MANILA -- The Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine is set to end on April 30. However, if the pandemic continues to spread, an extension may become a real possibility. Many are already hurting from the loss of income and finding ways to survive.

It makes more sense to start now in trying to grow your own food, instead of spending for it. In fact, in Baguio City, the local government has begun distributing vegetable seeds to villages so they can grow their own "survival gardens" for the community.

The same can be adapted here in Manila. Here are some recommendations from Lee Ann Silayan, a millennial who runs her own nursery of Philippine native trees. These are vegetable pantry staples and most are apparently relatively easy to grow, even in containers and even for beginners.

So on your next run to the market, make sure to buy these produce and allocate a little more for replanting. Whether or not the quarantine ends as scheduled, you will surely reap the benefits from this home gardening project. It sure is a practical way to pass time too.

1. Toge/monggo sprouts

Remember your elementary science project? It’s time to revisit that and enjoy your yields fast. Simply clean a bag of monggo beans and soak them in water for 6 hours. In a plastic basket, layer a paper tissue, soaked monggo beans and another tissue. Cover with a clean, dark-colored plastic bag and water three times a day. You can harvest your toge in just a few days.

2. Kamatis

Tomato plants are surprisingly very easy to grow in the Philippines. In fact, our helper accidentally grew a plant simply by throwing fresh tomato seeds in a pot with soil. Just make sure to give them plenty of sun and water. It needs support though so you will have to put a stake around it. While waiting, you can revisit the scenes from the Netflix Korean drama "Crashing Landing on You" where Captain Ri is seen taking care of his tomato plant. Don’t forget to recite beautiful words to your plant too, like Captain Ri did.

3. Siling labuyo

Like tomatoes, Silayan said chili is also easy to grow. Just plant the seeds of sili in a small container and water it regularly. After three weeks, you can transfer them in a used 6-8 gallon water container (just cut the top off).

But to set your expectations, George Salinas of Nayong Kalikasan Farm cautioned that not all vegetables are easy to grow. “Mas maganda 'yung mga seedling na nabibili sa agri store para mataas ang chance na mabuhay, around 85-95%. (Seedlings from agri stores have higher survival rates at about 85-85%)."
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But amid the lockdown, Salinas said you can opt to use the seeds from tomatoes, okra and even garlic.

“Tapos ang mga kitchen waste na gulay na pinagbalatan ay pwedeng gawing compost para libre na ang fertilizer nila, organic pa. (And then you can use kitchen waste like vegetable peelings as compost so you won’t have to spend for fertilizer. That makes your produce organic too),” Salinas advised.

Beginners can also join online groups like Produce Your Own Food on Facebook, to learn more about urban farming, Salinas added.