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'Nabago buhay ko’: In QC, this dumpsite-turned-urban farm springs happiness, hope to PWDs

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Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Samahan ng mga PWD ng Brgy. Kamuning QC president Antonio Magpantay showcases the urban farm on March 23, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/tvpatrol/04/09/20230323-urban-farming-pwd-md-38-(1).jpg"/><figcaption>Samahan ng mga PWD ng Brgy. Kamuning QC president Antonio Magpantay showcases the urban farm on March 23, 2023. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA – Walking with his prosthetic leg, Antonio Magpantay goes to his village’s urban farm as early as 8 a.m. and tends to their vegetables and plants in awe.</p><p>Just 8 months ago, the 400 square-meter garden along T. Gener Street in Kamuning was a dumpsite – neglected, with grass and moss growing uncontrollably everywhere. Plastics and styropore filled the area, with the smell of the creek beside it overwhelming the vacant lot. </p><p>Now, several residents visit the urban farm to get peppers, bitter gourd, blue turnate, papaya, and patola, among other harvests. On March 23, their harvest also included catfish, just as they began setting up hydroponics. </p><p>Magpantay, 56, could not be happier as he looked back at how far their urban farm – led mostly by persons with disabilities (PWDs) in their barangay – has come. </p><p>They also began their stuffed toy business beside the narrow, busy street where they also sell garden tools. Earnings will be pooled for their project as well as help PWDs in need.</p><p>“Kaming mga PWD sinubukan naming kayaning gawin ang mga gawain… at masaya naman kami at nagtagumpay naman kami na maging isang gulayan ito. Marami ring mga komunidad [ang] dumadaan dito at nae-engganyo rin sila na magkaroon ng paghahalaman sa kanilang mga bakuran,” Magpantay, the head of their barangay’s PWD association, told ABS-CBN News. </p><div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/tvpatrol/04/09/20230323-urban-farming-pwd-md-19-(1).jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/tvpatrol/04/09/20230323-urban-farming-pwd-md-16-(1).jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/tvpatrol/04/09/20230323-urban-farming-pwd-md-6-(1).jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/tvpatrol/04/09/20230323-urban-farming-pwd-md-3-(1).jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/tvpatrol/04/09/20230323-urban-farming-pwd-md-28-(1).jpg"/></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><p>An urban farm tended by persons with disabilities stands in a former empty area in Brgy. Kamuning in Quezon City on March 23, 2023. <cite>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Samahan ng mga PWD ng Brgy. Kamuning QC president Antonio Magpantay showcases the urban farm on March 23, 2023. <cite>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>An urban farm tended by persons with disabilities stands in a former empty area in Brgy. Kamuning in Quezon City on March 23, 2023. <cite>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>An urban farm tended by persons with disabilities stands in a former empty area in Brgy. Kamuning in Quezon City on March 23, 2023. <cite>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Residents near the urban farm in Brgy. Kamuning in Quezon City take some of the harvest free of charge on March 23, 2023. <cite>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</cite></p></div></div></div><p>“Hindi lamang po taga-baranggay ang nakikinabang dito, even &#x27;yung mga karatig-barangay ay natutuwa dahil nahihikayat namin sila na sa kabila ng kapansanan namin ay nagawa namin ang mga imposible na gawain kagaya ng pagtatanim nga ng halaman,” he added. </p><p>The former audio-video technician and driver said tending to vegetables full-time was not a hard transition for him, as planting gave him joy even before. He chuckled when he recalled almost breaking his prosthetic leg when he built their farm’s nipa hut a month ago. </p><p>It was all for the urban farm, he said. </p><p>“Nais ko sana na mawala na ang pagiging charity model sa mga PWD,” he said, standing proud beside the papaya tree and the taro leaves they planted last year.</p><p>“Sana ang mga PWD sa mga susunod na taon ay makilala sa isang humanitarian model dahil nga mayroon tayong mga batas… Sa mga namumuno naman… sana naman po ay respetuhin ninyo ang mga batas na itinalaga para sa mga PWD.” </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Rosita Cascato takes some of the urban farm" s="" harvest="" free="" of="" charge="" on="" March="" Mark="" ABS-CBN="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/tvpatrol/04/09/20230323-urban-farming-pwd-md-21-(1).jpg"/><figcaption>Rosita Cascato takes some of the urban farm&#x27;s harvest free of charge on March 23, 2023. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Among those who regularly visit the urban farm is Rosita Cascato. </p><p>“Aba, malaking tulong ito sa amin kasi minsan maski hindi kami makapunta sa palengke, mag-aano ka lang diyan ng mga talbos ng kamote, okay na ang uulamin,” said Cascato, who was busy picking chili leaves, chilis, and ginger for her chicken tinola. </p><p>Asked if she was open to the possibility of having chickens in the urban farm, she said this was a good idea.</p><p>“Oo kung puwede edi maganda para hindi na kami pumupunta ng palengke, nandito na ang lahat.”</p><div><strong>‘EMPOWERING’</strong></div><p>The urban farm in Kamuning can be considered as the first and the only one so far led by PWDs in Quezon City, according to Kamuning chairperson Armida Castel. </p><p>Castel told ABS-CBN News they only needed P50,000 to start the project last year even though they allotted P100,000 for this. </p><p>“Nakita niyo &#x27;yung space, maliit pero siksik, liglig &#x27;yung mga puwede pong gamitin or puwedeng mapakinabangan ng ating mga kabarangay,” Castel said in an interview.</p><p>“Livelihood [rin ito] na kung saan &#x27;yung kanila mismong members ay may mga iba&#x27;t ibang goods na nakakatulong din po sa kanilang samahan, so &#x27;yun sinusuportahan din ng barangay din &#x27;yun para sa ganon magkaroon din po ng funding on their own &#x27;yung kanilang livelihood,” she added. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Samahan ng mga PWD ng Brgy. Kamuning QC vice president Nicolas Dandan tends to the urban farm on March 23, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/tvpatrol/04/09/20230323-urban-farming-pwd-md-12-(1).jpg"/><figcaption>Samahan ng mga PWD ng Brgy. Kamuning QC vice president Nicolas Dandan tends to the urban farm on March 23, 2023. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>For Nicolas Dandan, Jr. the vice-president of their PWD association, gardening was the better option than staying in their homes because of their condition. </p><p>It also keeps him happy, he said, adding that this somehow rehabilitated him as a stroke survivor. </p><p>“Noong pandemic, nagkasakit ako nasa bahay lang ako lagi. Nanonood ng TV, lalong nung ilapit sa amin ng baranggay ito na mainvolve kami rito, ayun tinanggap ko… kasi ang ano naman sa PWD empowering din. Ipakita sa kanila na hindi porket PWD, hindi ka kaya magtrabaho,” Dandan said, smiling. </p><p>“‘Yung stress mo sa buhay na nawala kasi nalilibang ka sa ginagawa mo eh habang nalilibang, nae-exercise pa po at nakakaimpluwensya rin po kami ng mga ibang tao na parang ginagaya rin po kami,” he added. </p><p>While this gave some in their association hope, he admitted that not all PWDs could have the same expectations in the urban farm. </p><p>Despite this, he said there was nothing wrong with encouraging other people who have disabilities to join their cause.</p><p>“Hindi naman lahat mae-empower mo sa dala ng kalagayan nila,” said Dandan. </p><p>“Hindi nila kayang magtrabaho. Ano lang, ine-encourage yung kayang ma-empower, gawin nila at malibang sila at matanggal &#x27;yung stress nila sa buhay… kapag nai-istress kayo, &#x27;yung immune system niyo bumaba rin eh,” he added. </p><p>Their business manager Leonides Formon echoed Dandan. But Formon, who has a heart condition, said she found joy in their garden and their livelihood project selling stuffed toys. </p><p>Formon recalled being teased because of her ailment, which was diagnosed in 2019, as some did not believe her since her condition is not obvious physically. </p><p>“Nagpapanggap daw ako… hindi nila alam sa sarili ko na halos sa gabi hindi ako makatulog dahil hindi ko matanggap din sa sarili ko na hindi ako makakilos nang normal,” Formon said. </p><p>“Hindi nakikita ang sakit ko pero hindi nila nararamdaman ang pag napagod, nagalit, posibleng anytime pwede ako mawala,” she added. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Entrepreneur Leonides Formol tends to a stuffed toy shop adjacent to the urban farm in Brgy. Kamuning in Quezon City on March 23, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/tvpatrol/04/09/20230323-urban-farming-pwd-md-35-(1).jpg"/><figcaption>Entrepreneur Leonides Formol tends to a stuffed toy shop adjacent to the urban farm in Brgy. Kamuning in Quezon City on March 23, 2023. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>“Nabago &#x27;yung buhay ko, naging masayahin pa rin ako, naging malakas ako, parang naging normal &#x27;yung katawan ko ulit nakakapagtrabaho ako. Tapos every day, halos gusto ko na nagtatambay ako dito may benta o wala.” </p><p>Kagawad Dennis Cabatit, among those who assisted the PWDs for the urban farm, vowed to help in any way he could. </p><p>Cabatit, who is also the head of the village’s Committee on Livelihood and Clean and Green, believes the local government’s continuous help would go a long way for projects like this, most especially if it is for the PWDs. </p><p>“Sa ngayon kasi mayroon kaming improvements from sa pag-gugulay nila na paunti unti, ngayon ay nagiistart na kami ng hydroponics,” he said. </p><p>The barangay official is hoping more areas will have their own urban farms led by PWDs. </p><p>“Sa tulong po ng mga iba&#x27;t ibang grupo na umaalalay dito sa amin eh magiging successful din naman po ang project na ito at sana po itong mga ganito ay makaencourage pa sa ibang hindi lamang dito sa baranggay namin, sa ibang baranggay [din].&quot;</p><p>For the PWD association, the urban farm did not only grow vegetables and plants, it also sprouted hope that they would not be seen by the public by their disabilities, but by their capacity to help in their own ways. </p><p>“Sa mga PWD na nandiyan sa sabihin na nating sulok po ng bahay niyo, lumabas kayo. Meron po tayong mga karapatan na ibinibigay ng ating gobyerno at ng ating pamahalaan para sa atin,” said Magpantay. </p><p>“Gamitin po natin ang naaayon sa ating kakayahan kasi ang batas po na ito ay inilalaan sa mga PWD at ito po ay ating gamitin ng naaayon lang sa ating kakayahan.” </p><p>The urban farm is open between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except weekends. The Samahan ng PWD ng Barangay Kamuning welcomes volunteers, said Magpantay, and they are willing to teach. </p>

This ABS-CBN News' Easter Sunday special features the PWD-led dumpsite-turned-urban farm in Quezon City, and why this did not only spring hope but also happiness to all those involved with the project.

'Nabago buhay ko’: In QC, this dumpsite-turned-urban farm springs happiness, hope to PWDs

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'Nabago buhay ko’: In QC, this dumpsite-turned-urban farm springs happiness, hope to PWDs

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 09, 2023 09:41 PM PHT

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Updated Apr 09, 2023 10:13 PM PHT

Read More:

urban farm

urban gardening

Kamuning Quezon City

Antonio Magpantay

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