When the severe monsoon rains known as Typhoon Habagat flooded the area around Laguna Bay in August 2012, Goducate helped rehabilitate some of the affected families in Tagumpay by training the men in agricultural skills. With their newly acquired skills, 5 of the men set up a community farm on a piece of land that a former mayor of Bay offered to Goducate. The farm was productive, enabling the men to sell their crops by April 2013.
Unfortunately, in this flood-prone area, the farm was under water again from August to December 2013. During this time one of the men turned to container gardening, growing vegetable hydroponically on other premises, and sold his produce at the market every morning.
Still, the men did not give up on the farm. When the flood subsided in December, they cleaned it up, and with financial help of about PhP 3000 ($67) from Goducate they bought material to start planting again. By the end of February they harvested nearly a ton of vegetables (666kg of pechay [kind of cabbage known as “pak choi” in Chinese], and 333 kg of mustard). By next week they hope to have another harvest of another ton of vegetables. With the sale of these vegetables, the men have been able to repay the loan they took from Goducate.
The 5 men need additional help during planting and harvesting, and have been able to offer part-time jobs to others.
What the buyer rejects is taken by the man who turned to container gardening, to be sold at the market every morning.
