Philippine Question: “Where Are The Salt Of The Earth?!” Answer: “We Filipinos Need To Import 92% Of Our Island-Wide Salt Requirements!”

Salt – We Ilocanos have an endearing little paean for it, and it runs thus: “Asin, asino ngata / Ti namalbaliw a daga? / Nalabit ammon ngata / Ta nalpaskon nga imbaga!” (My free translation: “Who, who do you think it is / Earth transforming itself? / Perhaps you already know / I’ve already told you so!) I memorized that little rhyme I guess 75 years ago, from my father Dionisio whose father, Graciano, came from Rosario, La Union.

Today, Thursday, 28 Dec 2023, I hear from another Ilocano, ex-Secretary of Agriculture William Dar, who comes from Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur, that PH now imports 92% salt requirements! (28 Dec 2023, “Time To Revive The PH Salt Industry,” Manila Times, manilatimes.net). We Ilocanos cannot swallow that! I’m a native of Asingan, Pangasinan; notably, Dasol, Pangasinan, is the salt capital of the Philippines – we Pangasinenses cannot swallow that!
(“See Pangasinan” from seepangasinan.com, “Cooperatives” from cda.gov.ph)

Salt – how important is it to the body? Here’s Harvard School of Public Health (hsph.harvard.edu):

[Salt] flavors food and is used as a binder and stabilizer. It is also a food preservative… The human body requires a small amount of sodium to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain the proper balance of water and minerals.

Salt – how important is it to the country?

Filipinos importing salt – As former President Ferdinand “FM” Marcos Sr put it: “Nakakahiya!” (Shameful!) Filane Mikee Cervantes says, according to Bicol Saro Party-List Rep Brian Raymund Yamsuan,  “PH Seen To Be Self-Sufficient With Revival Of Salt Industry” (19 Dec 2023, PNA, pna.gov.ph). We need a visionary leader to do that!

PH is 7,600+ islands. Mr Dar says, “With over 36,000 kilometers of shorelines, the Philippines has the potential to become an exporter of salt.” I say we have neglected that commercial potential because of leadership problems at the Department of Agriculture (DA) since time immemorial. I am sure that as Secretary of Agriculture appointed in 2019 by Pres Rodrigo Duterte, Mr Dar was going into energizing each of the DA 9 bureaus, 8 attached agencies & 8 attached corporations (da.gov.ph) – when he was distractingly shoved aside as DA Chief, when President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr appointed himself interim DA Head. And no, BBM did not pursue what Mr Dar had initiated at the DA, what he called “The New Thinking for Agriculture” with its 8 paradigms (which you can download from here: sra.gov.ph), the paradigms being:
(“Importance Of Leadership” from medium.com)

1, Modernization must continue. 2, Industrialization of agriculture is key. 3, Promotion of exports is a necessity. 4, Consolidation of small- and medium-sized farms. 5, Infrastructure development would be critical. 6, Higher budget and investment for Philippine agriculture. 7, Legislative support is needed. 8, Roadmap development is paramount.

Progressive Philippines via Progressive Agriculture – we were going there when we were stopped. You cannot lead the Department of Agriculture if you do not have the Hands, Head, Health & Heart of an agriculturist in the first place!@517

Wishing Well Your Friends & Acquaintances On Facebook Is Not Contagious – But Being Kind Is!

On Facebook, this month you find all sorts of people wishing others “Merry Christmas!” That universal greeting you will hear it from everyone and anyone – it’s so common it has become trite, hackneyed, run of the mill, uninspiring.

Surprise! From Lady Gaga, top American singer, songwriter & actress, who says (above): “I’ve been searching for ways to heal myself, and I’ve found that kindness is the best way.”
(“Kindness” from twitter.com, “Lady Gaga” from Little Monsters’ Facebook post)

This essay began when I saw today, Thursday, 23 Dec 2023, a Facebook ad by the people of “Ask The Scientist – Health And Science Education” titled, “Being Kind Reduces Anxiety And Stress.” I didn’t know that!

I googled for “value of kindness” (exactly like that), and I got an astounding 87.5 million results! So I say: “Being kind works much better than wishing well everyone you meet or are friends with on Facebook!”

Acts of kindness you owe it to others – and to yourself! Ask The Scientist says:

Acts of kindness and generosity are known to raise your levels of happiness and emotional well-being. In behavioral economics, this feeling is known as the “warm glow.”

This is Ultimate Contagious:
When you are being kind to others,
in fact you are being kind to yourself!

So how do you “do kindness”?

One way to share your kindness is to volunteer. Marc A Musick & John Wilson say (Social Science & Medicine, sciencedirect.com):

There are a number of reasons why volunteering might yield mental health benefits, especially to older people. Volunteer work improves access to social and psychological resources, which are known to counter negative moods such as depression and anxiety.

“Especially to older people” – volunteering is a positive mood that erases negative moods.

Analysis of three waves of data from the Americans’ Changing Lives data set (1986, 1989, 1994) reveals that volunteering does lower depression levels for those over 65, while prolonged exposure to volunteering benefits both populations. Some of the effect[s] of volunteering on depression among the elderly is attributable to the social integration it encourages…

Especially those over 65 – prolonged volunteering results in much lowering of depression.

Targeted generosity (giving to a specific cause or person) decreases activation of the amygdala – the brain structure associated with processing emotions. This leads to reduced feelings of anxiety and stress.

When you give something good to others, you are simultaneously giving to yourself!

ANN says, “Why Kindness Matters And Is One Of Our Core Values” (Smell The Roses, smelltheroses.org.uk):

… It has such a positive impact on people.

The dictionary definition of kindness is “the quality of being friendly, generous and considerate; a kind act”.

In fact any small, random acts of kindness can really lift people up. Lending a listening ear or just making them a [cup of tea] when they’re feeling low helps the other person feel valued.

Just listening, you will make people feel better. Just making someone else a cup of coffee makes both of you feel better. What’s better than that?!@517

For PH Agriculture To Go Up, Chemical Agriculture Must Come Down!

Farmers in the Philippines? Consistent in their cropping ways, taught by my alma mater UP College of Agriculture (now UP Los Baños) since 1909, especially for rice applying chemical fertilizer and pesticide as much and as often as they like or think they should. Today, anywhere in these islands, Chemical Agriculture (CA) is alive and bad! And that is why PH “Growth may miss lower 2024 goal” (Ian Nicolas P Cigaral, Inquirer.net, business.inquirer.net).

I graduated from UPLB in 1965. Today, when I think of chemically laden PH Agriculture, I am reminded of American transcendental poet Ralph Waldo Emerson’s line, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen, philosophers and divines.”
(“Foolish” from quotefancy.com)

Chemical Agriculture is degenerative. Up to now, Dec 2023, no, UPLB does not teach alternative farming ways, any of those practices that natives know. We need the renewing kind, Regenerative Agriculture (RA).

I wrote about it again, for the nth time yesterday, Wednesday, 27 Dec 2023; see my essay “’PH Faces High Risk Of Ecological Threats’ – Sydney-Based Institute For Economics & Peace. Ignorant Agriculture Is To Blame!”, Communication for Development of Vibrant Villages, blogspot.com).

CA is to blame! An old report of Xiaowei Chuai et al says, “Agriculture accounts for 20%-35% of greenhouse gas emissions” (2021, Science Direct, sciencedirect.com). Emma Tozer says, “Food production accounts for approximately 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions” (2016, foodtank, foodtank.com). 30-35% contributions to GHGs is significant by any calculations!

Instead of my modified RA list all of 13 practices, here I will point out singly “#5, Intelligent rotavation,” which I think is the essence of Regenerative Agriculture. And which is an invention of Frank A Hilario, yes.

Here is the little story. Sometime in the mid-1990s (I’m simply guessing the year), I was visiting my hometown Asingan, Pangasinan, when my cousin Ida’s husband Enso Casasos approached me and said, in so many words:

Manong, matandaanam daydi insurom kenni Papang? (In Ilocano, “Manong” is a term of respect for an older male whether he is a relative or not. “Papang” is from “Papa,” in respect.) “Manong, do you remember what you taught Papang?”

Enso was referring to the time when we were in Domanpot, and I told the operator of the big Howard rotavator not to set any depth of the rotavator blades but simply to run over the entire field. I knew that the rotavator was heavy enough to cut into the soil and at the same cut the weeds & other plant refuse and mix them all at the same time.

I knew that that rotavator was creating automatic organic fertilizer!

Enso told me, “Umis-isem ti bangbangir daydi operator.” (The Howard operator was smiling sideways.) Because he knew that his machine was hardly using any fuel, literally just rolling along. He was right – I was right!

Enso also told me that his neighbors had been imitating what he was doing for years and years but could not equal his rice harvests. He did not tell them the secret of the rotavator!@517

“PH Faces High Risk Of Ecological Threats” – Sydney-Based Institute For Economics & Peace. Ignorant Agriculture Is To Blame!

What is President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr doing now that a redoubtable report has come out about the high ecological risk to the country? The Sydney-based global think tank Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) has issued the world a grave warning. Kurt Dela Peña says (23 Dec 2023, “PH At ‘Severe’ Risk Of Ecological Threats Seen To Worsen Conflicts, Poverty“, (Inquirer.net, newsinfo.inquirer.net):

As the IEP pointed out, without concerted action, present levels of ecological degradation will considerably worsen…

Now, now, is the IEP believable? The IEP says of itself (economicsandpeace.org): “The Institute for Economics & Peace aims to create a paradigm shift in the way the world thinks about peace.” And there can be no peace if the economics is bad – and I know our economics gets badder & badder with Agriculture ignoring Climate Change!

PH media repeats the warning. ANN says, the “Philippines Faces High Risk Of Ecological Threats” (Author Not Named, 19 Dec 2023, BusinessWorld, bworldonline.com):

The Philippines scored 4.5 (out of 5) in the 2023 edition of the Ecological Threat Report (ETR) by the Institute for Economics and Peace. This meant that the country is at “severe” risk of natural disasters, food and water insecurity…

As an old-timer agriculturist (UPLB ’65), I am concerned about “natural disasters” wreaking havoc on villages – I am thinking of “Climate Change,” that which is caused and/or much aggravated by Chemical Agriculture (CA). It is CA that generates greenhouse gases (GHGs), and the GHGs generate Climate Change!

The IEP report says, “This meant that the country (PH) is at ‘severe’ risk of natural disasters” – so what is the Philippines waiting for?!

I am looking at the Department of Agriculture (DA) as the leading agency in our country in the fight against climate change – and that means the Secretary of Agriculture must be not only aware of the “contributions” of modern agriculture to Farmer Poverty and Climate Change, but has the Vision & the corresponding Mission already in mind, backed up by experiences here and abroad.

For the Philippines, I am thinking of Regenerative Agriculture (RA) to help solve Farmer Poverty and resolve Climate Change. Because: (1) Unlike CA, RA is low cost and high returns; (2) RA does not generate GHGs!

Right now, PH needs a Secretary of Agriculture with the Vision for “Science With A Filipino Face” and Mission for “Regenerative Agriculture.”

I am thinking of William Dar, who was Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT); with the Vision, “Science with a human face,” Mr Dar brought ICRISAT from down below to #1 among the many international research institutes.

ANN says, “King Charles III’s Christmas Message Calls For Planet’s Protection” (Author Not Named, 26 Dec 2023, Inquirer.net). He has this message:

“To care for this creation is the responsibility owned by people of all faiths and of none,” he said. “We care for the earth for the sake of our children’s children.”

BBM is silent. The King speaks – long live the King!@517

“Christmas Begins With Christ,” Obviously! Not So Obviously: “Christmas Begins & Ends With Love!” I Say

25 December. When we Christians look at Christmas as ushered in with the birth of Jesus with the foster-father Joseph and virgin mother Mary, we are being historical, sometimes hysterical; but we are not pragmatic or practical – for all intents & purposes, I say categorically: “Jesus came to show us love! Jesus came as love!”

Images shared on Facebook by (a) Bruce Tolentino (“Child Jesus” from I can’t trace) and (b) I can’t trace either sharer or source either. “Christmas Begins,” Facebook sharing 21 Dec 2023 by Isabel Mildred Anunciado Tan.

“Christmas is what we make of it. Despite all the distractions, we can see to it that CHRIST is at the center of our celebration” – Thomas S Monson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. That’s the problem there; Mr Monson says Christ is at the center of Christmas. No Sir! Who sent Jesus to Earth? God. Jesus is the messenger; God is the center.

God sent Love, because God is Love. So, love should be the center of our celebration! Whatever your religion is.

I’m Catholic. From a non-Catholic source, let’s see now; here are The Ten Commandments (from Life, Hope & Truth, lifehopeandtruth.com):

1, You shall have no other gods before Me.
2, You shall not make idols.
3, You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
4, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5, Honor your father and your mother.
6, You shall not murder.
7, You shall not commit adultery.
8, You shall not steal.
9, You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10, You shall not covet.

I repeat: I am Roman Catholic. Do we treat Pope Francis as if he were the Son of God? Nope!

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life” (New American Standard Bible). You prove that you believe in Him if you follow the Ten Commandments.

In short – No other gods; no idols; no jokes. Remember to keep the Sabbath holy; honor your parents. Do not kill; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; do not covet.

You have to agree that The Ten Commandments can be summarized with only one word: Love. We have only one source and/or model of love: God. “For God so loved the world…

Repeat: Do not have other gods but God. No idols. No swearing. Honor the Sabbath. Honor your father & mother. Do not kill. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not covet.

As a practical/practicing Roman Catholic, I say, “We must see to it that LOVE is at the center of our Christmas celebration.” (And afterwards.)

Monday, 25 Dec 2023 – Merry Christmas! Oh, you owe it to yourself to make yourself lovable. But no, I am not going to wait for you to make yourself lovable; to me, you are lovable despite yourself!@517

Calls For Revolution – 1993 Martin L Gross For A Modern American Civil War, 2023 Pope Francis For Worldwide Christian Reformation

The American Call: 30 years ago, Martin L Gross, a bestselling author and critic of US government, wrote the book “A Call For Revolution” subtitled “How Government Is Strangling America – And How To Stop It” (books.google.com.ph). It was going to be bloody, but the call fell on deaf American ears. 
(“Call For Revolution” from etsy.com)

The New Worldwide Call: Pope Francis, head of the Roman Catholic church all over the world, is calling for a Christian Revolution worldwide – via his Christmas 2023 message, the way I read it, to all Christians, no matter the denomination: “We need modern saints, twenty-first century saints with a spirituality embedded in our time” (m.facebook.com). “Impossible! you say. You forget: “With God, nothing is impossible.”

I am reading the Facebook sharing of Jovita Corpuz Saturday, 23 Dec 2023, simply titled: “POPE FRANCIS SAID.” It is all of 313 words, including title; Megan Bryant says “The 313 angel number is a powerful message from the universe that signifies progress.” But, I say, “Progress will not come if Man ignores the message.”

I know praying is not enough! We must act out the love. That is what Pope Francis is trying to say:

We Need Saints

We need saints without veil, without toner. We need saints in jeans and sneakers.

We need saints who will go to the movies, listen to music, and stroll with their friends.

We need saints who put God first and excel in University.

We need saints who find time to pray every day and know how to fall in love with purity and chastity, or consecrate their chastity.

We need modern saints, twenty-first century saints with a spirituality embedded in our time.

We need saints committed to the poor and necessary social change.

We need saints who live in the world, who get holy in the world, and who are not afraid to live in the world.

We need saints who drink Coke and eat hot dogs, who are netizens, who listen to iPod.

We need saints who love the Eucharist and are not ashamed to drink a beer or eat pizza on the weekend with friends.

We need saints who like cinema, theatre, music, dance, sports.

We need social saints, open, normal, friends, cheerful, companions.

We need saints who are in the world and who can taste the pure and good things of the world, but without being worldly."

This is supposed to be us!!!

Pope Francis says: “Everyone is called to be a Saint.” Everyone of us. No exceptions. Rich or poor.

Pope Francis: “We need saints who are in the world and who can taste the pure and good things of the world, but without being worldly."

Frank A Hilario: Pope Francis is calling for pure love. I simplify loving as being kind, learning from Plato (Greek, 423-348 BC): “Be kind. Every person you meet is fighting a difficult battle.” Now then: “We need saints who practice Christian love by simply being kind whatever the circumstances.”@517

The Future Of Our World Is In Our Hands, People! But First We Have To Use Our Minds…

The fact that I agriculturist and digital communicator was not aware of COP28 going on is not an intellectual excuse for shirking my duty as citizen of the world – neither thinks PH ex-Secretary of Agriculture William Dar as he writes in the Manila Times: “COP28 Is A Call For Global Action” (21 Dec 2023, manilatimes.net): “The 28th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC or COP28 served as a wake up for all nations to do their share in building a resilient and sustainable global food system amid challenges from climate change.” 
(“Call” from who.int, “Hands” from innovationnewsnetwork.com)

COP28 was hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from November 30 to December 12. Mr Dar says, “COP28 also highlighted the need to shift to new paradigms in food production, including regenerative agriculture.”

Mr Dar goes on to say:

The 28th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC or COP28 served as a wake up for all nations to do their share in building a resilient and sustainable global food system amid challenges from Climate Change.

I can even call COP28 a call for global action to avert the deterioration or destruction of our food production system amid the scourge of extreme weather changes.

I repeat for emphasis: “to avert the deterioration or destruction of our food production system amid the scourge of extreme weather changes.” I will emphasize extreme – of course, the weather always changes, but Climate Change is here and the changes are extreme and endanger all of us.

So I go back to the quote above, where Mr Dar says, “COP28 also highlighted the need to shift to new paradigms in food production, including regenerative agriculture.”

Regenerative Agriculture (RA) is our new hope to combat Climate Change in the farms.

RA is a far cry from the first reactions in the Philippines when it came to Climate Change.

In 2011, we members of the Philippine Network of Environmental Journalists attended the 4^th General Assembly of the League of Provinces of the Philippines, with Albay Governor Joey Salceda, UN Climate Change Champion, leading the Assembly. The consensus then was: Climate Change Adaptation, to conform to the changes that the seasons brought.

12 years have passed since the Legazpi “Summit” and “Adaptation” has left Farmer Poverty and Climate Change worse! We must now practice Regenerative Agriculture.

Except the name, regenerative agriculture is familiar as it comprises the practice of any/all of the following – sans chemical fertilizers and pesticides:

1, Compost application
2, Cover cropping
3, Crop rotation
4, Farm crops + tree crops (simultaneous)
5, Green manuring
6, Intercropping
7, Multiple cropping
8, No-till farming
9, Ratooning
10, “Three Sisters” cropping (corn + beans + squash)
11, Trap cropping
12, Trash mulching.

I will continue repeating that Chemical Agriculture (CA) is the enemy of modern farming: CA generates greenhouse gases (GHGs), and those GHGs are the ones that in turn generate Climate Change!

We have to stop Chemical Agriculture – otherwise, worsening Climate Change will stop our farming soon enough!@517 

UN People, I Propose Instead A “Global Properity Day” – People, Let Us Stand & Work Solidly Against Farmer Poverty And Climate Change!

As shared on Facebook by Filipino TV producer & reporter Jiggy Manicad, today, Wed, 20 Dec is “International Human Solidarity Day: 20 December” (source, United Nations, un.org). The image above (topmost) shows different humans presumably from different parts of the world ideally holding hands in peace, before & after discussing and later working for the common good.

I read the UN essay on the subject (cited above), and it says:

The Sustainable Development Agenda is centered on people & planet, underpinned by human rights and supported by a global partnership determined to lift people out of poverty, hunger and disease. It will, thus, be built on a foundation of global cooperation and solidarity.

Yes, it has been agreed among nations that the Sustainable Development Agenda be anchored on the concept of “sustainability,” by which the world aims at eradicating poverty, hunger & disease everywhere while allowing the resources to maintain their productivity.

Unfortunately! To pursue “Sustainability” means that the world will continue to use, undoubtedly, Chemical Agriculture (CA) for production of foods. In case you don’t know, CA is the singular cause of the twin global monsters called “Farmer Poverty” and “Climate Change”!

So, I wish the UN would adopt instead a “Global Development Day” whereby, among others, farmers and gardeners (and their villages) are enriched as a result of practicing a life-friendly agriculture that enriches their fields, their harvests, their pockets, their households, and their villages.

And how would that be? My single answer is: Via Regenerative Agriculture (RA). With every practice in RA:

(1)          The poor farmers will enjoy low cost and high returns, lifting themselves up from poverty.

(2)          Their farming will generate zero greenhouse gases (GHGs), meaning, zero contribution to Climate Change (CC), as the GHGs are the ones causing CC.

In short: “Regenerative Agriculture will solve Farmer Poverty and resolve Climate Change!” What could be more wonderful than that?!

Now then, today should be focused instead on an international “Regenerative Development Agenda” to stop Man’s abuse of Mother Nature and at the same time help her replenish the earth.
(“Replenish” from linkedin.com)

After the Great Flood, God told Noah and his family to go and replenish the Earth (Genesis 8:15-18). Applied to Agriculture, “Sustainable Development” is not in the Genesis sense of “replenishing the earth” – whatever your Bible version is. Rather, “Sustainable Development” means “continuing with” or “maintaining” or “upholding” the modern methods of farming – which are the causes of Climate Change. Chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides are among the wonders of the science world – but they are by their nature enemies of Mother Nature!

As an agriculturist (UP Los Baños 1965) and communicator for the continuing development of villages [as the title of my blog says so: “Communication for Development of Vibrant Villages (ComDev2)]”, I say:

UN People, we need to change our way of thinking from “Sustainable Development” to “Regenerative Development.” We owe it to ourselves – and our children and their descendants! We have to be ascendant today!@517

Using Our Coconuts! The Gaps On GAP – Why The Hardheads Of The Coconut Industry?

“Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)” the extension people call them, for the intelligent growing of crops. The editor that I am, I notice a wide gap in the list of practices undertaken in the training reported on in Quezon Province in Luzon and Aklan in the Visayas – I’m sorry to say.

I am reading Pauline Gonzales’ news item on the coconut industry, “Enhancing The Capacity Of Farmers On Good Agricultural Practices And Coconut Processing In Quezon Province” (12 Dec 2023, SEARCA, searca.org), and comparing it with ANN’s “Empowered Casinhon Youths Unite For Climate Action” (Author Not Named, 14 Dec 2023, Aklan Media-Citizen Council, boracayislandnews.com,, source of image with people).

About Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), FAO says (fao.org):

GAP, as defined by FAO, are a “collection of principles to apply for on-farm production and postproduction processes, resulting in safe and healthy food and non-food agricultural products, while taking into account economic, social and environmental sustainability.”

We are now Catanauan, Quezon, PH and observing. Pauline Gonzales says (12 Dec 2023, SEARCA, searca.org):

Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) organized a two-day training-workshop focusing on good agricultural practices (GAP) and a refresher course on coconut processing for farmers in Quezon Province. This initiative is under the project, "Development of the Coconut Industry Growth Areas in the Province of Quezon", held on 5–6 December 2023 in Catanauan, Quezon. The event was co-organized with the Provincial Government of Quezon through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Region IV, with support from the Municipal Government of Catanauan through the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist (OMA).

I love the coconut, especially the fresh young fruit with its delicious liquid, the buko juice.

The first training day focused on GAP for coconut, with expert insights provided by Ms Rose Ann Alejandro and Mr Moises De Mesa, both of PCA Region IV (Laguna). The sessions covered critical aspects such as site selection and management, nursery establishment, water management, and postharvest handling.

Nah! Ever the self-appointed Apostle for Regenerative Agriculture (RA) in digital Philippines, I was looking for any mention of crops growing among the palms and/or the periphery of the coconut, and there is none, zero, zilch.

That is to say, I was looking for any practice that belongs to RA, such as 1, Compost application; 2, Cover cropping; 3, Crop rotation; 4, Farm crops + tree crops; 5, Green manuring; 6, Intercropping; 7, Multiple cropping; 8, No-till farming; 9, Organic fertilization; 10, Ratooning; 11, “Three Sisters” ; 12, Trap cropping; 13, Trash mulching.

So, I take it that the coconut farmers in Catanauan, Quezon are not into any of the above GAP – this is a Knowledge Gap that the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) should be filling up.

Now then, Miss Monina Jacobo, as Chief of the Coconut Division of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in Quezon, this is a job for Supermom! – you have to add to the list of GAP that you teach your coconut farmers!@517

Christmas Is For Those Who Love Their Unloving Neighbors – And Those Who Do Not!

 

Lately, I adopted the slogan “Be kind. Always.” by Brad Meltzer, American novelist, from a Facebook sharing, and I have been very happy with it. Now comes Facebook today, Friday, 15 Dec 2023, with the above sharing by Brickhouse In The City – “Our job is to love others…” Now, let me compare. 
(top image from a Facebook sharing by Brickhouse In The City, 15 Dec 2023)

“Be Kind. Always” and “Our job is to love others whether or not they are worthy” – I think they are equivalents. Kindness is another way of expressing your Christian love, and it is simpler – a little kindness is big enough! At any rate, both are Catholic, and I am one of them, a member of the Bukás Loób sa Diyós Catholic Charismatic Community of the San Pablo District in the last 43 years.

But no, I believe not because it’s Catholic in origin but love in origin!

Underneath the Vatican image above, it says, “Jesus helps sinners by welcoming, not banishing them, papal preacher says” (Carol Glatz, 15 Dec 2023, Catholic News Service, ncronline.org). The preacher is Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa speaking to Pope Francis, top Vatican officials and Vatican employees in the Paul VI Audience Hall Friday, 15 Dec 2023. If you ask me, he might as well have been preaching to non-Catholics.

At 83 (Sept 17), thank God, I am happier than when I was at 73, or 63, or 53 – it’s not your religion, it’s your attitude towards people (and life) in general. “Our job is to love others whether or not they are worthy” – that should make life simpler, much simpler. And happier – you do not carry dislike or even hate in your heart – boy, they’re heavy!

That is to say, it is not Catholic vs Protestant (or any other denomination); it is not Asian vs non-Asian either – it is the whole human race, and if you hate part of it, you hate all of it.

Truth to tell, my life is already “simpler” because I am a writer (blogger) and have been so in the last 23 years, and my essays do not consider religion at all. The name of the blog where you are reading this – “Communication for Development of Vibrant Villages (ComDev2) – implies that the English language and community development are my primal concerns, not religion at all, I mean, consciously. I can now relate with Linus’ attitude: “I love mankind. It’s people I can’t stand!”

My current self-imposed campaign is for the adoption of the principles & practices of Regenerative Agriculture (RA), the term & concept of which originated in the US of A by Robert Rodale.

Mr Rodale “championed regenerative before the USDA organic standards and certification even existed” (14 Jan 2019, “The Original Principles Of Regenerative Agriculture,” Rodale Institute, rodaleinstitute.org). The article does not mention the exact date when the concept came to the mind of Mr Rodale, but I am exceeding glad because:

Regenerative Agriculture loves others without stopping to consider whether or not they are worthy!@517

Here’s This Teacher Teaching To The “Balay Kahayag Training & Retreat Center” In Bohol!

“Balay Kahayag Training & Retreat Center” is owned by the family of friend and classmate at UPCA, now UP Los Baños, Nestor Mn Pestelos. Above, it says, “Starting a series of references for fieldworkers on family and community development.” Below the image is this note: “What is community development?” by Australia Institute of Family Studies (AIFS).

Note that you are reading this in my blog “Communication for Development of Vibrant Villages (ComDev2). ComDev2 goes beyond “community development” as defined anywhere – my ComDev2 goes for the growth of “vibrant villages” – whatever “vibrant” means.

The AIFS website says (AIFS, aifs.gov.au):

Community development is a process where community members take collective action on issues that are important to them. … Community development is intended to empower community members and create stronger and more connected communities.

So far, so good.

Community development is a holistic approach grounded in principles of empowerment, human rights, inclusion, social justice, self-determination and collective action (Kenny & Connors 2017). … Community development has an explicit focus on the redistribution of power to address the causes of inequality and disadvantage.
(“Hearts” from vectorstock.com)

“Causes of inequality” – Now then, what are active communities doing in helping solve Farmer Poverty within their midst? “Causes of disadvantage” – I will consider here Climate Change. But I don’t remember my friend Nestor mentioning specifics of inequality and disadvantage and how to combat them in any of his many Facebook posts on/from Balay Kahayag.

I will consider here only “empowerment” and “collective action.”

Whether my friend Nestor and/or Kahayag ignores them, I cannot. So, how do you (or Kahayag) empower someone to fight in collective action? I will now use my favorite battles – against Farmer Poverty and Climate Change, whom I call the Twin Goliaths of the modern world.

Back to Community Development – my friend Nestor will have to help Balay Kahayag advance the community to learn to fight those Goliaths.

As an agriculturist and a wide reader, print and digital, I have learned that Regenerative Agriculture (RA) will help solve Farmer Poverty and simultaneously resolve Climate Change. It works this way:

Chemical Agriculture (CA), the practice of farmers today, is expensive and farmers cannot get out of poverty because of it. At the same time, CA generates greenhouse gases (GHGs) that in turn generate Climate Change. If you stop CA, you solve Farmer Poverty and simultaneously resolve Climate Change!

Now then, how will the Kahayag community manage to live not using modern methods of chemical agriculture?

The answer: Ancient & modern methods of regenerative agriculture, any/all of these:

1, Compost application
2, Cover cropping
3, Crop rotation
4, Farm crops + tree crops
5, Green manuring
6, Intercropping
7, Multiple cropping
8, No-till farming
9, Organic fertilization
10, Ratooning
11, “Three Sisters”
12, Trap cropping
13, Trash mulching.

I cannot visit Bohol and preach at Kahayag. To start, Balay Kahayag asks the farmers who are familiar with any of those 13 methods of regenerative farming and apply them in the farms. Or ask the local agriculturist. Good Pluck!@517