Instead of plastic, teacher Cristhel Batalla started growing vegetable seedlings on rolled banana leaves, making the seed distribution program more environment-friendly. Photo by Armand Galang
CABANATUAN CITY – When the opening of classes was moved from June to October last year, the officials of P.G. Crisostomo Integrated School in Barangay Aduas Sur here knew that students should have something to make their home stay worthwhile, along with their parents whose livelihood might have been affected by the lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thus, the birth of the “Quarantanim Program” themed “Pandemya ay Labanan, Magtanim sa Bakuran, Libre ang Punla sa Paaralan,” a vegetable distribution project that continues to benefit families from the neighborhood to different villages in this city who placed their request for seedlings either through social media or personally, according to PGCIS acting head teacher Cristhel A. Batalla.
“Naisip namin na bigyan sila ng mapaglilibangan para meron silang paglaanan ng oras nila at the same time natututo sila at peuede rin po nilang pagkakitaan,” Batalla said.
The project also complemented their high school’s Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) where students take agri-crop for specialization, she added.
But prolonged quarantine restrictions pressed school officials, headed by the school principal Trinidad G. Beltran to seek for the continuous implementation of Quarantanim until officials of other neighboring schools asked for seedlings and donated materials.
“Nag-campaign kami through Facebook at yung mga kaibigan natin na home gardening advocates din ay tumulong. Nagbigay ng seeds, ng seedling trays at yung iba po cash na ibinibili po natin ng punla” Batalla said.
There were schools that donated seedling trays, grow bags and organic soils. “Nagdo-donate din po sila kaya po nagpapatuloy yung ating pagdi-distribute ng seedlings,” the principal added.
Some organizers of community pantries have also requested seedlings from PGCIS to be given away to residents of different villages as well as Boy Scout of the Philippines’ Cabanatuan City Council for their urban gardening project.
Three eggplant seedlings which can produce viand for a day for a family, Batalla explained when asked on the project’s economic value. Eggplants, she said, have life span of up to two years if properly attended.
Some 5,000 vegetable seedlings have so far been distributed under the program.
Boy Scout leader Jansen F. Oseo whose group helps in seedling distribution finds an inspiration from Quarantanim. “Bilang kabataan, nakikita ko ang programa na ito na napakalaki po ng epekto sa community natin lalo na ngayong pandemic. Limitado po ang pinagkukunan ng mga kababayan po natin at sa pamamagitan po na pamimigay ng punla ay nasu-sustain po yung pinagkukunan po nila,” he said.
Beltran said the program was inspired by the desire to help pandemic-affected households. “Lalo na ngayong pandemya, kailangan nating kumilos para matulungan ang ating mga magulang para masusutinihan yung mga pangangailangan natin sa mga panahon ngayon na ang hirap ng buhay,” she said.
