The Philippines is ranked as one of the major fish producers in the world. Based on the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), over a million Filipinos rely on the fishing industry as their livelihood. Knowing that fish is one of the biggest protein and income providers for...
The education system is one of the sectors that had to make huge adjustments since the pandemic has put the world to a halt. For some people in the same field, this means losing opportunities and breaking routines built during the pre-pandemic times. This is a familiar situation for Marcelo...
Leaving a place that you call home can be difficult, but this doesn’t mean you’ll never find one in a different environment. Annalyn Opada-Rampe, 40, is a Filipina gardener who found a home in France where she has been living with her German-American husband since 2013. During her early...
In a mountainous barangay in Cebu City, N Blessing Farm, a 1.1-hectare integrated farm, can be found. Lettuce is grown as the farm’s main crop along with other vegetables, chili, root crops, and fruit-bearing trees. It is also home to farm animals including livestock and poultry. In an interview...
Found in the Queen City of the South, N Blessing Farm was established by the family's patriarch, Nilo Bantilan, in 2018 after his retirement as a corporate executive in a major telecommunications company. He works hand in hand with his whole family in his agricultural endeavors, including his son,...
Stereotypes and negative connotations in farming sometimes hamper possibilities for Philippine agriculture. Perhaps this is also why many Filipinos, particularly the younger generations, hesitate to pursue farming as a profession. Thankfully, there are still some who still prefer pursuing an...
This is part of a series of profiles on a new generation of leaders, thinkers, creators, innovators, and trailblazers across many fields in the country. The list is drawn under the theme “What’s Now, What’s New, What’s Next” in celebration of Manila Bulletin’s 121st anniversary as an...
Organic is often used interchangeably with other concepts and terms like ‘natural farming,’ making it confusing for consumers to identify the food that they are getting. To distinguish which food is clean, fair, certified, and safe in the market, one must know what organic means. ...
Corn plants are typically grown in the fields. They are planted in rows that are usually two to three feet away from each other. But in the case of Nicole Obligacion, an urban gardener from Pasig, she grows them in raised beds on her balcony. Despite sounding like a challenge, Obligacion was able...
In Bilar, Bohol, you’ll find a farm that has many functions: an area for food and animal production, a learning site, and an agritourism destination. One of the amenities on the farm is a pond where guests can go fishing and buy the fish for P130 per kilo. There are 6,000 tilapia...
A millennial gardener from Pasig has decided to grow her food on an L-shaped balcony upon realizing the impracticality of buying food in stores. This gardener is Nicole Obligacion, 30, who has been growing plants for seven years now. Among the seasonal crops that she grows are muskmelons ( Cucumis...
Antonio Go Corado, M.D., 58, a general practitioner, has been fascinated with ornamental plants for three decades. However, when he discovered his love for photography, he left his ornamentals unattended for a while. Since the community quarantine has been imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19,...
