Women As Drivers Of Change Agricultural And Social – And Learning From This, I Wish The Men Learn From The Women!

How do you manage change? Peter Digiammarino says (28 April 2014, Intelliven, intelliven.com); old or not it’s still much relevant:

“Decide what kind of leader (you would like) to be:

Sergeant: “Follow me.”
Herder: “Get along.”
Teacher: “Come along.”
Icon: “Team carries leader.”
Hero: “Leader carries team.”
League: “Team of leaders.”

Note then that there are many kinds of leaders, and as the team members must be cooperative, so must the team leaders be cooperative with one another.

(And, I say, above all, there must be a national leader who is a visionary!)

What have our Filipinas done for our agriculture and economic development? Let’s see! Ms Ghio Ong says (”Phl, Canada To Strengthen Agri, Tourism Partnerships,” 20 Feb 2024, PhilStar, magzter.com): The meeting (and Rizal Park visit above) was designed to “help PH and Canada boost agriculture and tourism partnerships as they celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties.”

Nota bene: PH Ambassador to Canada is a woman, and we are talking here of “women as drivers of PH agriculture and economic development.”

“In the coming days, the Indo-Pacific Agricultural and Agri-Food Office will be inaugurated in Manila as part of the commemoration,” Ambassador Maria Andrelita Austria said. “The Philippines and Canada will boost agriculture and tourism partnerships as they celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties.”

Of the IndoPacific Agricultural and Agri-Food Office, Philippine Ambassador Austria said:

“(The office is) a sign of our long-term commitment in the Indo-Pacific, along with the importance we play upon Canada’s reputation as a stable and trusted supplier for agriculture, agri-food and seafood products” (Agriculture Canada, agriculture.canada.ca).

On her part and separately, Senator Imee Marcos, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and guest of honor at the Department’s National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC) this year, called attention to the pivotal role of women in addressing both local and global food and agricultural crises.

The 2025 NWMC is anchored on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s “vision of a new Philippines” with an all-inclusive plan on national development and transformation.

Meanwhile, in the DA chief’s message delivered by Undersecretary for Finance Nora Oliveros, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P Tiu Laurel Jr “encouraged the DA family to take on the challenge of surpassing its current capabilities and continuing to craft and implement gender-responsive initiatives.”

“Let us continue to champion gender equality, create more opportunities, and ensure that every woman in this sector has the tools and support (she needs) to thrive. As your DA Secretary, I promise that your contributions will always be recognized, valued, and celebrated. The future of agriculture in the Bagong Pilipinas is one where women stand equally, empowered, and at the forefront of progress,” the DA head said.

Following all of the above, I journalist for community development of vibrant villages say, women have to be properly involved as leaders and followers in the development of their country: followers surely, but team leaders also, as Sargeant, Herder, Icon, Hero, or Teacher – see above guide.

Women leaders, may your thrive increase!@517

Pope Francis’ Old 2019 Message Unfulfilled – “Help Protect Creation From Greed, Exploitation” And So Is “Laudato Si,” On Care For Our Common Home

Almost 6 years ago, from Carol Glatz (EarthBeat, 05 March 2025, ncronline.org): “Above photo: Pope Francis is pictured with Cardinal Pedro Barreto Jimeno of Huancayo, Peru, during a procession at the start of the first session of the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon at the Vatican 7 Oct 2019.”

Ms Carol then reports: “Pope Francis asked Christians to help protect nature from human greed and exploitation during the Holy Year.” And, I say, beyond the Holy Year! It must be the whole year every single year!

“At the start of the Lenten season, the pope greeted Catholics in Brazil and praised the country's bishops for their continued support of the annual Fraternity Campaign, which is dedicated this year to "Fraternity and Integral Ecology." I Filipino Roman Catholic say:

Ecology is for Everyone. And, Ecology is for Everyday.

“He also expressed his hope that the church in Brazil will contribute to COP 30, the UN climate conference to be held Nov 10-21 in Belém, Brazil, "in the heart of the beloved Amazon."

I don’t know. Did that conference bring out and warn the whole world about the direct and unhealthful contributions of Chemical Agriculture (CA) to Climate Change?

“The church's efforts could help nations and international organizations effectively adopt and ‘commit themselves to practices that help overcome the climate crisis and preserve the marvelous work of creation, which God has entrusted to us and which we have a responsibility to pass on to future generations,’ the pope wrote.”

 “With their Fraternity Campaign, now in its 61st year, the bishops of Brazil are inviting all the faithful to follow a path of personal conversion during Lent that is based on the pope's 2015 encyclical, "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home."

“That document and its follow-up, “Laudate Deum” ("Praise God") in 2023, Francis said, were meant to draw the whole world's attention to the urgency of changing its attitude toward and relationship with the environment.

“The ecological crisis is a call to a profound interior conversion," he wrote.

“The pope's message praised the bishops' conference for proposing a theme dedicated to integral ecology. "May we all, with the special help of God's grace during this Jubilee season, change our convictions and practices to give nature a rest from our greedy exploitations."

I say, if you want to overcome the climate crisis, stop Chemical Agriculture right now – and proceed to Regenerative Agriculture (RA)!

Pope Francis, please preach for Regenerative Agriculture now!

“Lent is a Christian observation starting on Ash Wednesday (March 05 in the Philippines).

“The pope said he hoped the campaign would once again "be a powerful aid to the people and communities of this beloved country" in their "concrete commitment to integral ecology."

In junking Chemical Agriculture and practicing Regenerative Agriculture instead, I say that that is a concrete commitment to integral ecology!

How about the women actively helping lead this movement? Then I can truly doubly wish you people, “Happy Women’s Day!”@517

How To Future-Proof UP Los Baños Responding To The Challenges Of The Times It Has Been Ignoring!

The Facebook post of Albert Geoffred B Peralta dated 03 March says:

“UPLB is set to celebrate its 112th Foundation Day anniversary on March 6. With the theme of ‘Future-Proof UPLB: Responding to the Challenges of the Times,’ UPLB will be commemorating this year’s anniversary with a series of programs and events.”

(Sorry! Actually, UPCA, now UPLB, was founded in 1908, which is 117 years ago; “112^th” is wrong.)

I began writing this early evening of March 06, Thursday. If invited, I could have been there to help celebrate, because I am an alumnus and I have an urgent message for my alma mater.

To “Future-Proof UPLB: Responding To The Challenges Of The Times” – so, what are the challenges of the times?

If you ask me, the 2 greatest challenges of the times in countries at peace are:

(1) Primate Change – our farmers must learn farming that enriches the earth even as they enrich themselves!

(2) Climate Change – Chemical fertilizers and pesticides produce greenhouse gases that produce the so-called “Greenhouse Effect” that produces Climate Change!

So, how can we improve directly the weather as well as the lives of poor farmers simultaneously? Via “Regenerative Agriculture” (RA). There are 13 RA practices that I know:

(1) Cover Cropping, (2) Crop Rotation, (3) Farm Crops + Tree Crops (Agroforestry), (4) Green Manuring, (5) Intercropping, (6) Multiple Cropping, (7) No-Till Farming, (8) Organic Fertilization, (9) Ratooning, (10) Rotational Grazing, (11) “Three Sisters” Planting, (12) Trap Cropping, and (13) Trash Mulching.

Choose your pick! Each of the 13 RA practices is low cost and high returns – remember, no expensive fertilizers and expensive pesticides, so that the farmer can save at least PH 10,000 each farming season! 10K only covers the savings – how about the farm products that are healthy beyond reasonable doubt? Consumers would be competing to buy them!

Our American teachers in agriculture led by Edward Bingham Copeland were good, but they did not know or study the repercussions of applying farming chemicals on the environment as well as the health of the consumers. If you neglect the health of your consumers, you are merely a greedy farmer!

With proper documentation and computerized video aids for farmers (local languages) as well as for farmer cooperatives (both in English and local languages), the Filipino farmer anywhere can be taught according to the speed of his/her learning, no problem. And no memorization necessary – the video and printed materials will always be there for consultation by anyone anytime.

Necessarily, we will need financial assistance from the PH government as well as foreign funding agencies or banks. Note: I referred to the aid of farmer cooperatives – farmers can always consult with any of the officers of their cooperatives anytime day or night easily via the ubiquitous cellphone, which everybody seems to have these days.

At the same time, with the cellphone and the Internet, contact between me and UPLB at anytime is not a problem – this time, it is the student teaching the teacher what to teach!@517

Why Is The Philippines The #1 Importer Of Rice In The World? No, It’s Not Why You Think. We Are Looking At The Problem From The Wrong End!

“A country smaller than Maryland is responsible (for) feed(ing) a big part of Europe. In 2023, the Netherlands became the world’s #2 food exporter, earning $133 billion through advanced farming that uses 90% less water and no pesticides.” (image from sorrycan’tfindmysourceanymore). Get the hint?

“The Philippines has replaced China as the world’s top rice importer, a report from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said. According to the 2023 Grain: World Markets and Trade report, the Philippines will import 3.8 million metric tons (MT) of rice for trade year 2023 to 2024, while previous top importer China will only import around 3.5 MT (Adrian Parungao, “PH Replaces China As World’s Top Rice Importer,” 14 Sept 2023, globalnation.inquirer.net).

I repeat: PH imported 1 M metric tons more of rice in 2022-23 than behemoth Red China! We Filipinos must be doing something wrong!

I am reading the 2025 article by Leister Jensen Lim titled “Why Does The Philippines Import Rice? A Solution To The Rice Shortage” academia.edu):

“This study examines the reasons behind the Philippines' reliance on rice imports despite having sufficient domestic production capabilities (my emphasis)…

“Capabilities” – that is to say, we Filipinos can produce enough rice for ourselves if we study the matter carefully.

Why is the Philippines the #1 rice importer in the world? According to IRRI, the answer is quite simple. Says Paul John Caña, Editor In Chief of Esquire Magazine (03 July 2024, esquiremag.ph):

“In 2023, the Philippines was named the world’s top rice importer, overtaking global behemoth China. According to Statista, which based its information on reports by the US Department of Agriculture, the Philippines imported 3.8 million metric tons (MMT) of rice in the 2022-2023 marketing year, compared to China’s 2.8 MMT.”

What?! We Filipinos are the #1 importers of rice in the world – despite the fact that UP Los Baños and IRRI are located in these islands and right next to each other! What’s the matter – UPLB and IRRI are competing against each other in science they cannot serve the single country they are located in? No, they are not competing – what we Filipinos have been doing is serving for 100 years the wrong science called Chemical Agriculture (CA) instead of Regenerative Agriculture (RA)!

Read the enlarged text in the above image:

“A country smaller than Maryland is responsible {of feeding) a big part of Europe. In 2023, the Netherlands became the world’s #2 food exporter, earning $133 million through advanced farming that uses 90% less water and no pesticides.”

As a Filipino, the last 7 words in the above quote are what interest me greatly: 10% water, 00% pesticides! That to me describes Regenerative Agriculture (RA), that which is commonly ignored by my alma mater UP Los Baños and the nearby International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)! If there are two of you ignorant of something, welcome company!?

Time for UP Los Baños and IRRI to regenerate themselves in their common science!@517

In The Cordilleras, Samy Lang-Ay Shows Power Of Learning To Decrease Insect Pests And Increase Harvests Naturally – And Increase Income Naturally!

I am reading Alyssa Dawn Alalag’s “DA-CAR Press Release 25-28,” a feature story posted on Facebook 21 Feb 2025: “Samy Lang-ay: Leading The Way (To) Sustainable Farming And Knowledge Sharing.”

I learn that Samy has been aggressively farming since the last 25 years. “In the … Cordilleras, one farmer’s journey reflects the transformative power of dedication, innovation, and support, “ writes Miss Alyssa, “a seasoned farmer…Today, he is not just a farmer but a mentor and advocate for sustainable agricultural practices, making a significant impact on his community and beyond.” I note especially: “advocate for sustainable agricultural practices.” Much thanks, Samy!

Miss Alyssa says, “Samy Lang-ay’s journey shows the power of learning, sharing, and using the right tools. With his dedication to sustainable farming, Samy is leading the way for a better future for farmers.”

Samy’s farm, located at Sto Tomas, Baguio City, produces an impressive variety of crops: broccoli, cucumbers, Sultan peppers, California Peppers, celery, and strawberries. Ms Alyssa says, “His diverse crop choices are an indication (of) his adaptability.” I say, in addition, “Lang-ay’s variety of crops helps reduce pest infestation by reducing pest population because of food competition” among the pests.

Moreover, he practices crop rotation to avoid pest and disease infestations and prevent issues like clubroot, ensuring the health and productivity of the soil.

“One of the key factors that have helped Samy improve his farming practices is the support from the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the farmer’s association he leads. Over the years, Samy has received via DA multiple interventions that have significantly improved his farming. One is the greenhouse.” This has “allowed him to control the environment for his crops.” There is also an irrigation tank. There is also a tractor, shared with the San Andreas Strawberry Growers Association.

“It’s the eco-friendly pest control interventions that Samy speaks most highly of, the Lacewings and Metarhizium. Lacewings, often referred to as “the farmer’s friend,” are a natural predator of pests, feeding on aphids, mites, and other harmful insects. These flying insects belong to the family Chrysopidae and have proven to be incredibly effective in controlling pest populations in a non-toxic, organic manner.

Meanwhile, Metarhizium, a genus of fungi, is another biocontrol agent that has shown promising results in killing pests, particularly harmful insects. Both of these natural solutions have reduced Samy’s reliance on harmful chemicals, ensuring his crops are healthier and his farm more sustainable.

Samy emphasizes the importance of promoting Lacewings and Metarhizium to other farmers, urging them to consider alternatives to harmful chemical pesticides.

“Many farmers don’t know about lacewings or Metarhizium (organisms that) are much safer and more effective than using insecticides,” Samy explains.

Ms Alyssa says, “Samy Lang-ay’s journey shows the power of learning, sharing, and using the right tools. With his dedication to sustainable farming, Samy is leading the way for a better future for farmers.” I agree. Not only in the Cordilleras, but elsewhere in the Philippines where you have mountainous areas being farmed.@517

EDSA People Power Revolution Was An Incomplete Revolution For Filipinos – It Drove Out Marcos But Not Poverty And Inequality!

I was one of those who earlier hesitated to join the marchers at EDSA during those February days in 1986 when people collected at EDSA to show support to Juan Ponce Enrile who had declared publicly his hate against his erstwhile boss and PH President Ferdinand Marcos (FM). Monday, pass. Tuesday, pass. Wednesday, pass. Thursday, pass. Friday I went, 25 February – and the Marcoses, hurriedly left the next day! Was it me? It was the EDSA people, about a million of them total. No, I did not do anything spectacular, but the Marcoses knew what was “good” for them at the time – they flew out of danger! (top image twibon.app)

And Corazon “Cory” Aquino became PH President. And the ladies applauded. And mostly the Marcos boys, whoever they were, lost their grip on political power. And we Filipinos applauded.

What else? In the last 39 years:
Did the lives of Filipinos improve much? Nah!
Did the poor farmers become a little rich? Nah!
Did PH politics go from bad to better? No, still the same! Or is badder?

Via Paterno R Esmaquel II, the news today is that “Top Catholic Schools Declare EDSA Holiday, Defy Marcos ‘Downgrade’” (17 Feb 2025, rappler.com):

“Top Catholic schools in the Philippines declared a non-working day on February 25, the 39th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution, even if the Marcos government downgraded it to a special working day.”

Not simply to “defy Marcos downgrade” of the EDSA Revolution – What we need to do today is wage another kind of EDSA revolution – the digital kind! Let’s bring out the necessary knowledge wherever.

Like, I am an agriculturist (UPLB ’65, BS Ag Edu); I say, to help the poor farmers raise themselves from poverty to prosperity, they must stop practicing expensive Chemical Agriculture (CA) and start practicing inexpensive Regenerative Agriculture (RA). Immediately!

RA is not from the wild blue yonder – it has been talked & written about since Robert Rodale talked about it in 1989.

What are the RA practices again? I will never tire repeating 13 in my RA list: (1) Cover Cropping, (2) Crop Rotation, (3) Farm Crops + Tree Crops (Agroforestry), (4) Green Manuring, (5) Intercropping, (6) Multiple Cropping, (7) No-Till Farming, (8) Organic Fertilization, (9) Ratooning, (10) Rotational Grazing, (11) “Three Sisters” Planting, (12) Trap Cropping, and (13) Trash Mulching.

Except that the spread of RA among Filipino farmers has been limited. Why? In the first place, the knowledge of RA is limited – not even my alma mater, UP Los Baños (I’m BSA ’65, Ag Edu) is talking and/or taking up in class about RA!

Knowledge limited – What a waste of People Power!

I wrote 24 Nov 2023: “Your Garden Of Eden Is The Green You Cultivate & The Joy You Harvest From – Frank A Hilario” (“Creative Thinkering, blogspot.com). Note the title: Your garden of Eden could be anywhere!

To save the Earth, to save ourselves: Everyone should find one’s own green to grow! (bottom image: sg.images.search.yahoo.com) @517

Happy Valentine's Day! 😍😘💕

I found mid-morning today, 14 February 2025, in Manila, this: “200+ Valentines Day Wishes And Messages For Everyone” created by WishesMsg (wishesmsg.com). First, my selected 13 best wishes: (image from Pixabay, pixabay.com)

1, Happy Valentine’s Day my love! You mean the world to me, and I will forever love you!

2. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. Happy Valentine’s Day, my happiness. ❤️

3. Happy Valentine’s Day to my beloved. Thanks for coming into my life and making it special forever.

4, Happy Valentine's Day. Wishing you a lovely and cheerful Valentine’s Day. May all the love that you spread find its way back to you.

5. Without you I am nothing. With you I am everything. Thank you for being my everything. Happy Valentine’s Day ❤️

6. You are all I ever wanted and I’m so glad you are mine. Wishing the sweetest, happiest day to my forever Valentine!

7. Happy Valentine’s day to you and your family. May you celebrate love not only this one day but throughout the year.

8. Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! May this day overflow with all the love your heart can hold. Sending warm hugs and best wishes to you all!

9. Life without love is like a world without any sunshine. May your life never run out of the love that you deserve. Happy Valentine’s Day.

10. You are the reason behind my smiles, my laughter and my happiness. Happy Valentine’s Day, my love!

11. You are the only flower that will bloom forever in my heart. Happy Valentine’s Day My Love ❤️

12. Life without love is like a world without any sunshine. May your life never run out of the love that you deserve. Happy Valentine’s Day.

13. Happy Valentine’s Day to someone who makes my heart smile every single day. I’m grateful for you.

Why did I select not 10 but 13, an unlucky number? To wake you up to LOVE! You don’t love out of luck – you love out of love!

From me: “Now, how do you make your special someone happy this Valentine’s Day?”

The answer to my question depends on you, whether it’s a gift, having sex, saying hello, getting married, whatever. There are countless ways.

But the best answer to my question is this:

Love someone, or them, all the days of your life!

And how do you do that? Here are some ways (WishesMsg):

Sharing heartfelt Valentine’s Day wishes with your partner, family, or friends can make them feel truly special. Write one of these messages on a card, send a sweet text, or share a photo or video with a loving message on social media. It’s a simple way to make your loved ones feel appreciated and loved.

From me: Give a gift, any gift. Send hugs & kisses. Wish someone outside of family a Happy Valentine’s Day.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Why? From that long list of WishesMsg:

“Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! Love is the most beautiful thing in the world. So let’s spread the love!”@517