At the onset of the pandemic, the Philippine national government implemented lockdowns to ‘arrest’ the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Luzon, the Philippines’ largest island group. The national government failed to deliver immediate amelioration amid abrupt restrictions on movement that devastated the country’s economy and people’s livelihoods.

Despite the lack of government support, the residents of Sitio San Roque were able to devise ways to fend for themselves, paving the way for the emergence of the Kusinang Bayan (community kitchen) and subsequently, the Tanimang Bayan (community food garden). This documentation aims to: 1) shed light on the conception of the community-initiated agroecological farming as means to ensure food security and defend land rights; 2) discuss the challenges encountered and how they were overcome; 3) provide a number of benefits reaped from the community food gardens; and 4) illustrate the interconnectedness of food security to the other struggles of the urban poor.

This is published under the Social Protection Program of Inklusibo.

Written by Gelyn Rosilio, Weng Bautista, Janine Lopez, Ervin Grana, Gabby Martinez, Maxine Faminiano, and Rafael Dimalanta