𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

By: Pedro A. Tecson

𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 – 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐄𝐝) 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐈𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐂. 𝐀𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐎 𝐈𝐕, 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐡𝐮𝐠 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥/𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥, 𝐂𝐞𝐛𝐮 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲.

The Garden to Table Project is based on a Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Education, represented by DepEd Secretary Sara Z. Duterte, and Go Negosyo founder Jose Concepcion, signed on November 30, 2023. Two schools in Caraga piloted this project: San Vicente National High School in Loreto, Agusan del Sur, and Maglambing Integrated School in Surigao del Sur. It was formally launched in Bayugan City on June 26, 2024, and rebranded as Go Negosyo: Pampaaralang Taniman ng mga Agribida (Garden-to-Table School Business Model). Fifteen schools have since been implementing the business model, generating more than P500,000 in revenue as of June 26, 2024.

However, due to the lack of agricultural land in the billeting area, the project shifted its focus to growing common table vegetables and properly managing kitchen waste using a compost pit to generate fertilizers for nourishing the vegetables and medicinal plants growing naturally within the campus. This initiative is called the Caragarden.

As an eco-friendly act, empty plastic water bottles donated by local partners and friends during the Welcome Night on July 7 for the Caraga athletes were upcycled and transformed into a stunning chandelier placed at the center of the Caragarden, promoting environmental sustainability.

No fewer than eight Schools Division Superintendents of Caraga launched this mini project by planting various vegetables on July 10. They were Maria Teresa S. Real (Bayugan City), Minerva T. Albis (Butuan City), Gregoria T. Su (Tandag City), Nelia S. Lomocso (RO), Jeanie L. Mativo (Agusn del Norte), Karen L. Galanida (Siargao Islands), Lorenzo O. Macasocol (Surigao del Sur), and Gemma A. De Paz (Bislig City). Some members of the Advance Party and other school personnel assisted in the activity.

The Caragarden program exemplifies the region's commitment to environmental stewardship and creative reuse, setting a shining example for others. (You may watch some video scenes at this link: https://fb.watch/tg7pKlrJ-5/ )