By Antonio G. Papa, Ph.D. Jean Gonzales, a 49 year-old retired Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) has spent almost half her life working overseas. Because of the pandemic, she and her husband, a Chinese-Canadian national, decided to retire from their jobs in Hong Kong and settle in Indang,...
Somewhere in Bacolod, a backyard that was once barren is turned into a flourishing food forest mostly filled with perennials. It is spearheaded by Jo Anne V. Coruña, a writer, visual artist, permaculture practitioner and educator, and a podcast co-host. If you haven’t read Coruña's...
Jo Anne V. Coruña is a writer and visual artist who juggles her career and family life while also cultivating a food forest within their 1,000 sqm residence. She was raised in Metro Manila and one of her earliest memories linked to gardening is of her mother tending to purple orchids. Her...
Many Filipinos are interested in growing crops, ornamentals, or livestock for business or pleasure, and this has only increased during the pandemic as more people turn to growing their own food, selling their harvests, or gardening as self-care to weather the global crisis. Stephania erecta plant...
New year, new fruits to reap! With the abundance of crops in the Philippines all year round, keeping track of which ones are already in season can be difficult. Fret not! We’ve listed a few crops that are in season during the first quarter of the year to keep you posted. Dalanghita ( Citrus...
Shawnie Dhale B. Bitso, proprietor of Sanagi Agri Tourism Farm, belongs to a family of mushroom growers and sellers. As a result of his upbringing, Bitso has grown to love and appreciate mushrooms as well. He further developed a liking for agripreneurship after visiting numerous Learning Sites for...
Despite the aging agricultural workforce, there are still young individuals who have been showing interest in farming. Ysabel Ortega, an actress, is one of them. Ortega, who is in her early 20s, engages in the operations of their family farm in Barangay Ortega, Bacnotan, La Union. She...
The audience of the reality TV show Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) gets to witness what the housemates do or talk about inside the house almost 24/7. However, the public sees very little of their lives outside the PBB house. Off-camera, Yamyam Gucong, the big winner of Pinoy Big Brother: Otso, is a proud...
Hardin sa Parang is a one-hectare bee yard sitting in forested land in Barangay San Juan, Antipolo City. It is owned by Lonadel Jade Bolongaita, 35, a former OFW who also works as a freelance makeup artist. Prior to becoming a full-time beekeeper, she raised chickens and hogs on the same site...
Filipinos who are familiar with local indigenous veggies are becoming increasingly rare. Two native crops that shouldn’t be overlooked and should be given more attention are erwad and lagiwey. While these two veggies are resilient and well-suited to the local growing conditions, only a few are...
If there's one food that Filipinos can’t live without, it's probably rice. Locals incorporate rice in various dishes–from full meals to light snacks. Rice is the most important agricultural crop in the country and is consumed by 90 percent of the total population, according to a journal...
It is not every day that Filipinos living abroad get to see or eat vegetables that they are accustomed to having in the Philippines. However, some still manage to grow and even earn a profit from the veggies mentioned in the Filipino folk song ‘Bahay Kubo.’ This is also true for Rolando Sison,...
