Mandaue City Fire Station adopts urban gardening, promotes healthy lifestyle among personnel

Some vegetables are now growing in a mini garden located at the rooftop of the Mandaue City Fire Station. | Mary Rose Sagarino

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Personnel of the Mandaue City Fire Station do not only focus on fire fighting and fire prevention.

They have also started to grow vegetables in a mini garden that is located on the rooftop of their fire station in Barangay Centro for their consumption, says Senior Fire Inspector Ben Brad Pit Lorenzo, the deputy city fire marshall.

Lorezon said they set up a mini garden in a portion of their rooftop in May as part of the urban gardening and healthy living program of Chief Inspector Arnel Abella, the city’s fire marshall.

They decided to use the rooftop for their garden since they do no have space on the ground floor and near their parking area.

It was also a means to maximize the use of their rooftop, Lorenzo added.

| Photo by Mary Rose Sagarino

Lorenzo said some of their personnel take turns in caring for their garden.

In May, they started to plant seeds and seedling that they secured from the city agriculture office.   And just recently, they already harvested from their garden.

They used their harvest for their meals, Lorenzo said.

| Photo by Mary Rose Sagarino

“Aside sa amoang personnel, minsan may mga guest kami nga gusto nang gulay. Pag may harvest kami ay i-no offer din namin sa kanila,” said Lorenzo.

According to Lorenzo, they now have malunggay, eggplant, spinach, monggo, beans, sweet potato, tomato, spring onions, and bitter gourd, among others.

In the coming days, Lorezon said they intend to plant more vegetables in their garden.

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