While substantial steps to promote gender equality in our country have been taken with the enactment of the Magna Carta of Women in 2009, gender gaps remain in other industries like agriculture. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, 8.31 million men and 2.76 million ladies in 2016 were employed in agriculture. Men were also paid P17.45 higher than women. Yet these data are not enough to reflect the important roles […]

While substantial steps to promote gender equality in our country have been taken with the enactment of the Magna Carta of Women in 2009, gender gaps remain in other industries like agriculture. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, 8.31 million men and 2.76 million ladies in 2016 were employed in agriculture. Men were also paid P17.45 higher than women. Yet these data are not enough to reflect the important roles […]

From igniting movements to catapulting global phenomena in technology, politics, and business, the youth has played a big role throughout our history. Armed with idealism, zeal, and passion, the world’s young cohort continues to grow in terms of population. According to the UN Population Fund-Philippines, our country now has the largest generation of young people in history with 30 million aged 10-24 years old, accounting for 28% of our population. […]

In the outskirts of Santiago, Gerona, Tarlac, a community is nestled in the middle of an agricultural land. Here, families know each other. After all, they are related by blood. By early afternoon, many of the relatives gather under a massive mango tree where halo-halo is being sold to beat the April heat. It resembles an opening sequence of a local movie – children at play, the huddle of parents […]

In the outskirts of Santiago, Gerona, Tarlac, a community is nestled in the middle of an agricultural land. Here, families know each other. After all, they are related by blood. By early afternoon, many of the relatives gather under a massive mango tree where halo-halo is being sold to beat the April heat. It resembles an opening sequence of a local movie – children at play, the huddle of parents […]

Rogel Comesario’s farm in Manaoag, Pangasinan was the center of attention on March 5, 2020 as the first Rice Competitiveness Enhancement (RCEF) produce was ceremonially harvested. High-ranking national and regional government personalities graced the ceremony, engendering a virtual barrio-fiesta mood. The roaring combine harvester blended well with the output of the drum-and-lyre corps, and the loud speakers further intensified the noisy but pleasing rendition. It was musical democracy at its […]

The afternoon heat is unusually bearable as Dr. Ricardo Orge and I walk through a path that leads to a portion of the farm. The road divides the sprawling rice field to the left and irrigation canal to the right. As we reach the site, we went straight to the oven housed in a shed. “This is where they pasteurize the mushroom fruiting bags,” Dr. Orge reveals. But the oven […]

If the enactment and inescapable enforcement of the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) has put the Filipino rice farmers right at the belly of the beast, then the organic farmers of Don Bosco Multipurpose Cooperative (DBMPC) based in Makilala, North Cotabato have extricated themselves unscathed. While they remain unaffected by the plunging prices of fresh palay in the market, it took years of preparation for the cooperative to survive the effects […]

Perched on a verdant hill where the traditional rice varieties (TRVs) of her tribe are planted, I hear her sing melodiously to the heavens for a bountiful harvest. Her voice, resonating and calming, blends with and flavors the afternoon breeze in her village. This is their tribal song to their God. Her name is Mastine G. Tamba, the 73-year-old seed keeper of the B’laan community at the Lamlifew tribal village […]

It is Thursday and Cherrys Abrigo is on her way to buy rice from the Dumagat farmers in Antipolo City, Rizal. A few years ago, the now 3-hour drive from her hometown Los Baños, Laguna leading to the community was anything but smooth. “This was muddy back then. I had to ride a motorcycle and pay P250 every travel,” Abrigo said as she pointed to the concreted road. Her pick-up […]