Backyard gardening encouraged

CEBU, Philippines - Residents in the different barangays of Mandaue City has been encouraged to adopt backyard gardening and community garden.

Ernie Manatad, barangay captain of Subangdaku and president of the Association of Barangay Councils said they made the encouragement to the people of Mandaue in support of Mayor Jonas Cortes advocacy on urban farming.

When Mayor Cortes, an agriculturist assumed office in 2007, one of his advocacies is about urban farming.

The people of Mandaue City, according to Manatad should know the importance of urban gardening and they will continue encouraging  the people to adopt.

Two farmers from Mandaue City took the first and second prizes in the urban category in the National Search for Outstanding Farmers organized by the Universal Harvester Inc. and the Junior Chamber International.

Rogelio Sulad, 56, of Sitio Aroma, Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City won in the urban farmer category of the National Search of Outstanding Farmers.

Alma Rosell, a 57-year-old resident of Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City, took the second prize.

Mayor Cortes directed the City Agriculture's Office to closely monitor the implementation  of the program at the barangay level.

Aside from gardening at home, the Mandaue City Agriculture's Office also promotes community gardening.

One example is the success of community garden project in Barangay Subangdaku where a two-hectare idle land owned by the Telecommunications Office is being utilized by barangay officials with the help of barangay gardeners.

The vegetable in the garden are grown organically using vermin compost, cow manure and chicken dung as fertilizers.  (FREEMAN)