Category Archives: Advocacy

How To Fortify A Business: 3 Lessons I Learned From Mice

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Just like how old castles were built surrounded by a moat, it’s also the same for businesses. Moats were designed to fortify castles and make them impenetrable to any type of ground attack.

For businesses, what is your contingency plan (your business’ moat) when the economy crashes? There have been conspiracies going around such as a new ethnic weapon or bioweapon that China claims some countries already have that targets a specific race. However, the source of this intel needs to be verified.

Bulusan Volcano was placed on Alert Level 1 once again last October 25, 2023 due to increased activity. Mayon Volcano in Albay has been on Alert Level 3 since June 2023. Never-ending wars also fill the news lately.

So I thought, how do we safeguard our businesses so they can survive any type of natural disaster or war? We have to admit, when the Covid-19 pandemic happened, none of us were prepared for it.

By the way, you might be wondering why the article title mentions “mice” and yet I am posting a turtle cage. 😃 It is actually the turtle cage that I am trying to fortify against these rodents.

There is no one solution that will address all your business problems. In the case of my turtle cage, rodents just keep on finding a weak spot in my cage. Every time they do this, I have to devise a new plan to ward them off.

Here are some of the lessons I learned from fortifying our turtles’ cage that we can also apply in businesses.

Just one of my DIY projects at home last year built with the help of my husband. Unfortunately, only 1 plant survived because our pet turtles just love to play with the other plants inside the pen.

3 Lessons I Learned From Mice On How To Fortify Businesses

1. Adaptability

I think I already made more than 10 modifications to our turtles’ cage, and I thought I already solved the problem. But the rodents seem to be one step ahead of me. So, what did I miss? After carefully assessing the exterior of the cage, I realized that I’d been looking at the top part of the cage only. When I examined the cage closely and at a different angle, I saw other openings where the rodents found a way to get inside and eat our turtles’ food.

DIY Turtle Cage

Looking at the problem from different angles helps us target the root cause of the issue at hand. In a business, this might mean having to study customers’ profiles and take note of the best times to engage with them or advertise your product. Or you might consider changing the location of your business or operating hours.

Also, considering mobility solutions and alternatives as far as logistics are concerned will help your business adjust during a crisis. You might also want to include improving your communication strategies in the event that all communication lines are down.

2. Resourcefulness

When I designed this turtle cage, I was thinking of a low-cost project by making use of scrap and unused materials that I was able to rummage in our storage house. I also got the bamboo at the farm. The disadvantage though of using wooden materials is their durability. You have to change them every 8 months or so especially if they are exposed to different elements such as rain and sunlight.

Engineer/architect for a day. 😊

It’s all about maximizing what we already have that we can utilize to lessen the operating costs of a business. The IoT (Internet of Things) and technology can help businesses transition from traditional processes to a digital setup in terms of applying different marketing strategies and performing HR-related tasks.

We can also learn from doomsday preppers when it comes to cost-effective equipment such as using solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems especially if the business relies heavily on electricity and water use.

3. Think Long-Term

There is no better way to prepare than to anticipate what could possibly happen in the coming years. While we have no control over what could transpire in the future, a good amount of preparation might somehow reduce the negative impact of a crisis.

What we must prepare now includes acquiring assets that will not be affected by a volatile market. We can also diversify our investments so that in case one industry is heavily affected, our other investment can help sustain it. Also, saving for buffer funds is a necessity now. It is no longer an option, but a requirement. This is very important for every business to avoid acquiring debt.

Choosing your partners in the mission field is also critical at this point. This will include business partners and real-life partners. Business partners must support the vision, mission, and values of the company. If they are only after the profit, it could be an added strain on your business once you decide to end the partnership due to unresolved conflicts.

The same thing goes for your real-life partner. Choose someone who supports your dreams and goals and it would be better if he or she is not from the same profession. Tough times just like the COVID-19 pandemic tested every relationship all over the world.

If you’re in the medical field, I suggest not choosing someone who’s a medical professional, too. Medical staff alongside military personnel are always the frontliners whether there’s a pandemic or a war. You would need someone who is strong-willed and yet can offer you the comfort and encouragement that you need as pressure and stress start to take a toll on your mental and physical health.

Choose someone who will make sure when you get home, you will be able to get the much-needed rest and nurturing that you need. Or someone who can write your reports for you because you are already too exhausted working 8 hours straight in full PPE (plus an hour of overtime work) and braving the city’s traffic going home. And you still have a Zoom meeting after dinner. This was me, btw, to my husband (a registered nurse), during the Covid-19 lockdown. 😉

The small turtle is hiding beside the big one. The male turtle is an aggressive introvert. lol He’s aggressive enough to pursue our female turtle, but too introverted to interact with people. 😄

Speaking of partners, we found another turtle, a young male just this year. And it looks like he’s going to be a good partner for our female turtle. Though I think the age difference between them might be an issue now because he tried to mate her, but he’s still too small and her shell is too big for him so he failed. lol It looks like you still have to wait a little bit longer, young man. 😉

P.S. We plan to release these turtles inside our farm once they’re able to multiply. I want to make sure the young turtles are already big enough to defend themselves from predators before releasing them in the wild. Otherwise, their chances of becoming extinct are high, especially since locals poach them for food.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

Is Agricultural Mechanization Here For The Better?

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“Halimaw” or “beast” – that’s what our local farm workers would call the harvester. The harvester is just one of the agricultural mechanization upgrades built and designed to make palay harvesting time and cost-efficient.

The downside? Palay harvesting using a harvester simplified the harvesting process, thus, now only required a few farm workers. This means only one thing – we will only hire farm workers who will carry the sacks of palay from the rice fields to the side of the road. They are called here in our local dialect as “parasabak.”

The Process of Palay Harvesting

Before the harvester was invented, there were 3 stages in the palay harvesting process. The first stage is harvesting palay using a sickle, and this usually takes about an entire day. Then it is followed by threshing using a thresher that also takes about one day depending on the size of the rice field. And the last stage involves carrying the sacks of palay to the road.

For shipping and logistics, it will depend on the farmer if he owns a truck that will transport the sacks of palay to the rice dealer or rice miller. Palay producers operating on a macro scale usually own trucks as this will lessen the shipping fees.

But for SMEs (small and medium enterprises) like ours, we coordinate with the rice trader to transport the sacks of palay to their warehouse. There is actually a 4th stage in palay harvesting, which is drying the harvested palay and having them milled before selling the finished product, which is rice, to the market. The selling price of milled, dry rice is higher compared if the farmer sells the palay right after harvesting.

The disadvantage though of the 4th stage is that the unpredictable weather now makes it difficult for palay farmers to sun dry their palay. The profitability of palay relies on two factors – moisture content and yield percentage. The higher the moisture level, the lower the price of palay.

Other Farming “Beasts”

Other “beasts” in palay farming are the tractors, and just recently, the transplanter. My sister was able to talk to another rice farmer who is also a member of the farmers’ association that my Dad is currently a member of. She shared that a transplanter provided by the Department of Agriculture (DA) will be delivered soon and can already be used for the next cropping season. I’d like to commend the efforts of the DA, headed by President Bongbong Marcos, who’s currently the DA Secretary, for their continued efforts to help alleviate the challenges encountered by farmers in general.

The DA has an extensive set of initiatives to ramp up agricultural production, and I will highlight the importance of these initiatives, which will most likely change every year to adapt as we enter a climate emergency. The entrepreneurial mindset of farmers also needs to be tapped to increase their income from selling their agricultural produce. Connecting them to a wide range of markets through public-private partnerships will go a long way to ensure that not a single agricultural product will go to waste, and farmers will get their expected ROI.

So to answer the question is agricultural mechanization here for the better, my answer is “yes.” I guess, it will all depend on the generation of farmers. Because my Dad is a bit apprehensive about trying these new technological advances and innovations as far as agricultural mechanization is concerned.

Personally though, I am all out in trying all these farming innovations as part and in support of the Climate-Smart Agriculture advocacy. For as long as agricultural mechanization remains environment friendly and maintains low carbon emissions, then we maximize utilizing it.

All Hail To Women Farmers

I also noticed that there are now more and more women farmers venturing into agriculture, a popularly identified masculine industry. Now that I get to closely observe how palay production is being done, I must admit that men really do get the upper hand in the agricultural industry. Physical strength is the main component in accomplishing most of the farm tasks.

Dad’s Personal Assistant, that is, to rescue Dad in case he trips and falls. 😉

This is something that women, in general, do not have unless we’re Hidilyn Diaz. Agricultural mechanization is somehow the great equalizer in performing farm tasks without any gender bias. I actually want to try operating the harvester if it follows the same mechanism as an ATV. lol Transformers is my favorite movie of all time, so you guessed that right, I like machines.

And yes, my Dad’s a retired Civil Engineer and when I was still a toddler, he would bring me to his office when there was no babysitter. So, I get to snoop around them big trucks when he’s busy signing papers.

What I dislike though being in his office is that when I’m hungry, he would give me Skyflakes for snacks. Uhm, Dad, Skyflakes and toddlers don’t go really well together. But I do love Skyflakes now because they’re actually my “pantawid gutom” during exam days and “hell week” in college.

Why Invest in Agriculture

So, if you’re planning on investing in agriculture, I encourage you to start now even if it’s just a small parcel of land. Agricultural investments are feasible, and they’re a good source of passive income if you have the basic know-how, can hire a farm manager, or have been farming for a couple of years already. There is also a long waiting time between planting and harvesting seasons that will allow you to still have a professional job or side hustles so you can have other sources of income that will serve as your buffer funds.

We need agriculture because it is the only industry that produces food. Without food, it will basically be the end of humanity. This is the part where I’d like to thank and appreciate all of our farm workers who have been our loyal constants for the past decades from one generation to another.

It is my prayer that God will give me and my siblings the wisdom to provide them with more livelihood opportunities in the farming sector so they will also have a continuous source of income to provide for their families. God willing, project diversification might be the solution that we are looking for. And yet, not our will but His will be done always.

So yes, all the zebra stripes that my sister and I got because of the multiple tan lines we have are all worth it. Because if we want to go deeper and get to the core of all the farming issues and challenges that every farmer faces, it really requires that we go out there in the field, figuratively and literally, and get our shoes soiled.

Supporting Local Farming Communities

Another challenge with working in a very masculine industry is people management when the leadership is led by a female. I am observing their responses if they have the social stigma that women should only stay at home, or if they are just plain shy talking to women. 😀 But generally speaking, most of the locals here are good-natured people. Their lives are simple, and yet are rich in genuine connections bound by camaraderie, a true sense of belongingness within the community, and a deep attachment to their environment.

This is also the reason why my approach in managing our farm workers, especially the older ones, is to tell them about a task or a goal, then I ask them how we can accomplish it. I am not a micro manager so I don’t want to hover around our farm workers to see if they are doing the tasks right. I am actually surprised that they know more practical applications that actually work and provide good results.

With this data on hand, farm owners can now incorporate actual data gathered with farming innovations backed by research and conducted by scientists. I believe this is how we bridge the gap between conventional and modern practices – a necessary strategy utilizing this generation’s IoT (Internet of Things), which will in turn provide a more lasting, effective, and promising outcome.

Anyway, I’ll cut this short before it becomes a 100-page thesis. lol If you have any questions regarding palay farming, rice production, and the like, please don’t hesitate to write them down in the comment section below.

As always, “many are the plans of man, but it is the Lord’s purpose that will prevail” (Proverbs 19:21). Thus, let’s “commit our plans to the Lord, so He can direct our steps” (Proverbs 16:3). 🙏

P.S. Speaking of innovations, I am searching for portable and high-quality but affordable coconut graters that can be used at home. Bicolanos love using coconut milk when cooking vegetables and fish viands. Like this Bicolano fish dish called “Taguktok,” which is Dad’s favorite. I already modified it though because I used a different type of fish. We usually use “Buraw” stuffed with green chilis, onions, tomatoes, garlic, and ginger seasoned with salt, vinegar, and pepper. We have a lot of coconuts here at home since we’re also into copra production, but I just don’t know how to grate them manually. This doesn’t make me less of a Bicolana though, does it? 😉

I lack food presentation skills because I’m already tired cooking. lol

F.R.E.E.D.O.M.

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Here’s an acrostic poem I wrote to start our week right. 📝 I pray that the Lord will free us from anything that hinders us from our walk with God. May we not be weighed down by the chains that bind us, but instead, be given the power, courage, and strength to set ourselves free in Jesus’ Name, Amen. 🙏

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1

F.R.E.E.D.O.M.

by Christine Lailani

For the longest time, I have finally did it.

Realizing my suffering has been too long.

Echoed what I was told that what doesn’t fit

Even if you tried, will never just belong.

Done with all of the crying and pretending.

On things that are broken and beyond mending.

Making way now for yet a new beginning.

Happy 11th WordPress Anniversary || The Journeyman’s Moments

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I woke up today feeling all nostalgic when I saw a notification here on WordPress. It’s another achievement unlocked – today’s my blog’s anniversary.

And I can’t help but smile and thank God for the 11 years of being a storyteller, sharing the Good News, and just being me. 😉

Thank you to my WordPress community for making my blogging experience so worthwhile. This is where my purpose as a writer started, and hopefully will not end here, either.

As long as I’m breathing, I will keep on writing. Thanks be to God for this wonderful gift. 🙏

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

I Support Sorsogon Province’s 1 Million Trees Challenge

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“Why flowering trees and why not fruit trees? You can’t eat those flowers.”

Mom asked me this question last year when she saw the labels on the polybags where I’m growing the seeds of the flowering trees. Well, Mom had a point. So, I just smiled.

Fire Tree
Golden Shower
Palawan Cherry Blossom

But in my head, the answer was simple: the pollinators. It is because of these pollinators that’s why I am planting the flowering trees. No pollinators, no fruits, no food. These small creatures typically go unnoticed, but they actually play a vital role in our environment.

Sad truth.

But if you’re going to ask me, why not choose flowering plants instead? I had climate change in mind when I thought about what type of plants to propagate on our farm. The probability of delicate flowering plants surviving the effects of climate change as it worsens year after year will be very low.

Flowering trees, on the one hand, have deep root systems and will have better chances of surviving periods of extended drought and strong typhoons. They will also provide sufficient shade when intercropping and will serve as a home to other species in the ecosystem. Not to mention that their beautiful flowers are such a lovely sight to behold, especially if there are plenty of them.

Let The Flowers Bloom

Last year, I bought 8 kinds of seeds of different flowering trees before coming to Bicol. Out of the 8 flowering trees I planted, I was able to successfully propagate only 3 of them. They are the Palawan Cherry Blossoms, Fire Tree (a favorite home of fireflies), and Golden Shower.

Praying the seeds of other flowering trees have a high germination rate, too.

Only 11 of the 15 seeds germinated, and we transplanted them last week on the farm. As much as I would like to plant a thousand of these trees now, I really don’t have much of an option. Because we need to take into consideration first where we will plant them inside the farm for future landscaping purposes.

These are tall and huge trees that should be planted 1-2 meters apart. I intend to grow only a few for each kind so it will be easier to get seeds once we propagate them later on.

God Makes Them Grow

Upon checking them yesterday, so far all of them were doing well except for the Golden Showers. I am praying the Golden Showers will survive. If not, that means I have to try propagating them again and again.

In every project of mine, I make sure I follow it through from start to finish even if I fail somewhere along the process. This way, I get to maximize my assessment on where I made a mistake and what areas I need to improve on to get my desired results next time.

By the way, the province of Sorsogon here in Bicol currently has a “1 Million Trees Challenge,” which is part of the LGU’s 7k Program. It is my prayer that the local government will not just target planting 1 million trees, but will also make sure that all 1 million trees will grow, survive, and thrive so generations after generations will benefit from them.

Back to the farm, I got a little bored during the latter part of the day yesterday so I decided to drive our old Innova around and started circling our Mango trees. When Dad saw me, he suggested I drive to the bushy part to flatten the tall weeds (I don’t see the importance of this prior to mowing, sorry Dad 😃) because he was planning on having them mowed later that afternoon.

Unfortunately, heavy rains poured so Dad had to postpone mowing the lawn. The good thing though was that somehow a huge portion of the weeds were flattened.

If I know how to drift, I would have drifted the Innova to make sure all the weeds really flattened out. But well, drifting an automatic car is quite a challenge, and I know Dad will make me walk home should I decide to do it. lol Just a little trivia about me, I have a need for speed that’s why I don’t drive. 😀

I’m a very impatient driver, and if you see a car that’s parked diagonally and all the rest of the cars are parked vertically, that’s probably mine. lol I think I was born to drive main battle tanks so I can easily ram it anywhere should the need arise. 😂

A Flowery Road

But thank God, there were no scratches and dents in any of our cars while I was the driver. That means I’m still a good driver, right? If my Mom’s still here though and saw me driving around in circles at a fast speed, I would’ve gotten about an hour long of her reminders and “whatnots” (love you, Mom).

So, let’s try to connect driving and the 1 million trees, shall we? lol Just try to envision driving down a winding road lined up with flowering trees. Ah yes, that would be such a splendid and a pretty romantic sight, don’t you think? I would love to see this as a reality one day, God willing, one tree at a time. ❤

This is the filtered expectation when you’re on a farm.
This is the unfiltered, no makeup reality with all the sweat, sunspots, and freckles. lol I took this photo trying to identify how this tree got 2 trunks. Twins, maybe?

“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

When Introverts Do Get Out | 2023 Year-In-Review

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I am 80% introvert. The home is my life. Give me a book or in our generation now, the internet, and I can spend the entire day just reading. I sometimes forget to eat. If only books are edible, too. lol

If I’m not reading, then I’m tinkering with DIY projects. I love systems and processes and deciphering how things work. I just hate Math though, so no formulas and computations, please. But if you’re a Mathematician, do know that I’m very much intrigued by how your brain works. 😀

But as we all know it, adulting requires we do more than just read books or devote our entire time to hobbies or projects. We don’t have a choice, do we?

So, that 20% that I do get to go out to buy stuff that I need, do important errands, or spend quality time with people I love, I make sure the experiences will be worthwhile and definitely one for the books.

I also prefer to commute via public transportation when going out. I get to observe people a lot and this is how I get ideas for my next story. The solo backpacking concept has always been a dream of mine. But I already dismissed the idea because nowadays, traveling alone to unfamiliar places is not safe, especially if you’re a woman.

What Introverts Do When Outdoors

So, where do introverts like me go when not hibernating? Here are some places where you can find them.

My first BIA flight. Thanks to my sis-in-law, Heather, for this awesome capture! ❤

Do watch these breathtaking videos of Mt. Mayon during my flight. She’s simply stunning, always a “Daragang Magayon.“ ❤

How to get to places without getting bored inside the car? Take selfies. lol
Farm girl mode featuring the Japanese Tunnel during World War II.
Tinipak River
That photo where the subject became part of the background. lol
Sorsogon Boulevard Sunset
Sta. Magdalena, Sorsogon
Baguio City’s Session Road
Palogtoc Falls/Irosin, Sorsogon
UP Diliman Bike Ride
Mt. Daraitan Peak w/ my hubby. This was a “budol” climb because we weren’t informed it’s not for beginners. lol But thanks be to God, we made it to the top ALIVE. 💪

I thought about writing this year-in-review (or year-end review) because I usually do a social media hibernation every December as part of my birthday prayer and fasting. I’m going to be another year older, yet another year wiser. 37 years have been tough, but I’m looking forward to what lies ahead than what is behind.

P.S. All credits go to my husband for taking these photos. Today’s Day 1 of us living apart, too, so I’m posting these photos as a remembrance of another meaningful chapter. It’s painful to lose people, but I know this is God’s way of testing my faith in Him, a way to refine our characters so we can be deserving to be called His sons and daughters.

Pained but sanctified. ❤

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.” – Proverbs 31:25

P.P.S. I still have 115 rough drafts of articles that I need to revise and post here. They are more than enough for this year even if I post every day. lol How to stop the brain from thinking? 🤔

Polyphenols In Edible Plants And Their Role In Fighting Against Cancer

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How healthy is healthy? I wasn’t sure so I did my homework and here’s what I found – polyphenols.

Maybe by next year, I can also work as a Research Assistant with the extensive research I am doing now. 😉 So what are polyphenols and their role in fighting against cancer?

Lovely blooms.

Polyphenols On The Spot

“Polyphenols are a class of compounds found in many plant foods that includes flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes. There are more than 8,000 different types of polyphenols that have been identified so far. Some polyphenols that have gained popularity are epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in green tea and resveratrol in grapes and wine.

“Most polyphenols work as antioxidants in the body, meaning they can combat environmental harm such as UV damage and pollution. Click here to learn more about antioxidants. In addition to their antioxidant activity, polyphenols have many other health benefits. Some studies strongly suggest that diets rich in polyphenols may offer protection against development of certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases.” – CSU, Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center

Here are other helpful links to articles and scientific journals that contain comprehensive information regarding polyphenols:

What Are Polyphenols? Types, Benefits, and Food Sources

The role of polyphenols in overcoming cancer drug resistance: a comprehensive review

Advanced Delivery System of Polyphenols for Effective Cancer Prevention and Therapy

A Garden of Polyphenols

Meanwhile, I’d like to share with you some of the edible plants I started growing when I came to Bicol last year. I had no idea each of them contained large quantities of cancer-fighting components. They are very prolific growers, too.

I actually bought these seeds without knowing their full benefits. Indeed, God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

I wasn’t able to replant some of them this year though because of what happened to Mom. But I plan to resume growing them and increase the yield next year, God willing. Because “many are the plans of man, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)

1. Blue Butterfly Pea

This is my favorite because the deep blue-violet color of the flowers just never fails to captivate me. And the funny thing about it is that I got these Blue Butterfly Pea seeds as a freebie (thank you, dear online seller) when I bought the seeds of some flowering trees I intend to propagate on our farm (do watch out for my next article on this). It’s also not just the regular variety of Blue Butterfly Pea, but she gave me the one that has double petals (yay!).

Blue Butterfly Pea Pod
Blue Butterfly Pea Vine
Double petal variety of the Blue Butterfly Pea.
To make the Blue Butterfly Pea tea, just add boiling water to 4 flowers and let it steep for 5-10 minutes.

You may read the articles below to learn more about this plant and its anti-cancer properties.

Chemosensitizing activities of cyclotides from Clitoria ternatea in paclitaxel-resistant lung cancer cells

Butterfly pea (<italic>Clitoria ternatea</italic> Linn.) flower extract prevents MCF-7 HER2-positive breast cancer cell metastasis in-vitro

2. Okra

I usually steam this and eat it plain without any seasoning. Growing them is easy, but you would need at least 10 Okra plants to gather a decent harvest. It’s also best to harvest them young.

First batch of Okra harvest.

Read: Lectin of Abelmoschus esculentus (okra) promotes selective antitumor effects in human breast cancer cells

3. Oyster Mushroom

This is my very recent planting project, and I’m amazed by the outcome. You may read more about my Oyster Mushroom growing experience here.

Read: Promising anticancer activity of polysaccharides and other macromolecules derived from oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sp.): An updated review

4. Papaya

I love this fruit though it stinks quite a bit. When it comes to growing papaya, well, it just grows anywhere in the garden through bird droppings. Fascinating how nature finds a way to grow on its own, isn’t it?

Papaya Tree
Papaya Fruit

Read: Anti-proliferation and Apoptosis Induction of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Carica papaya L. on Human Breast Cancer Cells MCF-7

5. Cacao

This is my paternal grandmother’s (Maria’s her name) legacy that my Aunt is now continuing – tablea making. Tablea is unrefined chocolate made of sugar and ground, roasted cacao seeds. Tableas are always my favorite when making hot choco drinks because they’re perfect during the cold weather.

Lola Maria’s Tablea.
Hot choco drink, anyone?

Read: Is Chocolate Good For You?

6. Mulberries

I started planting Mulberries at the farm last year as part of our poultry project there. But it might take a couple of years before we can harvest a lot of these berries. I’m so glad though that some of the cuttings started fruiting already. Unfortunately, I had to pluck them out to encourage root growth.

Newly transplanted Mulberry.
First Mulberry fruits came out only just a couple of months after we planted the cuttings.

Read: Purified mulberry leaf lectin (MLL) induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human breast cancer and colon cancer cells

7. Other Veggies in the Polyphenol-Rich Garden

Lush greens courtesy of Kangkong.
Pechay
The leaves were so huge. All thanks to my Mom for the extra TLC. 😉
Spinach Leaves
Spinach Plants
Ilocano Eggplant

If you are a believer of the “biophilia” concept, then the more you plant, the better it is for your entire well-being. And yes, I can totally relate to this meme I stumbled upon my social media newsfeed a couple of days ago. The world is getting cray cray every day, let’s just do all that we can to get by.

CTTO

We have to remember though that these edible, cancer-fighting plants may lower our risk of getting cancer, but I still highly recommend a regular checkup with your doctor. This reminder applies to me, too. 😉

P.S. I forgot to mention in this article of mine to include seeds in your Go Bag so you can plant in your Bug Out Location if food is already scarce. That means you may have to start practicing how to plant seeds now for higher chances of growing plants successfully later on.

P.P.S. Since today’s the last “Friday the 13th” of the year, I’m going to end this article with something upbeat to celebrate God’s goodness in our lives. 🙏 Try to see though how the two ideas in the sentence before this are connected. 😀

Doomsday Prepper Or Not, Do You Have What It Takes To Survive?

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I did promise to keep this blog as “light” as possible. But since it’s also my intent to inform and share my day-to-day experiences, I would like to raise a topic that some might find a little offensive and controversial – doomsday survival.

I do not intend to share this post to instill fear, but our reality now is that governments are scrambling to find ways to address climate emergency. Once again, it is my intent to inform and hopefully help people prepare as the world combats climate change.

Climate Emergency Now

As climate change drastically affects biodiversity and ecosystems, it will trigger migration of every species including humans. Food chains will be disrupted. New disease outbreaks will be on the rise. There will be an imbalance in the law of demand and supply. Job losses will peak at their highest. Riots will increase. Money will have no value. Food shortages will be rampant, and nations will be fighting over resources.

(2021) Completed UP Open University’s Non-Formal Course “Responding to Climate Risk in Agriculture and Natural Resources Management,” which is part of their Continuing Education Program.
To God be the glory. 🙏

Earth Is Dying

Unfortunately, this is the part where I will say that we only have a very small chance of averting the damages inflicted on our environment. It’s already too late. Yes, climate scientists are already feeling desperate. But they are trying their best to mitigate the risks and protect what is still left of the earth. You might want to watch “Don’t Look Up” on Netflix if you haven’t watched it yet. I have a hunch the movie is a 100% portrayal of our current situation.

Earth’s deterioration is already inevitable, and mankind’s survival is already at stake. It is now up to us how we deal with the effects of climate change and survive. There are those of us who say that we don’t have to resist what is already bound to happen.

They say that if it’s our time to die, then we die. I want to believe this. That dying is this easy. But what if it is not yet your time to die according to God’s timeline, and you did not prepare when God asked you to, you can imagine the extent of pain, suffering, and struggle you will go through just to survive.

And no, suicide is not an option. Because if inaction is a sin when God asks you to do something and you don’t do it, suicide is an even greater sin. So we choose neither – WE ACT.

Preparation Is Key

Think of Noah and other disciples in the Bible who were called by God to prepare for upcoming tragedies that will affect the human population on a wider scale. Have you watched the Netflix series “The 100?” It is by far the best sci-fi series for me because it speaks volumes about mankind’s survival amidst the proliferation of advanced technology such as AI (artificial intelligence).

When I asked ChatGPT out of curiosity if it can come up with a survival rate for mankind against climate change and if science and technology can prevent climate change, AI answered that sadly, nothing can stop the earth from deteriorating.

Learning To Adapt

Yes, I wanted to unleash my anger on AI. lol To be honest, that was my initial reaction when I read its answer. Because I was like, what’s the use of all of these scientific discoveries and innovative technologies that were all designed and created to make man’s life more convenient if they can’t do anything to protect the earth and make it more habitable for future generations?

Am I a climate activist? No, I do not want to protest. I have already resigned to the fact that all we can do now is not blame anyone – we all have contributed to the destruction of earth one way or the other. But we should learn how to cope with our changing environment, adapt as much as we can, and survive when extreme weather events of all sorts come.

7 Things You Need To Know To Survive A Changing World

So, let’s get to the basic survival skills that I believe each one of us should know whether you are a doomsday prepper or not. 👊

1. Have a BOL, BOV, and BOB.

BOL (Bug Out Location), BOV (Bug Out Vehicle), and BOB (Bug Out Bag) are the 3 important things on your survival list. However, the BOB is the most important because your BOL can be overrun, and your BOV can be destroyed. But your BOB is your lifeline. You can still live without a BOL or BOV, but without a BOB, it’s extremely difficult to survive. Here’s what should be in your BOL, BOV, and BOB.

BOL

a. Make sure you have a month’s worth of supplies (food and medical supplies).

b. Make it intruder-safe.

c. Set up alarm systems around the perimeter.

d. Choose a location outside the city.

e. Create emergency exits.

f. Limit entry points.

g. Have designated spots to hide your weapons.

h. Place your BOB nearby.

BOV

a. Make sure you have extra supplies.

b. The vehicle should be able to traverse any type of terrain.

c. Choose a less eye-catching vehicle.

d. Customize the vehicle if needed.

e. Don’t forget to put your BOB in your BOV.

BOB

a. Food supplies that are good for at least 3 days (MRE packs are a great choice, but you have to get used to the taste first).

b. First-aid kit.

c. Survival tool kit (emergency mirrors, ropes, knives, fishing line, eating utensils, flint, etc.)

There are mixed reactions to this survival tool kit. Some say they are of low quality, some say they are good enough, and some say they are the most compact, all-inclusive survival kit that won’t take so much space in your BOB, but will come in handy once needed. If you’re undecided about trying this, you may use this video as your guide for the list of survival tool must-haves and just purchase the items from stores of your choosing. 👍

d. Clothes good for at least 3 days.

e. Emergency blanket or thermal blanket.

f. Water that is good for at least 3 days.

g. Waterproof backpack (should not weigh more than your body weight).

h. Add extra supplies if with a baby or small children i.e. diapers, milk, meds for children, etc.

i. Two-way radios.

Thanks to my bro, who’s a military officer, for these. 👍👍

2. Learn martial arts.

I admire parents who have taken the initiative to enroll their kids, especially those who have young girls, in self-defense and martial arts classes like jiu-jitsu. In every disaster, women and children are the most afflicted and the most vulnerable.

We have already seen in history how the fate of the women and children became the collateral. When men can no longer protect, women and children must learn to protect themselves. I am actually willing to shave my head if needed, so I look like one of the guys. Tho better if I could act like Kenshin Himura of Rurouni Kenshin, my favorite anime. But sadly, I can only copy Kaoru.

Tin Ginete
Reliving my PE “arnis” days way back in college. If only looks could really kill, I wonder how many kills can I do with a stare like this? 🤔

3. Research, research, and research.

Always be on the lookout for new survival tips. Let’s keep in mind that climate change effects will be unpredictable but one thing’s for sure, they will worsen. So, we have to make sure our survival methods are well adapted to the ever changing climate.

Using these flints is easy, you just have to have lots of patience.

You can also play strategy games on Apple and Google Play Store to learn a few survival strategies. Survival movies and series like “The 100” also provide various survival scenarios that we can all learn from.

4. Join prepper groups.

I’ve learned such a great deal from prepper groups I have joined on Facebook and other social media sites. But then again, be very discerning and double-check the info being shared. Let’s not be a victim of disinformation and fake news. Always verify the credibility of the sources where you’re getting information from.

5. Prepare your family.

Your family will think you are a worrier, an overthinker, and downright crazy. 😀 Let them. But still, inform them and prepare them. They will thank you for that later on. At least, on your end, you did your part. Now, it’s up to them if they will do theirs.

You might say that learning survival tips in theory requires putting them into practice often. I will agree on that. What is important is that we have the basic knowledge which will come in handy once the need arises.

Try camping activities with your family first. This will give them a glimpse into how it is to survive in the wild. It’s a subtle way of conditioning, an educational psychology theory I learned from my graduate study. Fishing lessons will also be a great idea especially if they’re having fun. You and your family can also explore different foraging techniques.

1st Camping Lesson Learned: Never ever set camp on a slope. lol Unless you have no other choice like what happened here because the camping site, much to our dismay, was full.
I don’t know how to caption this. 😂

For self-defense, I think the body will have a natural reflex to defend itself during fight or flight mode. So it’s best that we know how to identify the critical areas in an assailant’s body where we can inflict much damage to disarm the attacker or escape successfully.

6. Get the best survival equipment and tools.

My advice is to do a lot of research before deciding to purchase. Look for items that have positive reviews and feedback. Also, choose according to your needs and your skills, and make sure you know how to use all of the survival tools you purchased.

Because it’s not enough to know how to point and shoot. Learn how to load them guns, too.

7. Seek for God’s wisdom, discernment, and guidance.

Pray and be actively still. I’ve read the phrase “actively still” from my Our Daily Bread devo, and I was very intrigued because it is an irony. You cannot be still and yet be active at the same time. But this is exactly what we should do once we’re all done with steps 1 to 6.

Praying requires action. And yet you can pray with a heart that is calm because you did what God asked you to do. Now, His peace transcends over your understanding of everything helping you to be still in all circumstances.

Moreover, having a calm attitude when emergencies come will help us think clearly. Another way to be proactive while waiting is to stay updated with environmental news.

I hope you were able to gain valuable insights from this article though this was short. I am thinking about making an expanded version of this, but for now, you may ask me questions, give suggestions, and make clarifications if you have any. Always keep in mind that the 3 basic needs – food, clothing, and shelter, are all that we need to survive in this world. And of course, lots of prayers. So, make that 4. 🙂

I’m praying for everyone’s safety and protection as we all move forward despite the looming dangers of climate change. God will never allow anything to happen to us more than what we can handle. If you can’t trust me, just trust God. 🙏

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me.” – Psalm 23:4

Farm Life: A Dream Or A Nightmare?

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We all have this picturesque dream of living on a farm someday – an escape from the chaos of the city. Yes, it is indeed a beautiful dream, but it can also be a nightmare if you are unprepared.

Farming is a calling. It is not for everybody, and it is not a walk in the park. It is also not just about growing crops, harvesting, and selling them. Or putting up a homestead as “bahay bakasyunan” and everything will go well. 

To help you decide if a farm life will best suit your needs or not, here are some of the disadvantages of living on a farm based on my observations and the challenges we have encountered:

Security of the Area

I placed this as the top priority among the farm tasks. Now that inflation and global economic recession are likely to worsen in the coming years as experts predicted, anything on your farm is of value to anyone who does not have them. Trespassers and stealing will be a common challenge at the farm. 

Just recently, may mga umakyat ng bakod namin dito sa main house in broad daylight to harvest our rambutan. To think na nasa poblacion ito at hindi sa bukid, we have 3 guard dogs pa, and andito lang din kami sa bahay. Pina-blotter namin sa barangay dahil may mga kapitbahay na nakakita sa kanila. 

Sa bukid naman maraming constant na trespassers at paguwi ay may mga dalang ni-forage nila galing sa mga tanim sa loob ng farm. Nanakawan din ang farm house namin ng sink, mga pinto, etc. back when walang nakatira doon.

You might want to read articles re trespassing laws in the Philippines to get tips on what to do if ever you encounter a similar issue.

Barbed wire fences don’t offer much as deterrents, but are only useful as land markers to delineate boundaries. If you want to keep your farm secure, you have to invest in electric fences (quite expensive especially if you need to cover lots of ground area), CCTV cameras (lots of them), and other anti-theft devices. 

Know the Surrounding Community

What type of community surrounds your property? If you plan on living at a farm after retirement, will your family move in there with you? Because if not, it might be too risky to live there alone or with just your spouse when both of you are senior citizens already.

Who else will you be living there with aside from your parents? Are your children willing to relocate and transfer homes, especially if they grew up in the city? 

It’s best if you have neighbors whom you can call for help during emergencies. They are also the best persons to ask re the topography of the land especially if they lived there for quite some time already.

Assess the Area for Water Sources & Electricity Connections

A farm needs to have a reliable water source if the area is not yet covered by your local water provider. If the property is located near a river, make sure the river doesn’t dry up during the summer season. Also, is it near the main power lines? Kasi kung malayo pa, ang mahal mag-invest sa solar panels. 

Determine Flood-Prone Areas

A river near your farm is a good water source, but rivers can also pose a serious threat during heavy rains and excessive flooding. You will incur more crop losses if the river near your farm is one of the major rivers in the area where all surface runoffs from the surrounding mountains converge.

Identify The Type of Soil

Identifying soil types is important if you plan to plant crops. Some soil types are not arable meaning you can’t plant anything. Also, if the farm is located on a mountain slope, it will be prone to landslides. 

Accessibility to Farm-To-Market Roads

Ease of access to the town proper/city will lessen your transport expenses. The nearer your farm to a major thoroughfare, the better when transporting your products because you can save on fuel expenses. 

If you need to cross how many streams and mountains to get to the farm, you will be cut off from civilization. In this case, seeking help during emergencies will be very difficult. If it’s also not accessible by any vehicle, all the more difficult when it comes to logistic planning. 

Hiring Farmworkers

Hiring farmworkers to tend the farm so you don’t get overwhelmed by doing all the tasks yourself is an additional monthly expense. If you’re retired already, your pension might not be enough to hire a farmworker. On top of the regular upkeep and maintenance costs of the farm, you also need to consider expenses for your daily needs and maintenance medications. 

Farm May Or May Not Earn A Decent Profit

Depending on the crops you choose to grow at your farm, you might not earn that much. Climate change and unpredictable weather patterns make it difficult for farmers to adjust and recover from any losses.

If you will have your farm rented out, there’s a high chance the property will be misused and after the lease contract ends, you might have more problems in terms of land degradation, nutrient loss, and biodiversity imbalance which will take years to restore. If you plan to convert it to a resort, the same concept will apply.

You might consider looking for an additional source of income later on. This will serve as your buffer in case of severe losses and damages to your crops during calamities. Your options will vary depending on your need. If you prefer a passive income, you might want to explore lease opportunities. Online selling looks like it will be a mainstay in the marketing strategies of different businesses.

Tedious (And Costly) Processing of Paperwork (Land Title, Property Tax, Land Survey, etc.)

There is no easy process in legalizing a property whether you inherited the land or bought it. Oftentimes you would need to go back and forth to different government offices in the province or city where your farm is located. Some paperwork may take months to be processed and for some, it may take years. 

Image Copyright: Christine Lailani Ginete-Rome

Farming Requires Grit and Passion

To those who are interested to transition from the corporate world to the agriculture industry, the work environment will be very different. In a corporate setting, you will be working with air conditioning. At the farm, you will be exposed to the heat of the sun while working.

Being hands-on in the management of your farm also means supervising farm tasks daily. I am not in favor of micromanaging so looking for skilled workers who can perform the tasks well is a must.

If the heat of the sun is something you’re not comfortable with, then expect your comfort levels to decrease even more when bugs and mosquitoes start to pester you anywhere you are on the farm. There are also some farm tasks that you have to learn to do yourself, especially the basics. Farmers, in a nutshell, have tanned skin (with blisters from insect bites) and callused hands, even if you’re a woman. 😉

But if you are passionate about farming, these challenges will be your stepping stones to achieve your goal of living sustainably on a farm. Your own set of problem-solving skills will also be very different as well as your system in managing your team of farmworkers. They are skilled laborers, but most of them weren’t able to graduate from college. You do have an option to mechanize all your farming inputs to lessen the number of workers needed at the farm.

But personally, farm mechanization is my last resort. It is still our priority and goal to offer as many jobs as possible and help farmworkers and their families achieve a better life. If the new generation of farmworkers has stable jobs, then I believe that will be the only time we will shift to farm mechanization.

And then of course there’s another set of challenges when it comes to employee management, which I will no longer discuss here in detail.

Consider buying a farm if you have extra money you do not need and wouldn’t mind if the farm earns a profit or not. If this is your only investment fund like a retirement fund, you might be better off with another type of investment that will give you a fixed and consistent income. Again, acquiring and maintaining a farm requires a huge capital and might offer limited ROI to keep your farm sustainable in the long run.

“We can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.” – Proverbs 19:21

From your Bicolana Farm Girl,

WE Rice & Agri: My Vision of a Social Enterprise

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Hello, my dearest readers! After a year of hibernation and very busy months, I’m finally posting here on my WordPress blog. This is not a regular blog post, however, as it’s actually one of our requirements in the Social Entrepreneurship online class I’m currently enrolled in at the University of the Philippines Open University. By reading my concept paper, I hope you will be encouraged to take the online course as well and be part of the catalysts for social change.

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My Vision of a Social Enterprise: WE Rice & Agri

by: Christine Lailani Ginete-Rome, LPT

BACKGROUND & RATIONALE

The social enterprise that my family and I have envisioned to organize one day, God willing, will be called “WE Rice & Agri.” It is derived from the statement, “We rise and agree.” When I was choosing the name for our social enterprise, I thought about what will highlight the main agricultural produce of our family’s agribusiness (rice) in the Bicol region with a subtle note on women empowerment. WE Rice & Agri stands for “Women Empowerment thru Rice and other Agricultural products.” 

Why use women’s empowerment for this social enterprise? When the pandemic started in 2020, researchers have identified an alarming increase in the statistics of domestic abuse and violence on women and children. According to an article by Business Mirror,

[In the report titled, “Covid-19 and Violence against Women: The Evidence Behind the Talk,” UN Women partnered with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and analytics company Quilt.AI and determined that these online searches surged 63 percent in the Philippines. These online searchers included specific references to “men hitting women,” “spouse abuse,” “boyfriend hit me,” and “controlling men” or “controlling husband.”

There are several studies that can confirm that women in abusive relationships oftentimes do not seek protection or report the incidences of abuse because of several factors. One of them is economic security especially in the case of couples who already have children. 

According to an article by the National Network To End Domestic Violence,

“Financial abuse is often cited by victims of abuse as the main reason that they stayed with or returned to an abusive partner…Research indicated that financial abuse occurs in 99% of domestic violence cases. Surveys of survivors reflect that concerns over their ability to provide financially for themselves and their children were one of the top reasons for staying in or returning to an abusive partner. As with all forms of abuse, financial abuse occurs across all socio-economic, educational, and racial and ethnic groups.”

VALUE PROPOSITION

WE Rice & Agri hopes to empower women in the Bicol region to rise up against domestic violence and abuse, provide economic security through livelihood opportunities, and assist in their recovery from the trauma through spiritual mentoring and counseling. The business initiative can also extend to widows and female senior citizens who are still capable of performing light tasks.

The organization seeks to partner with the DSWD and/or international agencies that are advocates of women’s and children’s rights. To aid in the empowerment, counseling, and therapy sessions guided by Biblical principles that will be held once a week, the organization will reach out to churches for volunteers who will be working under the Women’s Outreach Ministry of the organization. 

Our agribusiness currently employs around 20-30 farmworkers, but they are comprised of men and mostly the heads of the families. Through our social enterprise, we also hope to provide an alternative source of income to full-time house moms by allowing them to work in the company as part-time workers. We are looking into setting up a daycare center where our women workers can leave their young children while working inside our farm. 

DESCRIPTION OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES 

Our family’s agribusiness is a micro-enterprise but we plan to expand our business operations in the future focusing on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) in support of the climate change mitigation efforts being conducted worldwide. We are into copra-making and rice farming for how many generations already starting from my great grandparents, which can be dated back to pre-World War II. Fast forward to 2021, we are now transitioning to innovative approaches in sustainable farming. Our 6.5-hectare farmland is located in Bulan, Sorsogon, wherein 1 hectare is allotted for rice farming and a small portion is used to grow coconut trees for copra. 

We are also currently cultivating other rice fields with lot sizes ranging between .8 to 1 hectare located in different areas of the town. Another idle property is located in the town proper, which measures 264 square meters. We are still in the business planning stage on how to utilize it and one of our options is to set up a small store where we will be displaying all the agricultural products for sale. This will help us minimize our operating costs since we no longer need to rent a stall at the public market. The property is also located just a few blocks away from the commercial hub of our town.

There are some portions in one of our properties where we grow bamboos and cacaos but they were only used for personal consumption. We are planning to add organic vegetables and corn to the agricultural products that we would like to sell to the market. The following is the complete list of crops that we have and would like to grow in the future and the possible processed products that will be prepared by our women workers.

  1. Rice – rice-based pastries or kakanin, rice wine, rice noodles, etc. 
  2. Coconuts – vinegar, tuba, walis tingting, buko juice, coconut husks for gardening compost, uling, etc. 
  3. Bamboo – weaved baskets, bags, mats, hats, other home decors
  4. Cacao – tablea, other chocolate-based products
  5. Organic Vegetables – lettuce and other high-value crops through hydroponics/greenhouse farming/mushroom farming
  6. Corn – sold as raw and/or processed via mini food carts (popped corn, steamed corn, cheese corn, etc.); prepare the husks that can be utilized for industrial purposes i.e. fiber, cattle feeds, etc. 

BENEFITS TO STAKEHOLDERS

Gender inequality is included in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Stakeholders will not only be supporting a local cause but should the project becomes a success, it will add up to the communities all around the world that address and eliminate gender inequality. The percentage of locally expanding the network for this type of social enterprise is also high since there is only a small number of social enterprises operating using this business model in our region. We hope to encourage more local business owners to follow suit and also become catalysts for social change. 

We are also exploring other viable projects for our 6.5-hectare farmland such as developing a portion of it as a sustainable agritourism site. This will provide other means of income and will also serve as a buffer during the typhoon and drought seasons wherein it will be difficult to grow some of the crops needed for the production of the agricultural products listed above. By diversifying our project portfolio, we hope to achieve sustainability in our social enterprise so our women workers will have a consistent income stream. 

Consumers will benefit from more affordable prices as raw materials don’t need to be outsourced since our farm will be supplying them. For local buyers, they will now have a wider range of agricultural products to choose from in the market that can be purchased without spending on costly shipping fees.

We are targeting to cater to nearby communities and cities in the region by considering options such as contract farming and as a model farm through the Department of Agriculture’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance and by exploring other marketing channels provided by private organizations. The local community will also benefit from environment-friendly farming practices such as agroforestry that will enable the preservation and conservation of local biodiversity and ecosystems.

WE Rice & Agri will act as our company’s forerunner in enriching the lives of the local community in a holistic sense starting from the “ilaw ng mga tahanan” – the beloved mothers.

Photo by Christine Lailani Ginete-Rome (Bulan, Sorsogon): Some of the women farmworkers would gather excess palay grains in our rice fields during threshing. They no longer do this now since we’re already using a harvester.
“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” - Proverbs 16:3

Padayon by God’s grace,

tin ginete rome