Facing several challenges due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar is encouraging the public to be more creative and productive in spending their time.

With the restrictions being imposed by the government to thwart the spread of coronavirus, no face-to face classes are allowed in general.

As "Brigada Eskwela" starts this year, the Department of Education (DepEd) reminded school heads to implement Gulayan sa Tahanan or Urban Vegetable Gardening at Home as part of Brigada Eskwela and School-Family-Community partnerships to promote sustainable food supply at homes, as well as on communicating to stakeholders on how they can support the school emergency and contingency to ensure resiliency, in addition to the usual activities.

With this, Villar found a new way of contributing to this program.The senator has intensified her advocacy of distributing seedlings of various vegetables seeds to schools all over the country.

"This is my humble way of joining the Brigada Eskwela-- giving them seeds and organic fertilizers from my composting and vermi-composting facilities which they can plant in the school compounds," said Villar, chair of the Senate committee on agriculture and food.

Villar has also filed various bills in the Senate to bring back school-based vegetable gardening or the "Gulayan sa Paaralan."

She filed Senate Bill No. 147 or the Instructional Gardens Act, which mandates the establishment of instructional gardens in all elementary and secondary schools, public or private, making it a requirement for the creation and issuance of permits for schools.

The bill aims to institutionalize the "Gulayan sa Paaralan" program to promote health awareness, good nutrition and help curb malnutrition.

Aside from providing a green and healthy environment, Villar said these vegetable plants can give them nutritious foods.

"After several weeks, they can harvest vegetables which they grew from the school's surroundings or backyards," she said.

As a proponent of vegetable gardening or backyard farming, the senator is happy that Filipinos now have a better appreciation and increased interest in growing their own food during the ongoing community quarantine.

According to Villar, everybody needs to be productive while following the government's "stay at home" policy to avoid getting infected with the virus.

This is the reason why she has been giving away seedlings and organic fertilizers to schools and local government units, farmers and farmers' cooperatives and individual households.

"By growing your own food, you can be assured of having nutritious foods on the table while contributing to the country's food sufficiency and sustainability," explained the lady senator.

She also cited the need to boost our health to fight COVID-19.