Journalists, Here’s How To Make Your New Year Happy – Stop Complaining First And Start Understanding Where People & Events Are Coming From!

Journalist Ellen Tordesillas, says Rest of World 100, co-founded the non-profit Vera Files (restofworld.org) in 2008, “to provide fact-checking and analysis of Philippine political issues under President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration [as] she and her team of Filipino journalists impart the importance of separating facts from misinformation and disinformation online [that] has become especially significant as political misinformation becomes part and parcel of online life in the Philippines.” Really?

Thus,, it is not surprising that she shares on Facebook today, Saturday, 31 Dec 2022, the end-of-the-year sharing: “Hello 2023! New Year, new pieces of information. Continue to be critical and scrutinizing in 2023. “ And my comment to that is this: “Ms Ellen, au contraire – I will continue to be creative 2023 – you would not know I am actually being critical!”

Ms Ellen, look at the lower image (“2023” from pngtree.com): Something new from something old. Goodbye 2022, Hello 2023! It just needs some imagination – you can do it!

“There’s more than one way to skin a cat.” About that phrase, Collins Dictionary says, “There is more than one way to skin a cat; keep positive and try another method of reaching your goal” (Collins, collinsdictionary.com).

Ms Ellen, please note that I am coming out with this in my blog “Multiple I’s” – coming from Harvard professor Howard Gardner’s theory of “Multiple Intelligences.” Each of us has 9 intelligences – for journalists, you can be critical (“number/reasoning smart”) or creative (“life smart”).

So: before being critical, first understand where somebody is coming from. For instance, President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr wants a “P20/kg rice” because he thinks that that’s a welcome sound of music to people’s ears. Now, Ms Ellen:

That P20/kg rice is Mission – where is the Vision? Where is BBM coming from? I do not see anywhere.

Prophecy: “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV). “Where there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint, but happy are those who keep the law” (Proverbs 29:18, NRSV).

Hello 2023! New Year, let us gather new pieces of information to continue to be creative and contributory to the country in 2023.

At LinkedIn, Ms Ellen says, “I'm a trustee and writer of VERA Files, a group that undertakes in-depth reporting. I write a column for Malaya, an English newspaper with a courageous history” (LinkedIn, linkedin.com).

Nowadays, with the Internet, it doesn’t need much courage to bring out the worse or worst of people. But it takes much heart to bring out the best! Where is your heart, Ms Ellen?

With your “investigative journalism,” your forever aim is to bring out the worst of people. I say, Ms Ellen, instead be socially relevant enough to help bring out the best in 2023.

For instance, Ms Ellen, why have you not done any investigative journalism on why Climate Change is getting worse and how much greenhouse gases are generated by the prevalent Chemical Agriculture here and abroad? I won’t be surprised if You would be surprised!@517

 

There Are No Dull Pupils Or Students – There Are Only Dull Teachers Or Instructors! This Is A Teacher Speaking About Multiple Intelligences (MI)

I have been re-inspired to write about Harvard psychology professor Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) because my youngest daughter Graciela is now teaching at Potter’s Place in El Nido, Palawan – the school covering elementary grades up to senior high school. As a teacher, I learned years ago that each individual has one’s own intelligences.

This new dedicated blog “Multiple I’s” was inspired when I read Vikram Mansharamni’s article shared on Facebook (15 June 2020, CNBC, cnbc.com): “Harvard Lecturer: ‘No Specific Skill Will Get You Ahead In The Future’ – But This ‘Way Of Thinking’ Will.” The phrase “Harvard Lecturer” is indirectly saying, “If Harvard endorses the idea, you better subscribe to it!”

Mr Mansharamni says:

Many of us have been told that deep expertise will lead to enhanced credibility, rapid job advancement, and escalating incomes. The alternative of being broad-minded is usually dismissed as dabbling without really adding value.

But the future may be very different: Breadth of perspective and the ability to connect the proverbial dots (the domain of generalists) is likely to be as important as depth of expertise and the ability to generate dots (the domain of specialists).

Mr Mansharamni is selling the virtue of “broadmindedness” and dismissing the virtue of “depth of expertise” – which goes against the grain of hiring college majors. Ah, instead of this theory by Harvard professor Mansharamni, I accept the theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) by another Harvard professor, Howard Gardner. I accepted MI a great many years ago. Those 9 intelligences point to 9 specific expertises to be developed in learners from kinder to college!

Mr Gardner’s 9 MIs are as follows:

1.     Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence – “Body-Movement Smart”
2.     Existential Intelligence – “Life Smart”
3.     Interpersonal Intelligence – “People Smart”
4.     Intrapersonal Intelligence – “Self Smart”
5.     Linguistic-Verbal Intelligence – “Word Smart”
6.     Logical-Mathematical Intelligence – “Number/Reasoning Smart”
7.     Musical Intelligence – “Sound Smart”
8.     Naturalistic Intelligence – “Nature Smart”
9.     Spatial Intelligence – “Picture Smart”.

With MI, you can be broadminded in 9 different intelligences!

The first time I encountered MI, I believed in it – it was at the Cahbriba Alternative Schoolin Los Baños where 3 of my children took their high school; Cahbriba was founded by the wife-and-husband team Pilar & Cielito F Habito (yes, the NEDA head). I, a creative writer myself, immediately embraced the MI multi-universe.

The bad thing about the old method of teaching is that only 1 intelligence quotient (IQ) is considered, and the emphases are on arithmetical, memory and vocabulary skills (Britannica, britannica.com). IQ does not measure hidden interests or talents; in contrast, MI measures where you are smart in or with: athletics, life, people, self, language. logic, music, nature, or visuals.
(“Girl learner” from laurieadachi.com)

I first blogged about MI 07 March 2007 (“Primate Change? Or Climate Change?” The American Frank, wordpress.com). In the last 15 years, I have learned that:

At any stage of the learning process, from Grade School to Grad School, with MI, there are no dull learners – only dull teachers!@517

MTV’s Edsa People Power Book “Silver Linings” – When You Write History, Remember It’s Never Finished!

Friday, 30 Dec 2022, is the 126^th year after the Spanish authority in the Philippines executed the “subversive” Jose Rizal, whose death quickly made him the National Hero and turned the tide against the colonizers. Today, I celebrate not a Death but a Birth, the “New Philippines” that emerged after the Edsa People Power Revolution of February 1986. This time, the tide turned against dictator President Ferdinand “FM” Edralin Marcos;today, I ask: That “New Philippines” – where is it?

(“Edsa 1986” from capcsi.com)

My friend JAQ just sent me a new copy of Melandrew T Velasco’s book Silver Linings subtitled “25 Years Of The 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution,” published 2012. A total of 488 pages, paperbound, no color pages except the PH flag on the cover.

Color is what Mr Velasco’s book lacks – figuratively and literally!

What is lacking in Mr Velasco’s book – co-written with Rafael Alunan III and Gen Reynaldo V Velasco (Ret) – is the “Silver Linings” promised in the title.

My online dictionary has this on the subject (TheFreeDictionary, idioms.thefreedictionary.com):

Silver lining – The potential for something positive or beneficial to result from a negative situation... (A silver lining on a cloud is an indication that the sun is behind it.)

So now, I'm asking Mr Velasco – “Where is that Sun? More directly, where is that Vision? Your book does not present it in any way, shape or form, and it’s not your failure. After the Marcoses fled to Hawaii, the leaders of Edsa People Power failed to gather and discuss what to do next, how to make this nation not regret again!

What we Filipinos need to do now is proceed to the next phase of Edsa People Power; Edsa saw the silver linings but not a Vision for a brighter Philippines! “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV).

I say: “Edsa People Power failed to solve/resolve “The 3 Poverties” – Poverty of Thinking, Poverty of Leadership, and Poverty of Followership. Thinking: The Edsa Leaders failed to define/refine the Vision after the Fall. Leadership: They failed to define/refine Leadership after Martial Law. Followership: They failed to define/refine the Followership from the Leadership.

A writer & editor with decades of experiences in the typewriter and digital universes, Roman Catholic, I see the first unforgivablesin of Mr Velasco’s book is the non-inclusion of the major role that Jaime Cardinal Sin played in rallying the people and encouraging them to physically gather along Edsa to show support for the breakaway leaders: Juan Ponce Enrile and Fidel V Ramos.

This time, now that the son has also risen, President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr, we Filipinos should ask the same question: “Where is that New Philippines?!” Where is your vision of your country apart from a “P20/kg rice”? I Filipino citizen expect: “The Son Also Rises”!

“Silver Linings” is a book that is unfinished – and that finishes it with me. If all BBM dreams of is 20 pesos per kilo of rice, the buck stops here?@517

 

“Holy Innocents Day” 1985 – It Just So Happened That This Was The Day Innocent Me From Zero, I Began Learning To Use The Personal Computer

28 December 1985, 37 years ago, a Saturday, I was 100% innocent about the personal computer (PC) when I started learning to use the desktop PC with my first word processing program, “WordStar 1”.  Remember? At that time, I was already a fast & furious typist; I had typed on an IBM Selectric a whole book, “Focus On The Small Farmer,” that was published in 138 pages by the Farming Systems & Soil Resources Institute(FSSRI) of UP Los Baños. I had edited the book by hand and retyped whole pages as necessary. A labor of love, yes – a labor that I did not want to go through again!

“Feast Of The Holy Innocents” (Britannica, britannica.com):
Feast of the Holy Innocents, also called Childermas or Innocents’ Day, Christian feast in remembrance of the massacre of young children in Bethlehem by King Herod the Great in his attempt to kill the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:16–18).
(“Innocent face” from pikapika.ph;

In 1985, I wanted to kill the innocent writer & editor in me and, thanks to FSSRI Director Elpidio L Rosario, I started to suffocate that innocence with the tool called the PC.
“Old computer” clalliance.org; inset, my PC circa 2017)

“Massacre Of The Innocents” (Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org):
The Massacre of the Innocents is the incident described in the nativity narrative of the Gospel of Matthew (2:16–18) in which Herod the Great, king of Judea, orders the execution of all male children who are two years old and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem. The Catholic Church regards them as the first Christian martyrs, and their feast – Holy Innocents' Day (or the Feast of the Holy Innocents) – is celebrated on 28 December. A majority of Herod biographers, and "probably a majority of biblical scholars," hold the event to be myth, or legend.

What I am writing about me is not myth but is legend – I can say that because I have through the years trained myself; I have shown that I can be a one-man band digital Editor In Chief of any technical newsletter, journal or magazine – a legendary Ilocano PC-based writer, editor and desktop publisher!

From Innocents Day 1985, slowly through the years, because I wanted to, I learned the whole digital process from typing the draft to editing to formatting the text to sectioning, assigning running pages, etcetera.

“Feast Of The Holy Innocents” (Catholics & Cultures, catholicsandcultures.org):
The Feast of the Holy Innocents, also called Childermas or Innocents’ Day, is a Christian feast in remembrance of the massacre of young children in Bethlehem by King Herod the Great in his attempt to kill the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:16–18). The day is still observed as a religious feast day and, in Roman Catholic countries, as a day of merrymaking for children.

Me, I celebrate Innocents Day as my liberation from the slavery of the typewriter. A zillion thanks to my digital idols Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniakfor inventing the PC!@517

Long Ago, PH President GMA Did Champion The Poor – Why Not President BBM Today Championing The Poor Farmers Beyond Pledging P20/kg Rice?

PH history revisited: I am a Filipino. In 2007, the India-based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) under Director General William Dar (yes, the former PH Secretary of Agriculture), published my book titled “Team ICRISAT Champions The Poor” (136 big pages). My book said something about my President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) visiting India. That trip was Chapter 3: “GMA’s Indian Summer. Writing The Philippine Story (Revised Edition).”

I wrote:

GMA has been busy writing the next Philippine Story; her detractors have been busy denigrating the size of her frame, using the wrong framework sizing up her failures, never minding her successes. I admire their tenacity, or shall I say their character? Character, I like to say, is stubbornness bordering on stupidity.

Where were they when GMA was in a State Visit recently [2007] and established “a long-term and mutually beneficial trade relationship for import and export of various products” (gmanews.tv) between India and the Philippines? Thank God they did not devise a Senate inquiry in aid of legislation. Well, I don’t hesitate to say the Indians have more faith in the Philippines than many of the Filipinos who keep loudly professing their love of country.

On his part, President Ferdinand“BBM” Marcos Jr made a 3-day state visit to Indonesia early this September (Sebastian Strangio, 07 Sept 2022, The Diplomat, thediplomat.com). BBM and Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo signed “a defense and security cooperation agreement.”

BBM did not explore economics, unlike GMA 15 years earlier. Why not?

At any rate, BBM did promise this July, Christia Marie Ramos says: “Bongbong Marcos Admin Aims To Cut Poverty Rate To 9% By End Of Term – DOF Chief” (06 July 2022, Inquirer, newsinfo.inquirer.net):

The new administration is aiming to reduce the country’s poverty rate to nine percent by the end of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s term in 2028. Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Benjamin Diokno disclosed this Wednesday that such a goal is part of his agency’s medium-term fiscal consolidation framework that was presented during their first Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Good. But not good enough! I want to hear about how BBM and his cabinet, especially the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its numerous attached agencies – how Farmer Poverty is going to be solved.

For the sake of Management, BBM’s promise of a P20/kg rice is a Mission – now, where is that Vision that calls for that Mission?
(“Vision” from kenccid.org)

My favorite “Missionary” is one who showed he was a “Visionary” some 22 years ago. He referred to himself as a “Servant Leader” – that is, his servanthood (service) came first before leadership, or his leadership was for the purpose of servanthood. When William Dar. was the Director General of ICRISAT (based in India) 2000-2014, and when he was PH Secretary of Agriculture 2019-2022 – The ICRISAT Vision/Mission was “Science with a human face.”

For BBM for Agriculture, for the poor farmers, why not this Vision/Mission: “Science with a farmer’s face”? Asking as a friend!@517

 

Need Excellent Editor’s Help For Your BS Or Masteral Thesis Or PhD Dissertation? You Came To The Right Place!

Yes, I am a self-taught one-man band digital editor in Agriculture and related sciences. A little personal history, from typewriter to laptop:

1959-1965: Alumnus of UPCA, now UP Los Baños (BSA major in Ag Edu, Civil Service Professional).
1975-1981: Typewriter-based Writerand Editor In Chief of the technical journal Sylvatrop of FORI (now ERDB) of PH Department of Environment & Natural Resources.
2007-2014: Digital Writer From Home (WFH) for the India-based ICRISAT.
2019-2022: Digital WFH for the PH Department of Agriculture under Secretary William Dar.

No, you did not know that I am self-taught when it comes to writing, editing and desktop publishing whether it’s popular or technical in language. And yes, I began my mastery of English grammar and composition in high school yet, in the early 1950s, or 60+ years ago.

In terms of technical edits, I began in 1975 at the Forest Research Institute (FORI) where I became the founder & Editor In Chief of the monthly newsletter Canopy, quarterly technical journal Sylvatrop, and quarterly color magazine Habitat.

1959-84: Typewriter Days.
1985: I began teaching myself digital skills.

You can do much if you have the attitude and aptitude. Note: I was self-taught in writing and editing. My FORI days happened  during what I call the Era of Dinosaurs – heavy-duty large typewriters. What about quality of editing? Know that Canopy made FORI well-known at UP Los Baños where it was based, and among American and European forestry agencies through exchange publications, And because of Canopy, the maiden issue of Sylvatrop already had a foreigner (from the University of Ibadan) contributing a paper, on forest products.

Between my FORI years and today, I have edited countless BS and Masteral theses, and PhD dissertations in Agriculture and related fields, mostly from UP Los Baños.

I taught myself my digital skills for writing, editing, up to and including desktop publishing (DTP). I often joke, seriously, that I must be an excellent teacher because I taught myself who became excellent in his writing, editing & DTP works!

If  you look at the bottom image, that is a picture of how & why I enjoy my writing, editing & DTP works – I have 2 monitors, the external & bigger monitor for editing, the laptop & smaller monitor for viewing whatever, to entertain or inform me further. How can I lose?

About the top image, ANN says, “The Top 10 Online Thesis Editing And Proofreading Services” (Author Not Named, 14 May 2021, TrueEditors, trueeditors.com); here’s a quote:

Even the most serious students get chills when it comes to writing their [theses]. Temperatures will [rise] high after having to work on a [manuscript] that will eventually be accountable for the “partial completion” of your degree. [For better results], you must submit your thesis to a professional thesis editing service [first].

Notice the 5 [brackets] above? I Filipino edited the American editor! A digital one-man band, I offer a complete set of editing & proofreading services. PM me on Facebook for my email.@517

 

Poor Farmers And Fishers Will Be Always With Us – If The Department Of Agriculture Continues To Ignore Conservation Of Resources!

I write this on Christmas Day, 25 Dec 2022. Do we actually celebrate Christmas with the poor? No. Pope Francis says it is not truly Christmas when poor people remain poor (Christopher White, 24 Dec 2022, “Pope Francis: 'It Is Not Truly Christmas Without The Poor',” National Catholic Reporter, ncronline.org). I Roman Catholic say you are poorer if you celebrate Christmas without the poor in mind, meaning and manner!

(“Poverty” from pinterest.ph)

In his Christmas Eve homily at the Vatican, Pope Francis says, “The church supports and blesses efforts to change the structures of injustice, and sets down but one condition: that social, economic and political change[s] truly benefit the poor.” Above, he is seen carrying an image of the baby Jesus born poor in a manger in Bethlehem.

Mr White says, “Pope Francis marked the start of Christmas at the Vatican by cautioning that it is impossible to celebrate the birth of Jesus without concern for the poor.” Impossible? We Christians do it every year!

And what do the non-religious groups say? Here is from Zacarian Sarao who says, “True Spirit Of Christmas Is Being Mindful Of How We Impact Earth, Ocean – Oceana” (24 Dec 2022, Inquirer, newsinfo.inquirer.net). As a marine conservation collection, “Oceana stressed the importance of taking care of the planet, particularly the ocean… as it recognized the struggles and sacrifices of artisanal fisherfolk in 2022.”

However: While Pope Francis’ and Oceana’s declarations themselves share that “concern for the poor,” they both ignore the fact that the poor themselves are also toblame: thus, the farmers for abusing the soils, and the fishermen for abusing the waters!

And yes, both abuses happen to fall into the responsibility of the government in promoting and pursuing “conservation,” which my favorite American Heritage Dictionary defines as “controlled use and protection of natural resources, as forests, wetlands, endangered species, etc” (TheFreeDictionary, thefreedictionary.com).

And that means, the government is to blame for neglecting to implement the laws of resource conservation – and the farmers and fishers themselves because they have no concern for themselves!

And I must blame the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) for failing to adequately extend the principles and practices of conservation of resources to the people.

Ultimately, as Secretary of Agriculture, I must blame BBM if he does not do anything about the ATI not doing anything to help the farmers and fishers help themselves.

Pope Francis  says:

He who was born in the manger, demands a concrete faith, made up of adoration and charity, not empty words and superficiality. He who lay naked in the manger and hung naked on the cross, asks us for truth, he asks us to go to the bare reality of things…

In the Philippines and in farming and fisheries, how can the ATI promote prosperity among the farmers and fishermen when what the ATI people are all doing is all training, training, training with technology!? What about fisheries exploitation coupled with conservation? What about farming with climate change in mind?@517

 

Did God Send His Son To The World To Show Love? More Than That – He Sent Him To Show How To Share Love!

25 December 2022, Christmas Day in Manila, Sunday; we believers celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, Son of God. And now I ask: “Did God send his son to show love?” My Roman Catholic reply: “The only way to show love is to share it.” And not only one day of the year!

Here comes ANN with Rapplerand its corporate campaign to “#ShareLove This Holiday Season, One Good Deed At A Time” (Author Not Named, 16 Dec 2022, rappler.com).

Rappler’s #ShareLove considered, how do you react to this news from Africa; ANN says, “Africa Must Heal Itself – And Not Rely On America” (Author Not Named, 22 Dec 2022, The Patriot Post, patriotpost.us/opinion). Do we call America selfish?

Ah, but that exactly is the reason why I began by asking why God sent his son to the world – to show how to share love!

How much you share, that is the measure of your love.
(“Share” from Rappler)

There is poverty in the world because people are selfish. They say they love God, but they do not share their blessings with their fellowmen.
(“Poverty” from christiantruthcenter.com)

And how can Africa heal itself and not rely on America? Same as how the Philippines can heal itself and not rely on America!

Combatting Climate Change – Right now, selfish countries are not paying much attention beyond COP27 claims they are trying to reduce emissions.

Here is what Natalia Alyza et al have to say (08 Dec 2022, “COP27: Key Takeaways And What’s Next,” World Resources Institute, wri.org): “Countries at COP27 agreed to outcomes that reflected only modest, incremental progress on reducing emissions.”

“Only modest, incremental progress” – and this is already the 27^th year that the United Nations is meeting on climate change!

I will now repeat my mantra that Regenerative Agriculture (RA) is what every country in the world, big or small, should apply without paying much attention to the progress of those interminable Conferences of Parties – they are not helping the world cope with climate change!

I see that Organic Agriculture (OA), which is a method of RA, is the one stone that can shoot two birds: Farmer Poverty and Climate Change.

I look at organic farming as sharing:

1.     Sharing the rich soil.
Organic farming results in crops sharing the natural richness of the soil via trash farming – the trash is utilized as wealth, not wasted.

2.     Sharing the rich harvests.
With naturally rich soils, it follows that the harvests of farmers are rich.

3.     Sharing the rich foods.
The harvests are of leaves, stems, root and fruits that are naturally rich in food elements that are good for the body of any consumer.

4.     Sharing the rich incomes.
With low costs of farming, the farmers undoubtedly become richer.

5.     Sharing the rich countryside.
Organic methods do not generate greenhouse gases that generate climate change.

Organic farming is sharing love, sharing the goodness of the Earth with plants and animals and people in the countryside!@517

 

If I Were A Cordilleran, I Would Start A “Save The Cordilleras” And Not Be Limited To “Save The Rice Terraces”!”

I have been wondering about the world wonder called “Ifugao Rice Terraces” and have been looking at them as “improvable,” what with my added knowledge of agroforestry that I obtained between 1975 and 1981 when I was Editor In Chief of the monthly newsletter Canopy, quarterly technical Sylvatrop, and quarterly color magazine Habitat published by the Forest Research Institute (FORI) where I was Editor In Chief from 1975 to 1981. Thus, this agriculturist enjoyed his on-the-job learning!

I am now reading Ronnel W Domingo’s news report, “Ifugao Rice Terraces Land On Another ‘Protection’ List” (23 Dec 2022, Inquirer, newsinfo.inquirer.net). The caption of the above photograph says, “The world-famous Cordillera landscape keeps getting international attention amid increasing climate threats.” And so we learn from Mr Domingo this:

Communities that depend on the Ifugao Rice Terraces for their livelihood will receive support from Canada-based Manulife Financial Corp and National Geographic (NatGeo) Society, which have included the famous Cordillera landmark in a list of 10 heritage sites that must be protected from the impact of climate change.

Eight others on the list, drawn up under the “Preserving Legacies: A Future for Our Past” initiative, are also on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).

The 8 others are in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Colombia, Ireland, Fiji, Jordan, Micronesia, and Togo & Benin – the 10^th is the Border Field between Mexico and the United States.

In a joint statement, Manulife and NatGeo said the project could help safeguard these historic and culturally significant sites from the impact of climate change and protect the physical and financial well-being of the communities that rely on them for livelihood. Under the project, it is hoped that the communities can better visualize climate threats on a local scale and be trained in scientific mitigation efforts.

View of Manulife-NatGeo Project – Above, the crucial words are “communities… be trained in scientific mitigation efforts.” Mitigation means “to make less severe or intense” (American Heritage Dictionary, thefreedictionary.com).

My Personal View as Lover of Nature – I would rather that the Cordilleras as one regenerate its historical beauty when the rice terraces were just starting to be constructed on the hillsides – and at the same time combat Climate Change.

I am proceeding from the perspective of Regenerative Agriculture (RA) as the intelligent and complete response to resolve Climate Change! RA is a direct attack on climate change, notsimply a reaction like mitigation.

As I see it, the action that is called for the Cordilleras is modern anti-climate change agroforestry: Regenerative Agriculture to return the natural richness of the soil and cultivate not only rice but other suitable crops; and reforestation of denuded Cordillera hillsides

With multi-cropping and agroforestry in and around the rice terraces, as a whole the Cordilleras would be protected as a heritage site, and this will contribute to the conservation of the ancient plant and animal species in the forests in the area. That would be the best World Heritage accomplishment!@517

“Go Negosyo” (“Be Business-Minded”) – My Agriculturist Challenge For Private Firms To Help Growers Go Organic To Help Solve Farmer Poverty And Resolve Climate Change!

The latest news is that, encouraged by founder Joey Concepcion of Go Negosyo (“Be Business-Minded,” my translation), private-sector Philippines is helping mentor groups. I am reading the news specifically dated Tuesday, 20 Dec 2022, on counseling entrepreneurs in agriculture.

Kristina Maralitsays “Ex-DA Chief Beefs Up Go Negosyo” (21 Dec 2022, The Manila Times, manilatimes.net):

To further enhance the mentorship program between medium and large corporations and micro and small enterprises, former Agriculture Secretary William Dar has joined Go Negosyo's Kapatid Angat Lahat initiative as head of its agriculture program, founder Jose Maria "Joey" Concepcion 3rd announced on Tuesday.

Mr Dar is now head of the agriventure program of Go Negosyo’s “Kapatid Angat Lahat” (“Brothers All Uplifted” – my translation).

Ms Kristina further says:

Uplifting the country's agriculture sector is seen as especially crucial to job generation, a key priority of the Marcos administration and the jobs sector led by Concepcion as a member of the Private Sector Advisory Council, and having Dar onboard apparently gives Go Negosyo's efforts to help small agricultural entrepreneurs the much-needed boost.

Mr Dar himself says:

I would like to believe that there are existing models to improve upon. Now, with the coming in of Go Negosyo through the Kapatid Angat Lahat program for agro-micro-entrepreneurship, we need to [be] looking at them through a number of lenses … productivity, value chain analysis, sustainability, resiliency and inclusivity as the main areas of focus.

Emphasis: “Productivity, value chain analysis, sustainability, resiliency and inclusivity as the main areas of focus.” That is all agri-entrepreneurship.

Now I have to interrupt the good news because I know that the kind of agriculture Filipino farmers are practicing right now – Chemical Agriculture (CA) – is also generating greenhouse gases (GHGs) that generate climate change.
(“Climate” image from weforum.org)

That tells me that the Department of Agriculture (DA) has much prior work to do first to convince farmers to adopt Organic Agriculture (OA), which is a method or practice of Regenerative Agriculture (RA). Because, yes, OA is designed to simultaneously solve Farmer Poverty and resolve Climate Change.

Not to worry about Mr Dar. I have written: “William Dar, My Favorite Secretary Of Agriculture, Now Champions ‘Regenerative Agriculture’ – Via Organic Farming, We Should Have Our P20/kg Rice Within 6 Months!” (EarthMinds, blogspot.com). So, Go Negosyo’s “Kapatid Angat Lahat” – that is, improved economic lives for all – can happen only to farmers applying organic agriculture principles and practices.

Why because OA automatically reduces the cost of farming, from expensive chemical fertilizers and pesticides, to inexpensive organic fertilizers (and organic pesticides, when and if necessary).

Low costs = high returns, right?

The problem is that our agricultural institutions, from instruction to research to extension, including my beloved UP Los Baños, are still promoting Chemical Agriculture! “The global food system is responsible for 21-37% of annual [greenhouse gas] emissions” (John Lynch et al 2021, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). We cannot continue to ignore Climate Change and agriculture’s contribution in terms of emissions that exacerbate climate change!@517

 

BBM Sir, Help! As Secretary Of Agriculture, You Can Solve Farmer Poverty And Resolve Climate Change! If You’re Listening …

Here is a technical challenge to President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr, a half-blooded Ilocano, by Frank A Hilario, a full-blooded Ilocano – it’s Chemical Agriculture (CA) vs Organic Agriculture (OA). It is the least BBM can do as acting Secretary of Agriculture – show government efforts to solve Farmer Poverty, simultaneously resolve Climate Change!

(“Urgent” from Siemens, siemens-stiftung.org, “Sunset” from Climate Reality Project, climaterealityproject.org/)

Actually, it’s yourscience versus my science. Your CA dates back to 1908 when the Americans founded the UP College of Agriculture (now UP Los Baños) – that’s 114 years ago. My OA dates back to 1965 when I discovered in the open shelves of the library of UPLB the books written by American gentleman farmer Edward H Faulkner titled Plowman’s Folly (published 1943) and Soil Development (1953), both published by the University of Oklahoma Press. The first book argued against plowing; on the cover, the second book instructed the reading farmer:

“Grow soil while growing crops… or lose both.”

I, Filipino Agriculturist (UPLB BSA major in Ag Edu 1965), have followed Mr Faulkner’s advice and come up with a rotavator adjustment that does exactly this: “Rich Soil, Rich Crop!”

My claim is backed up by the decades of experience of my brother-in-law Enso Casasus in my hometown, Asingan, Pangasinan. His neighbor farmers imitated everything that they saw him do – but they did not notice what he was doing with his rotavator: creating an organic mulch all over the field simultaneously with cultivating the soil. An original concept of mine.

So,, today, I challenge BBM to assign P17 Million from the Department of Agriculture (DA) funds for a techno demo of 70 hectares planted to hybrid rice: 35 ha in the City of Batac, the hometown of his late father ex-President Ferdinand “FM” Marcos, and 35 ha in my hometown, which is also the hometown of ex-President Fidel Valdez Ramos.

Yes Sir, BBM, this proposed DA project I call “The 5Ms Challenge for PH Agriculture” – Mayamang Lupa, Mataas na Ani, Malusog na Mamimili, Malaking Kita, Masayang Kalikasan. (Rich Earth, High Harvests, Healthy Consumers, Big Earnings, Happy Surroundings).

Here are details of the 5 Ms Techno Demo…

Batac plots:
30 ha planted to hybrid rice, soil cultivated according to PhilRice recommendations, rice grown using the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method originated in 1983 by Jesuit priest Fr Henri De Laulanie in Madagascar, with equidistant planting of single seedlings. Grown with chemical fertilizers and pesticides, following recommendations of rice hybrid companies;
5 ha planted to hybrid rice grown according to the individual practice of 5 volunteer local farmers.

Asingan plots:
30 ha planted to hybrid rice, grown with soil cultivated via the rotavator operated under my strict instructions.
5 ha to hybrid rice, grown according to practice of 5 volunteer local farmers.

Very Important: The 5Ms Project will be implemented via selected cooperatives in Batac and Asingan, 1 coop each. This will help wake up any “sleeping” farmers as to what they can do to help themselves!@517

 

This Teacher Would Like To Teach The Teachers How To Teach!?

“Potter’s Place School” – My youngest daughter Graciela “Ela” Antonia arrived home early morning Tuesday, 20 Dec, for the Christmas break from teaching at Potter’s Place in El Nido, Palawan. Ela has been trained at UP Los Baños College of Human Ecology (CHE), BS Human Ecology, and she herself finished high school at Cahbriba Alternative School in Los Baños, Laguna.

Also, there is a “relative” connection – The owners of Potter’s Place are Angelo Lariritand Mariglo Ilowa – Marigs is the sister of Armando Venerando “Toto” Ilowa, the husband of another daughter of mine, Teresa Leonor. Toto and Teresa live in Quezon City.

I am myself a teacher – an alumnus of UP Los Baños, BSA Ag Edu, 1965; I passed the 1^st Civil Service Teacher’s Exam in 1964, 80.6%. Once a teacher, always a teacher. And so I googled for “Potter’s Place” and got those images: top image from the website Potter’s Place, pottersplaceschool.com; bottom image from the Facebook page, facebook.com.

On its website, Potter’s Place says: “It is about children, it is about education … Potter's Place School, from Nursery to Fourth Year High School, is truly about learning and experiencing life in a nurturing and affirming environment.”

Established in El Nido, Palawan in Year 2000, it opened to two pre-school children. Every year thereafter, a grade level was added ladder-type, till the pioneering batch finished primary school. We are committed to take them all the way to the end of high school. We are committed to these children's future.

I have just been browsing Potter’s Place Facebook page and it’s a revelation – there are no boring pages; I say the Webmaster is as interested as Potter’s Place is interesting in itself.

That said, as a teacher of high school (and college) students, I advise that Potter’s Place study and apply the theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) as proposed to the whole world by Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner. I first learned about MI at Cahbriba, introduced by Teacher Pilar who had come back with husband Cielito F Habito from his studies abroad (yes, he was NEDA head once).

Here are the intelligences (alphabetical):

1.     Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence – “Body-Movement Smart”

2.     Existential Intelligence – “Life Smart”

3.     Interpersonal Intelligence – “People Smart”

4.     Intrapersonal Intelligence – “Self Smart”

5.     Linguistic-Verbal Intelligence – “Word Smart”

6.     Logical-Mathematical Intelligence – “Number/Reasoning Smart”

7.     Musical Intelligence – “Sound Smart”

8.     Naturalistic Intelligence – “Nature Smart”

9.     Spatial Intelligence – “Picture Smart”.

Mr Gardner’s MI theory, now accepted worldwide, is telling us teachers that there are at least 9 kinds of learners, each of them with their own intelligence or smart. Thus, if a learner is weak in numbers, it doesn’t mean s/he’s stupid – the teacher has to allow each learner to discover her/his talent among the 9 intelligences or smarts.

Today, a secondary or college teacher gives an objective-type test – s/he is measuring only logical-mathematical intelligence.

If the teacher employs Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences? Not one learner will be unhappily labelled “bobo” or “boba” (dull) – to each one’s special intelligence. With MI, all learners will live happily ever after!@517

 

My “Hybrids Zero-8” Challenge To Any Philippine Hybrid Rice Company To Fund My Reinvention Of The Rotavator

Continuing my Hybrids Zero-8 Challenge – I call now on any hybrid rice company in the Philippines to fund my reinvention of the off-the-shelf locally available rotavator to produce a PH hybrid rotavator that guarantees farming low cost & high returns. Right now, with my strict instructions for operation, an off-the-shelf rotavator can automatically create an “organic mulch” and spread it all over the field – no fertilizer necessary, no organic fertilizer to apply, and no further cultivation after that single rotavation!

The other day, Monday, I blogged “PH Hybrid Rice Companies – Challenge For You To Fund A Central Luzon Techno Demo With FAH As Project Leader Using His ‘Hybrid Rotavator’” (The Editor In Chief, blogspot.com). I am offering more details in this essay.
(“Rotavator” from shutterstock.com)

My “label” of the accompanying image in that earlier essay says it all:
“Hybrid Rice + Hybrid Rotavator = Super Rich Harvests!” – Frank A Hilario.

In an Indian blog, m.i.t.r.a. tells us “How to Use Rotavator Machine and Its Benefits” (mitraweb.in, also source of “Rotomaster” image).

m.i.t.r.a. says, “A rotavator [cuts into] the soil… allowing everything planted to thrive.”

I say, “A rotavator breaks the soil, to enable it to ‘breathe’ and therefore allows your crops to grow roots and prosper.”

m.i.t.r.a. says, “The dividing of soil churns and aerates the soil, [producing] a more fertile growing climate.”

I say, “The rotavator digs up and aerates the soil, good for crops growing.”

m.i.t.r.a. says, “Before rotavating new ground, you must eliminate any weeds a couple of days ahead of time.”:

I say, “Eliminating the weeds is a waste of a natural resource for enriching the soil! My hybrid rotavator is designed to automatically cut simultaneously the soil and weeds together and spread the mix all over the field. This creates a natural organic mulch!

m.i.t.r.a. says, “If you rotavate through weeds, they could get caught in the Rotavator tractor [blades] and spread around the land.

I say, “Precisely! That’s the whole point of proper rotavation – producing that organic mulch. My hybrid rotavator cuts into the soil and weeds, mixes them, and spreads the mixture on the field in one rotary motion – and repeats and repeats.”

m.i.t.r.a. says above the “Rotomaster” image: “Best Soil Pulverization.”

I say, “If you don’t go beyond pulverizing your soil with your rotavator, you are missing the hidden virtue of that machine!”

m.i.t.r.a. says, “Using [the rotavator] can benefit you like it can help the soil level the ground and drain away any water that is [excessive on] the surface.”

I say, “What m.i.t.r.a. misses is that the purpose of rotavation is not so much to level the ground as to enrich it with organic matter from the weeds (and any crop refuse left after harvest). Yes, the excess water will go.”

I am speaking from the decades-long rotavator experience of my brother-in-law Lorenzo Casasus in my hometown Asingan, Pangasinan. He had been using my personal strict rotavator instructions. (See my 2018 essay, “The Lesson of the Rotavator,” Organic Country, blogspot.com).@517