A vegetable farm sprouts in BGC

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Planting the seeds of urban farming

MANILA, Philippines — It’s seven in the morning, the sun is still hiding behind towering structures along 5th Street in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), and John Patrick Marata is already making his way to his destination.

With his camisa de chino and farm boots, he stands out in the throng of corporate employees in coats and ties, polo and slacks, dresses and whatnots trying to beat the clock for their work shift.

His destination is sandwiched between 5th and 34th Street: a sprawling organic farm directly beneath a 16-story residential building. Marata arrives by 8 a.m. Instead of pressing the button of an elevator, he opens a fence gate to a paradise of lettuce and green leafy vegetables.

He goes to a plot and looks at the lettuce that is ready to be harvested. He goes to another one that would need a few days more before harvesting.

“I am happy with people who are interested in farming because agriculture is the backbone of our society,” says Marata, who has been managing the 1,530–square–meter BGC community farm of Urban Farmers PH for more than two years now.

The community farm sells four different and the most in demand varieties of lettuce – Green Span, Sunny Rose, Black Rose and Romaine. The farm used to have 16 varieties of lettuce, which was then trimmed to 11 and now down to just four of the most popular ones.

Urban Farmers PH sells the leafy vegetables on a per pack basis. That way, Marata says, it will be cheaper than the usual per kilo retail. The farm also has eggplants, Mizuna or Japanese mustard green, assorted fruit, among others.

The farm sells its produce at an average price of P200 per medium-sized plastic bag, enough to fit six to eight lettuce heads. Outside the farm, lettuce fetches P85 per head, Marata says. In supermarkets, lettuce, particularly Romaine, fetches around P300 to P350 per kilo.

Urban Farmers PH was born out of necessity during the pandemic when everyone was scrambling to ensure that each home had sufficient food stocks. One of the goals of the non-government organization is to make farming mainstream, especially to city dwellers, whether it is a pandemic or not.

“We all know where we get our fruits and vegetables, from farther areas like Baguio. Of course there’s logistical costs, middlemen and that’s why the goods become expensive when they arrive here,” says Marata, who holds an agriculture degree and hails from Iligan in Mindanao.

“However, if we will have an urban farm here in the city, we will be able to have greater access to [more affordable] fruits and vegetables. We will not be totally dependent on one area for the supply,” he adds.

Consumers’ choice

It has been almost six years since the pandemic hit the country. Six years since residents of Metro Manila became more conscious about their food needs amid lockdowns and logistical woes.

But until today, food security remains an issue close to Filipino homes. The latest Social Weather Stations survey showed that 20.1 percent of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger in November 2025. This means that one of five Filipino families experienced being hungry and having nothing to eat at least once in the past three months during the survey period.

Broken down, 15.6 percent of the surveyed families said they experienced moderate hunger or experiencing hunger only once or a few times in the past three months while 4.5 percent said they suffered severe hunger (experiencing hunger often or always), according to SWS.

Beyond this, two in every 10 Filipino children under five years old experience stunting, according to the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute’s latest National Nutrition Survey.

The World Health Organization defines stunting as the “impaired growth and development that children experience” due to poor nutrition, infectious diseases, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation.

These are some of the issues that Urban Farmers PH want to address, one lettuce at a time. And it all begins with making them a “mainstream” issue to Filipinos consciousness, right here in the metro.

The group has expanded its network by partnering with various groups including corporate entities, government agencies and civil society organizations that are all seeking to address food insecurity issues in the country.

“Urban farming is good because it provides us consumers with healthier options especially if you live nearby. You can buy fresh vegetables straight from the farm at a cheaper price,” says Kent Duhaylungsod, a Taguig resident.

Living in BGC for five years, Duhaylungsod said she has observed the limited options for vegetables in the city, which leads people to buy expensive options at supermarkets or opt to eat unhealthy food choices.

Affordable options

Marata says that most residents in BGC often demand vegetables, particularly lettuce, from their farm as it is more affordable than the same items in supermarkets.

The agriculturist says that one piece of lettuce usually costs P85 in supermarkets, which prompted them to plant more varieties of lettuce to sell for a lower price.

“For example, in the mall, you can buy lettuce for P85. Just one. But here, for P200, it’s for six to eight whole lettuce,” Marata says.

Department of Agriculture (DA) data showed that as of February, lettuce (green ice) in Metro Manila retails for P165 a piece. An Iceberg lettuce fetches around P225, while a Romaine variety costs P172.

Aside from lettuce, other vegetables are also in demand, especially since their prices are volatile given erratic weather conditions like typhoons.

Inflation for leafy or stem vegetables, which include lettuce, stood at 6.9 percent in December 2025, faster than the 1.7 percent recorded in November 2025, based on Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data. In the National Capital Region (NCR), inflation for  eafy or stem vegetables was at 7.7 percent in December 2025, faster than the national average.

PSA data also showed that average inflation for leafy or stem vegetables in December 2025 was way faster than the 1.8 percent overall inflation of the country that month. The average inflation for all goods and services in NCR was 2.3 percent in December.

Institutionalizing urban farming

At the national level, both executive and legislative branches of the government are working toward institutionalizing and mainstreaming urban farming.

The DA has a national urban and peri-urban agriculture program that seeks to boost food production in key cities and reduce dependence on other food-producing areas. Last year, urban gardens and farms were recognized at the 50th Gawad Saka organized by the DA. There were two categories: macrogarden and microgarden.

“These gardens showcase the growing possibilities of sustainable food production right within our cities, neighborhoods and learning spaces,” the DA says.

There are at least nine bills pending at the House of Representatives that seek to strengthen urban agriculture in the country with the aim of improving the country’s food security. They are all pending before the lower chamber’s committee on agriculture and food. In the Senate, there are seven bills seeking to legislate the same goal.

“One of our goals is to give dignity to farmers. We want our volunteers and participants to become aware of that. Even if we do not want to admit it, there are people who really look down on our farmers,” Marata says.

Urban Farmers PH notes that due to the existing complicated supply chain farmers earn lower than what they deserve with consumers still reeling from high costs of food items. Worse, Filipino farmers are aging while the youth remain less interested in venturing into agriculture, the group says.

“We hope that by bringing these issues to light through urban farming, we can expose city residents and the youth to enliven, enrich, and respect Filipino agriculture and those who put the food on our tables,” the group adds.

Beyond its community farm, Urban Farmers PH provides consultancy to individuals who are interested in building their own farms. It also offers offsite farming and sustainability demonstrations as well as giving away free seeds and seedlings coupled with practical urban farming tips.

Economist Bruce de Guzman of the University of Santo Tomas says urban farming may create employment in Metro Manila if such an endeavor is proven to be feasible on a wider scale.

De Guzman points out that one of the challenges of urban farming in Metro Manila is the need for land, noting that such an asset is expensive in the area compared to other parts of the country.

“One of the things that you have to consider is real estate. You have to understand here in Manila, real estate is very expensive here,” he says.

But for Marata, expanding urban farming on a wider scale in Metro Manila is possible.

This story was produced by Rovy Jilyn Fraginal and Ella Mae Sison, junior journalism students at University of Santo Tomas, for their macroeconomic indicators course.

“We really want to inspire other people, especially the younger generation. We are not forcing them to go into agriculture but we want them to be inspired to continue farming for the next generation,” Marata said.

This story was produced by Rovy Jilyn Fraginal and Ella Mae Sison, junior journalism students at University of Santo Tomas, for their macroeconomic indicators course.