My Quarantine NSTP Project

Alviela Jireh T. Dayrit

NSTP CWTS 1 & 2
I. Introduction
Home gardening has become one of the well-loved hobbies of many
people during the pandemic. Anyone could do it in the safety of their homes
without compromising much of quarantine protocols. A recent study reported
that there had been increased engagement in gardening among Filipinos. The
terms ‘Plantito’ or ‘Plantita’ had sprung up, referring to someone who loves
taking care of plants (Advincula and Sunga, 2021).
For my NSTP project, I decided to propagate the golden pothos plant and
make a pesticide out of oregano. My main objective was to breed the plants in
multiple pots and produce bottles of organic pesticides. My intention, afterward,
was to give them away to my friends. I also printed out information about the
products, how to make and take care of them, so my beneficiaries could recreate
the process in their own homes.
I consider this project sustainable because my beneficiaries could unleash
their inner Plantito/Plantita-selves, even in lockdown. Following my advocacy
called "Nurture Nature," my project aimed to encourage other people to start
gardening as it demonstrates care for both the environment and the individual.
Aside from home gardening, I also learned more about the food culture I
grew up with for my NSTP project. I acquired a Pancit Canton recipe from my
grandfather Narding and prepared one myself at home. To showcase my
hometown Porac, I also featured a community recipe of Sinigang with Patani,
commonly called ‘Bule Baluga.’
II. Home Gardening and Oregano Pesticides Making
I started the project last July 29 on the premises of our home in San
Fernando, Pampanga. Prior to this date, I did brief research regarding the
products I planned to make. I learned that the golden pothos plant is suitable for
beginners in gardening. It is low-maintenance. Once the plant has grown, you
can propagate it easily. (Picard, 2018). Meanwhile, the herb oregano has the
natural capability to repel pests (Society of Chemical Industry, 2008). Thus, it is
beneficial for anyone tending a garden.
The process of planting golden pothos was simple. From a mother plant, I
harvested cuttings by trimming the stem in between the leaves. I made sure to
include the nodes per cutting because the plant needs them to grow. Basically,
the nodes are the roots.

Figure 1. Pothos mother plant (own photo).

Next, I prepared the containers. I made small incisions on their plastic
cover so the cuttings will be in place.

Figure 2. Holes to hold the cutting in place (own photo).

 I positioned the cuttings in the containers. When I filled the container
with tap water, I made sure that the roots were submerged. The protocol in
water propagation is to change the water every three days. In the meantime, I
allowed the roots to grow further in water. I also placed the plant somewhere
naturally well-lit but away from direct sunlight. They can still grow under
minimal light, but the yellow streaks on the leaves could fade. They should
receive an adequate amount of light.

Figure 3 & 4. Positioning the Pothos cuttings (own photo).

For about five days, I observed how the cuttings would react to the water.
Thankfully, they did well. Now for the next step, I prepared the soil. I got them
from our front yard and sifted the soil to remove large objects like rocks and
broken glass. This ensures the cleanliness of the soil. My grandmother also
suggested that we should put organic fertilizers such as pulverized eggshells and
dried malunggay leaves.

Figure 5 & 6. Sifting the soil and adding organic fertilizer (own photo).
 Figure 6 & 7. Transferring the soil and plant into pots (own photo).
Around August 4, I finally transferred the pothos cuttings into the potted
soil. I also watered the plants. I placed them in a spot where they would receive
an adequate amount of sunlight.

Figure 8 & 9. Golden Pothos in small pots (own photo).

I mentioned in the introduction that I also made a pesticide out of
oregano. As a reference, I followed the instructions specified by June’s Home
Gardening (2021) in a YouTube Video and Caine (n.d.) in an online article.
From a mother plant, I harvested as many oregano leaves as possible.
Then, I washed them to remove the excess dirt.
 [Left] Figure 10. Oregano mother plant (own photo). [Right] Figure 11.
Harvested Oregano Leaves (own photo).
Since I had no blender, I started to cut the leaves into bits and pieces.
Using a mortar and pestle, I tried to break up the plant material to extract the
plant juices. This process required strength and patience as to how I did not
want to waste any amount of oregano extract. I did this process batch by batch. I
did not mind spending a long time making the oregano pesticide. When I saw
the amount of oil I had already collected, I felt motivated in the process.
Using cloth as a filter, I then poured the mixture over the container. I let
the water filter through the cloth. I wrung out the cloth to collect the excess
juice.

[Left] Figure 12. Grinding the leaves to extract the oregano oil (own photo).
[Right] Figure 13. Golden Pothos in small pots (own photo).
By the end of the process, I extracted a total of 350 mL of oregano juice.
To make the pesticide, I added a tablespoon of liquid detergent and baking soda.
According to Caine (n.d.), the soap and baking soda would help the pesticide
stick to the plants. Finally, I transferred the organic pesticide into 50 mL bottles
with the help of a funnel.
 Figure 14 & 15. Golden Pothos in small pots (own photo).
To avoid mistaking the product for something else, I also edited a label
online for it. On the tag, I provided a photo of the oregano. I also specified
instructions about the product's ingredients, usage, and caution of use. I also
included its volume measurement (50 mL) and production date (August 5) to
help the consumer estimate its shelf life. See Figure 16 for the product label.

Figure 16. Oregano Pesticide Label (own photo).

I printed out the label on sticker paper. Then, I attached it to each spray bottle. I
love how the product turned out.
 Figure 17 & 18. Oregano Pesticide in labeled spray bottles (own photos).
Overall, the process of accomplishing this project took me two weeks. In
the third week, I planned to give the products to ten of my friends who live
within Angeles City and San Fernando, Pampanga. However, due to stricter
lockdown restrictions and the new COVID-19 variant, my parents did not allow
me to go out of the house. Moreover, I was not able to raise funds through this
project. There were other things to consider first in starting a fundraising drive
that I could not manage.

III. PROJECT NURTURE NATURE

My advocacy is "Nurture Nature." It implies the need to take care of not
only the nature around us, but also the nature within us. It is an environmental
advocacy and a mental health advocacy at the same time. To promote my
advocacy, I made a simple poster for PROJECT NURTURE NATURE (See
Figure 19).
 Figure 19. Project Nurture Nature Official Poster (own photo).
As I have said earlier, I intended to give the plants and pesticides to my
friends. I considered how they could have also experienced stress or anxiety
during the pandemic like many others. (Tee et al., 2020). Since the situation
forces people to stay at home, we seldom go out of the house to move our
bodies or see green spaces that stimulate feelings of relaxation. Right now, We
are most likely to spend our day in front of our cellphone or laptop screens. We
sometimes lose the boundary for school, work, socializing, and entertainment.
Thus, I have decided to make my friends beneficiaries of this project because it
would be an opportunity to show that I think and care about them.
According to a local study by Advincula and Sunga (2021), gardening has
the benefits of relieving stress and improving one’s mood. Many home
gardeners reported how nurturing plants was a way to connect with nature, a
psychological experience, and an interest.
 To accomplish my advocacy, I prepared a gift bag (see Figure 21). It
includes a golden pothos plant, organic pesticide, a personal letter, a snack bar
(not included in the photo), and a set of fun and informative stickers. The
stickers contain encouraging quotes or puns relating to plants. I honestly find
them cute. I was hoping that they would make my friends smile.

[Left] Figure 20. Cutting cards and stickers (own photo).

[Right] Figure 21. Project Nurture Nature Gift Package (own photo).

[Left] Figure 22. I’m Rooting for you! (Proflowers, 2018).

[Right] Figure 23. Hang In There, Boo (Blakeney, n.d.).
 [Left] Figure 24. How To Take Care of Golden Photos (36vine, n.d.).
[Right] Figure 25. Houseplant Life Lessons (Maria, 2018).

[Left] Figure 26. Sticker Reminder to Reuse Items (own photo).

[Right] Figure 27. Golden Pothos in small pots (own photo).

[Left] Figure 28. Golden Pothos in small pots (The Planty, 2020).
[Right] Figure 29. How To Propagate Pothos Plants (Maria, 2018).
Due to the alarming increase of COVID-19 cases and the appearance of
the Delta variant, I could not go outside the house and proceed with my project
as of now. Hopefully, when I receive my dose of vaccination and when the
quarantine restrictions are lifted, I could still distribute the plants and the
stickers to my friends. As for the oregano pesticide, I am worried about its shelf
life. I already started using one bottle for our home garden.
IV. Lolo Nards’ Pancit Canton
I chose this recipe because it reminds me of my childhood. My cousins
and I used to get-together at our grandparents’ house in Porac. One of Lolo's
specialty dishes was Pancit Canton. Every occasion, there is a chance that our
family will serve this dish. As far as my parents know, there is no specific
reason as to why our Lolo loves to cook this dish. We guess that it could be how
eating pancit prolongs your life or how it has a balanced set of ingredients.
Last August 18, I prepared this dish at home with the help of my parents.
I posted it on YouTube under the title “[NSTP Family Recipe] LOLO NARDS'
PANCIT CANTON — Alviela Dayrit.” (Here is a link to the video:
https://youtu.be/ChVbOnHmNyE. ).
Now, I present to you a recipe from the Dayrit family.

LOLO NARDS’ PANCIT CANTON

Ingredients
● 500 g Pancit Canton ● 2 small carrots, julienned
● pork cut into strips ● 2 small onions, chopped
● chicken thigh cut into strips ● 5 cloves garlic, minced
● chicken liver, cut into strips ● ½ cabbage, sliced
● 1 cup of kikiam and squid ball ● 3 tbsp cooking oil
● quail eggs ● ½ cup soy sauce
● 2 small bell pepper, julienned ● 4 tbsp oyster sauce
● 2 small sayote, julienned ● 1 can of evaporated milk
● 6-8 pieces young corn, cut ● ground black pepper
diagonally ● 1 pork cubes
● 2 cups green beans, cut ● 1 sachet of seasoning granules
diagonally
Cooking Directions
Step 1. Prepare the ingredients. Wash and clean the chicken meat, liver, and
pork. Slice them into thin, bite-sized strips. Remove the pig fat and skin. Then,
boil them altogether under medium heat for 7-10 minutes. You may also add 1
pork bouillon. Depending on who is the cook, one can keep the stock/broth for
the Pancit’s sauce. My father, however, throws away the stock, and just adds
pork bouillon to the sauce later.
Step 2. Boil the quail eggs in a separate pot for three and a half minutes.
Afterward, let cool and peel them off their shells.
Step 3. Chop the onions and mince the garlic. Slice the rest of the ingredients
accordingly. Julienne the bell pepper, sayote, and carrots. Slice the young corn,
green beans, squidballs, and kikiam diagonally.

Figure 30 & 31. The entirety of ingredients for Pancit Canton (own photo).

Figure 32 & 33. Sliced ingredients (own photo).

Step 4. Under medium heat, add the cooking oil to the pan. Sauté the onions
and garlic first for about 4-6 minutes. Then, add the chicken, liver, and pork
strips with 1 minute intervals. Usually, we use whatever meat is available. We
don’t necessarily include all these kinds of meat in our Pancit Canton. Cover the
pan.
Step 5. After 2 mins, add the kikiam and squid balls. Every 1-2 mins, gradually
add the vegetables in the following order: Baguio beans, sayote, carrots, and
young corn. Stir fry altogether. Cover the pan.
Step 6. Pour the stock used a while ago. If you did not keep the stock, just add 4
cups of water. Stir, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Cover the wok with a
lid.
Step 7. Add the cabbages and bell peppers.
Step 8. After 2 minutes, add the soy sauce and oyster sauce. During this time,
you may add the quail eggs. Be careful that you may not break the quail eggs
while stirring the dish.
Step 9. Finally, pour the special ingredient, evaporated milk, and let it simmer.
Season with seasoning granules and pepper according to taste preference.
Step 10. Cover the wok with a lid, and let the dish simmer for about 8 minutes.
Step 11. Set aside the meat and vegetables to give space for cooking the
noodles. You may add these ingredients again later, or you can eat it like
Chopsuey with rice.
Step 12. Stir, and simmer until the noodles are cooked. Once ready, serve with
calamansi and other herbs available.
Figure 34. Lolo Nards’ Pancit Canton (own photo).
 Figure 35. Lolo Nards’ Pancit Canton Recipe (own photo).
V. Bule Baluga (Sinigang with Patani) of Porac, Pampanga
Sinigang with Patani, commonly known as "Bule Baluga'' is a tasty dish I
grew up eating in my hometown Porac. I get to taste it on ordinary occasions
whenever I visit my paternal grandparents' house. Over the years, I have
developed a craving for the dish. Since my brothers have a different preference
for food, we seldomly serve it at home. I missed eating this dish. I love how this
Sinigang has a unique texture and a hint of sweetness. It is simple to prepare yet
is unique in its own way. It speaks to home and community, which is why I
decided to feature it.

Figure 36. Sinigang na may Patani or Bule Baluga (Lagman, 2014).

The news broadcasting show “Saksi,” under GMA News, once featured
this dish in 2014. According to the show, “bule” is the Kapampangan term for
the vegetable “patani” in Filipino, and “lima beans” in English. The said
ingredient is abundant in the mountains of Zambales and some parts of
Pampanga, where many of the indigenous people of Pampanga called the Aytas
reside.
I find it significant to the Porac community primarily because the
ingredient can also be found in the place, for example, in the highlands of
Barangay Villa Maria. Aside from “bule,” this sinigang also has
“alibangbang,” which is another ingredient that can be found in the mountains.
Alibanbang contributes to the sour taste of this Sinigang variety.
Most people got used to calling the dish “Bule Baluga,” but we now
discourage it. According to Mallari (2017), “Baluga” is a derogatory term used
to describe the Aytas. Using it is outright disrespectful to their ethnic identity.
On account of this, we should call it “Sinigang with Patani.”
Porac is a municipality in Pampanga. It covers the largest land area in the
province. As for its main food culture, we have Binulu. According to Pavia
(2015), Binulu is an art form of cooking from the Aytas where rice and viands
(fish, pork, chicken, and other seafood) are cooked in a variety of bamboo husks
called “bulu.” Although Binulu is a much more recognized part of the food
culture of Porac, I featured Sinigang with Patani because I am familiar with it. I
see households in Porac prepare the dish all the time.
Now, how do we cook “Sinigang with Patani?” Follow this simple recipe.

SINIGANG NA PINASARAP NG PATANI

Ingredients
● Pork bone or meat ● Tomatoes
● Lima beans/Patani ● Water
● Chinese Cabbage/Pechay ● Salt
● Alibangbang (optional) ● Fish Sauce
● Garlic ● Pork Bouillon Cubes
● Onions ● Ground Pepper

Cooking Directions
Step 1. Soak the patani or beans in water overnight. This is optional.\
Step 2. Boil the meat and lima beans until the meat becomes tender.
Step 3. Sauté oil, garlic, onions, and tomatoes in a pan.
Step 4. Add the pork and lima beans. Sauté for five minutes.
Step 5. Add the broth/stock used earlier, and alibangbang leaves. Add water if
desired. Bring it to a boil for about five minutes.
Step 6. Add 2 Knorr pork cubes, fish sauce, pepper, and Chinese cabbage.
Season according to our preference.
Recently, we also cooked Sinigang with Patani for lunch, although the
picture here shows a lack of ingredients in the dish. It has been a while since we
had it. I really enjoyed the dish, and I believe it speaks about Porac. It is a very
simple dish that is prepared in many homes.

Figure 37. Homecooked Bule Baluga (Lacks pechay) (own photo).

VI. Concluding Remarks

NSTP has taught me to be more socially aware and responsible as an
individual member of a community. Even though it has been a challenge to
execute our projects in a time of pandemic, I believe that we became
responsible enough as citizens by keeping ourselves safe at our homes.
For my NSTP project under “Urban and Rural Gardening,” I made
oregano pesticide and propagated the golden pothos plant. I started an
Advocacy called “Nurture Nature,” which aims to care for both the environment
and the individual. Supposedly, my beneficiaries would be my friends who
reside within Angeles City and San Fernando. I may not have distributed the
plant-care packages now, but I hope to give it to them soon.
I had fun executing my projects. I learned that there are many activities
that can demonstrate the values we learned from the NSTP. It is important to be
resourceful with such projects. I believe that I learned new gardening
techniques, and became more sensitive to the culture I am a part of and the
culture that is around me. Next time, I want to be involved in a bigger project,
one that engages with the community. I am hopeful for what is next.

References
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