The Quezon City government's program that transformed idle lands into urban farms was recognized during the Galing Pook Awarding Ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 20.
The program is called "#GrowQC: Kasama ka sa Pag-unlad sa Pagkain, Kabuhayan, at Kalusugan (You are involved in Food, Livelihood, and Health Development)" and started in April, 2020.
It aims to provide citizens with a sustainable source of healthy and nutritious food, livelihood, and a greener community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This program is our testament that we can be a self-reliant city even if we are in a highly urbanized metropolis," Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
Aside from the urban farms, the program also features feeding stations placed in daycare centers, a community and mobile kitchens.
Among the 22 finalists for the outstanding local government programs, two projects came from the Quezon City government.
These are the "Kabahagi sa Kyusi(A part of QC),” a community-based rehabilitation for children with disability, and QC Human Milk Bank: Sharing Milk, Saving Lives.
Galing Pook Foundation aims to recognize effective local government programs that help in the development of their communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.