Remedios Garden: Where Faith and Nature Flourish

On Earth Day, April 22, 2026, the parish community gathered in joy to celebrate the blessing of the Remedios Garden. Nestled on the left side of the Malate Catholic Church Complex along Remedios Street, the garden flourishes with vegetable patches and tall trees that give shade to the Church.

After the 7:00 a.m. Mass where CEM members offered seedlings, Fr. Leo Distor led parish volunteers and churchgoers in prayer, thanking God for the gift of Creation. Parish Priest Fr. Jude Genovia, together with Frs. Dodong Matulac and Rolly Aniscal, joined to give support. The celebration continued with a joyful harvest of mustard greens and the distribution of seedlings to parishioners eager to bring plants home. A portion of the fresh harvest—mustard, eggplants, and pechay—was shared with the kitchen for the Remedios Meal Program, extending the blessings of the garden to those in need.

“Where vegetables grow, faith blossoms, and community thrives.”

A vital partner in this endeavor is the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) . Under the leadership of Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban, and through the dedicated support of Lito Bonsol and his team, BPI has for many years generously provided seedlings, soil, and technical guidance, helping the parish garden flourish and endure.

This journey traces back to August 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Parish Pastoral Council, led by Fr. Leo Distor, launched the Taniman sa Tahanan Project to keep volunteers engaged even while strict mobility restrictions were in place. Guided by the Care for the Earth Ministry led by Peging Sur, parishioners began cultivating vegetable and flower gardens in their homes.

By early 2021, the initiative grew into Taniman sa Parokya. As restrictions eased, volunteers received training and support, and providentially, Lito Bonsol, a BPI employee and parish Legion of Mary member, facilitated online sessions and planting activities within the church compound. With BPI’s donation of seedlings, soil, and even a greenhouse, the project thrived.

Though challenges arose, such as poor soil quality in the church patio, the effort found new life on the Remedios side of the parish grounds. Here, parish volunteers persevered, transforming the space into what is now the Remedios Garden—a place not only for growing vegetables and herbs but also for prayer, reflection, and gratitude for God’s creation.

The Garden has been nurtured by the loving care of Ampy Marzan, Victor dela Cruz, dedicated members of the Care for the Earth Ministry (CEM) and the helping hands of volunteers from the Parish Ministries, Areas, and Organizations (MAOs) .

“The Remedios Garden reminds us that tending the earth is also tending the soul.”

The Remedios Garden has also been a witness to many parish milestones. Fruit-bearing trees and vegetables were planted to mark the 50th sacerdotal anniversary of Fr. John Leydon in 2023, the 10th anniversary of the Laudato Si’ Encyclical in 2025, and the annual Season of Creation celebrations, each observed with blessings that deepened the parish’s ecological commitment.

Today, the Remedios Garden stands as a living symbol of Our Lady of Remedies Parish’s mission to be an ecological parish, alongside its pillars of being inclusive and empowered. It is envisioned as a vibrant community space that fosters sustainable gardening, promotes environmental education, and more so invites parishioners to deepen their relationship with God through the care of His creation. May Remedios Garden be a testament to faith, fellowship, and our shared responsibility for the Earth, our common home.

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