PlantSmart reaches Zamboanga del Sur youths, promoting food security

PLDT’s wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), through its PlantSmart program, continues to support the Department of Education’s Gulayan sa Paaralan (GPP) program. In 2022, PLDT and Smart turned over hundreds of?PlantSmart?kits to various schools in Mindanao, including Pilas Elementary School in Zamboanga del Sur. 

Pilas Elementary School converted a 200-sq.m. lot into a community garden and the PlantSmart kits supplemented and helped advance their program. Half a year later, teachers, parents and learners have enjoyed the fruits of their labor, sharing this with the school’s stakeholders. 

“We are thankful to PLDT and Smart for their support. We are happy to share that we have harvested some of the crops and used them during our feeding program – this helps us fight malnutrition among our learners,” said Francis Simblante, Pilas GPP Coordinator. 

Through the PlantSmart kits, PLDT and Smart aim to promote food security and proper nutrition by providing vegetable seedlings, organic fertilizers, and loam soil to communities, including schools. The Group has also established several PlantSmart GrowHubs in Makati City, Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon, to encourage communities to grow their own food. 

The PLDT Group’s unwavering dedication to support every Filipino’s overall health and mental wellness are aligned with United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG No. 2: Zero Hunger and SDG No.3: Good Health and Well-Being.