HOW did Vietnam turn into the second largest rice-exporting country from being the world’s top importer of rice?

Through the Contract 100 policy and Land Law, farmers were liberated from a collective and one-price policy, according to Dr. Vo-Tong Xuan, the first Dioscoro Lopez Umali (DLU) awardee for agricultural development.

“They have higher yield and have incentives to grow more rice and to sell at a higher price,” Xuan added.

Xuan played a key role in Vietnam’s transformation, as he convinced both local and central government to adopt new agricultural policies.

But before Xuan achieved a critical mass of participants in the national effort in agricultural and rural development (ARD), he went through several stages. But first he advised that one should have the “heart and head” for ARD and nation-building.

“I reckoned it would take first our own people to help themselves before other people would come to help us,” said Xuan.

Xuan said governments should not only be competent technically but also possess a strong political will to come up with incentive policies for farmers and agribusinesses.

However, challenges to the rice-exporting countries like Vietnam remain, he said.

“It is easy to boost rice production but very difficult to increase farm income. We need further political will to take rice farmers out of the poverty trap,” said Xuan.

Currently, Xuan is advocating a movement to raise farmers’ income through the “value chain” approach. He is planning to form a farmer’s cooperative to create a permanent link to marketing enterprises.

As a DLU Awardee, Xuan who is an Agricultural Chemistry alumnus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, received a plaque and a cash prize of $10,000.

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), and the DLU Foundation give the DLU award every year to individuals who shows excellence, leadership and service in the field of agricultural development, environment, natural resource management, technology development, food security, poverty reduction, economics, business policy and governance.

By Izah Morales

IN a local slum area where people are seen drinking alcohol, playing bingo, taking fleas out of a dog, there were women who chose to take the road less traveled.

Every Tuesday, about 50 women residents of barangay 182 Mulawin in Pasay City gather in the barangay hall to crochet bags out of plastic and recycled materials.

“Wala naman akong ginagawa sa bahay. Nababagot lang ako [I’m doing nothing at home. I just get bored.],” said Rosalina Aquino, 41, and mother of four children who was among the women who has decided to be part of a unique project.

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By Izah Morales
INQUIRER.net

YOU often see crocheted bags made of threads and yarn. But have you seen one using plastic?

The Invisible Institute, a non-government organization (NGO), is now using plastics as material for their homegrown crocheted bags.

“As we all know, we have many poor women who really need more income generating activities because they have so many people depending on them. What we’ve done is to take those people whom I call ‘invisible’ or ‘unseen’ and put them together with invisible waste, which I consider factory waste,” Invisible Institute founder and artist Ann Wizer said.

The group uses “clean trash and garbage bags” as materials to teach poor women to crochet.

“It’s a very simple skill. And we’re also teaching any men who are willing,” said Wizer.

Crochet is a French term that literally means “hook.” It describes a “series of interlocking loops onto a chain using a slender rod with a hook at the end,” according to CrochetDoilies website.

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By Izah Morales
INQUIRER.net

DO you want to be a millionaire at an early age of 21?

You may raise an eyebrow and say it is not possible but certified public accountant and entrepreneur Joey Magtibay made it possible as he became a self-made millionaire at 21 years.

“It’s very doable. When I started, I was only 18 years old. It took me two-three years to learn how to do business,” said Magtibay.

How did he do it? He began by exploring financial literacy.

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By Anna Valmero and Izah Morales
INQUIRER.net

MAKATI CITY, Philippines – For 20 years, Consuelo Foundation has offered hope to about 50,000 children and families in the Philippines.

Offering support to non-government and nonprofit organizations, the Consuelo Foundation has been involved in programs for the development and rehabilitation of abused children and spouses, as well as the homeless.

The Consuelo Foundation has about 125 partner organizations both in the Philippines and in Hawaii.

The Consuelo Foundation started a year after Consuelo Zobel Alger’s meeting with Patti Lyons who established Child and Family Service Philippines in 1987. Lyons was foundation president and CEO until 2006.

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By Ria Mendoza

FOR many Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the underlying dream is to save up, go back home, start a business and eventually attain financial independence. But even though many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have done this before, a huge percentage has also found the path to entrepreneurship very difficult. Eventually, the savings from years of hard work end up in smoke.

(Photo: From left to right: UP Professor Ilano, Philippine Consul General Benito Valeriano, PBC President Lucille Ong and UP Professor Florendo awards the sixth ‘Managing for Business Success’ seminar participants the certificate of completion).

On the other hand, others have no solid idea where to start realizing their dreams.

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By TJ Burgonio
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–In business, it pays to go green, to embrace one’s roots, and to engage small communities.

Ask the owner of Binalot, a fast-food chain famous for its low-budget Pinoy meals wrapped in banana leaves harvested in a poor farmers’ community in Laguna, a neighboring province of Metro Manila.

As it continues to make good business through its 35 outlets, mostly inside malls in Metro Manila, the young company is starting to gain international recognition.

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By Maria Congee S. Gomez
Inquirer

ZAADERA “DIDA” Basmala, 45, juggles her time tending to a “carinderia” or small canteen) and weaving on the side.

A widow for the past 10 years, Dida is raising her five children with ages ranging from 11 to 22 by herself. Her dream is to see them complete their studies, so that, in her words, “they can have better jobs in the future.”

The carinderia has been a big help despite the competition. Like Dida, most of the women in Barangay Amilo, Dayawan, Lanao del Sur, have no other means to augment the family income except tend a carinderia and, in their free time, engage in loom weaving.

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By Emman Cena
Inquirer

HE could have stayed in the United States where his family is or in the burning deserts of Saudi Arabia to rake in more money. But Mike Bolos opts to stay home and walk the road less-traveled.

“I’ve had enough overseas. Life’s comfort is obviously there but I’d like to get old here,” Mike Bolos tells the Inquirer in an interview.

Turning 53, Bolos obviously had enjoyed the prime of his life toiling 25 years as an accountant and chief financial officer in several companies in Saudi.

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