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TEN YEAR STUDY IN FRANCE PROVED THAT FARMING WITH ZERO PESTICIDES IS NOT ONLY POSSIBLE, BUT CAN EVEN HAVE GREATER YIELDS.

TEN YEAR STUDY IN FRANCE PROVED THAT FARMING WITH ZERO PESTICIDES IS NOT ONLY POSSIBLE, BUT CAN EVEN HAVE GREATER YIELDS. As a political science graduate, I learned about equilibrium, which means a state of balance among different forces or interests. In Cebuano, we have a word for this: “buhi-buhi,” roughly translated as “live and let live.” I think this is how we should look at the choices between using chemical pesticides and farming without them. Please do not get me wrong. I favor moving away from chemical pesticides. But I believe this should be a gradual process of persuasion that leads to conversion, not a forced decision. We live in a democracy, and farmers should be given the freedom to make informed choices about their own farms. A ten-year study by France’s National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), through its Rés0Pest research network, offers encouraging evidence. Published in February 2026, the study examined nine farming systems across di...
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REMARKABLE INNOVATION OF RED CROSS BACOLOD CHAPTER SHOULD BE REPLICATED NATIONWIDE

REMARKABLE INNOVATION OF RED CROSS BACOLOD CHAPTER SHOULD BE REPLICATED NATIONWIDE The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has always been known for disaster response, emergency relief, blood donations and other humanitarian services. But the PRC Negros Occidental–Bacolod City Chapter is showing us that humanitarian work can go beyond its traditional boundaries. Two initiatives deserve nationwide attention: rainwater collection tanks for public schools in Sagay City and a community-based agricultural mechanization project called Pandayan ng Bayan . The rainwater project addresses a growing problem: water shortages caused by changing weather patterns, droughts and El Niño. Schools are excellent starting points. Children need safe drinking water, and successful installations could encourage other schools, including private institutions, to follow. Eventually, why not connect these tanks to appropriate drip-irrigation systems serving nearby demonstration farms? With proper water-quality safeguards...
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WHY NOT BUILD ARTIFICIAL SOLAR TREES THAT COULD GENERATE THE SAME POWER AS SOLAR FARMS BUT WITHOUT CUTTING DOWN FORESTS?

WHY NOT BUILD ARTIFICIAL SOLAR TREES THAT COULD GENERATE THE SAME POWER AS SOLAR FARMS BUT WITHOUT CUTTING DOWN FORESTS? No, this is not just an idea anymore. South Korean researcher Dan-Bi Um of the Korea Maritime Institute has studied a concept called “forest-photovoltaic,” in which photovoltaic panels are mounted on tree-like structures above forest land. A 2025 study published in Scientific Reports found that properly arranged solar trees could preserve about 99% of forest cover, while conventional ground-mounted solar installations in the comparison would eliminate about 98% of the forest cover for equivalent power capacity.  As a fair warning, the South Korean work is a published research/simulation study , with a 2025 study comparing solar-tree arrangements with conventional ground-mounted PV in a coastal forest— not yet a claim that a full commercial solar-tree farm is operating at utility scale. The study nevertheless found that solar trees could preserve about 99% of fo...
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A CALL FOR VOLUNTEER LAWYERS TO HELP NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS

A CALL FOR VOLUNTEER LAWYERS TO HELP NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS I am making a personal appeal to our Filipino lawyers: Can you spare some of your time to help an NGO help other people? I am currently partnering with a crowdfunding website that can allow qualified non-government organizations to raise funds online without paying platform fees or commissions . For small NGOs, this could make a very big difference because every peso saved from fundraising costs can go directly to their beneficiaries. But there is a problem. For donors to receive the appropriate tax benefits, the NGO must first comply with the requirements for recognition as a qualified donee institution. Depending on the NGO's classification and program, this involves dealing with the BIR and, where applicable, the appropriate accrediting agency. This is where I need volunteer lawyers. The BIR already has procedures and documentary requirements for applications involving qualified donee institutions. In fact, its Ci...
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WHAT ARE THE LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM THE EXTINCTION OF FIFTEEN FISH SPECIES IN LAKE LANAO?

WHAT ARE THE LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM THE EXTINCTION OF FIFTEEN FISH SPECIES IN LAKE LANAO? Although I have already written about this subject, my conscience compels me to write about it again. Maybe there are some points I forgot to raise. More importantly, I want to ask: how do we make sure that this will never happen again, not only in Lake Lanao but in our other lakes and rivers? Fifteen endemic fish species of Lake Lanao are gone. They cannot simply be brought back. The lesson should therefore be painful but simple: prevention is much cheaper than extinction. From what I have gathered, several factors contributed to this tragedy: overfishing and destructive fishing; the introduction of invasive species; pollution and habitat degradation; and inadequate or delayed conservation action. Scientific assessments have particularly identified invasive fish and overexploitation as major threats. I hope someone can prove me wrong, but are these same threats not present in many other Philip...
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ARE CRABLETS FOR CRAB GROWING TAKEN FROM MANGROVE FORESTS?

ARE CRABLETS FOR CRAB GROWING TAKEN FROM MANGROVE FORESTS? I keep seeing advertisements on social media for what are sometimes called crab “condos” or cabinets, where people raise mud crabs for fattening. This made me ask a very simple question: Where do the crablets come from? The answer is both interesting and worrying. Yes, a significant portion of the crablets used by the Philippine mud-crab industry still comes from the wild. SEAFDEC/AQD says the industry remains largely dependent on wild collection, although hatchery technology has been developed to provide an alternative. And where are these tiny crabs found? Mangroves, tidal flats, estuaries and other coastal nursery areas. Now I have another question: If these are the natural nurseries of our mud crabs, how much can we take out before we start damaging the resource itself? I am not against crab farming. In fact, I am very much in favor of livelihood programs that allow communities living near mangrove forests to earn from them...
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SOME QUESTIONS THAT FARMERS SHOULD ASK WHEN MEETING WITH LOCAL STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

SOME QUESTIONS THAT FARMERS SHOULD ASK WHEN MEETING WITH LOCAL STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Many of us have attended meetings where government officials talk and farmers listen. But shouldn't it also be the other way around? If farmers are given the opportunity to meet local staff of the Department of Agriculture (DA), I believe they should come prepared with questions. What crop should I plant? What fertilizer should I use? How do I control pests? What is the best time to plant? But I would go beyond these technical questions. I would ask: How much will I spend? How much can I earn? And who will buy my harvest? For me, these are the real questions. The DA's Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) is actually mandated to provide training, farm and business advisory services, technology demonstrations and information support. ATI also uses learning sites, farmer field schools and digital extension programs. So why not make these meetings more interactive? I would ask the...
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