MPIF Launches Bayan Tanim!

Advocates food sustainability among underprivileged communities 

Makati, Philippines, 8th September 2020 – Metro Pacific Investments Foundation (MPIF) officially launched Bayan Tanim!, a program aimed to help disadvantaged communities recover from the adverse effects of Covid-19 pandemic by growing household crops from their backyard.  

Bayan Tanim! was developed to provide communities and displaced workers with the means to grow their own vegetables safely at home. It is also in support of the “Plant, Plant, Plant” campaign of the Department of Agriculture which supplied the seeds and the “Move Food Initiative” of Agrea Agriculture System International Inc., which supplied the planting crates.  The said crates contain basic cultivation essentials such as seeds, seedlings, fertilizer, soiless potting mix, as well as fresh vegetables directly sourced from local farmers.

In partnership with First Pacific Company Ltd., MPIF turned over the first 100 Bayan Tanim! plant crates to the local government of Brgy.128 Smokey Mountain in Tondo, Manila. The planting crates will help expand the range of crops grown in their local community garden, a collective effort of their residents to build a sustainable source of food. 

Smokey mountain is located in what was then Barrio Mandaragat and part of what was now Balut, Tondo Manila.  It was once a quiet, clean and thriving fishing village until some 40 years ago when the government started dumping waste onto the area. Scavenging became a source of living for the marginalized community which was closed in the 90’s and turned into a public housing for the people living in the slums around the landfill.

“Growing your own produce is a simple solution to numerous health, environmental and economic problems.  There is an untapped potential for small scale home vegetable growing that leads to self-sufficiency, sustainability, including physical and mental well-being.  During these uncertain and challenging times, Bayan Tanim can transform us into a plant nation for a sustainable means of living that communities can rely on long after this pandemic is over”, MPIF President Melody del Rosario said

With the assistance of Alagang Kapatid Foundation Inc., MPIF aims to determine and assist the vulnerable sectors that have been drastically affected by the pandemic. Partner companies such as Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) have also committed to help communities within their concession areas. Other target communities lined up for the next schedules will be in Barangay Culiat, Epiphany in Caloocan, and people living near the public cemeteries near Parokya ng Pagkabuhay in Novaliches, Quezon City. Aside from distributing the Bayan Tanim plant crates, MPIF intends to extend support through community markets as livelihood.

Bayan Tanim is the third phase of MPIF’s COVID-19 efforts, following substantial PPE distributions to medical frontliners in over a dozen hospitals and Kaya Natin To, a relief pack distribution effort to over 3,700 families in underserved and marginalized communities.

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For further information, please contact:

Melody del Rosario

VP – Public Relations and Corporate Communications, MPIC

09189635639