Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 1) — Support staff in San Miguel Corporation’s head office can take part in an urban gardening project at the company’s Ortigas complex.
Portions of SMC office will be converted into small urban farm dubbed “Malasakit Garden” to help its support staff become more self-sufficient.
Interested employees who sign up for the program will be given a plot of land where they can grow produce, and they can choose to bring their harvest home or sell these for profit at a stall to be set up at the complex
“In this time of pandemic, many Filipinos are looking for ways to earn extra income, or at the very least, make sure they have sufficient supply of food,” said SMC president Ramon S. Ang in a statement on Monday
“Realizing the importance of food security, many are also exploring growing their own food,” he said. “That is why we thought of this simple project to help our maintenance workers, as well as our own employees.”
Ang said they have partnered with SEED Philippines, a non-profit organization that aims to help eradicate poverty in low-income families through specialized programs on agri-entrepreneurship. The organization will teach staff about urban farming.
“With this, we hope the Malasakit Garden can augment healthy food supply for some of our workers, or serve as an additional source of income,” Ang said.
The project will hopefully encourage more businesses to transform urban spaces into functioning ecological spaces and help agriculture flourish, he added.
