Mylene wants to inspire others to grow own food

If there’s one thing that keeps Mylene Dizon preoccupied whenever she’s away from the limelight, it is tending her vegetable garden in her new home in Silang, Cavite.

Besides acting, the actress is also passionate about farming. In one of her Instagram posts, Mylene shared a video of her in farming outfit while making a vegetable plant bed. She captioned it with “Let’s grow our own gulay…”

“I have a small patch of gulayan, pambahay lang, hindi naman yun pambenta, hindi naman pangmalakihan. I only plant seeds na tutubo sa area ko, except for cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage kasi pang-high altitude climates yan, hindi yan tutubo sakin,” Mylene told select members of the entertainment press during a set visit to Bilangin Ang Bituin sa Langit last Wednesday afternoon. “Matagal ko nang hilig ‘yan even when I was still living in a condo, yung balkonahe ko may mga pagulay-gulay ako na pakonti-konti. I think the joy that I get from it is I am learning something. I am able to produce something out of what I’m learning, and maybe the challenge of it because it’s not easy. It’s not just for the sake of showing off on Instagram. It is something that I wish to inspire other people because like what my friend said, we have to learn how to grow our own food.

“Ngayon kakatubo pa lang ng punla ko tapos yung soil binu-brew pa kumbaga…so hinaluan ko na siya ng cow manure, konting ash…I’m trying to make it as organic as possible. I’m a bit OC. I want to do everything, I insist on things, it’s my project kumbaga,” shared Mylene who personally looks after her plants and does her own research about farming.

“Nag-re-research ako at nagpapatulong ako sa friend ko from DowntoEarth (a farm store) who encourages everyone na maski maliit na lupa lang na pwede nating pagtaniman ng gulay, we should plant our own vegetables for food security. Because whatever happens, meron at meron kang madudukot na pagkain mula sa lupa,” she continued.

“Now, I understand and I have this high respect for farmers, especially the organic farmers. Organic farming is very difficult because you have to wake up early para aabangan mo talaga yung mga peste, pipigain mo talaga sila nang isa-isa because there’s no other way, because I refuse to put pesticides. You will realize that some seeds like ampalaya and tomatoes are planted side by side because the pests ayaw yung halaman na ganito…they call it companion farming, then you’ll also learn that hindi ka pala basta-basta tanim nang tanim kasi kelangan papahingahin mo yung lupa.”

Mylene also recalled her sad experience following the Taal Volcano’s eruption and ashfall. She said, “Sobrang affected. We are 25 km. away from the crater. About an inch of ash ang bumagsak sa amin. Patay lahat nung gulay so inulit ko na lang. And that’s what I’ve been busy with the past days. Nung binubungkal ko yung mga carrots kong ganyan kaliliit para akong nag-a-abort ng baby. Yeah, it’s sad dahil parang dalawang beses, tatlong beses ka lang naman makakapag-ani. After naming maglinis, binungkal ko ulit yung aking gulayan tapos inulit ko pati layout, pati yung soil inayos ko ulit, pinaganda. Hopefully, mas maganda ang magiging yield, ang ani natin.”

Mylene clarified that she’s not completely vegetarian because she loves eating fried chicken. “But I love vegetables. That’s happiness for me. Ever since mahilig na ako sa gulay at prutas. It feels refreshing. Gusto ko refreshing yung kinakain ko, hindi mabigat.”

Still, Mylene watches what she eats that’s why she maintains a slim, healthy figure. “I mean what we eat is di ba what comes out?” she said.

That’s why Mylene tries to bring her own baon to the set or location because she wants to have a balanced diet.

“I bring my own food because I’d like to be able to somehow…because I am at work three times a week and that’s where I get my breakfast up to my midnight snack. Kung yun at yun ang kakainin ko, it’s not balanced for me. I wouldn’t feel happy because I want more vegetables in my meals so I have to bring my own vegetables. Na-we-weirdo-han nga sa ‘kin yung mga kasamahan ko sa trabaho kasi malaki yung cooler ko tapos kung ano-anong mga kagulayan or healthy food, which I share with the people that I work with.”

Speaking of work, Mylene confessed that she wasn’t really ready to accept another show after Sahaya but it wasn’t because she felt exhausted from the projects that came after another. It was because she wanted to focus on her two sons Tomas, 14, and Lucas, 10.

“My children are growing up without me beside them. Teenager na si Tomas and there are so many changes sa buhay nila kasi lumipat pa kami sa probinsya. So I wanted to be with them. To be around them because it wasn’t easy for the boys.”

Mylene, however, suddenly changed her mind after her eldest son gave her his blessings to go back to work.

“After Sahaya, ilang buwan ba yung gap, medyo nagsawa din sila sa akin (laughs) so Tomas told me, ‘Mom, aren’t you gonna work?’ then I said, ‘No, I’m spending time with you, I’m not going to accept…’ but then he replied, ‘No, no no, it’s okay, you can work,’” recounted the 43-year-old mom who did not dilly-dally when she learned that she would be working for the first time with Nora Aunor in Bilangin Ang Bituin sa Langit which airs weekdays on GMA Afternoon Prime.

“This is my only chance to be with her, to share the same space with her so I had to say yes. And whenever there’s an opportunity to sit with her while waiting for the set to be finished, for them to finish setting up, I would sit with her and just talk to the Nora Aunor as she is.”