EGCES GULAYAN SA PAARALAN

“High Valued Crop Category B

4th Place Winner, Area Level

To awaken the pupils consciousness on the realization of how important vegetables, their nutrients,
their vitamins, and effect of healthy living, to increase their awareness on hunger issues and actions to mitigate
malnutrition among their family, to encourage every community to cooperate and share reproduction of green
leafy vegetables in their backyard garden – are the primary goal of the Department of Education ‘s program –
Gulayan sa Paaralan Program. It further aims to help address child malnutrition since children lacking
proper nutrients have less energy, both physical and mental, hence are unable to fully participate
in class. Utilizing school gardening for supplementary feeding program can be a tool in aiding
the major reasons why a child drops out of school – poverty, hunger and malnutrition .Aside
from implementing school gardening for the purpose of feeding programs is inculcating among
our learners the value of good health and nutrition, industry, love of labor and caring for others.
Under the said project, the vegetables should be organically-grown in plots and in empty
containers to minimize expenses. Furthermore, it would help and train the students to refrain
from consuming foods with chemicals derive from Pesticide/Insecticide which is considered
health hazards.
In this regard, the school together with the collaborative efforts exerted by the faculty and
staff, Gulayan sa Paaralan Officers, PTA Officers and SGC Officers created a school garden that
will cater and sustain the needs of the school for feeding resources and intensify the production
of various fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals. Monitored and cleaned daily, the
school were able to build a garden full of various vegetables, fruit – bearing trees, ornamental
plants and medicinal plants that will supply the school’s need for feeding severely and wasted
pupils. With the undying support rendered by the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program President
Municipal Councilor Felisa C. Rivera, and Parent – Teacher Association President Rhona R.
Hernandez with her supportive members and School Governing Council President Carmela
Arellano and members, the school garden maintains its cleanliness and abundance. Crops and
other vegetables were consumed for feeding, some were sold, given to others and kept as seeds
ready for the next cropping period. A close monitoring was done by the District Gulayan sa
Paaralan Coordinator, Mr. Vicente Gelacio Perez , with Mam Mercedes Magnaye, District
School Feeding Coordinator, Mam Eula Mariese Mirano Umali, Nurse II from the DedEd
Batangas, Sir Noel Aseremo, Principal from Dao Elementary School, and Sir Nino Viaro , Head
Teacher I from Dalima Elementary School. After seeing the school garden site and evaluation,
EGCES Gulayan sa Paaralan won the High Valued Crop Category B. The thirst for their quest to
won the battle for best gulayan implementer never stopped. The pupils and the parents
contributed in bringing seedlings of different varieties, innovative materials and insect repellants
like kakawate, amaranth, saluyot, zinnia, and cosmos. Stakeholders likewise, gleaned stones at
the nearest river for the pathways of the school garden. Plastic bottles, vehicular wheels,
containers, sack of rice, bamboo, denim pants, coconut husks and other seedlings were added and
various seeds to grow and more vegetables and fruits to cultivate. Then last September 25, the
Area Level Search for Best GPP Implementer was conducted. After series of interview and
evaluation, EGCES clinch as the Area Level’s 4 th place winner for High Valued Crop Category
B. The school is now greener and beneficial not only in the feeding program but to the
community as well. Eulogians are now reaping the “Fruit of the Loam.”