“We are happy to help po.” Thus said IC Calaguas, Clark International Airport Vice President for Operations and Angeles City Government Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel, who purchased the crops of a Katutubong Aeta farmer and donated it to the city’s community kitchen for suspected COVID-19 patients.
Calaguas and Manuel came upon a Facebook post of Cecile Yumul, who happens to share the story of ‘Tatang Dibote,’ the Katutubong Aeta farmer who recently harvested crops composed of puso ng saging, kamote, taro, and saging saba.
Calaguas and Manuel bought the crops and donated these to the community kitchen established by Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. to provide free meals (breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner) for suspected COVID-19 patients.
“SOLD OUT NA PU”
“Dacal a dacal salamat [to IC Calaguas] for purchasing the crops,” Yumul wrote on her Facebook post. “The simple act has fed so many.”
According to Manuel, the puso ng saging cooked for lunch fed 130 individuals housed at the quarantine facility.
Calaguas and Manuel have been working hand-in-hand in helping people in need, together with Mayor Lazatin. They are also among the pioneers of the adopt-a-rotunda community garden, wherein organic vegetable seedlings are being planted for public consumption.
To recall, they led the kick-off of planting activities at the city’s rotunda with Mayor Lazatin, Gender and Development Head Mina Cabiles, Angeles City Economic Development Investment Promotions Officer-in-Charge Irish Bonus-Llego and City Engineer Donato Dizon.
They have also been active supporters of the Luntiang Lingap sa Barangay project of the city government which was launched by Mayor Lazatin during the lockdown.
During this time, free seedlings were given to the Angeleños alongside food packages, encouraging them to use their backyard or vacant lot for urban gardening.
In fact, they visited the backyards of Angeleños who turned their vacant lots into vegetable gardens, being a source of their alternative food.
