Daily TribuneResidents turn fresh produce into healty and creative dishes at Villar Sipag Complex event
PARTICIPANTS, local chefs, and judges join Senator Camille Villar and former Senator Cynthia Villar during the 11th Urban Gardening and Cooking Competition organized by the Villar Foundation in Las Piñas City.
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Photographs courtesy of Kate Villar
A fun and lively cooking competition held at the Villar Sipag Complex on May 14 in Las Piñas City.
The event brought together local chefs from different barangays to showcase dishes made from fresh produce grown in urban gardens.
Organized by the Villar Foundation, the activity highlighted how small gardening spaces can support food security, sustainability, healthier meals, and stronger communities.
The competition underscored that urban gardening is more than a hobby; it is a practical solution to urban challenges that with a little space and effort, we can grow our own food, eat healthier, and build a more sustainable community.Managing Director Villar Foundation F/Sen. Cynthia A. Villar
Home gardeners and local cooks joined the contest, using freshly harvested vegetables and herbs grown in backyards and containers, along with meat and fish, to create nutritions dishes that reflected both resourcefulness and local taste.
Judges evaluated the entries based on taste, presentation, nutritional value, and creativity.
Beyond the cooking competition the event also promoted urban gardening as a practical respond to rising food costs and limited space in cities.
For more than a decade, former Senator Cynthia Villar, Managing Director of the Villar Foundation, has actively supported urban agriculture initiatives, encouraging communities to grow their own food through the distribution of free vegetable seeds and organic compost.
She also promoted the use of rooftops and vacant lots for food production, encouraging families to make gardening part of daily life.
By combining cooking, gardening, and community engagement, the Villar Foundation continues to promote a culture of self-sufficiency, healthy living, and environmental responsibility among Filipino families.
