The Department of the Interior and Local Government has identified 5,955 barangays for outstanding implementation of the Halina’t Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay (HAPAG) sa Barangay Project, a community-based agriculture initiative supporting President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call for innovative and sustainable solutions to food insecurity and rising prices.

These barangays established productive community gardens that promote resilience, self-reliance, and hope. The project turns idle land into hubs of nourishment and livelihood through garden development, community mobilization, strategic fund use, and efficient harvest utilization.

Region VIII recorded the highest number of top-performing barangays with 724, followed by Regions III and I with 502 each. Public engagement has been robust, with over 4.3 million households reporting their own backyard or household gardens.

Latest report shows that reported income from harvests increased from ₱13 million in the first quarter to ₱22.2 million in the second quarter, a 71 percent jump. Some barangays are scaling up to support feeding programs or distribute produce to vulnerable families. Local innovations include Barangay Zone 12-A in Talisay City, Negros Occidental’s Community Garden Competition and Barangay Bigte in Norzagaray, Bulacan’s advocacy materials to encourage urban gardening.

Through HAPAG, the DILG continues to advance local solutions to national challenges, empowering communities to cultivate food security, economic opportunities, and a more self-sufficient future.

Original Article At: https://www.dilg.gov.ph/news/HAPAG-DILGs-Grassroots-Response-to-PBBM-Food-Security-Agenda/NC-2025-1145