Tabaco City.  COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health and livelihood of Filipinos. The Department of Health reminds everyone to wash their hands frequently and boost their immune system to prevent acquiring the virus. Promotion of good nutrition is most necessary during this health crisis. With this in mind, the city of Tabaco and municipality of Tiwi in the province of Albay initiated buying produce from their local farmers. The two LGUs announced earlier last week that agricultural produce only will be bought by the LGU and will distribute them to the families in the community. 

In Tabaco City, hundreds of kilos of produce were bought from the farmers and are being allocated to the different sectors of the community. According to City Nutrition Program Coordinator Efleda Boboyo, 108 kilos of pechay, 320 kilos of winged beans, and 41 kilos of tomatoes will be distributed to 2,400 pregnant and lactating women in the city.  As of today, the city government has provided food packs to 1,000 pregnant and lactating mothers with these fresh veggies.  

On the other hand, Tiwi has already distributed vegetables and dried fish to the pedicab and habal habal drivers whose livelihood were greatly affected by the community quarantine. In an interview with Municipal Agriculture Officer Leonila V. Coralde, Tiwi has an ongoing Integrated Community Food Production Program where components include the distribution of vegetables, seeds, gardening tools, and native chickens to all the barangays in the municipality.  In addition to these commodities, each barangay has a sustainability plan such that they have 2 communal gardens provided with seeds and vermicompost. MAO Coralde ensured that everyone in the community - those who belong to 4Ps program, families with malnourished children, and pregnant and lactating mothers- benefited during this Enhanced Community Quarantine period.  (NACL, ARR, NNC RO V)