HIDDEN from public view, a vegetable garden thrives on the rooftop of the old Mandaue City public market. Among the plants grown in the garden are tomatoes, okra, eggplants, squash and tangkong. The soil is fertilized using biodegradable waste from the market’s vegetable section.

The garden was established around 2 months ago when the city started reinforcing its waste segregation policy. The rooftop used to be where the biodegradable wastes from the market’s vegetable section were disposed of. Health advocates also pushed for organic or natural farming which they said is cheap and yields safer and more nutritious products.

In Barangay Canduman, officials have put up a facility where biodegradable solid waste materials are converted to compost heap, and then used as fertilizer for backyard gardening. Mayor Cortes, an agriculture graduate has pushed for composting and backyard gardening to enhance food production and improve solid waste management.

Plants also are important in achieving ecological balance, as they produce oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide.