BACOLOD City – The unique rooftop farming advocacy of the Cadiz City Government in Negros Occidental got a P15-million boost.
Cadiz started to model rooftop farming through Panaad sa Negros Festival in 2024. It was showcased again in this year’s edition of the festival, getting more praises from citizens and netizens not just across the country but also in some parts of the world.
This farming initiative is aimed at showcasing many green spaces one step further by converting many government building rooftops in Cadiz into agricultural plots.
Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. was elated that a party-list noticed their quest for rooftop farming.
To pilot this farming advocacy in a larger scale, the P15-million grant from a party-list will be used by the city government in converting the rooftop of its two-year-old city-run food court into a farming haven.
“We will produce food up in the food court,” said Mayor Escalante who expressed his gratitude to the party-list. “And we will ensure that this be sustainably implemented through the years.”
Cadiz has been among the local governments hailed as “Walang Gutom” champions across the country last year through its Project PAT (Pagkaon Aton Tatapon). The program aims to crash hunger in the city and to ensure children’s quality education amid test of times.
Project PAT dwells on a “womb-to-tomb” concept of helping Cadizeños in waging war against malnutrition and hunger.
And, having this rooftop farming advocacy now, with one beautiful story at a time, Escalante is confident that the city will sustain feat and fate in “Walang Gutom” tilt nationwide.
“With rooftop farming, we will make Cadiz not just a driver for eco-friendly community but also a promoter of a well-sustained food security mission,” the city mayor said./PN
