Raising veggies, while serving time

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (inset, 2nd from right) hands over packs of vegetable seeds to Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Rafael Marcos to sustain a DA-BuCor project — called ‘Yaman sa halamanan: Gulayan sa bilangguan, gabay sa pagbabagong buhay’ — during a simple graduation ceremony, on February 13, 2013,

of 22 inmates and 13 BuCor staff who trained on vegetable production under the DA’s high value crops development program (HVCDP). In addition to providing seeds, farm tools and equipment, the DA will also establish facilities to produce organic fertilizers and wood vinegar at the New Bilibid Prison, in Muntinlupa City. Also shown at inset are DA-HVCDP national coordinator Dir. Jennifer Remoquillo (left) and DA-RFU 4-A Dir. Vilma Dimaculangan. Since July 2010, the DA has partnered with BuCor to transform idle prison and penal lands into productive rice farms such as in Iwahig, Palawan and Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. (Photo by Alan Jacalan, DA Information Service)