In line with the on-going project of Adopt-A-Plot program, the Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS) of University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) held an orientation for the employees of its partner government institution, the Provincial Public Employment Service Office (PESO) of Laguna, on 30 January 2024 at the Teaching and Learning Hub (TLH) Conference Room and FMDS Perma G.A.R.D.E.N. (Growing Appreciation towards Resilience, Development, Entrepreneurship, and Nutrition). The said orientation was part of the initial steps of joining the program through reserving a plot and attending a face-to-face orientation.
Adopt-A-Plot Program is under the Sustainability in Action — A Living Laboratory Campus (SiALLC) component of Perma GARDEN and is one of the activities launched in celebration of the National Zero Waste Month in January.
Dr. Jabez Joshua Flores, FMDS senior lecturer and a permaculture expert and designer, and Ms. Maryjane Reondanga, the Perma G.A.R.D.E.N.caretaker, co-facilitated the program alongside Ms. Raizza Anna Alforja, FMDS research assistant. Representatives from PESO Laguna were Ms. Mary Jane Corcuera, PESO Laguna Manager, together with Engr. Rodson Del Mundo.
The orientation was spearheaded by Dr. Flores, introducing the brief history of Perma G.A.R.D.E.N. from a proposed permaculture garden site. Moreover, he visually presented the planned landscape concept of the plot reserved by PESO Laguna which is the Mandala Garden Concept, a design inspired by the three perfect circles created by the grazing cow in UPOU landscape. The guidelines of the Adopt-A-Plot program was succeedingly discussed along with distributing copies of sustainability commitment form to be signed by the said participants.
After Dr. Jabez’s presentation, the representatives were invited by Ms. Reondanga to a short tour of the garden and show their reserved plot to be utilized on the first week of March, as agreed upon by both parties.
Written by Raizza Anna Alforja • Edited by Larry N. Cruz
FMDS Socials