The Philippines is a small country,
consisting of seven thousand six hundred
and forty-one islands. Also known as the
pearl of the orient the Philippines is one
of the most biodiverse countries in the
world. Their abundance in ecology allows
them to reap the benefits of both a
developing nation and an agricultural
country. Their motto - for God people
nature and country.
Despite hundreds of political and social
problems they are currently battling, the
Filipino people have an even more
pressing problem- agriculture. Agriculture
is a huge part of any civilization. They
feed and nurture the people while
cultivating the ecology of the land if
it wasn't for farmers, we would all cease
to exist.
Why? Well, because without farmers there
won't be life in the land. Unfortunately,
their stories are often left untold.
In the 60's, Philippines were proud to
be one of the top agricultural countries
in the world they were world class and
renown farmers, and this reputation led
international students to study their
practices, hence, International Rice
Research Institute was born. Philippines
should take pride in the fact that the
largest nonprofit Agricultural Research
Center was established in Los Banos
Laguna. The International Rice Research
Center is a non-profit research center
that paved the way to pre-empt the Asian
famine in the 60s.
The 60s was the Philippines hayday far
from what we know now. There is an
article published by the Philippine Star
called "Agriculture is Dying".
It is shown in the article that as of
2017 only 25.96% of the Filipino
people are farmers. Unfortunately, this is
the sad truth we live with today.
They single-handedly cultivated an
entire nation, not only do they feed
people but in times of grief, they also
fought for the nation. These people put
their blood, sweat, and tears into their
livelihood. But you gotta ask
How do we repay them?
Who is the Filipino farmer? According
to a study by the Philippine Rice
Research Institute, a group that works on
rice development under the Department of
Agriculture, the typical Filipino rice
farmer only has eight years of average
schooling, with an average household of five
people, an average annual income of a
104,268 PHP equivalent to
2,017 64 USD for over 30 years in farming,
the average age of 54 to 56 years old, 87%
are married, and 89 percent rely on
farming alone.
one hundred four thousand two hundred
and sixty eight pesos sounds like a huge
amount of money but when you break it
down to a monthly income
it sounds deplorable farmers earn around
eight thousand pesos or a hundred and
fifty four US dollars per month but -
utility bills and expenses for
agricultural supplies, THERE ISN'T ANY
BUDGET LEFT for meals health care and
school fees. In the United States,
farmers can earn this revenue by working
in only five hours.
Though the Department of Agriculture's budget has been
increased and will continue to increase,
they are not able to help out the
farmers
who have been cheated out of their own land. Urbanization of prime agricultural land
seems to be the priority the country's
government. If shopping malls and
amusement parks replace the farmlands,
what would the nation eat? If farmers
become extinct due to the fact that they
barely make enough money to feed their
families, how will the country thrive?
Countries of over Asia put all effort in
becoming self-sustaining countries by
prioritizing their agriculture. How is it
that the countries that were only taught
how to farm by Filipinos are now more
developed? Is it because people choose to
purchase exports? Or is it because the
government is slowly killing them and
has failed to foster agriculture? The
government has failed to treasure these
heroes who put their blood, sweat, and
tears to feeding the nation. Proper
irrigation systems are almost
non-existent.
Farm-to-market roads are nowhere to be
seen.
And the mass importation of rice is
killing local farmers. Filipinos owe
their lives to their farmers they spent
their lives in public service by
nourishing every citizen. If the
government prioritizes the importation
of goods and force farmers to throw
their harvest because of oversupply, THEN
WHAT KIND OF GRATITUDE DOES THE
GOVERNMENT HAVE? As of today farmers in
the Philippines are a dying breed. Most
are near retirement but can't afford to
put down their sickles
because the Philippine government was
not able to sustain them. In the 60s,
the agricultural sector contributed 31%
of the country's gross domestic product.
Now? It is down to 9%.
The Republic
is losing farmers not only because the
agricultural sector is now the second
poorest in the country, but also because
their government
has failed them.
Every time you sit with your friends and
families over dinner,
imagine the people who spent hours
tilling the soil. Each time you get up in the morning
and drink coffee, think about the farmers
who painstakingly grow local beans.
Farmers are unsung heroes who deserve the prestige
and glory
the world has to offer. Without them
there might be no us.
 
