ORMOC CITY – Region 8 has recorded the highest number of top-performing barangays, at 724 in all, for the excellent execution of the Halina’t Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay (HAPAG) sa Barangay Project under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Region 8 was followed by Regions 3 and 1 with 502 each. A total of 5,955 barangays nationwide have been selected by the DILG for the said project.
The project is a community-based agriculture endeavor that backs President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s need for creative and long-term answers to the problems of food insecurity and price increases.
Public participation has been strong, with over 4.3 million households reporting their own backyard or household gardens.
The latest report showed that reported income from harvests increased from PHP13 million in the first quarter to PHP22.2 million in the second quarter, a 71 percent jump.
Some barangays are expanding to support feeding programs or distribute produce to vulnerable families. These barangays established productive community gardens that promote resilience, self-reliance, and hope.
Through the creation of gardens, community mobilization, strategic use of funds, and effective harvest utilization, the project transforms vacant land into centers of sustenance and livelihood. By empowering communities to develop food security, economic possibilities, and a more self-sufficient future, the DILG continues to promote local solutions to national problems through HAPAG. By Gwen Maurillo (EV Mail AUGUST 11-17, 2025 issue)
