ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL & GOVERNANCE
Through the lens of abundance Bayan Tanim! anniversary is captured with a photo contest
M
etro Pacific Investments Foundation (“MPIF”) marked the first anniversary of Bayan Tanim! in September this year. The community gardening program has proven to be a success, largely due to its highly sustainable strategy and its steady partnership-building. Bayan Tanim! was born amid the alarming food scarcity during COVID-19. MPIF wanted to help disadvantaged families in the most tangible way possible, for now and well into the future. As MPIF President Melody del Rosario told Business Mirror, “MPIF intended to SINCE INCEPTION, BAYAN TANIM! HAS SUPPORTED:
32
Metro Manila and surrounding provincial communities
3,100
disadvantaged families, with almost
3,000 planting kits
go beyond giving relief packs and focus on a more sustainable program for its beneficiaries. Through Bayan Tanim!, communities and individuals are provided with planting kits that contain the basic items needed to start their own backyard garden. The program was intended to not only promote food security during the pandemic, but also offer the recipients possible alternative livelihood opportunities by growing their own produce.” A FLOURISHING OUTCOME The program was launched by MPIF last year in partnership with First Pacific Group companies in the Philippines, the Department of Agriculture, Agrea Agricultural System International Inc., and Duran Farms. In celebration of the first anniversary and to consolidate the relationship that MPIF has built with gardening beneficiaries, a photo contest was launched to mark the milestone. The winners captured images of flourishing crops to encourage future backyard gardeners. As runner-up winner Lenilia Declaro enthused, “We are very grateful for the support we got from MPIF … Many of our parishioners are now into gardening in their respective pamayanan. We are now planning to share some seedlings to other leaders who want to adopt this project.” <<
1st Place: Siak Daytoy (Fr. Joel) Parish of the Immaculate Conception, Novaliches.
2nd Place: Lenilia Declaro Epiphany of the Lord Parish, Caloocan.
3rd Place: Dennis Dominguez Manila Police District, District Mobile Force Battalion. THE VIEW 23
