg enterprise has now become one of the Enchanted Farm’s most successful businesses, and the products are available at all Human Nature branches. Alvie currently has plans to expand his duck egg business to also include duck meat, in order to help out the local duck farmers who supply him with the eggs.
Working in the Enchanted Farm gives Alvie a sense of purpose, and he is assured that he is doing the right thing with his life. He realized that what he wanted was not a comfortable and unremarkable life, but one filled with meaning and purpose; what he wanted was to join the movement at the Enchanted Farm.
16
NOW Issue#1
April 2014
Fabian
Justin Morente, Hans Obusan and Sabine Antigua
Fabian, like many of the interns that come and stay at the farm, has come a long way from his native country of France. Having first heard about the Enchanted Farm from Tony Meloto at a conference in Paris, he was inspired to start his own business and explore social entrepreneurship through Gawad Kalinga, Äôs programs. Before the conference, Fabian had some background experience in marketing, and had plans to put up and design a website with his classmates. However, after attending the talk, he began to realize that his goals did nothing to contribute to the needs of society, so he decided to travel all the way to the Philippines in pursuit of a career with more purpose, feeling that going to the Enchanted Farm would give him the answers that he needed.
During his first few months at the Farm, he struggled to adjust to Filipino life, from the language, to even their way of thinking or going about a project, as could be seen later on.
Fabian saw that there were plenty of children in the community, so he decided to sell toys as his first business endeavor. And he decided to go local by using bamboo.
Fabian scoured the country for the best suppliers and started to make toys out of bamboo, but it would be too difficult in the future to use this material if his project continued to develop and needed a bigger market. He decided to make stuffed toys as well. Before he started working on his bamboo and stuffed toy project, he did some research on the type of paint he would use for his bamboo and the type of cotton for his stuffed toys, but the safest paint and the best materials could only be found in other countries, so even though Fabian wanted to use something local, he had no choice but to use imported materials. He would share his ideas on how he would put up his business in Enchanted Farm. However Fabian's method was very precise, resulting in him overthinking the situation. His complicated plans clashed with others' 'just do it' attitude and he was asked more than three times to pack his bags and return to France if he didn't learn to adapt to the Filipino lifestyle as well as cooperate with their methods.
However, Fabian didn’t leave nor did he give up. Instead he learned and developed through his mistakes. Fabian also noticed that the stuffed toys of children in the Philippines are usually toys based on characters like the Power Puff Girls, Hello Kitty, Bugs Bunny, and many more characters that were not even created in the Philippines. This gave him the idea to name his stuffed toys as well, but this time Fabian went local by using the names of Filipino celebrities such as Manny Pakwan (Manny Pacquio), DalanDaniel (Daniel Padilla), Buko Martin (Coco Martin) and many more. The toys he made that I mentioned are modeled on fruits, which come in different sizes. This particular endeavor gives the local mothers 'nanays' of the village a job, as they have the sewing expertise, and as of this writing their facility is a simple two-storey hut with perhaps three or four w o r k e r s . T h e bamboo toys may have been out on the back burner for the time being, but Fabian's fruit-based stuffed toys teach children about fruits with informative and imaginative stories and contribute to the village by utilizing the know-how of the local mothers. The basketball court that you might see in Enchanted Farm when you visit is also Fabian’s idea; however, it is also slightly controversial because he aimed to build it according to the standard dimensions of a real basketball court, but was told that there wasn't enough space in the Farm for a court that big. Again, Fabian realizes that he has to adjust and make do with what the community has.
Currently, Fabian continues to oversee production of toys in his business and his devotion to the craft is evident, not only in the way he tells his story but in the way he talks about his hopes for the business in the future and the way he maintains a friendly, supportive relationship with his workers.
17
NOW Issue#1
April 2013
A Dream for Others: Ate Cherie’s Story
Patricia Concepcion
Before joining Gawad Kalinga, Ate Cherie was in many ways,
living the Filipino dream. At only 19 she was working for Ayala Land
and had designed the landscape for both Serendra and Market!
Market!, with her own office and the possibility of becoming a
millionaire before she even turned 30! However, while looking out of
her office window one day, she noticed that more people were drawn to
the more affordable Market! Market! instead of the posh Serendra, and
she realized just how big the gap was between the rich and the poor.
She thought back to her first encounter with Gawad Kalinga, when she
first met Mr. Tony Meloto while accepting a national outstanding
student award as a teenager. Realizing that she wanted to help the vast
majority of underprivileged people in the country rather than just cater
to the smaller percentage of wealthy Filipinos, she quit her high-paying,
stable job to work under Tony Meloto, giving up her lavish office and
promising career to supervise the construction of farms—1000 of them, within
1 year.
https://www.facebook.com/
Gkenchantedfarm?ref=ts&fref=ts
Later, she was granted the prestigious Fulbright scholarship, which would
help her live out her lifelong dream of working in an international bank. However,
before she accepted it, she spent some time with some children in the future site for
the Enchanted Farm. Their stories broke her heart, as she listened to one little girl say
that it was her dream to become a dancer for the local variety show Wowowee or
become a japayuki, while one boy’s dream was to be a taxi driver in Makati. Ate
Cherie realized that she could not go off and pursue her own dreams when the
children of the Philippines did not even know how to dream. So she did what no one
had ever done before—she forfeited the Fulbright scholarship scholarship, causing a
huge uproar and shocking everyone, including her mentor, Tony Meloto himself. They
all thought she was throwing away her future and wasting her genius, but she knew
that she was only using her skills to help build a brighter future, not for herself, but for
those children, and for all the children of the Philippines.
Since then, Ate Cherie has devoted herself to helping her fellow Filipinos
realize their own dreams and make them a reality. She is actively involved in Gawad
Kalinga’s Enchanted Farm as well as in her
own “Agricool” project, to help make the
business of farming desirable again, while
also working as a consultant for the
Department of Agriculture.
The story of Ate Cherie is the story
of all the men and women of Gawad
Kalinga, who went against expectations,
regardless of the backlash to devote
themselves to a cause that is bigger then
they are. Ate Cherie happily gave up her
old life and dreams and found new ones, a
life and a dream that gives everyone a
chance and leaves no one behind.
18
NOW Issue#1
April 2014
What’s Brewing: Enchanted Farm Food Products review
Sabine Antigua
When you pick up a bottle of iced tea, do the nutrition facts tell you where they get their ingredients? Are they
all-natural? And is everybody involved in the making of this product benefitting from it, and not just the
company owners? The answers to these questions are what sets a bottle of commercially-produced iced tea
apart from a bottle of iced tea brewed in Enchanted Farm.
The individual businesses of the entrepreneurs in Gawad Kalinga’s Enchanted Farm are centered on tapping into
the natural talents and resources of the local community and bringing them to a wider market in order to earn
them a livelihood. One of their businesses includes food, but not just any food; healthy, delicious food made
from localized ingredients by people in the Enchanted Farm village. The stories behind the products are indeed
interesting, but you’re probably thinking, Is the food any good?’
The answer is yes.
Let’s begin with the Bayani Brew tea. Kick-started from a basic recipe from a local
woman named Tita Linda and made of natural tanglad, pandan and lemongrass, the
Bayani Brew is Gawad Kalinga’s response to Coke and other commercially-produced
drinks. It has a distinct tangy, sweet flavor. Maybe it’s a little stronger than your
average Nestle iced tea, but the extra kick really proves how natural and raw the
ingredients are and it can be served either warm or cold. Bayani Brew comes in two
flavors: original and Purple Leaf (talbos ng kamote).
One other popular food product is the gourmet goat’s cheese. Before coming to the farm, I always had this
notion that cheese would be difficult to make but when we arrived at the hut where they make the cheese, I
was surprised to find one village mother working on it alone. And it was really easy—a simple matter of organic
chemistry and using only basic knowledge of acids and bases. Apart from the original, plain flavor, they also
mix the cheese with herbs, cashews, truffle and garlic. They even come in
feta and ricotta forms. It’s addictively delicious and I recommend it on
crackers.
The latest food business is a lot more difficult to maintain, but in a short span
of time, it’s become incredibly successful. GK’s Golden Eggs takes your
ordinary salted duck egg and colors it gold with a natural turmeric-based
coloring, because an eggshell is permeable by liquids and the mainstream
red food coloring seeps through and gets harmful chemicals into the parts
inside. Don’t worry, the salted eggs taste the same as
any other salted egg does…or even better!
Now none of this is going to mean anything unless I tell
you where to find these. One of the buildings in
Commonwealth houses a small café/store marked by a
sign that reads ‘Enchanted Farm.’ It’s in this café that you
can find the unique, healthy food products of the
Enchanted Farm residents, such as my personal favorite,
the spicy veggie burger—all localized, all natural, all
Filipino! Every purchase helps a farmer in the
community and puts the country one step closer to
eradicating poverty.
19
NOW Issue#1
April 2013
Urban Farming
Jed Roxas
Urban farming is the practice of cultivating food in a urban city. Urban farming is mostly done
so people have an easy access to fresh vegetables, but some do it for income. e vice mayor of
Quezon City, Joy Belmonte, has spearheaded a project call “Joy of Urban Farming”. e
project is in partnership with Department of Agriculture, the QC Nutrition Council, SSDD,
Barangays and the Division of City Schools. e project was launched on June 27, 2011 on a
700-square meter demo farm in the Quezon City Memorial Circle. 30 schools have visited the
Urban Garden and 30 farms in public elementary schools, 37 community-based farms and 1
rooftop garden have been developed. is project aims to convince people who live in the
city to turn idle plots into vegetable gardens, the project encourages organic gardening to Ms. Brenda briefing us on
improve nutrition and become a source of income.
the trash program of Brgy.
Holy Spirit
One of the ways the government promotes this project is by giving away a package to start
your very own urban farm, the package consists of seedlings, etc. is is a way to start your
own business in the city and also provide a healthy alternative source of food in Quezon City.
If you are given a package, the City government will have a regular check up on you to see the
progress you have made in your urban farm. is project helps create entrepreneurs which
are also one of the goals of the Quezon City government. One of the thriving urban farms in
Quezon City is located in Barangay Holy Spirit.
Now you must be thinking how hard is it to make your own garden? Problems such as “Oh
this needs a lot of space” or “Oh I need a plot of soil for this!” come to mind, well I’m here to
tell you, you don’t. It is a fun and easy way to spend your time; you can even make it a time to bond with your loved ones!
Below are 7 steps to build your very own urban garden! Enjoy!
Materials:
•1.5L Plastic Bottle (3-5)
•Nylon
•Cutter
•Soil
•Seeds/Seedlings
•Puncher
How to make a vertical Garden:
Step 1: Make sure your bottles are clean. Rinse the bottle and remove
the label. Screw the cap back on the mouth of the bottle.
Step 2: Get the bottle and cut a rectangle on the side of the bottle
(2x5 inches) using your cutter.
Step 3: Punch two holes near the neck of the bottle and the bottom.
Step 4: Sew the nylon through the hole and tie it securely.
Step 5: String the bottles together and hang on the desired location.
Step 6: Fill 2/3 of the bottle with soil.
Step 7: Plant seeds.
20