ikeseneres

WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN THE POPE HUMORS THE YOUTH? A simple hand gesture may seem too trivial to deserve worldwide attention, but when it is done by the Pope himself, it becomes much more than a viral social media moment. When Pope Leo XIV responded to young people by playfully doing the now-famous "6-7" gesture, he sent a message that may prove to be more important than the gesture itself. The "6-7" trend is one of those internet memes that even many young people admit has no real meaning. It originated from social media and spread rapidly among Generation Z and Generation Alpha. Yet when the Pope returned the gesture with a smile, millions of young people around the world saw something that many of them have long hoped for—a Church willing to speak their language without compromising its faith. This raises an important question. Is this merely a lighthearted publicity moment, or is it the beginning of a renewed effort by the Catholic Church to reconnect with its yo...

TOWARDS A NATIONAL MOVEMENT FOR ORGANIC AGRICULTURE At the risk of stating the obvious, organic agriculture is not just about producing food without chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It is about building healthier communities, creating sustainable livelihoods, protecting the environment, and strengthening our nation's food security. To me, this is where a genuine national movement should begin. First, organic agriculture is about growing herbs, fruits, and vegetables that are healthy to eat because they are free from harmful chemical residues. Better still, they can also become more affordable because they can be produced in our own backyards, schools, barangays, and communities. In some cases, they could even be shared freely among neighbors. Second, organic agriculture is a livelihood program. Community gardens, urban farms, and commercial organic farms can generate employment while creating opportunities for farmers, cooperatives, and small entrepreneurs. As demand for organi...

HOW CAN WE TURN MARKET WASTE INTO FOOD SECURITY? At the risk of stating the obvious, garbage is only garbage if we throw it away. If we recycle it properly, it becomes a valuable resource. Take our public markets for example. Studies have shown that about 60% to 80% of the solid waste generated by wet and dry markets consists of biodegradable materials such as vegetable trimmings, spoiled fruits, fish wastes, poultry wastes, and other organic matter. In some markets, the percentage could even reach 90%. Why should we continue hauling these materials to already overcrowded sanitary landfills when they could be converted into something useful? I recently learned about an interesting proposal submitted by RU Foundry and Machinery, Inc. to the City Government of Pasig. The proposal is both simple and practical. Install commercial shredders in public markets so that biodegradable wastes could immediately be processed onsite. Instead of transporting bulky wastes to landfills, the shredded ma...

HOW CAN WE FIX OUR BROKEN VALUE CHAIN IN OUR AGRICULTURE? During Rome Nutrition Week 2026, IFAD President Álvaro Lario made a statement that every policymaker in the Philippines should carefully study. He reminded the world that nutrition starts long before food reaches the dining table. It starts with farmers who have access to quality inputs, adequate financing, functioning value chains, reliable infrastructure, and markets that fairly reward their hard work. Everything that Lario said applies directly to the Philippines. At the risk of stating the obvious, nutrition depends on agriculture. Without farmers, there is no food. Without food, there is no nutrition. The question is: Does our government recognize that our agricultural value chain is badly broken? Or are we pretending that the problem will somehow solve itself? The Department of Agriculture cannot fix this alone. What we need is a whole-of-government—and perhaps even a whole-of-nation—approach. Agriculture involves roads, i...

HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOME GARDENS BECOME MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY If you have a home garden, no matter how small it is, there are many things that you can do to make it more environmentally friendly. At the risk of stating the obvious, your garden is part of the environment, and whatever you do inside it will eventually affect the community around you. Many people believe they can do whatever they want with their own gardens. That is true, but what if your garden could also improve air quality, strengthen biodiversity, and even contribute to food security? One simple way is to plant native flowering species that attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Scientists estimate that pollinators support more than one-third of global food production. By providing food and shelter for these beneficial insects, your backyard becomes part of a larger ecological corridor that also benefits nearby fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and farms. On the other hand, excessive use of chemical fert...

WHY A FOOD-SUPPLY SHOCK IS REAL AND WHY THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD WAKE UP TO IT A food-supply shock in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, is now being forecast by Goldman Sachs. This is not mere speculation. It comes from one of the world's most respected investment research institutions, and that alone should be enough reason for our government to pay serious attention. The question is: Has the Department of Agriculture (DA) already informed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. about this looming threat? If it has, what concrete measures are now being implemented? If not, why not? According to Goldman Sachs, the Philippines is among the countries most vulnerable because we are a net food importer. Worse, food already consumes almost half of the budget of many low-income Filipino families. If global food prices rise because of higher oil prices, more expensive fertilizers, and the expected El Niño later this year, ordinary Filipinos will suffer the most. This is what economists ca...