AVANT GARDENER Yvette Tan Emie Estialbo is a 25-year-old hydroponic lettuce farmer from Capiz. After losing her job as a teacher during the pandemic, Estiablo tried her hand at hydroponic farming. She won P50,000 in capital from the Department of Agriculture’s Kabataang Agribiz Competitive Grant,...
AVANT GARDENER Yvette Tan Filipino cuisine may be gaining popularity in the global food scene, but there’s still a lot of myths to dispel about what, to many people, is still a new way of dining. “A lot of the foreigners still think that Filipinos still eat with their hands. There is nothing...
AVANT GARDENER Yvette Tan Happy lunar new year! Feb. 1, 2022 marked the beginning of the Year of the Water Tiger. In the Chinese zodiac, the tiger is associated with fierceness, a competitive nature, and growth. The animals of the Chinese zodiac also represent different days of the month and...
AVANT GARDENER Yvette Tan Social media can be an effective way to market your farm business. If you plan it right (and if you have adequate internet connection), you will have the ability to show loyal and potential customers your products without having to leave your farm. Investment doesn’t...
AVANT GARDENER Yvette Tan Last December 2021, I was honored to be asked to talk about digital storytelling in ATI (Agriculture Training Institute) Region 4A’s Techno Gabay Program. I spoke about how we started, grew, and continue to maintain Agriculture.com.ph, which is a trusted online resource...
AVANT GARDENER Yvette Tan The textile industry can become a key player in the agriculture industry, and the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) is leading the way. The PTRI is a research and development institute, one of seven, under the Department of Science and Technology. They conduct...
AVANT GARDENER Yvette Tan I’m always on the lookout for farmers and gardeners who have turned urban spaces into plant paradise, so when I heard about how janitor Rene Pajutro transformed the rooftop of the residential condominium he works in into a lush garden, I just had to meet him. Pajutro...
AVANT GARDENER Yvette Tan A couple of weeks ago, the internet was abuzz with the report that Jeyrick Sigmaton, aka Carrot Man, won an acting award at the International Film Festival Manhattan 2021 in New York for his performance in the film, “Dayas.” It’s his first acting award, which is...
AVANT GARDENER Yvette Tan If you live in or have been to Baguio City, you’ve probably heard of or visited Narda’s Handwoven Arts and Crafts, a Benguet institution. The company is named after its founder, Leonarda “Narda” Capuyan, an Igorot entrepreneur who helped popularize Cordillera’s...
AVANT GARDENER Yvette Tan Last July 8, 2021, the Department of Agriculture declared Lipa City ASF (African Swine Fever)-free. Lipa was one of six Batangas cities considered “recovered from ASF.” The others are San Jose, Malvar, Rosario, Taysan, and Nasugbu. Through concentrated efforts between...
AVANT GARDENER Yvette Tan In December 2020, the Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) started planting urban gardens on its premises under its new Medical Center Chief, Dr. Afdal B. Kunting, with the help of Kids Who Farm (KWF), a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching urban gardening for...
AVANT GARDENER Yvette Tan There is a (rightfully) growing concern over the shrinking number of people engaged in the agriculture industry. But for those who have chosen farming as their livelihood, it’s a profession that gives them much joy, despite the many hardships they face. A while back, I...
