“Oh my Gulay” program – a continued activity of DepEd, Maasin City Agriculture

By R. G. CADAVOS, PIA Southern Leyte
February 23, 2011

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte  –  The Department of Education (DepEd) had already started vegetable gardening through “Gulayan sa Paaralan” program, a continued project under the Food for School program in order to support not only the parents’ livelihood but also to reduce the incidence of malnutrition throughout the province.

DepEd Supervising Nurse Teresita Marquez disclosed in a short talk over phone that the “Angara Bill dubbed as Oh my Gulay  had already started at our level through the Gulayan sa Paaralan implemented at all elementary schools in the province.“ We also required at least 100 malunggay plants in each elementary school and 50 for every primary school throughout the division of Southern Leyte, she added.

The program will not only help combat hidden hunger as what Sen. Edgardo Angara’s aim for the “Oh my Gulay” program, but will also teach primary, elementary and high school students as well, to be self-sufficient, Marquez said.

The DepEd’s cause was closely coordinated by the Department of Agriculture which likewise intends to foster public awareness in the health, nutritional and economic benefits of planting vegetables in schools and at home.

On the other hand, the City Agriculture’s Office through City Agriculturist Amado Acasio revealed that they had implemented the “Makulay ang Bahay” few years back, for every barangay throughout the city.  It was a sort of competition which they had given prizes to the first three winners and consolation prizes to every participant-barangays, he bared.

The city selected the top 20 barangays and 20 schools with high malnutrition rate which was assessed to participate in the “Makulay ang Bahay” competition. The project started last 2007 yet.

Acasio disclosed that the program was aimed to encourage each household and schools to plant vegetables and provide safe and nutritious food for every family’s consumption and in school canteens. The program also promotes proper composting and the use of organic farming technologies.

Though, last year they did not pushed the contest due to lack of funds and time to evaluate the competing barangays, but a continued distribution of vegetable seeds was made as a regular program of the city agriculture here.