A team from the Rotary Club of Makati led by vice president/director Howie Calleja, president-nominee Eddie Galvez, director Julian Lim, secretary Regi Ponferrada, and Philip Soliven, embarked on a special mission to Isabela last Friday, 13 October 2023.

The team's objective in Isabela was to participate in an event that marked the culmination of the Club's Feed Back project, an initiative designed to empower communities and promote sustainable agriculture in the region.

Arriving in Isabela via a chartered flight to Cauayan, the Rotary Club of Makati delegation drove an hour by land to Simimbaan barangay in Roxas town, Isabela.

Upon arrival in Simimbaan, the Rotarians were given a warm welcome by Roxas Mayor Dok Totep Calderon and the program's enthusiastic participants.

The day's event featured a short program that included messages from project partners, special performances, and hands-on participation by the Rotary Club of Makati team who assisted  in weighing and sorting freshly harvested vegetables.

Feed Back: A unique vegetable exchange project

The Feed Back project is an initiative focused on facilitating a vegetable exchange activity among households in select rural communities.

Participant households are encouraged to plant vegetables in available spaces within their neighborhoods, and later, bring their bountiful harvests to a designated location on a specified date.

In the gathering, households swap their homegrown vegetables with those from other households until they accumulate a substantial pile of fresh produce to take home.

Last Friday's event successfully brought together six communities participating in the Feed Back  project, including households from Barangays Banquero, Cutog Grande, Labinab Grande, and Mallatang Tunggui in Reina Mercedes, as well as Barangays Matusalem and Simimbaan in Roxas.

This innovative project has been transforming lives and communities while promoting sustainable agriculture in the area.

Rotary Club of Makati signature project

Feed Back was introduced as a signature project during the term of Past President Louie Aseoche during Rotary Year 2021 to 2022.

The project is implemented in partnership with the Advancement for Rural Kids and is aimed at developing sustainable neighborhood vegetable exchange programs.

In previous endeavors, the Rotary Club of Makati has successfully supported three sites in Bay, Laguna;  La Libertad, Negros Oriental; and Inabanga, Bohol with resounding success.

For Wave 9 of the Feed Back project in Isabela, the Rotary Club of Makati generously contributed P1.5 million to support one community comprised of 300 families.

This substantial contribution will not only ensure access by the families to food, healthcare, and new income opportunities but will also help create a local food system that altogether,  benefits over 6,000 families throughout the region.

The success of the Feed Back project in Isabela was further amplified by the generous support of Universal Leaf Philippines, under the guidance of the company's president Winston Uy, who is also a director of the Rotary Club of Makati.

The Rotary Club of Makati's commitment to community empowerment and sustainable agriculture continues to make a positive impact on the lives of numerous families in Isabela and beyond the province.

The Club's Feed Back project serves as an inspiring model of community development, showcasing the power of collaboration, dedication, and a shared vision for a better, more sustainable future.