HOPE

We are already deep into the ‘ber’ months, so in keeping up with the spirit of the Yule season which is fast approaching, we are going to ‘sing, sing praise.’

This goes to the Secretary of Agriculture Arthur Yap and the department which he heads, the Philippine National Red Cross, the Asia America Initiative, etc. and I’m singling out the Fruits of Hope program which was started a few months back. It deserves nothing but commendation. At first, I thought, ‘It won’t work. Money will only get wasted.’ Imagine hauling the fruits from Mindanao to Metro Manila using the Philippine Air Force’s C130s at no cost to the farmers. Wouldn’t it have been better to just distribute the transportation fund to the farmers, for them to use as capital for whatever livelihood projects that they’ll think of? And/or find markets which are nearer? Apparently though, the program is working. And thinking about it, the government aid in terms of transporting and marketing the goods could pass off as a form of subsidy and not just a dole out. (There are products that get traded.) Maybe the subsidy is not like the direct kind given by American, European and some Asian countries to their farmers but it is help nonetheless that is very much welcome.

So there… Amen.

(Despite the questions on GMA’s legitimacy which effectively renders every activity in her administration nothing but ‘Moro-moro’, we couldn’t stay blind to the good deeds that sporadically occur during this wretched tenure of hers. I am still with the thinking that all these are nothing but feeble attempts to appease the populace in her shaky hold to power, and which will eventually form a part of the footnotes in her efforts to fool the people into believing that she did try to improve their lot, and didn’t just stick to doggedly pursuing her seemingly self-avowed mission of plundering the nation’s coffers into utter and complete emptiness. But hey! It’s Krismas.)

WISH

Christmas na rin lang e di lubos-lubosin na natin. Mamasko na tayo.

They did it in the South. Surely, they could do it here up North. It makes anybody seethe thinking about the plight of the vegetable farmers in the highlands. What they are engaging in is worse than gambling, like I said it there somewhere in the comments section of Bill’s blog.:-) Those Mindanao farmers are lucky to have their transportation costs defrayed by the government, and their marketing problems solved. Maybe it’s easier to make plans with fruits. After all, there is greater predictability regarding the amount of production and the availability of the products. But if the government helped in coordinating with the veggie farmers in such aspects as what to plant, when and how much, the risks which the farmers face will be much reduced, if not eliminated. Maybe they could come up with a scheme like this: during the first quarter of the year, farmers in MP will plant pepper, cabbage, marijuana and carrots. Those in the Benguet side will grow potatoes, tomatoes, poppy, Chinese cabbage and pechay. Beans shall be a free for all. They should also practice crop rotation. And so on. If this arrangement (or any variation of it) works, the mj and the poppy will surely cease to be planted for who cares about taking unnecessary or illegal risks? What every decent, honest, hardworking man only wants is for the fruits of his decency, honesty and hard work to be accorded its due. Or do the people really have to take up arms before their plight gets noticed?

Pleeeease Santa Claus…:-)