O-M-G! Oh My Gulay!

Oh My! Gulay!  (Oh my vegetable, in other words...)   That is so typical, way back when my two kids (who were now teens) would get to the dining table for dinner.   One would say, that would be good, expression sounds good, but nah, if I could only picture how these expressions have shown on their faces.   Those two kids of mine never liked veggies before.    But "MOM RULES IN THE KITCHEN" resounds the whole house, so as long as I'm cooking, they had no choice but to eat what I would prepare for them.   To be honest, 60% out of 100% of the dishes I often prepare for my family mainly is meat and the rest consists of vegetable dish or fish.
But, gone are those days.   As days passed, I would invent and research on some vegetable dishes that would look and taste appetizing enough for all of us.   Till time really proved me worthy of all those kitchen experimentation, now all my four kids love different kinds of vegetables, and yes even their Dad who didn't eat them have strive on it.   As a mom, of a well-nourished family I truly am happy that we as a family not only saves money in incorporating veggies and not only having it as meat extenders, but having a healthy lifestyle as well.
It just saddens me, knowing facts about our country being rich in natural resources and as a prolific salad bowl of the world, have malnourished or sick children due to lack of vegetable intake in their diet.   Another problem known as " hidden hunger,' where vitamins and minerals are insufficient amongst most of our children.
Such  cases as protein energy malnutrition, iron deficiency anemia, vitamin A deficiency and iodine deficiency disorders- all these can be compensated by a rich consumption of vegetables, like the leafy greens and yellow to orange crops.
Then came Senator Ed Angara, an advocate and leader of the said government project, Oh my Gulay!
Now, The private sector has rallied its support behind the nationwide OMG! campaign by sponsoring school vegetable gardens in public elementary schools around the country.   The donors' signing was held this morning (June 28, 2011), at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, attended by OMG lead convenor, Senator Edgardo J.  Angara and Department of Education Secretary Bro.   Armin Luistro.

For this school year, BDO Found., Asian Terminals Inc., Sunwest Care Found., Infant Pediatrics and Nutrition Association of the Philis. (IPNAP) and Aboitiz Foundation will adopt a total of public elementary, schools across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

This means providing funds for the establishment of vegetable plots in their chosen schools, to be planted with common vegetables like calabasa, sitaw, patola, talong kamatis, amplaya and others.   These vegetables are popularized on TV and radio by celebrities like Anne Curtis,Sarah Geronimo, Cristine Reyes, Mark Bautista and Sam Pinto, who advocated, OMG!   in a tri-media campaign launched earlier this year.
The school gardening program also includes the training of teachers in the nutritional benefits of vegetables through an instructional module to be included in their home economics lesson.   East West Seed Co. is OMG!'s implementing partner, at the frontlines of making this vision a reality by providing thechnical expertise in modern vegetable farming.
According to Dr. Mary Ann Sayoc, (GM of East West Seed Co.)  children would be motivated to eating vegetables if they will be the one involved in it.   Iterating,  'What this aims is sowing the seeds for a better future."
"Our educational system is already beset with so many problems,  We lack funds, facilities and skilled teachers.   But we can not allow ourselves neglect one fundamental cause of the dwindling quality of education, malnutrition in school children, " said Angara, who chairs the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture.   "We can not ignore the obvious link between nutrition and education."


Ending the morning off, Bro. Armin Luistro  said, "instead of merely looking at what the schools lacks, we should focus on what is there, there are now 45, 000 schools which should be involved in these project, which coincides with other plans of DepEd, where not only the school children are involved but the whole community as well, all working in a sustainable manner without bleeding the government's budget." 

*****

And oh, just so you know, Sofitel Hotel serves one of the best quiche and blueberry muffins.

*****

For more information you may want to log on to www.ohmygulay.org.
So wouldn't you want to be involved in such an exciting DepEd project!
OMG is still accepting donors to further march its objectives, we can all be a part of this revolutionary change not only in our school but more so in our society.
For donations and /or inquiries on how to support OMG!, please contact the Office of Sen. Ed J. Angara, Room 504 Senate of the Philippines, GSIS Building, Financial Center, Pasay City
or give them a call at: 5526779 or 5526601 loc. 5593

****