Bea Alonzo (Images courtesy of Facebook)

Kapuso star Bea Alonzo manages to make time for farming despite having a hectic schedule.

"I'm hands-on when it comes to farming. But my mom is very hands-on if I were to be honest. I wear many hats. I'm an actress by day, tapos farmer by night,"confessed Bea after she was announced as the celebrity endorser for the 2022 Census of Agriculture and Fisheries, during a media conference in Quezon City last Aug. 1.

Bea added: "Walang ginagalaw sa farm naming na hindi ko nalalaman. I'm a visionary. Mas hands-on sila pero I visualize what to put, how to develop our land, and how to make it better. I always make sure that I'm going to sustain my farm and the lives of our farmers. Tulad ng sakahan namin, it's for sustainability. Kami rin yung nagbabahagi ng rice sa kanila."

(Nothing is moved on the farm that I don't know about. I'm a visionary. They are more hands-on but I visualize what to put, how to develop our land, and how to make it better. I always make sure that I'm going to sustain my farm and the lives of our farmers. Like our farm, it's for sustainability. We also share rice with them.)

Bea also said that her farm - Beati Firma Farm - is off-limits to big movie or television projects.

"Marami pong nagtatanong pero it's our sanctuary so hindi po ako pumapayag po ng mga shooting sa TV or pelikula. Sa ngayon hindi pa.

(A lot of people ask, but it's our sanctuary, so I don't allow shootings for TV or movies. Not yet.)

"I had interviews with Jessica Soho, 'Farm-To-Table' show ng GMA, and I use it for vlogging also. But that's also to inspire others who want to have a farm just like me 12 years ago," she said.

(I had interviews with Jessica Soho, GMA's Farm-To-Table show, and I use it for vlogging as well. But that's also to inspire others who want to have a farm, just like me 12 years ago.)

Bea said that she was happy when the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) offered her to be the celebrity endorser for the 2022 Census of Agriculture and Fisheries.

"I was happy to do it. When it was offered to me, hindi pa ako nagdalawang isip. This is very dear and close to my heart. I am a farm owner myself. I have Beati Firma Farm 12 years ago," she said.

(I was happy to do it. When it was offered to me, I didn't think twice. This is very dear and close to my heart. I am a farm owner myself. I have Beati Firma Farm 12 years ago.)

Bea also said that she would be willing to help the PSA in the kick-off ceremony for the national census, which is done every 10 years.

"If I get invited, bakit hindi? I am also offering my platform for social media as well to raise awareness para hindi po natatakot yung iba sa enumarators.

"Kaya alam ko rin po ang challenges ng farming. Marami po ang hindi nakaka-alam before we built Beati Firma, ang isa po sa unang business namin ni mama ay palaisdaan sa Real, Quezon. Kaya matagal na po talaga kaming into agriculture. So hindi po ako nagdalawang isip na gawin ito," she also said.

(That's why I also know the challenges of farming. A lot of people didn't know before we built Beati Firma, one of my first businesses was a fish farm in Real, Quezon. That's why we've been in agriculture for a long time. So I didn't hesitate to do it.)

Bea also discussed the challenges of being a farm owner.

"Sa mga challenge, unang una po yung masamang panahon. Bigla na lang may babagsak na mga puno. Kami po ay may-ari ng isang mango farm. Alam naman po natin na yung puno ng mangga, years po bago tumubo. Siguro mga 15 years. So ang sakit sa amin kapag dumadaan yung bagyo, at bigla na lamang may bumabagsak na puno.

(Among the challenges, the first is the bad weather. Some trees will fall. We own a mango farm. We know that mango trees take years to grow. Maybe about 15 years. So it hurts us when the typhoon passes, and suddenly a tree falls.)

"Sa Iba, Zambales po ang Beati Firma. Sa Botolan naman meron din po kaming sakahan at rice field. Aside from weather, ang isa pang challenge sa amin ay minsan mataas ang presyo ng binhi.

(Beati Firma is located in Zambales. In Botolan, we also have a farm and a rice field. Aside from the weather, another challenge for us is sometimes the high price of seeds.)

Despite her busy schedule, the PSA didn't have a hard in getting the services of Bea for the government campaign, according to Deputy National Statistician Minerva Eloisa Esquivias.

"Bea is friendly. We were together sa shooting ng kanyang campaign video, she's very friendly and welcoming. Alam naman nating lahat na Bea is an influencer, and she's close to the old ones. Marami rin kaming pinag-usapan during the shooting at nakita ko yung kabutihan ng loob niya," the PSA official said.

READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/3/bea-alonzo-dominic-roque-begin-wedding-plans-with-possible-godparents

The award-winning actress wants to invite fellow celebrities into farming to help in the information drive.

"Kapag part ka ng farming mas naiintidihan mo yung importance nito. Malapit talaga ang loob ko sa magsasaka at mangingisda. I don't want to mention names kasi ayoko naman sila ma-put on the spot. Hopefully yung mga farm owners na kasama ko rin will join the campaign."

(When you are part of farming, you understand its importance more. My heart is really close to farmers and fishermen. I don't want to name names because I don't want them to put them on the spot. Hopefully, the farm owners who are with me will also join the campaign.)

Aside from mango, Bea said that they have fruit-bearing trees in her farm. "Meron din kaming mga livestock like cows, local horses, may tupa kami. Kung ano ang maisip ninyo, kumpleto We make sure na sustainable farming ang process namin." (We also have livestock like cows, local horses, we have sheep. Whatever you can imagine. We make sure that our process is sustainable farming.)

The conduct of the 2022 CAF officially starts on Sept. 4, 2023.

The PSA is set to dispatch a grand total of 15,842 enumerators and 5,430 census supervisors nationwide. Their mission? To conduct an all-encompassing census, meticulously capturing data on households engaged in agriculture and fishery. "We will undertake a thorough effort to collect crucial information about committed agriculture operators who have expertise in growing crops, raising livestock and poultry, developing aquaculture, and achieving excellence in the fishery. Even barangay officials will have their valuable insights recorded, as no stone shall be left unturned in this momentous initiative."

Bea, who just got engaged to actor Dominic Roque, encouraged everyone from the agriculture and fishery sectors to participate in the coming census.