ROLLING OUT THE BACKYARD FOOD PRODUCTION PROGRAMS IN THE URBAN AREAS

WHEREAS, it is not business
as usual; government agencies must hit the round
running;

WHEREAS, the government
should take advantage of the window of opportunity, i.e., declining
inflation and interest rates and good
weather;

WHEREAS, the government
has committed Three Hundred Billion Pesos (P300,000,000,000.00) to
economic stimulus programs, including comprehensive livelihood and
emergency employment program (CLEEP), that will save or create millions
of new jobs.

WHEREAS, part of
CLEEP consists of backyard food production programs like Gulayan ng
Masa and the Integrated Services for Livelihood Advancement (ISLA) for
subsistence fisherfolk.

NOW THEREFORE I,
GLORIA M. ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by the power
vested in me by law, do hereby
order:

SECTION 1. The Gulayan ng
Masa and ISLA shall be rolled out into a massive government food
production program in the urban areas with the active participation of
the Department of Agriculture (DA), the local governments and the
Philippine Gaming Corporation
(PAGCOR).

SECTION 2. The rollout
shall consist of the setting up of urban vegetable gardens and backyard
fisheries, including vacant lots and unused government
land.

SECTION 3. All
governors and mayors are enjoined to set aside funding for the purpose
of the Gulayan ng Masa and ISLA in the urban areas. They are enjoined
to designate project supervisors in their respective
areas.

SECTION 4. There is hereby
created a Steering Committee composed of the Secretary of Agriculture
together with the Directors of the Bureaus of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources and Plant Industry, the Chairman of the Union of Local
Authorities of the Philippines, the Chairman of PAGCOR, the Chancellor
of the University of the Philippines in Los Baños (UP-Los Baños), and
other concerned groups with the approval of the President of the
Philippines.

SECTION 5. UP-Los
Baños and other state universities and colleges shall lend their
expertise in agriculture and aquaculture to the
program.

SECTION 6. The DA shall
set up provisions for water sources and mobilize breeder sanctuaries
for the program.

SECTION 7. The
activities of the program shall
include:

• Developing various modules for
  urban gardening
• Producing and
  disseminating information
  materials
• Identifying beneficiaries,
  subject to the approval of the Office of the President for the program
  components funded by the national
  government
• Organizing seminars and site
  visits
• Distributing vegetable seedlings
  and tilapia/hito fingerlings
• Monitoring
  local government progress
• Holding a
  search for the Best Urban
  Garden/Fisheries

SECTION
8. The funds for the program shall come from the PAGCOR and
the local governments, with the DA providing a one-is-to-one (1:1)
counterpart.

SECTION 9. This
Order shall take effect immediately.

Manila, 16
January 2009

By the
President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R.
ERMITA
Executive
Secretary