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INTEGRATED FARM SCHOOL OR NATIONAL SOLUTION?

INTEGRATED FARM SCHOOL OR NATIONAL SOLUTION? What if we build a place where farming, science, tourism, and livelihood all come together? Not just another farm. Not just another resort. But a living, working ecosystem. I am talking about an Integrated Sustainable Agriculture and Eco-Learning Hub—a place that is part farm school, part nature park, part eco-resort, part research center, and part livelihood incubator. At first glance, it sounds ambitious. But when you look closely, it is actually common sense. The Philippines today faces a triple problem: food insecurity, environmental degradation, and rural poverty. Yet the irony is this—we already have the solutions. They are scattered across universities, research centers, and pilot projects. The problem is fragmentation. Knowledge exists, but access does not. Take the University of the Philippines system, for example. Different campuses have already developed technologies in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and environmental science. ...
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HOW TO PREVENT FOOD AND WATER SHORTAGES

HOW TO PREVENT FOOD AND WATER SHORTAGES As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. That may sound cliché, but when it comes to food and water security, it could literally mean the difference between survival and disaster. No, I am not saying that shortages will definitely happen tomorrow. But the warning signs are already visible. Farmers are complaining that the prices of chemical fertilizers have become too expensive. Some are even refusing to plant because they fear losing money instead of earning from their harvests. The reason is obvious. Synthetic fertilizers are heavily dependent on fossil fuels. When oil prices rise because of wars, supply disruptions, or geopolitical tensions, fertilizer prices also rise. And when farmers stop planting, the equation becomes very simple: if farmers do not plant, we do not eat. Some people still believe that imports will save us. But what if exporting countries also experience shortages? What if they decide to...
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AN URGENT APPEAL TO THE PRESIDENT TO SUPPORT THE ORGANIC FERTILIZER INDUSTRY

AN URGENT APPEAL TO THE PRESIDENT TO SUPPORT THE ORGANIC FERTILIZER INDUSTRY Many people still do not realize that the manufacturing of organic fertilizers is already a legitimate industry by itself, separate and distinct from agriculture. It may not require giant factories or complicated machinery, but it still involves a manufacturing process that converts waste materials into products of value. At the very least, it should already qualify as a nationwide cottage industry capable of employing thousands of Filipinos. More importantly, it could become one of the pillars of our national food security. Today, the Philippines remains dangerously dependent on imported chemical fertilizers whose prices are dictated by foreign wars, oil shocks and shipping disruptions. The tensions in the Middle East and the uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz should already serve as a wake-up call. If oil supplies become restricted, fertilizer prices will rise further, transport costs will soar, an...
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IS ONE HUNDRED PERCENT ORGANIC AGRICULTURE POSSIBLE?

IS ONE HUNDRED PERCENT ORGANIC AGRICULTURE POSSIBLE? I intended that question to be a trick question. Because if our answer is yes, then we must also accept the consequence: we have to stop using one hundred percent chemical fertilizers and pesticides. So is it possible? The honest answer is this: theoretically yes, but practically difficult—especially if we are talking about a national or global scale. Still, there are real-world examples that prove it can be done, at least in smaller areas. One often-cited success story is Sikkim, which became the world’s first fully organic state in 2016. But even there, the transition took 13 long years, with heavy government support. And despite its success, Sikkim still relies on imports from other regions to meet total food demand. Closer to home, we have a more inspiring and perhaps more relevant example: Central Philippines State University. With about 4,600 hectares spread across multiple campuses, CPSU has reportedly achieved 100% organic fa...
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HOW CAN WE ACHIEVE FOOD SECURITY BY WAY OF FOOD INDEPENDENCE?

HOW CAN WE ACHIEVE FOOD SECURITY BY WAY OF FOOD INDEPENDENCE? I was recently invited to a Senate hearing to discuss the impact of rising oil prices on agriculture. I made a simple suggestion: instead of spending billions on imported synthetic fertilizers, why not use that same budget to support locally produced organic fertilizers? To me, this is not just policy—it is common sense. We are now facing what I would call a “Catch-22.” If we continue relying on synthetic fertilizers, we risk shortages and skyrocketing prices due to global supply disruptions. But if we shift to organic fertilizers, many farmers hesitate because there is no guaranteed market. In other words, farmers will not produce what no one is willing to buy. So who breaks this deadlock? The government. With agencies like the Department of Agriculture holding both the mandate and the budget, the solution is straightforward: guarantee the purchase of organic fertilizers. Once farmers know there is a sure buyer, production ...
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HOW DO WE CONVINCE ALL FILIPINOS THAT POVERTY REDUCTION SHOULD BE OUR TOP PRIORITY?

HOW DO WE CONVINCE ALL FILIPINOS THAT POVERTY REDUCTION SHOULD BE OUR TOP PRIORITY? Let me say this as plainly as I can: poverty in the Philippines is not just a social issue—it is a national emergency that has been going on for decades. And yet, we still treat it as if it were optional. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, millions of Filipinos continue to live below the poverty line, while many more hover just above it, one crisis away from falling back. Globally, the United Nations has already declared “No Poverty” as the first of the Sustainable Development Goals. The message is clear: if we do not solve poverty, we solve nothing. So why are we still not united behind this priority? Perhaps the problem is how we explain it. For too long, poverty has been framed as charity—as if helping the poor were simply an act of kindness. That is a mistake. Poverty is not charity. Poverty is bad economics. When millions of Filipinos have no purchasing power, our economy cannot grow...
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HOW CAN WE GROW SALINE RICE IN THE PHILIPPINES?

HOW CAN WE GROW SALINE RICE IN THE PHILIPPINES? For a country with one of the longest coastlines in the world, it is almost ironic that we are still struggling to grow rice in areas touched by saltwater. The idea of saline or salt-tolerant rice is not new. In fact, institutions like the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the International Rice Research Institute have long developed varieties such as Salinas and Saltol lines designed precisely for these conditions. So the real question is not whether we can grow saline rice—but why we have not done it aggressively. Dr. Teodoro Mendoza, in his article on “seawater rice,” reminds us that this innovation “expands cultivation into previously unproductive coastal and degraded lands” and could help feed millions more people. He cited China’s experience, where salt-tolerant rice has moved beyond experiments into large-scale production, with yields reaching as high as 4.6 metric tons per acre. If that is possible elsewhere, why not here? Af...
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