Villar says food-related ventures thrive during pandemic; congratulates winners in the 7th Las Pinas Food Festival & Urban Gardening Competition

Food-related ventures, which thrive during the Covid-19 pandemic, have been helping for the sustenance of many Filipinos rendered jobless due to this global health crisis, said Senator Cynthia A.Villar as Las Pinas celebrates its 7th Food Festival & Urban Gardening Competition.

She congratulated the winners in the twin competitions who got their corresponding cash prizes.

Quarantine cooking increases during the pandemic

Meanwhile, while on quarantine and lockdown, Villar said many Filipinos, who lost their jobs especially those in the tourism and travel industry, embarked on online business related to foods and urban gardening.

Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on Agriculture and Food, said many Filipinos have turned food sellers, using all forms of social media plat form to sell their products. She stressed many have learned to cook and bake while others have honed their cooking skills.

She said the so-called "quarantreats" or foods oftentimes prepared by Filipinos became popular. "We have the Dalgona coffee and the ube-cheese pandesal, among others."

Due to this, she said Filipinos have been earning money even on quarantine and lockdown that help provide for their daily expenses despite losing their jobs.

Urban Gardening trends during lockdown

Another popular activity in this time of crisis, Villar said, is urban gardening or farming wherein people plant vegetables even in small spaces due to limited supply and access to food.

"Even before the pandemic, I have been promoting vegetable gardening," said Villar. At the start, some netizens put negative sight as she gave out seedlings or vegetable seeds to encourage residents to plant their own vegetables.

"Some people were saying that what they need are food and money and that they have no time to plant and wait for the harvest," recalled the senator.

And yet, Villar pointed out that in the latter part of the pandemic, many Filipinos appreciated the value, wisdom and convenience of growing their own food in the comfort of their homes.

"And every organization has jumped into the urban gardening bandwagon. Ang vegetable ay cash crop, sa 1 1/2 buwan ay maka harvest na. Lahat halos ngayon ay namimigay na ng mga seeds," happily noted Villar, adding that growing one's food is really a sustainable solution.

Acknowledging the popularity of community pantries nowadays, Villar said these can be complemented by community gardens, which are more sustainable and cost-effective in the long run.

More than anything, she asserted that urban gardening or farming will solve food poverty since it provides easy access to food for every household.

"It's already a bonus that it can also be source of livelihood. Urban dwellers like us should be more food self-sufficient by growing our own food. As more and more us become more food self-sufficient, hunger and food poverty will be solved also. That is the ultimate goal. So, let's keep on planting and growing our own food," she added.

"And we here in Las Pinas have already been practicing it. The participants here (festival and competitions) are the best examples how a community-based garden can provide food to residents," further stated. Villar.

Food-related ventures, wagi sa panahon ng pandemiya- Villar; binati ang winners sa 7th Las Pinas Food Festival & Urban Gardening Competition

Malaking tulong sa mga Pililpinong nawalan ng trabaho ang mga negosyo sa pagkain ngayong Covid-19 pandemic, ayon kay Senator Cynthia A.Villar na nanguna rin sa pagdiriwang Las Pinas 7th Food Festival & Urban Gardening Competition.

Binati niya ang mga nanalo sa twin competitions na tumanggap ng mga premyo.

Ipinahayag ni Villar na may kaugnayan sa pagkain at urban gardening ang negosyo ng ilang online sellers na nawalan ng trabaho, partikular sa tourism and travel industry.

Ayon sa chairperson ng Senate committee on Agriculture and Food, marami sa ating mga kababayan ang naging food sellers gamit ang social media platform para ibenta ang kanilang mga produkto. Iginiit niya na natuto ang mga ifo na magluto at mag-bake. Ang iba naman ay lalo pang napabuti ang kanilang talento sa pagluluto.

Sinabi rin niya na naging popular ang tinatawag na "quarantreats" o ang mga inihahandang pagkain. "We have the Dalgona coffee and the ube-cheese pandesal, among others."

Dahil dito, kumikita sila ng pera kahit naka-quaratine at lockdown. Malaki ang tulong nito sa kanilang araw araw na gastusin kahit nawalan ng trabaho.

Tanyag din sa panahon ng krisis ang urban gardening o farming kung saan nagtatanim ng mga gulay sa maliliit na lugar dahil na rin sa kulang ang suplay ng pagkain, sabi pa ni Villar.

"Even before the pandemic, I have been promoting vegetable gardening," ayon kay Villar.

"Some people were saying that what they need are food and money and that they have no time to plant and wait for the harvest," sabi pa ng senator.

Subalit nang panahon ng pandemiya, nakita nila ang halaga nito- ang pagtatanim ng sarili nilang pagkain sa kanilang bakuran.

"And every organization has jumped into the urban gardening bandwagon. Ang vegetable ay cash crop, sa 1 1/2 buwan ay maka harvest na. Lahat halos ngayon ay namimigay na ng mga seeds," masayang pahayag ni Villar kasabay ng paggigiit na ang 'sustainable solution' ang pagtatanim ng sariling pagkain.

Sa pagkilala sa community pantries na popular din ngayon, sinabi ni Villar na kaagapay nito ang community gardens na matipid. Bukod dito, masosolusyunan nito ang kahirapan sa pagkain.

"It's already a bonus that it can also be source of livelihood. Urban dwellers like us should be more food self-sufficient by growing our own food. As more and more us become more food self-sufficient, hunger and food poverty will be solved also. That is the ultimate goal. So, let's keep on planting and growing our own food," sabi pa ni Villar.

"And we here in Las Pinas have already been practicing it. The participants here are the best examples how a community-based garden can provide food to residents," dagdag pa niya.