IDLE lands abound in the province and so with idle time for most people amid the pandemic.
In contrast, job and business opportunities have dwindled to almost nil.
Even inside villages, vacant lots lay idle, and perhaps it would be good if village homeowners associations offer them to those who are willing to till it and plant them with assorted vegetables for their own consumption or for small commercial purposes.
For sure, many people now have so much of idle time to while away amid widespread job displacements due the pandemic or so they might instead prefer using it productively.
It’s a pity to see now actually that a kilo of pechay Baguio (Napa) now sells sky high at P260 per kilo in Sto. Tomas City when previously you can have it for only P60 or even P50 especially in Tanauan City.
Indeed, it’s not a good time to make Korean famous kimchi as home-based business.
Don’t look now, but prices of other vegetable products have also gone up these days as rains accordingly damaged much farmlands in Baguio and in many parts of the Cordilleras where at least 60% of vegetable supply in Luzon come from.
It’s a pity indeed when you are living in the middle of a highly-agricultural province like Batangas and people are seemingly being hostaged by the situation.
But that won’t be the case for Lipa City.
The local government unit of Lipa saw this as an opportunity amid adversity as the LGU is urging every resident of its 72 barangays to participate in what it calls as “alternatibong kabuhayan at pagtatanim ng mga gulay sa laban kontra Covid-19.”
To add a scientific approach to it, the city is also holding orientation seminars for its Gulayan sa Barangay program handled by SMART Lipeño members in coordination with the city agriculturist's office.
The underlying message to this is for the people to become self-sufficient amid the pandemic crisis.
It will indirectly drive down skyrocketing prices of vegetables too.
And we could only hope other LGUs could follow Lipa’s initiative amid the crisis.