VILLAR SIPAG HOME GARDENING PROGRAM Champions Food Security, Nutrition and Income

Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation & Governance (Villar Sipag), is a non-stock, non-profit organization established in 1995, which aims to support projects geared toward helping our less fortunate countrymen break free from the clutches of poverty. It is anchored on "SIPAG" or hard work coupled with perseverance (Tiyaga), which are core values that the Villar family holds in high regard in themselves and in other people as well. The Foundation also works for environment protection, assistance to overseas Filipino Workers, (OFWs), entrepreneurship, livelihood generation and job creation. Other programs are tree planting, development of culture and arts, health social services, entrepreneurship as well as other poverty-reduction projects.

The Program

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, which has afforded people to spend more time in the comforts of their home, Senator Cynthia A. Villar has been leading the campaign on vegetable gardening, distributing seeds and organic fertilizers all over the country, while enticing people to grow their own food thru their Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar Sipag).

The senator, current chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, is on the frontline of pushing gardening and composting - turning kitchen and garden wastes into organic fertilizers.

"I've always advocated home gardening as a strategy for food security and for the alleviation of nutrient deficiency. It is a big help for families to have direct access to healthier food and fresh vegetables. They don't have to buy them in the market. They can even earn from it" Villar says.

Aside from seedlings, the senator has been distributing organic fertilizer, also for free, all over the country. It is the product of composting of kitchen and garden wastes. Villar Sipag has 108 composting facilities, 68 in Las Piñas and Bacoor and 50 through the Vistaland communities all over the Philippines.

The Beneficiaries

Seeds, compost and brochures on how to do home gardening were distributed to LGUs, congressional districts, private individuals, in homeowners' associations and organizations, to private and public schools, farmers thru their cooperatives and associations. The following cities and provinces per region received the seed packs from Villar Sipag: National Capital Region (Las Piñas, Pasig, Pasay, Muntinlupa, Marikina, Quezon City, San Juan, Manila, Paranaque and Taguig), Region I (Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur), Region II (Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela and Quirino), Region III (Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales and Bataan), Region IV-A (Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Region IV- B (Palawan, Marinduque Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro), Region V (Albay, Masbate, Cam Sur and Catanduanes), Region VI Western Visayas (Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique, Aklan, Negros Occidental and Capiz), Region VII Central Visayas (Negros Oriental, Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor), Region VIII Eastern Visayas (Biliran, Southern Leyte, Leyte, Eastern Samar and Samar), Region IX (Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Del Sur),Region X (Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon, Lanao Del Norte), Region XI (Davao Del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao De Oro, Davao Del Norte, Davao City),Region XII (Sarangani,North Cotabato, South Cotabato) Region XIII ( Agusan Del Norte, Agusan Del Sur, Surigao Del Sur, Surigao Del Norte, and lastly, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Maguindanao). The seed packs that were distributed across the Philippines amounted to 31,207 as of July 2021 and still counting.

Villar SIPAG distributed vegetables seed packets and compost to the following nationwide:

35 Congressional Districts

33 Provinces

304 Cities and Municipalities

53 Cooperative and Farmers Associations

29 Schools

50 Non-Government Organizations

3,795 Individuals

Furthermore, Villar SIPAG has farm schools which were established to give free training in agri crops production, rice farming, native animal production and aquaculture. The two farm schools in 2020 produced a total of 2,000 plus graduate trainees a year. It stopped its operation in March 2020 due to quarantine restrictions but in October 2020, Villar SIPAG Farm School in Las Pinas-Bacoor and San Jose del Monte City re-opened and resumed their training programs for agri crops production again conducted by East West Seeds Foundation. The quarantine restrictions did not stop Villar Sipag from imparting knowledge and trainings to the Filipino farmers as they erected two additional farm schools. The existing health protocols during that time compelled them to have shortened sessions to four full days a week with 25 participants per batch. The participants have to undergo COVID testing and practice social distancing, hand washing, foot bath, wearing of mask and face shield.

By giving away vegetable seeds and teaching people how to farm, the people who lost their jobs, including those who can't buy their own food in the market - started cultivating their land. These families received food packages from different organizations and chose not to depend on these alone by growing their own garden. Home gardening is essential because of its contribution to food security and self-provision - a buffer against high food prices. Villar Sipag continues to promote urban and home gardens because they believe that by teaching the people how to grow their own food, they will have easy access to healthy and nutritious food.

The Result

The outcome of Villar Sipag actions ultimately unfold when lockdown restrictions in the Philippines continue even to this day. In less than a few months since May 2020, the people who received the vegetable seeds were able to grow their own food. They were able to cut down their food expenses and most especially, had more nutritious meals. Villar Sipag farm schools boost the income of the farmers as well. Trainees were able to apply the knowledge they received to their own farm, however, it did not end there, these farmers that were trained by Villar Sipag as a trainer shared their knowledge to their community as well, thereby impacting the lives of many Filipino farmers. It contributed to the country's food security during pandemic and further develop the agriculture sector in the Philippines.

"Maraming salamat po Senator Villar sa iyong programa.Ito ay sagot lalo na ngayong panahon ng pandemya. Malaking tulong upang maging malusog at masigla ang pamayanan,lalo na sa mahihirap nating kababayan sa bayan ng Hinoba-an," Mayor Ernesto A. Estrao of Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental said in appreciation to the senator's initiative.###

VILLAR SIPAG HOME GARDENING PROGRAM, champion sa food security, nutrisyon at kita

ANG Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation & Governance (Villar Sipag) ay isang non-stock, non-profit organization na itinatag noong 1995. Layunin nito na suportahan ang mga proyektong makatutulong sa ating mga kapus-palad na kababayan na makaahon sa kahirapan.

Kaakibat nito ang "SIPAG" o mahirap na trabaho at tiyaga na pangunahing katangiang ng Villar family bilang pagkilala sa kanila at sa iba tao.

Nagtratrabaho din ang Foundation para sa proteksyon ng kapaligiran, tulong sa overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), entrepreneurship, livelihood generation at job creation.

Kabilang din sa mga programa nito ang tree planting, development ng kultura at arts, health social services, entrepreneurship at poverty-reduction projects.

Ang Program

Bago pa man ang coronavirus pandemic kung kailan nagkaroon ng mas maraming oras ang mga tao para manatili sa kanilang mga tahanan, pinangungunahan ni Senator Cynthia A. Villar ang kampanya sa vegetable gardening, pamumudmod ng buto at organic fertilizers sa buing bansa. Sa pamamagitan nf Villar SIpag, hinihimok niya ang mga tao na magtanin ng sarili nilang pagkain.

Nangunguna ang senador, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, sa pagsusulong sa gardening at composting - ginagawang organic fertilizers ang kitchen at garden wastes.

"I've always advocated home gardening as a strategy for food security and for the alleviation of nutrient deficiency. It is a big help for families to have direct access to healthier food and fresh vegetables. They don't have to buy them in the market. They can even earn from it" ayon kay Villar.

Bukod sa buto, namimigay din ng librend organic fertilizer and senadora na produkto ng composting ng kitchen at garden wastes.

Ang Villar Sipag ay may 108 composting facilities, 68 sa Las Piñas at Bacoor at 50 sa Vistaland communities sa buong Pilipinas.

Beneficiaries

Ipinamimigay din ang binhi o buto, compost ang brochures tungkol sa home gardening sa mga LGUs, congressional districts, private individuals, homeowners' associations at organizations, private at public schools at mga magsasaka sa pamamagitan ng mga kooperatiba at asosasyon.

Ang mga sumusunod na siyudad at lalawigan sa bawat rehiyon ang tumanggap ng seed packs mula sa Villar Sipag: National Capital Region (Las Piñas, Pasig, Pasay, Muntinlupa, Marikina, Quezon City, San Juan, Manila, Paranaque and Taguig), Region I (Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur), Region II (Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela and Quirino), Region III (Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales and Bataan), Region IV-A (Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Region IV- B (Palawan, Marinduque Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro), Region V (Albay, Masbate, Cam Sur and Catanduanes), Region VI Western Visayas (Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique, Aklan, Negros Occidental and Capiz), Region VII Central Visayas (Negros Oriental, Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor), Region VIII Eastern Visayas (Biliran, Southern Leyte, Leyte, Eastern Samar and Samar), Region IX (Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Del Sur),Region X (Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon, Lanao Del Norte), Region XI (Davao Del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao De Oro, Davao Del Norte, Davao City),Region XII (Sarangani,North Cotabato, South Cotabato) Region XIII ( Agusan Del Norte, Agusan Del Sur, Surigao Del Sur, Surigao Del Norte, and lastly, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Maguindanao). Noong July 2021, umabot na sa 31,207 ang naipamahaging seed packs a buing kapuluan.

Nagbigay ang Villar SIPAG ng vegetables seed packets at compost sa mga sumusunod:

35 Congressional Districts

33 Provinces

304 Cities at Municipalities

53 Cooperative at Farmers Associations

29 Schools

50 Non-Government Organizations

3,795 Individuals

Meron ding farm schools ang Villar SIPAG na itinayo para sa libreng training sa agri crops production, rice farming, native animal production at aquaculture.

Mahigit 2000 graduate-trainees kada taon ang nagtapos sa dalawang farm schools noong 2020.

Nahinto ang operation nito noong March 2020 dahil sa quarantine restrictions subalit noong October 2020, muling nagbukas ang Villar SIPAG Farm School sa Las Pinas-Bacoor at San Jose del Monte City. Nag- resume sila ng training programs sa agri crops production sa pamumuno ng East West Seeds Foundation.

Hindi naging hadlang ang quarantine restrictions sa Villar Sipag para magbigay ng kaalaman at pagsasanay sa Filipino farmers. Nagdagdag pa ng dalawang farm schools.

Dahil sa umiiral na health protocols, pinaikli nila ang session sa apat na 'full days a week' na may 25 participants basat batch. Kailangang sumailalim sa COVID testing ang mga kalahok kasabay ng pagobserba sa social distancing, hand washing, foot bath, pGsusuot ng mask at face shield.

Sa pagbibigay ng vegetable seeds at pagtuturo sa pagsasaka, nagsimulang magsaka ang mga nawalan ng trabaho at pera na pambili ng pagkain,

Tumanggap din ang mga pamilyang ito ng food packages mula sa organizations.

"Home gardening is essential because of its contribution to food security and self-provision - a buffer against high food prices. Villar Sipag continues to promote urban and home gardens because they believe that by teaching the people how to grow their own food, they will have easy access to healthy and nutritious food," sabi pa ni Villar.

Resulta

"The outcome of Villar Sipag actions ultimately unfold when lockdown restrictions in the Philippines continue even to this day. In less than a few months since May 2020, the people who received the vegetable seeds were able to grow their own food.

Bukod sa nabawasan ang kanilang gastos sa pagkain, nagkaroon din sila ng malusog na pagkain..

Dahil sa Villar Sipag farm schools, nadagdagan din ang kit ang mga magsasaka.

Nagamit ng Trainees ang kaalaman sa kanilang sariling mga bukid.

Naibahagi ng mga nagsanay sa Villlar Sipag ang kaalaman sa kanilang komunidad. Nakatulong sila sa food security ng bansa sa panahon ng pandemiya at nakapag ambag sa pagsusulong ng sektor ng agrikultura.

"Maraming salamat po Senator Villar sa iyong programa.Ito ay sagot lalo na ngayong panahon ng pandemya. Malaking tulong upang maging malusog at masigla ang pamayanan,lalo na sa mahihirap nating kababayan sa bayan ng Hinoba-an," sabi ni Mayor Ernesto A. Estrao of Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental bilang pagkilala sa pagsisikap na ito ng senador.