Lopez Juanito P. Tagtong, also known as Sir Bong, has trained over 1,000 farmers in Zamboanga Sibugay. After embarking on an educational journey across various cities, the 42-year-old settled in Ipil with his sister. Despite being the only Muslim in the community, Bong aimed to promote peace and contribute to farming.
Bong and his sister acquired 5 hectares of land, which they transformed into a farm school named Salam Natures Farm. Bong’s journey as a trainer began when he participated in the first Training of Trainers (TOT) on High-Quality Inbred Rice Seeds and Farm Mechanization in November 2019, organized by the Agricultural Training Institute Regional Training Center IX (ATI-RTC-IX).
Transitioning from a participant to a trainer under the Farmers’ Field School (FFS) of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) program, Bong undertook the Rice Specialists Training Course (RSTC) in PhilRice Agusan in 2022. The knowledge gained from the RSTC enabled him to assist farmers in applying rice and rice-based technologies in the community.
Bong’s reputation as an effective trainer has spread, leading him to initiate an FFS in Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay with 50 farmer scholars. Beyond training farmers, Bong has engaged the youth by mentoring four agri-students, helping them manage the farm school and facilitate FFS sessions to educate more farmers in the Zamboanga Peninsula.
