The women, officers or members of different women NGOs from Marikina, Taguig, and Caloocan, prepared vegetable and meat dishes spiced up by fresh basil, mint, ram rau, tarragon, pandan and tanglad. The herbs had been grown by the women in flower pots perched on their windows, balconies and roof. "You should see their gardens," Daphne enthused, "they’re models of urban gardening. And they’re so enthusiastic about herbs that the only thing they need now are places to supply herbs with."
Truth to tell, this columnist planted the seed of herb gardening enthusiasm among these women. Daphne had taken me to depressed places, where I gave women residents tips on planting. I thought after the lecture and snacks, the women would repair to their homes and watch television. In a short time, though, pots had bloomed, and two years later, early this month, the women had become full-blown gardeners and cooks.
The demos were one of activities lined up for observing International Human Rights Day at the Banahaw Sustainable Development Center, by the Ugnayan ng Kababaihan sa Pulitika (UKP), Philippine NGO Beijing Score Board, and the women of community gardening project sites. Theme of the day’s celebration was "Women’s Urban Forum on Right to Food."
There were actually three cooking demos held on different dates in three project sites: East Drive, Marikina Heights; Villa Beatriz, Old Balara, Q.C., and Zobel Street, Barangay Dioquino-Zobel, Project 4, Quezon City.
The forum was the women’s community-based response to widespread poverty, lack of food and malnutrition of women and children in many households of Metro Manila. Speakers at the forum led by UKP executive director Daphne Roxas, discussed right to food and other issues on food security, poverty and hunger; women’s focal, although often unrecognized role in survival; nurturing the environment and building the community we want through organic gardening of herbs and vegetables, and raising food in small spaces and containers for family, fun or profit.
The forum was funded by Leonor Ines Luciano, chair of the board of Banahaw SusDev Center.
Impressed with the women’s work were speakers Vilma Flores of PagIBIG Fund, and Ana Urmeneta and Melody Bautista of the Department of Interior and Local Government. Other representatives came from the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), ARUGUAN and TUCP, and DAWN.
Vilma said, "We’re amazed that herbs can be grown in recycled containers and in almost backyardless communities. And what delicious, healthy and economical party food recipes can be cooked by these women!"
Tasty dishes were cooked by Noemi V. Concepcion, Espie Aguilar, Charito B. Nachor, and Juanita Quibete of Old Balara; Emma Empalmado and Virgine Beseno of Project 4, and Natividad Mayuga and Flordelize F. Guardiano of Marikina. They served fresh vegetables with herbs, herbed vinaigrette, chicken adobo with pandan leaves, fried tahong with garlic basil and vinegar dip, fresh lumpia with tarragon, and fresh fruit salad with mint leaves, chicken shrimp and garlic basil, mini patties. For refreshments, the guests were served cooled pandan and tanglad juice.
Sponsored by the International Association of Business Communicators-Philippines, the award honors outstanding achievements in communications to advance the reputation, enhance the profitability or achieve major objectives in organizations. It intends to raise public awareness of the importance of communication in business and organizational management by recognizing top-level executives or managers who have shown extraordinary skills as communicators.
Metrobank Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of the Metrobank Group which is engaged in various development programs particularly in the field of education, visual arts and health care. Its flagship programs include searches for outstanding teachers; excellent painting, sculpture, architecture and interior design, the Metrobank math challenge, and the search for outstanding policemen and soldiers.
The author, Michael C. del Rosario, writes that the book, a compilation of short essays, started out "to be a simple compilation of my experiences. I wanted to share with my children bits and pieces of wisdom picked up through the years. I did not wish life’s lessons to be buried with me someday."
Michael writes that when he told his friends about this "legacy" book project, "They were inspired and wanted to share my compilation with their children. Some have started writing to their children for the first time!"
Michael is the assistant general manager of Sunshine Supermarket and a franchisee of several McDonald’s stores in Baguio City and Benguet. He owns Hotel Veniz and a few restaurants.
He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accountancy cum laude, from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. He placed sixth in the CPA board exams.
He is in demand as a seminar speaker, and last year he was judged Outstanding Citizen of Baguio in the field of business. He and his wife Angelica Soriano Novales of Subic, Zambales, have four children – Jennifer, James, John David, and Jessica, for whom he has written inspiring messages on a variety of topics.
The messages start with comments on events, followed by advice to Michael’s children. They are touching vignettes, worth keeping by his children, and worth reading by parents.