Bamboo is a widely distributed plant in the Philippines and is considered one of the country's versatile non-timber forest products as it is commonly used for construction purposes, furniture, handicrafts, and as an ingredient in Filipino cuisine. Bamboo has been gaining popularity in recent years...
Many professionals began their careers with no fixed path ahead of them. Despite the unknown, some people discover a newfound passion along the way. It's a similar case for Leah de Ocampo-de Guzman, 30, a communications graduate who fell in love with farming when she started working for a seed...
Food, beyond its literal definition, is a means of expression that is intrinsic to a country's cultural identity. In a KainCon webinar, which is part of the Filipino Food Month celebration, award-winning food writer and book designer Guillermo “Ige” Ramos quoted French gastronome Jean Anthelme...
When employers implemented a work-from-home policy in response to COVID-19 in 2020, Janssen M. Martinez, 29, a policy analyst in an NGO for climate change and energy policy, was one of those who were assigned to work remotely. By working from home, he found spare time to try new hobbies and do...
Oyster mushroom ( Pleurotus ostreatus ) is a common variety of edible mushroom grown in the Philippines. It comes in pink, yellow, white, grey, and black, with white and grey being the more prevalent types. Not only does this provide healthy options for everyone, but edible mushrooms can also...
Tomato or kamatis ( Solanum lycopersicum ) is a common plant grown by many home gardeners because it is easy to care for and fast-growing. A tomato plant can grow up to three meters tall and matures within two to three months after transplanting. Tomato is a good source of lycopene, an...
Living in a foreign country is a different experience for everyone. For Christian Facun, 41, and his wife Marilou Santos-Facun, 37, living in Rome, Italy have made them experience celebrating special occasions alone due to clashing work schedules. Sometimes, they would accidentally meet in...
No family would want to be food insecure. In Leyte, a couple developed a small piece of land to sustain their family and to set an example for their community. Cielo Bisnar Viterbo, 44, housewife, and Jo Melq Ceasar Flores Viterbo, 47, an architect and mission worker for Gawad Kalinga...
“If you want to be happy for a lifetime, be a gardener,” says Kenneth Joy Fuentes Gonzales, 43, an employee at the Municipal Planning and Development Office (MPDO) of Norala, South Cotabato. Aside from being employed, part of Gonzales’s daily routine is tending to her garden. ...
La Union is one of the most popular surfing destinations in the Philippines to date. One farm that has been embracing this edge and promoting agri-tourism in the same province is Ibit’s Integrated Farm. Ibit’s Integrated Farm or Ibit’s Farm is a five-hectare agricultural land in...
In Madrid, Spain lies a 1.5-hectare farm managed and owned by Filipinos. Ghie, as she prefers to be called, 50, and her husband Ramon, 65, manage businesses in different industries: real estate, retail, and agriculture. The couple invested in these sectors both in the Philippines and Spain. ...
Farming is a challenging but fruitful profession. Millions of Filipino households are part of the agriculture industry that may suffer setbacks that include natural disasters, yet, have remained resilient. Here are some important lessons that we can get from successful family farms in the...
