By Anthony A. Araos
Make no mistake about it that organic farming and farm tourism are gaining adherents each day in numerous towns in the Philippines. It is certainly good news for the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Tourism (DOT).
Throughout the world, organic agriculture has clearly established itself. In 2010, there were more than 25 million hectares of farm land managed organically with food production value of about $30 billion. So it implies a strong socio-economic impact globally.
It is time for Mayoyao to catch up with this development. Refocusing of economic policies in the town is most helpful. Blessed with abundant supply of organically-raised vegetables, Mayoyao cannot afford to be lowly competitive in the trade market. I am concerned with the repercussions of the failure of the town’s farmers to cash in on the high demands of organic vegetables just to the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) market. To avert the effects of such failure, the Mayoyao municipal government should look into the lucrative foreign markets of pesticide-free vegetables, fruits and other crops.
Since organic farming is by its very nature, vital to humanity’s survival, there is no room for exception to delay its full utilization in this part of the country. Harnessing the potential of organic farmers by providing them necessary support contributes to significant economic growth. Creating, therefore, an environment that provides bright hopes among organic farmers is a step in the right direction.
Well, it goes right to the matter that life these days is difficult, yet organic farming and farm tourism are good. Organic agriculture and agritourism should help raise many Mayoyao folks from poverty. In short, this is once more to remind each one that organic farming and farm tourism are serving as tools for the provision of brighter future to those who need the most.
With country’s woes on poverty, hunger and unemployment unchecked, it is certainly difficult to attain development in the rural areas. Mayoyao officials should know what I’m saying at this point quite well. There is always a solution to extreme poverty.
Maybe, just maybe that long-time mindset folks here imbibed will ultimately corrode and allow enlightenment to take on and see societal changes in a much better light.
The Mayoyao mountain range easily attracts the attention of foreign tourists not just for their trekking interests, but also for the wonders of farm tourism. They can relate to the significance of organic farming and farm tourism.
The terraced rice paddies of Mayoyao are tributes of the unique civilization of the past. After all, these wonders were created with bare hands.
It must be noted that the conduct of Organic Vegetables Fair is an excellent idea to boost the tourism industry. Imagine the overall effects of showcasing the town’s farm produce with an attractive parade and contests on the side. All that you love about freshly-picked, organically-planted veggies is surely refreshing for all is out here in Mayoyao.
From summer to Christmas season, you deserve a much-needed relaxing and memorable vacation. Come on, there is Mayoyao to consider. For whatever reasons: studying organic crops and farm tourism or observing the Lenong Festival and customs all over the town. Guaranteed worth considering! Travel well and enjoy Mayoyao. For sure, and it is for you to discover.
Mayoyao organic farmers’ love of healthy food influence how the town greatly looks today. Without a doubt, a Mayoyao organic farm is surely a tourist draw.
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I just got positive comments on my commentary on the need for tourist cops in Ifugao and elsewhere. I’m so glad that the concern for deploying them to protect local and foreign tourists is getting ample attention. Again, the tourist’s safety should be our topmost priority. I look forward to hearing more from the DOT’s initiatives to safeguard travelers all-day long.
Tourists must feel what the Philippine National Police (PNP) men and women are doing to protect them and invariably attain peace and order in the country. Visitors should believe what the tourist cops are doing is for their own safety.
Relatedly, the PNP should continue to enhance individual and unit capability on information operations, information management and police community relations among all police personnel and units.
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Many are worried about the heat of the sun even during the rainy season. Good grief, even tourists from France or Croatia are terribly worried of the blistering heat of the sun. Thus, obtaining information on vitamins and minerals is absolutely essential for one’s skin care. For one, there is zinc to prevent skin care. What did you all think of the zinc’s importance? You’re entitled to your opinion. This is a common reminder being passed to our readers: Foreigners are health conscious at all times! So make way to save money for your vitamins and minerals. Now you will be compelled to pay attention to your skin.
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Did you know? Three-on-three (3-on-3) basketball game is also popular in Lagawe, Ifugao. A pocket tournament was held here last year. It is now an Olympic sports event and it is to be played for the first time in the next Tokyo Summer Olympics. In the Philippines, 3-on-3 games are receiving strong support from Chooks-to-Go, headed by Ronald Daniel Mascarinas, president and general manager of Bounty Agri Ventures, Inc. (BAVI). Coincidentally, there is a Chooks-to-Go outlet in Lagawe. There is another one in Lamut. The game is receiving support here from the private sector and hardly from the public sector. Mascarinas distinguished himself as a sports advocate. To Mr. Mascarinas: Mabuhay and God bless!
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To shore up employment and livelihood opportunities in Ifugao, the provincial government should focus on putting up ventures geared in harnessing the skills and talents of the young who are smart enough to produce short-sleeve cardigans. It is a good option for them to be creative in coming out with something fabulous as easy as 1-2-3 and yet not so expensive. Livelihood ventures as this line are timely solutions to the mounting joblessness problem in the province.
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“My God, look at the red- thing splattered wall,” Sandra (an American tourist friend of mine from Warnego, Kansas) gasped. Of course, she was referring to the countless momma spits. Over the years, many others- not just this 28-year-old brunette lady who works as a nurse, were seething mad, I was too. For one, I was thinking of maintaining the cleanliness of a wall with a sign “Strictly no spitting of momma here” at that. Truth to tell, momma splattered on a wall, street pavements and many other spots were swiftly met with derision by local and foreign tourists.
To date, all four barangay councils in Lagawe town proper are still short of resources to shoulder the expenses for the implementation of noteworthy projects. If only village officials are serious in enforcing anti-momma spitting ordinance, it is not hard for them to augment their scarce resources. A barangay council stands to easily collect significantly from it. Let us say PhP60,000 a week (or PhP240,000 a month or PhP2,8 million a year, and that’s even more than its annual budget). It is only a conservative estimate. The government said it came up with a measure appropriate with the people’s needs with necessary mechanisms to make it happen. That is why there is such an ordinance. That’s why there are penalties imposed on violators of the law. And that’s why I’m urging the four Punong Barangays (village chieftains) to aggressively pursue this action as a way for funding of key programs and projects in 2020 and beyond. Many tourists are fed up with story after story about “unlimited” momma spitting in Ifugao. They should arrest these violators.
I hope that the spirit behind the conceptualization of the ordinance is very clear to each one, as it is to any right-thinking individual in this concern really counts, failure to enforce the law is never an option. Bottom line: Practical solution, How to source out funds when you think you can’t. Think about it! At the same time, it acknowledges the need to be creative to solve the problem on the acute need for funds in the barangay government, especially in remote places, and the struggle to reconcile dark side of negative traits of wayward, ill-disciplined and stupid folks and the desire for good governance. If this is the result of the boldness of these ill-motivated folks, imagine what they were going through at the time all the momma spitting was happening. The idiocy of spitting momma here and this is discouraging tourists to visit Ifugao that the provincial government is keen to develop much more strongly. It produces a chilling effect on them. Governor Jerry Dalipog needs to stop this nonsense before this gets out of hand- before “mommalineals” transform the province into a red-coated unsightly landscape. The province’s tourism industry is a perplexing one. There are but a few tourists around. To the majority of the people, it would seem that Ifugao was in store for busloads of travelers for a vacation here. There are momma spits, and then there are more momma spits the next day. My point exactly, no more and no less!
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Unlimited odd thoughts unloaded: People say that priests who lose their official standing before the church are subject to the penalty to the penalty of being “unfrocked,” the frock being their clinical dresses. How about judges? Answer: distorted. How about musicians? Answer: denoted.
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Blooper in Ifugao: A pharmaceutical firm held an early morning motorcade at an Ifugao town to promote an anti-cough syrup. There were balloons and loud music blaring on the sides. The only problem was the heavy rains along the motorcade’s route at the highway. Instead of abruptly halting the motorcade, they persisted and continued. The next day the firm’s personnel who took part in the activity were all coughing. Don’t ask me what happened to their cough syrups?
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Of course, you’re off course: In Ifugao a coach scolded recently his volleyball player for failure to attend the championship game. Coach: “I told you to take a rest because you’re very tired. What happened? ” Player: “Well, I took a rest!” Where? Player: At the restroom.
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For our food delights corner: It is clear that certain food items are hard to dismiss as all-time favorites of Filipinos during the rainy or wet season. So bring out to the table deep-fried tawalis for dinner. Tawalis is a small fish found only in Taal Lake in Batangas. By any measure, deep-fried should be crunchy. The “secret” lies in making sure the oil (corn oil is highly recommended) is very hot before frying the tawalis. Fantastic, go look for the tawalis fish, best served with steamed rice and chicken adobo!
What’s dinner time without a hot soup? Check out corn and crab soup to the delight of your loved ones. For appetizers and dessert: bananas, mocha cake and chilled orange juice. You mustn’t forget to pray for all these blessings.
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Finally, here are some thoughts for our readers: “Your word is a lamp in my feet and a lift in my path.” Psalm 119:105
“With God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
“Through you have many plans, My purpose will be fulfilled.” Prov 19:21
“The next time Gilas Pilipinas will set foot in a World Cup court is in 2023, when the country will host basketball’s centerpiece tournament. It is one thing to get kicked around by the top countries in the World Cup. It’s another thing to receive those beatings at home.” Editorial on September 15, 2019 of the Philippine Daily Inquirer**
