Planning Report for Naga City Council June 2007
Kathryn Hill, Department of Geography, UBC
Dee Dee Quinnelly, School of Community and Regional Planning, UBC
Kaitlin Kazmierowski, School of Community and Regional Planning, UBC

Naga is a mid-size city of 150,000 residents in Bicol region, central Philippines. It is internationally and nationally renowned as among the ‘best practices’ in good local governance in the Philippines and in the developing world.

Naga City currently sits in an interesting position with regards to local UA (urban agriculture) practices. Despite being enclosed by rich agricultural lands, encroaching development and social stigmatization of farmers pose serious threats to the future of local agriculture in the city.

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By Michaela Cabrera, Reuters, May 28, 2008 – With prices of food items reaching record-highs in Philippines, residents in poor areas in Manila plant vegetables in their backyards to save on food expenses and harvest enough to sell at a local market. See video story here.

For green thumbs living in Manila, urban farming is the answer to soaring food prices. It may seem impossible to grow lettuce and eggplant in a crowded, humid environment, but city living has not stopped farmers like Bernabe Atenta from cultivating greens. He and his wife Virgie literally pick out their lunch from their backyard.

“This helps a lot, in securing your family’s welfare. You don’t need to buy vegetables in the market. If all people here in Manila planted vegetables even in pots, it will ease some expenses,” Atenta said.

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