By Leilanie G. Adriano (Staff Reporter)
LAOAG CITY—Persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Ilocos Norte Provincial Jail will soon have a stable source of fresh vegetables grown on a healthy soil which they themselves produce out of scraps from the kitchen.
As a pilot site for household composting and community gardening project, at least 162 PDLs at the INPJ are currently being trained to turn their food wastes into organic soil.
The organic soil comes from fermented food wastes mix with locally-available materials that helps in faster decomposition without foul odor.
Using improvised bucket with tight cover and a faucet for draining purposes, food wastes are properly segregated so that these may no longer be transported to the city landfill which are becoming congested due to increasing waste production.
During the launching of the household composting project, Estrella Sacro, chief of the provincial government’s environment and natural resources office said, “It is high time for everyone to adopt to change as the universe keeps on changing.”
As part of the “Narimat nga Aglawlaw” project, an Ilokano term which means a "bright environment" program for the province of Ilocos Norte, local environment officials here are advocating for responsible waste management.
Starting with the inmates of the INPJ as partners for the household composting project, Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos, who is on the frontline in advocating this project, hopes that every household in the province will follow suit.
“We are just starting and we hope to sustain it with the cooperation of the community particularly in urban areas with limited space for urban gardening,” said Mrs. Araneta-Marcos as she shared her vision for every Ilokano home to have an edible garden to ensure food security amid pandemic.
She said rural areas can likewise adopt said technology so that they may no longer be applying synthetic fertilizer in growing their own food.
At the INPJ, youth volunteers led by the 4-H club are assisting the inmates in developing their organic gardens located at the back of the INPJ compound.
Crisner Lagazo, president of the 4-H Club and an accredited trainer of the agriculture training institute said they are teaching the inmates with new agricultural practices which they can immediately apply in the food garden.
“We are helping them set-up vermibeds for them to have organic fertilizers and soon we will also introduce livestock and piggery project,” he said.
For her part, INPJ warden Benilda Sadian said it has been her “long-time dream” for the INPJ to have an organic and stable source of fresh fruits and vegetables for the inmates.
"We just don't know how to start but we are thankful for showing us how," said Ms. Sadian during the official launching of the household composting project along with a seminar and hands-on training on urban gardening and edible landscaping at the INPJ.
INPJ inmates make household bucket for composting.
Lei Adriano
Wanted Soilmates. Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos leads the launching of a household composting project at the INPJ. In Ilocos Norte, the provincial government is encouraging everyone to turn their food wastes into a healthy soil for urban gardening.
Lei Adriano