“Gulayan sa Nabitasan’ is the fruit of labor of Barangay officials, volunteers, tanods, health workers, SK officials, youth volunteers, 4P’s members and teachers of Barangay Nabitasan La Paz district. Through their unity and working together the project was started.
Not just did the garden bag the grand champion award during JPT Ediscape Level-Up 2021 of Iloilo City Government last September 21, 2021, but this garden was also made as a local attraction.
It was located at Nabitasan Elementary School and hail as the best among 26 communal gardens that participate in JPT Ediscape Level-Up 2021.
According to barangay councilor John Jesner Perce Punsaran, the chairman of the Committee on Livelihood and Job Opportunities (CLJO), ‘Gulayan sa Nabitasan’ was initiated last March 2021, with 16 vegetable garden volunteers. These volunteers are the ones who tend to water and cares for the planted vegetables and herbs.
“Tuman gid ang amon kalipay nga nabatyagan sang nabal-an nga kami ang nag-champion sa JPT Ediscape Level-Up 2021 Communal Garden Category bangod sa anum ka bulan nga naagyan namon may kasubo, kabudlay kag kalipay nangin worth it ang tanan nga pagpangabudlay sa amon nga communal garden,” Punsaran said.
Winning is not just for the people who helps, develop, and started this project but also for all the people of barangay Nabitasan La Paz. Their dedication, commitment, and unity as a whole make this project wins.
Aside from being champion, ‘Gulayan sa Nabitasan also wins some minor awards likes Best in Artistry, Best in Community Participation, and best in Project Documentation.
“Ang nagpadaog sa amon is ang commitment, dedication kag ang pag-unite namon as whole community because kon wala kami sang commitment indi namon mapatigayon or indi namon mapatahom ang amon garden and of course sa pag-unite sang community mas nagmag-an ang amon mga olobrahon,” the councilor added.
Winning the award also gives inspiration to the community that everything could be a success if everyone helps.
Local attraction
The ‘Gulayan sa Nabitasan’ not only wins an award but also wins the heart and eyes of Ilonggo’s. The garden is uniquely designed and conceptualized based on four distinct Ilonggo festivals like the Kasadyahan Festivals, Dinagyang Festivals, Paraw Regatta, and Chinese New Year.
The four sections of the communal garden were decorated with some props like some warriors, tribes and designed that will help identifies the festivals.
“We think out of the box, about the design and concepts of this garden, and we would like to presents something that people in Iloilo did not see. We also consider that because of pandemic we only celebrate these festivals virtually and we would like to present this to Ilonggo by using recycling materials,” Punsaran explained.
The barangay also received a P30, 000 cash prize. Some will be given to the volunteers and another part will be used to maintain the garden./PN
