TUBAO, LA UNION — The flagship nutrition program of Local Government Unit (LGU) of Tubao, Bukel ti Namnama; Natengan para ti Nutrisyon ken Komunidad Sadiay Child Development Center (Seeds of Hope: Cultivating Nutrition and Community in the Child Development Center) Gulayan sa Barangay, is among the top 24 entries nationwide  for the Walang Gutom Awards (WGA) validated in December 2025. The WGA is a collaboration with the Galing Pook Foundation that recognizes LGUs for exemplary programs and practices that address hunger and malnutrition within their community. 

The validation focused on Child Development Centers (CDCs) in Barangays Francia Sur, Pideg, and Leones East. Evaluators assessed the program’s sustainability, people’s empowerment, and its direct  impact on the community. To date, the project has established 17 functional CDC gardens, providing fresh, nutritious vegetables to 1,000 enrolled day care children.

The arrival of the validators was met with warm smiles of day care students, parents and Barangay Council of the three Child Development Centers in Tubao, La Union

The Bukel ti Namnama project promotes cost-efficient food sources for preschoolers featuring vertical gardening for limited spaces, rainwater harvesting for irrigation, and food processing activities like jam and pickle making to maximize surplus harvests. The project’s success is anchored in a whole-of-community approach by engaging the Parent-Teachers Community Association (PTCA), youth volunteers from the Sangguniang Kabataan and senior citizens in maintaining the gardens. 

LGU Tubao’s bid for national recognition exemplifies the WGA’s core pillars by turning simple gardens into vibrant hubs of nutrition, innovation and solidifying community participation and resilience.

The on-site validation was headed by DSWD Undersecretary for Innovations and the Program Development Group Eduardo M. Punay, joined by DSWD FO 1 – Enhanced Partnership against Hunger and Poverty Program (EPAHP) personnel. The EPAHP and Walang Gutom are convergence programs of the Department that aim to mitigate hunger, ensure food nutrition and reduce poverty. (DSWD Field Office 1 – Ilocos Region)