Selections from the book (1): “The Philippines Is An Agricultural Economy, But It’s Uneconomic” – Ex-NEDA Chief Cielito F Habito

Surprise! Ex-NEDA head Cielito F Habito, PhD, says, “Many Filipinos think of our country as an agricultural economy. It is not.”

I did not know that! and I am a BSA graduate, UP Los Baños 1965; published writer since 1975; and an explorer of the Internet since 1991.

Doc Ciel makes that eye-opening statement in his book: No Free Lunch (Essays On Philippine Agriculture), coming out Friday, 01 Dec 2023, according to his Facebook post of Sunday, 19 Nov 2023.

Well, teachers are not exempted from re-learning!

The particular source of that statement is Doc Ciel’s 19-year old Inquirer essay, “Raising Farm Incomes” dated 19 April 2004, the year President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) won a second term. GMA was herself an economist.

Here is the first paragraph of that essay as part of Doc Ciel’s Inquirer long-running column “No Free Lunch:”:

Only one-fifth (20%) of the economy’s total output, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), actually comes from agriculture. And yet the sector accounts for more than one-third (37%) of total employment. In contrast, services now account for almost half (45%) of our economy’s output, while taking up also about half (47%) of our workers. These numbers indicate that there must be something wrong with labor productivity in agriculture. No wonder farmers and farm workers are poor.

In other words, to put it kindly, “Agriculture is under-performing!”

“There must be something wrong with the labor productivity in agriculture. No wonder farmers and farm workers are poor.” Doc Ciel attributes poor productivity in farms not to the farmers themselves but to inputs, technology, and facilities. He says:

It is not the farmers’ or farm workers’ fault that output per worker is low. They are simply working in an industry where lack of modern inputs (seeds, fertilizers and machines, to name some) and of support facilities (irrigation, post-harvest facilities, communication facilities and roads) severely limits how much they can produce. As a result, our average rice and corn yields are much lower than that of most of our neighbors, being only half that of China and two-thirds that of Indonesia, for example.

Doc Ciel is saying the modern inputs that are lacking in PH agriculture include seeds, fertilizers and machines; the support facilities include irrigation, postharvest and communication.

“What would it take to boost our farm productivity and incomes?” I will quote 2 precious bits of advice from Doc Ciel:

Local responsibility – Resources and responsibility for raising productivity on the farms must be given to the units of government closest to the problem, and not be centrally managed from Manila.

Agricultural cooperatives – the way to achieve greater efficiency through economies of scale is for farmers to band together into cooperatives. This would permit them to gain bargaining strength and lower unit costs… both in the procurement of their inputs including access to credit, and in the marketing of their produce.

I gather Doc Ciel’s lesson in Agricultural Economics: “Economics is for the greater number for the greater good!”@517

“International Journalist Day” Sunday, 19 Nov 2023 – Where Are The Positive-Minded Media People!?

Happily: I as a journalist, ANN tells me that today, Sunday, 19 Nov 2023, the “International Journalist Day” is being celebrated (Author Not Named, undated, Inclusive Employers UK, inclusiveemployers.co.uk), from Facebook sharing by Jags. Unhappily: Today is being celebrated essentially for dead journalists! ANN says: “International Journalist Day is observed every year on November 19. It’s a day that’s celebrated in honor of the memories of those journalists who laid down their lives while performing their duties.”

ANN goes on to say:

All over the world, journalists face threats to their lives. Some are purposely targeted and murdered because of their work while some are killed in incidents such as bomb explosions. Many governments around the world target journalists for harassment, intimidation, and violence as they cover political stories.

The Big Trouble with those journalists is that they prefer to go boldly after the negative and not the positive – so who do you think favors the bold?!
(“Negative Media” from dreamstime.com)

ANN also says:

Today, people increasingly consume news digitally through e-readers, smartphones, and other electronic devices.

Ergo: Journalists and would-be journalists would be well-advised to use the Internet as their platform – that is, they have to be personally digitally equipped and not simply typewriter-driven!

And what is the public supposed to do to celebrate International Journalist Day? ANN says:

1.     Appreciate the journalists in your life.

2.     Talk about this day on social media.

3.     Start a campaign supporting press freedom.

4.     Organize a peaceful walk in your neighborhood in support of press freedom. Include a short vigil for journalists who have died in the line of duty.

I note that press freedom is the major concern in the observance of “International Journalist Day.”

“Press Freedom” is the war cry of those journalists who practice what is known as “Truth Journalism” – they go after what they consider the important truth(s) whoever gets hurt. And yes, it is usually the journalists who get hurt!

I know I’m out of harm’s way. That’s because I go after the truth that is intimated by the Rotary 4-Way Test: * Is it the Truth? * Is it Fair to all concerned? * Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships? * Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

In a similar vein but not based on the 4-Way Test, I created my “THiNK! Journalism,” which I explain as follows:
True is it? If True, is it
Helpful? If Helpful, is it
Inspiring? If Inspiring, is it
Necessary? If Necessary, is it
Kind?
THiNK!

Now therefore, it is not surprising that I use THiNK! Journalism in carrying out “Communication for Development of Vibrant Villages” (ComDeV).

ANN also says:

Journalists serve as the eyes and ears of the public. They are responsible for providing us with the necessary information we need.

“The necessary information we need” on public officials who are “misbehaving” – at the expense of the information we need to improve our lives?!

Journalists of all nations must serve their countries in building villages, not publicly destroying people’s lives!@517

You: “How Do You Preserve A Legacy Like The Ifugao Rice Terraces?” FAH: “I Want The Rice Terraces Conserved As The Natural Wonders They Should Be!”

JH Corpus says that from 10-14 Oct in Banaue, the conference “Climate Risk And Resilience At The Rice Terraces Of The Philippine Cordilleras” was sponsored by Preserving Legacies and ICOMOS Philippines, in partnership with National Geographic Society, Climate Change Network, and funded by Manulife (11 Nov 2023, philstarlife.com). This is because, “in the Philippines, we have a highly valued living heritage site listed on UNESCO's World Heritage Site roster, namely, the Ifugao Rice Terraces of the Cordilleras. Sadly, this site is facing the threat of climate change.”

During that conference, Victoria Herrman (see lower image), National Geographic Explorer and Project Director of “Preserving Legacies” said:

[We] firmly believe in the power of [culture] and heritage for climate change. This important project will empower communities and site custodians to protect their heritage from the [ravages] of climate change.

Tina Paterno, Project Director for the Philippines, said:

By working and sharing experiences, this project can better develop and present culture-based solutions to many climate challenges and build more resilient communities. The joint efforts will document, study, and utilize diverse knowledge, skills and practices, inherited and adapted methods of learning and technical know-how to build resilience and transform communities to meet climate-adaptation goals.

“Climate-adaptation goals” –

I have graduated from “Climate Adaptation” to “Climate Amendment” – We must fight the cause of Climate Change and not simply accept and adjust to the bad effects!!

And how do we fight the cause of Climate Change? Via Conservation – in this case, Re-Conservation of Natural Resources, because we have forgotten conservation.

We have forgotten that we should not preserve only the rice terraces but conserve the Entire Ecosystem on which those terraces exist. You don’t know an Ecosystem when you meet one? Just look around the terraces and note the mountainsides where forest species grow and wild animals thrive!

I am a teacher, BSA major in Ag Edu, UP Los Baños 1965, a Civil Service Professional. From hereon, let me refer to all my communications about the environment with this term:

General Regenerative Ecosystem Ameliorations via Old Techniques & New Technologies (GREATT).

Generally speaking, “Techniques” refers to age-old methods of production and reproduction in the fields of agriculture and forestry (AF); “Technologies” refers to science-derived ways and means for restoration and/or strengthening of AF environments

I am now a “GREATT Regenerative Fellow.”

2 years ago, I wrote the essay “Regenerative Thinking… Regenerative Agriculture In The Philippines” (26 Nov 2021, ComDeV, blogspot.com) – Note, at that time I was still calling my blog “Communication for Village Development 2021 (CoVID21); it is now “Communication for Development of Vibrant Villages” (ComDeV²) as you can see above.

And so, let me now reiterate my self-learned position that for the Ifugao rice terraces – not to mention elsewhere in the world – we should go beyond preserving into conserving the natural richness of the place!

GREATT! Conserving means practicing Regenerative Agriculture and forsaking Chemical Agriculture, farm chemicals being the common cause of Farmer Poverty and Climate Change!@517

“Bright Leaf Agricultural Journalism Awards” 2023, Majorly, BusinessMirror Wins With Its Stories – So What’s The Story Of PH Agriculture Now?

Am sorry to say, as a self-styled aggie journalist, that the announcement of the winners of the “Bright Leaf Agricultural Journalism Awards” for 2023 was lackadaisical, half-hearted as the scanty news items tell me. Only BusinessMirror was enthusiastic because it received the most awards:

“Best Agricultural Story” is Henry E Empeño’s piece titled “Good As Gold,” on the mango industry of Zambales.

“Best Feature Story of the Year” is by Cai U Ordinario, Jovee Marie Dela Cruz, Jovy Nelle Rodriguez, Lourdes M. Fernandez & Jennifer A Ng, titled “Skyrocketing Sugar Prices Stoke Industry Liberalization Stakes.”

“Bright Leaf’s central mission is to honor Filipino agricultural journalists by providing them with the platform to showcase their work in print, audiovisual, radio, and online media,” Krip Yuson, Chair of the Board of Judges, said.

Granted, Mr Yuson – I blogger do not see how our aggie journalists are helping the PH Department of Agriculture (DA) in helping solve the 2 major problems related to agriculture:
Farmer Poverty and
Climate Change.

That is because the DA itself has no programs and/or projects addressing Farmer Poverty and Climate Change!

That none of the media stories included in the consideration of the winners of the 2023 Bright Leaf Agricultural Journalism Awards cover any aspect of Farmer Poverty and Climate Change is in fact a failure of the PH DA and not the Bright Leaf Awards.

Because of lack of enlightened leadership, the DA has not come up with any program and/or project on Farmer Poverty and Climate Change. Sorry to say, but the past Secretary of Agriculture – PH President BBM – did not address those twin Enemy Goliaths of Agriculture, as it was not in his line of expertise.

What we need is a Secretary of Agriculture who has confident knowledge of those Goliaths and knows which stones to throw to defeat them.

No Sir, such knowledge is out of the league of current Secretary of agriculture Francis Tiu Laurel. I know of only one man who can deliver the goods for us if you make him, again, Secretary of Agriculture: William Dar. He was still gathering his forces when he was replaced by BBM.

And thereby, I encourage the next year’s Bright Leaf Agricultural Journalism Awards to pay special attention to journalistic reports and news concerning Chemical Agriculture (CA) and Regenerative Agriculture (RA).

Our farmers insist on using CA in their agriculture. The chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides keep high the costs of farming and of the health of food consumers.

Our farmers ignore the organic ways of agriculture. The organic principles and practices of growing crops result in healthy soils, healthy harvests, healthy foods, healthy incomes, and healthy villages.

Millions of farmers are adversely affected by Farmer Poverty – they need government assistances via the practices and principles of Regenerative Agriculture.

Millions more of us are adversely affected by Climate Change – we citizens must demand and collaborate with the government in order for farmers to implement Regenerative Agriculture for the good of us all!@517

Can Creative Writers Learn From Each Other? At 83, I Filipino Male Am Learning From Bulgarian Female Maria Popova At 39

Maria Popova writes, “13 Life Lessons From 13 Years Of Brain Pickings” (The Marginalian, themarginalian.org), and this 83-year old male finds he can learn a few things from this 39-year old female.

Ms Maria says:
Here are the initial ten learnings, as published in 2016, which I continue to stand and live by:

1MP: Allow yourself the uncomfortable luxury of changing your mind.

1FAH: I’m comfortable “changing my mind” by simply offering a different perspective. The beauty of that is people do not notice!

2MP. Do nothing for prestige or status or money or approval alone.

2FAH: In any of my blogs, I never say I want to make money.

3MP: Be generous.
It’s so much easier to be a critic than a celebrator. Always remember there is a human being on the other end of every exchange and behind every cultural artifact being critiqued. To understand and be understood, those are among life’s greatest gifts, and every interaction is an opportunity to exchange them.

3FAH: I always give credit to my sources. Criticism encourages one not to think and simply be nasty!

4MP: Build pockets of stillness into your life. Meditate. Go for walks. Ride your bike going nowhere in particular. There is a creative purpose to daydreaming, even to boredom. The best ideas come to us when we stop actively trying to coax…

4FAH: I write using the personal computer; when I want to give myself a break, I put it to “Sleep” where it doesn’t wake up until I wake the PC again. Welcome interruption!

5MP: When people tell you who they are, Maya Angelou famously advised, believe them. Just as important, however, when people try to tell you who you are, don’t believe them.

5FAH: Nobody’s perfect!

6MP: Presence is far more intricate and rewarding an art than productivity. Ours is a culture that measures our worth as human beings by our efficiency, our earnings, our ability to perform this or that. The cult of productivity has its place, but worshipping at its altar daily robs us of the very capacity for joy and wonder that makes life worth living.

6FAH: I must agree!

7MP: “Expect anything worthwhile to take a long time.” … The myth of the overnight success is just that – a myth.

7FAH: Right!

8MP: Seek out what magnifies your spirit.  

8FAH: I seek what magnifies the world. That is contained in the kind of essays I write; they belong to “Communication for Development of Vibrant Villages.” I am campaigning for Regenerative Agriculture (RA) against Chemical Agriculture (CA), where CA generates Climate Change and RA generates richer lives in communities.

9MP. Don’t be afraid to be an idealist.

9FAH: I an idealist all my life.

10MP: Don’t just resist cynicism – fight it actively.

10FAH: Always been a cock-eyed optimist.

Last word from me: Junk your pen and learn word/idea processing.
(“Pen” from tomvmorris.com, “Best book” from self-publishingschool.com)

This teacher tells you now, “You are never too old to learn!”@517

Can We Use Religion To Ascertain The Wisdom Of The Science Claim Of The Truth Of “Climate Change”?

All over the world, journalists are reporting on Climate Change but not on the causes, such as Chemical Agriculture! If journalism is “going after” the truth, then journalists are going “past” the truth! Thus, even we Catholics have to take with a grain of salt when journalists write about climate change.

Aleja Hertzler-McCain says, “Theologians And Scientists Praise, Critique Pope Francis' Climate Exhortation” (12 Oct 2023, “Faith,” Earthbeat, ncronline.org):

In Laudate Deum, a new apostolic exhortation released last week, Pope Francis continued the conversation from his 2015 encyclical, "Laudato Si', On Care For Our Common Home." Climate scientists said the science is sound, and theologians applauded Francis' "laser focus" on the climate crisis in Laudate Deum.

I Roman Catholic am not surprised at Pope Francis’ “laser focus” on the climate crisis:

“I want to see workshops at all parishes so that everybody, every Catholic, every Christian becomes literate on this document,” Fr Emmanuel Katongole said. “We are illiterate about this crisis and about the theological significance and the spiritual significance of this crisis.”

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank, through you, all journalists for their work. It is a noble profession: to convey the truth,” Pope Francis told a Catholic weekly magazine.”

Journalists, says Pope Francis, practice a “noble profession” as “they convey the truth.”

I journalist would demand that Catholic journalists go beyond the truth that journalists swear to, and apply what I refer to as
“THiNK! Journalism.”

It works like this:
True? If True, is it
Helpful? If Helpful, is it
Inspiring? If Inspiring, is it
Necessary? If Necessary, is it
Kind? If Kind, proceed!

As early as 2017, I was already blogging (bragging) about my THiNK! Journalism as it is original – see my essay, 24 Oct 2017, “Think! Journalism: Calling For Nobler Kinds Of People In Media,” Creative Thinkering, blogspot.com).

Catholic journalists should set the example of journalists going beyond the practice of coming out with “the truth… no matter who gets hurt!”

Ms Aleja says:

DiLeo, who is also a consultant to the Catholic Climate Covenant, said he wasn't optimistic about a new posture from US bishops post-Laudate Deum. "Nothing thus far has inspired them to act in a way commensurate with the science," he said.

Ha! With journalists themselves, nothing thus far has inspired them to act in a way commensurate with the science!

I know why – We have to educate our journalists out of their lack of climate science.

John Pavlik says “The Mission Of Journalism: The Pursuit Of Truth” (10 Dec 2020, Rutgers School of Communication & Information, comminfo.rutgers.edu). I declare:

The pursuit of truth and/or knowledge must be the motivation for and results in community development, no matter how large or how small that community is.

Back to my question: “Can we use Religion to ascertain the wisdom of the Science claim of the truth of “Climate Change”?

Answer: Sorry, no. Science must be confronted by Science – or any journalist will contest what is being bandied about!@517