In April, 2017 the Mayor and municipal council members of Oroquieta, a coastal city of some 80,000 people on the southern island of Mindanao in the Philippines, were introduced to Prout. This catalyzed a better understanding of the potential to develop a more vibrant and resilient local economy. A new initiative grew, a partnership aimed at fostering greater self-reliance; and the creation of a practical model that implements several key economic policies of Prout. The vision included an increase in local organic food production and markets, small scale industries, employment, and the formation of cooperative enterprises to ensure greater participation, and local control. And to do so in a way that protects and preserves the natural environment.
In the first phase more than 200 backyard organic gardens started. This helped families to eat a more balanced and healthy diet as well as provide additional income through market sales. Now more than 900 such gardens are running. And a large building was constructed in which an organic market operates, 7 days a week, just next to the city’s main market.