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HOW CAN WE BUILD A NEW GENERATION OF SUPER RICH COCONUT FARMERS?

HOW CAN WE BUILD A NEW GENERATION OF SUPER RICH COCONUT FARMERS? Let me begin with an “inconvenient truth,” borrowing the phrase from Al Gore. If our coconut farmers continue thinking in terms of copra only , they will remain poor—perhaps forever. Why? Because copra is cheap. That is the simplest explanation, and perhaps the most painful one. No matter how hard farmers work, the margins are too thin. We are asking them to climb a mountain using a ladder that is too short. So what should we do? We must change the game entirely . Instead of selling raw copra, farmers must become producers of high-value products . Virgin coconut oil, coconut sugar, coconut flour, coco coir, activated carbon—these are not just by-products; they are profit centers. In many cases, they can earn two to three times more than copra. But if you ask me where the real breakthrough lies, I will say it without hesitation: biodiesel . The Philippines already has a biodiesel program based on coconut methyl ester. Wha...
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HOW CAN WE DEPOSIT AND WITHDRAW FROM A BLOOD BANK LIKE A REAL BANK?

  HOW CAN WE DEPOSIT AND WITHDRAW FROM A BLOOD BANK LIKE A REAL BANK? At first glance, the idea sounds uncomfortable—even controversial. Comparing human blood to money may offend some sensibilities. But let us be clear: this is not about commercializing blood. It is about organizing compassion . Today, our blood banking system operates like a barter economy. In times of emergency, families scramble to find “replacement donors.” That is not a system—it is a crisis response. If we truly want reliability, we must think differently. Perhaps, we should think like bankers. Imagine this: instead of donating blood only when needed, every citizen maintains a “blood account.” When you donate, you earn credits. When you need blood, you withdraw—without panic, without delay, and ideally, without cost. This is not as far-fetched as it sounds. Under the leadership of the Department of Health, and aligned with PhilHealth, we could build a National Blood Ledger . Each Filipino, linked through the...
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WHAT DOES UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE MEAN?

WHAT DOES UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE MEAN? When we speak of Universal Health Care, we often imagine “free medicine for all.” That sounds good politically, but in reality, it is not that simple. The World Health Organization defines Universal Health Care (UHC) as access to needed health services without financial hardship. I agree—but I would go further. Perhaps this is just semantics, but I prefer the phrase “universal access to health care.” Why? Because you can claim UHC exists, yet people still cannot see a doctor when they need one. What good is “coverage” without access ? To me, access means two things: onsite and online . We learned this the hard way during COVID-19. When hospitals were overwhelmed, telemedicine became not a luxury, but a necessity. The same model could save us again—not just from pandemics, but even during disasters or conflicts. But let us face reality. There are simply not enough doctors for everyone to have regular face-to-face consultations. So why insist on a ...
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WE ARE VOLUNTEERING TO HELP THE GOVERNMENT PRODUCE ORGANIC FERTILIZERS, MILLED RICE AND ALTERNATIVE FUELS

WE ARE VOLUNTEERING TO HELP THE GOVERNMENT PRODUCE ORGANIC FERTILIZERS, MILLED RICE AND ALTERNATIVE FUELS This is an urgent offer addressed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and to his Secretary of Agriculture, Francisco P. Tiu-Laurel, Jr. I am making this offer together with my fellow advocate, Mr. Ramon Uy, Sr., who is the founder and President of RU Foundry in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. We are offering the government several tested and proven technologies that could immediately address some of the pressing problems that our country is facing now, in the hope that we could prevent or minimize some possible crisis situations that are being predicted.  We are offering the following technologies that are ready to be inspected at several actual pilot sites and demonstration farms in Bacolod City and in nearby locations at any time: Production of organic fertilizers that could replace up to 100% of our synthetic fertilizers in case of a global shortage.  Production of b...
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GOVERNMENT AS FIRST ADAPTER OF ALL LAWS

GOVERNMENT AS FIRST ADAPTER OF ALL LAWS I have a new movement in mind. For lack of a better term, I call it “Government As First Adapter” or GAFA. At its core is a very simple idea: practice what you preach . It sounds almost childish—like “show and tell” in kindergarten—but perhaps that is exactly what our governance needs today: simplicity, clarity, and sincerity. It has always puzzled me why governments are very good at crafting laws, yet often lukewarm in enforcing them—especially on themselves. Passion in enforcement cannot be faked. It must be demonstrated. And the most convincing demonstration is leadership by example. Take biofuels. We keep hearing about mandates for higher biodiesel blends, cleaner transport, and reduced emissions. My question is: why not start with all government vehicles? If every agency—from national departments down to barangay units—shifted to biofuels, the message would be unmistakable: “We believe in this enough to do it first.” Or consider waste segreg...
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REVIVING DEAD SOIL USING BLACK EARTH

REVIVING DEAD SOIL USING BLACK EARTH I used to think that once soil becomes “dead,” it is gone for good—just like a depleted mine or a dried-up well. But I was wrong. Soil, unlike many other resources, can actually come back to life. And the solution, interestingly enough, is something ancient, almost forgotten: Black Earth. Scientists today call it biochar or humic substances, but long before modern agriculture existed, indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest were already producing what is now known as Terra Preta. These were not naturally fertile soils—they were created by people. That alone should make us pause and rethink how we treat our own farmlands. So yes, dead soil can live again. The technology is already here. In fact, it has always been here. The problem is not just technical—it is cultural. We have become too dependent on chemical fertilizers, forgetting that fertilizers are supposed to supplement fertility, not replace it. Now, with global supply disruptions and...
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