The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is the primary recipient of vegetable seedlings from the Local Government Unit through the Office of the Mayor of San Roque, Northern Samar, Municipal Agriculture Office and Department of Social Services and Human Protection for the implementation of the COVID-19, Vegetables Production Project 2020 (COVEGE 20 Project).

As primary partners, Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries in San Roque, Northern Samar received several varieties of vegetable seeds such as pechay, radish, onion, bitter gourd, gourd, mustard, sesame seeds, pole beans, upo, squash, sweet peeper, tomato, eggplant, okra, and peanut ready for planting in the household’s backyard gardens.

The COVEGE 20 Project of the municipality is the integration of LGU’s initiative to respond to the present COVID-19 pandemic which the country is experiencing. Vegetables production was identified as one of the solutions to combat food shortage and the “20” represents the year the project was implemented. This will ensure that the 4Ps beneficiaries can produce fresh, and good quality vegetables for home and market consumption and contribute to increase food supply of the municipality amidst the COVID-19 pandemic where food supply particularly vegetables become scarce due to lockdown. Although measures that will exempt some movement and transportation of vegetables and other food supplies are in place under the existing health protocol, the vegetable and food supply are limited and were already tapped by LGU for its relief operation.

The seeds and other planting materials were distributed to the beneficiaries on the first and second week of April 2020. There were 781 household beneficiaries in 15 barangays that were provided with seedlings. Some of the beneficiaries were able to plant the vegetables seeds during the first week of May 2020. The crops which were severely damaged typhoon Ambo pechay, mustard, radish, tomato, sesame seeds and tomato.

Through LGU’s support and the beneficiaries’ diligence, they were able to replant these vegetables and recover from the typhoon.

Last October and November, they were able to harvest their vegetables and collectively they were able to yield approximately 2,000 kilos of vegetables. Most of the beneficiaries sold their harvests while some used it for their daily consumption.

At the moment, the municipal pantawid staff is closely monitoring the backyard gardens of the household beneficiaries to sustain production of vegetables. They are now gearing up for second cropping cycle. They are looking forward to their next harvest and are optimistic because of the benefits that the COVEGE 20 project is giving to them.

This project was awarded as one of the Best Knowledge Management Initiatives during the 2020 Program Implementation Review.