MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) concluded the three-day Training of Trainers on Urban Gardening for Philippine Red Cross participants on July 16, 2026, with a field learning activity at the Luneta Urban Garden in Burnham Green, Rizal Park.

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In his welcome remarks, BPI Director Gerald Glenn F. Panganiban, Ph.D., shared the history of the Luneta Urban Garden, which was established during the COVID-19 pandemic. He explained that the urban garden was created to complement the country’s rural food production system by encouraging food production in urban areas while renewing public interest in planting and increasing awareness of government services.

Director Glenn also emphasized that BPI is always open to collaboration with the Philippine Red Cross and reaffirmed the Bureau’s commitment to supporting the organization’s initiatives through its technical expertise and services.

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Meanwhile, Philippine Red Cross Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang Ph.D. expressed her appreciation for BPI’s continued support of the organization’s initiatives on food security, nutrition, and livelihood. She shared that the renewed partnership will enable the Philippine Red Cross to integrate urban gardening into its services and gradually expand the initiative to more communities through its chapters.

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Secretary General Pang also encouraged the participants to begin applying the knowledge they gained from the training by starting their own gardens, practicing the techniques they learned, and eventually sharing these with their communities. She emphasized that urban gardening supports food security, nutrition, and livelihood, noting that even small-scale food production can help families meet their own needs and generate additional income from surplus harvests.

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Concluding her message, Secretary General Pang encouraged the participants to put their learning into action and continue promoting urban gardening beyond the training.

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“Let’s use this knowledge and grow it,” she said.

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The activity also featured a ceremonial exchange of hygiene kits and planting materials, sharing of learning experiences, and the awarding of Certificates of Completion and garden tools to the participants. The materials provided will support the participants as they apply the techniques learned during the training and conduct urban gardening activities in their respective communities.

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The successful completion of the three-day training reaffirmed the shared commitment of the Bureau of Plant Industry and the Philippine Red Cross to expanding urban gardening through capacity-building and collaboration. As the participants return to their respective chapters, they are expected to cascade the knowledge and practical skills they gained, helping encourage more communities to grow their own food.