Alfred Vargas, hinikayat ang pamahalaan na magpatupad ng mga programa ukol sa urban farming
Hinikayat ni Quezon City Councilor Alfred Vargas ang national government at iba pang local government units (LGUs) na magpatupad ng mga programa ukol sa urban farming, gaya ng ginagawa ng pamahalaang lungsod ng Quezon.
Ayon kay Vargas, ito ay para makaagapay ang bawat pamilyang Filipino sa mataas na presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin.
Ayon kay Vargas, 2010 nang simulan ni Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte ang naturang programa kung saan umabot na ito sa mahigit 160 organic farms sa backyards, daycare centers, churches, at communal spaces.
“Mayor Belmonte sees the program, and other similar programs in Quezon City, as a means to mitigate hunger in communities by encouraging and helping citizens to produce and grow their own vegetables, both as food and as a source of livelihood,” pahayag ni Vargas.
“This is a model of sustainability and self-sufficiency that can be adopted by the national government and other local government units,” dagdag ni Vargas.
Ayon kay Vargas, ang Sharon Farm sa District V na kanyang home district ay ikinukunsidera na community model farms ng lungsod sa ilalim ng GrowQC Food Security Program.
Nabatid na ang 5,000 square-meter farm ay nagsisilbing “feeder farm” na nagbibigay ng seedlings at iba pang agricultural inputs sa urban gardens at farms sa Quezon City.
Naitaguyod ang programang ito sa pakikipag tulungan ng Diocese of Novaliches na nagbigay daan para gamitin ang mga nakatiwangwang na lupa.
Iminungkahi rin ni Vargas na gamitin ang national tax allocation (NTA) ng LGUs para tugunan ang napipintong food crisis.
May desisyon aniya ang Korte Suprema na “Mandanas Ruling” na binibigyan ng kapangyarihan ang LGUs na magkaroon ng additional resources.
“Local governments now have more opportunities and added elbow room to not only ensure the efficient delivery of basic services but to extend to their constituents the services they need during times of crisis or emergencies,” pahayag ni Vargas.
“The national government and the local governments should work together to address the looming food crisis, which will affect the livelihood and welfare of millions of families,” pahayag ni Vargas.
Tiyak kasi aniyang maapektuhan ang security at stability ng bansa kapag nangyari ang food crisis.
“At times like this, we need to innovate and adapt to be more resilient. Many local governments can learn from Quezon City’s initiatives to strengthen food security. But these innovations need to be supported by sufficient resources and, just as important, by the ‘bayanihan’ of the communities and people who will most benefit from these solutions,” pahayag ni Vargas.
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