A New SEARCA Director Has Been Appointed – Mercedita A Sombilla –Expect Now Policy Shifts From “Business As Usual” To Fast-Tracking “Transformational Development.” I say, “You’re Welcome, Ma’am!”

Exciting news from SEARCA! Leah Lyn Domingo writes about it: “Eminent Economist Appointed 12th SEARCA Director, First Woman To Lead The Center,” 01 April 2025, SEARCA, searca.org): Mercedita A. Sombilla. No joke! I take note of the sex, but I take more note of this:

As (formerly) Undersecretary of the Philippine Department of Agriculture and a long-standing policy advocate at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), where she also served as Undersecretary, Dr Sombilla has long championed policy reforms aimed at strengthening agricultural productivity, food security, and rural development.

I especially note her interests in (1) “agricultural productivity,” (2) “food security,” and (3) “rural development” – all along “fast-tracking transformational development.” Can’t wait!

That new focus of SEARCA makes me glad, as my own origins are in the ricelands of Asingan, Pangasinan, not known for either (1), (2) or (3).

If the SEARCA heads and scientists will soon focus on those 3 concerns, with Dr Sombilla’s leadership, Southeast Asia should become a center for agricultural development.

Says Ms Leah: “Her appointment follows a distinguished career marked by thought leadership and significant contributions to agricultural economics, public policy, and regional development.”

A remarkable lady, this gentleman says.

Ms Leah says more on Dr Sombilla:

“Her research(es) on the complexities of agricultural production, marketing, trade, and prices have informed major initiatives on agricultural transformation across Southeast Asia and South Asia, with expertise that bridges macroeconomic insight, climate-smart agriculture, and grassroots empowerment.”

I an agriculturist of UP Los Baños (1965); with my personal standards for public service, am impressed more and more by Dr Sombilla.

“Her research (initiatives) on the complexities of agricultural production, marketing, trade, and prices (have) informed major initiatives on agricultural transformation across Southeast Asia and South Asia, with expertise that bridges macroeconomic insight, climate-smart agriculture, and grassroots empowerment.” A remarkable lady of science! I say.

Not that I have been looking for a special lady of science, but I have been interested in “climate-smart agriculture” – now I say:

“If we do not outsmart Climate Change, it will outsmart us all!”

Ms Leah says:

“She underscored ‘the need to shift from business-as-usual development to transformational development’ and forward-looking policies that fast-track modernization, drive innovation, strengthen capacity-building, and nurture inclusivity in Southeast Asia.”

Dr Sombilla notes the need for SEARCA to transform itself somehow (into) a knowledge center of Southeast Asia. Ms Leah quotes her as saying:

"Let's make SEARCA the go-to center for policy actions and a champion for knowledge and innovation that empower agricultural stakeholders in the region now and in the future."

Wow! Now I’m thinking Dr Sombilla creating a knowledge base that I call here “SEARCA InfoLink”  – initially, an Internet library of what SEARCA people have come up with in terms of published papers and articles – with proper and adequate quick-search index entries.

Online, this SEARCA knowledge base will feature search entries for data & info from out there in the Internet world – the faster, the better!@517

 

Nota Bene: All over the world, once millions of farmers practice Regenerative Agriculture (RA), since RA is Very Low Costs=Very High Returns (VLC=VHR), in due time: (1) We will solve Farmer Poverty everywhere! And (2) We will subdue Climate Change from America to Zimbabwe!

We humans need to wipe out Climate Change – or Climate Change will wipe us out humans! (image pixabay.com)

We need to regenerate – revive the world we have, especially in agriculture. If you look at my list of 13 Regenerative Agriculture (RA) practices below, you will note the world will have to do one, two or more of these: recreate, redevelop, renew, restore, revive –

(1) Cover Cropping,
(2) Crop Rotation,
(3) Farm Crops + Tree Crops (Agroforestry),
(4) Green Manuring,
(5) Intercropping,
(6) Multiple Cropping,
(7) No-Till Farming,
(8) Organic Fertilization,
(9) Ratooning,
(10) Rotational Grazing,
(11) “Three Sisters” Planting,
(12) Trap Cropping, and
(13) Trash Mulching.

RA covers more than Organic Farming (OF) – anyway, my salute to OF as a farmer’s son and an agriculturist, graduate of University of the Philippines Los Baños (1965), inveterate roamer, blogger and editor. 

According to Ahmed Usman, these are the 11 advantages of RA (12 Nov 2024, Cultivation, cultivationag.):

“1. Healthier Soil

“2. Increased climate-friendliness

“3. Infiltration and biodiversity

“4. No GMOs

“5. Healthier yields

“6. Reduced runoff and erosion

“7. Reduced costs

“8. Supports pollinators

“9. Integrates livestock into arable systems

“10. Healthier working environment for farmers

“11. Specialization opportunities.”

Mr Usman also notes disadvantages of Regenerative Agriculture:

Mr Usman – “1. Little to no subsidies”

Mr Hilario – “That is why we need all of government to push RA so that there will be government subsidies given to farmers to encourage them.”

Mr Usman – “2. Requires more work. Regenerative agriculture requires more work to produce goods that are ready for sale. There is more physical burden like pulling weeds and other cultivation techniques.”

FAH – “No, Mr Usman, under RA, you can simply turn the weeds into organic matter with the use of the rotavator – ask me how!”

Mr Usman – “3. Requires specialized knowledge.” In regenerative farming, you have to monitor crop growth patterns during every critical stage of growth.”

FAH – In all farming, Mr Usman, you have to monitor!

Mr Usman – “4. Unique marketing challenges“

FAH – Truthfully, RA produces organic foods cheaply; the unique challenges will be to produce more of this and more of that!

Mr Usman – “Organic foods are more expensive than commodity foods or commercially grown products.”

FAH – ”If you grow inexpensive organic foods via RA, the buyers will come in droves!”

Mr Usman – “5. Rigorous certification process.“ FAH – No need for such certification under RA!

Mr Usman – “6. More expensive than commercial farming.”
FAH – RA is much more inexpensive than whatever farming method you are applying!

Mr Usman – “7. Reduced profit margins and increased costs”

FAH – I do declare: RA is very low costs and very high returns (“VLC=VHR”). You will agree with me only if you have tried “VLC=VHR” yourself!@517

 

Looking For Love Everyday? Reminding You To Love 365 Times A Year! Multiply That By 26 Letters

In the last 18 years at least, in my tens of thousands of blogposts (at least 40,000 separate essays, different topics, most of them like this one, 517 words long).

“My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world” – Jack Layton, Canadian academic & politician

Whatever you are doing, find your heart everyday! (image from purepng.com)

I just had a little epiphany today, Wednesday in Manila, 26 March 2025, at about 8 AM, when it suddenly occurred to me that everyone of us can help this planet of ours by doing a little ACT of love, of your own heart, or doing any act in this, my AZ list:

Adjust! You’re not the only person in the world. The more you show love, the more you are shown love.

Bring out joy in a place. It doesn’t matter if it’s just a little joy, joy is it!

Cake-in in a birthday party. Another cake is always welcome.

Delight in little things. Don’t underestimate the power of little things shown/given in love.

Explain it another way until it’s understood. {That’s exactly why I keep writing! Or in case I wasn’t understood last time.)

Find a way to hearts (not hurts). With a little gift, or a little hug, it really doesn’t matter – just do it!

Gratitude needs expression even for little things. “Thank you” is always welcome.

“Have a nice day!” When was the last time I said that to a friend?

Immerse yourself in reading. Whatever. It will ease your mind, if not enrich it.

Joke – Read a joke, or tell one. This time, the joke’s on you!

Kiss family. Especially whom you have not paid attention to for a long time. That’s especially true to me as I have a large family – 13 children (8 daughters, 5 sons).

Letter – Write to someone you miss. A brief note will lift someone’s spirit in a big way!

Music – For the soul, play some for you and your family. Who said this again? “Music hath charm that soothes the savage breast” (William Congreve, 1697, phrases.org.uk).

News, ask for news about someone. Just the asking for will warm the heart.

Open your heart to someone or something.

Praise the Lord! Don’t forget God.

Quiet, every once in a while.

Review what you have been repeatedly doing. I always do that writing.

Send a birthday card. That once a year is good enough!

Recite a poem, if just for you.

Thank someone for any reason at all.

Understand, try to understand.

Viewpoint: Look at the other’s. S/He will thank you for just trying!

Write a letter to family or friend. Long or short, it means you have not forgotten.

Xerox love if you can’t be original!

Yesterday is gone. But not in the memories.

Zoology? It’s a world itself to discover. And I pray you discover that it is a world of love!@517

Journalism And Blogging; Vergel O Santos and Frank A Hilario – And Never The Twain Shall Meet!?

He started this one, Vergel O Santos, journalist and trustee, Center for  Media Freedom and Responsibility (see “Dateline,” above image, from a 22 March 2025 Facebook post by our friend Noel Ocampo Reyes). The above image has these exactly 57 words (Frank Hilario; a blogger, with that coincidence, I am happy to oblige for bloggers!):

“A blogger decides for himself or herself. A journalist does not. A journalist, apart from being put through a rigorous training in the discipline and skills, apart from that, a journalist’s works are put through a system of checks to ensure that the information disseminated is truthful, well contextualized and not malicious. Bloggers don’t understand those things.”

I’m writing this blog because of the blunt declarations of Mr VO Santos: About journalists: “A journalist’s works are put through a system of checks...” And about bloggers: “Bloggers don’t understand those things.” You are most unkind, Sir!

“A blogger decides for himself or herself. A journalist does not.” Literally true! That is because the blogger is self-employed; the journalist is employed by a group to whom his works must be ascribed. A journalist has an editor; a blogger has probably only himself.

“A journalist (is) put through a rigorous training in the discipline and skills.” Ideally. A blogger has to train himself, as there are no schools for blogging yet. I assure you – it’s not easy becoming a blogger, not to mention remaining one!

“A journalist’s works are put through a system of checks (and balances) to ensure that the information disseminated is truthful, well contextualized and not malicious.” Ideally.

“Bloggers don’t understand those things.” Perhaps not!

Now then:

“A blogger decides for himself or herself.” – I do declare the blogger is most free to explore a topic or news, and that makes blogging the most interesting medium of information dissemination in these modern times! Like, either you help your readers understand something, or question it.

(I am willing to teach the journalists to be bloggers too. One or two personal appearances may suffice – the rest of interactions can be online. Once they learn the art & science of blogging, the journalists may be hooked for life!)

“A journalist, apart from being put through a rigorous training in the discipline and skills ...” Yes, but that doesn’t make her/him perfect, no.

“A journalist’s works are put through a system of checks to ensure that the information disseminated is truthful, well contextualized and not malicious.” That is, if the system of checks is working. Of course, a journalist’s work is truthful – but not necessarily well-contextualized and not necessarily not malicious!

Now I ask: “Why do journalists sometimes become untruthful, not well-contextualized, and/or malicious?”

Nobody’s perfect!

Mr VO Santos, if journalists behave ideally as you seem to claim, why do we have journalists who are targeted by some personalities? Because their stories have been hurtful, not helpful!

I say now by way of goodbye, rewriting Shakespeare:

“Blogging is such sweet sorrow /
That I bid goodbye, till it be morrow!”@517

Today, this is My Question: “How good is UP Press in promoting the publications it comes out with?” This is My Answer: “There is much to be desired!”

I know my answer is a double entendre – you can take it either way: Good or Bad! Let me tell you: Good? It’s not that good. Bad? It’s not that bad – it’s poor!

Each of the 2 book covers shown above is only as small as the face of the one showing them – in fact, if I were the photographer or layout artist, I would have shown the books between the face. Why show the face at all? Unless UP Press is selling the books – and the face!

Not readable – Can’t read!

Calling the attention of the UP Press publicity guy – if the press has one, he is not doing his job; if the press has none, UP Press is not doing its job!

Bad: Unclear, unreadable photograph “displaying” 2 books. And nothing said about any of the books. A book is not like fish – display the fish and it will sell!

I’m very particular about UP writing because I am a UP graduate – UPLB BS Agriculture major in Ag Edu, 1965; Civil Service Profesional 1964 – yes, I became a Professional a year before I was a Graduate.

I believe UP Press needs an Editor In Chief. Yes, I am The Editor In Chief (TEIC) you never met! I’m not applying – at 84, too old. But let me tell you my story anyway, as you can learn from it.

One: I started being TEIC in 1975, producing from scratch literally the 3 FORI publications: monthly newsletter Canopy, quarterly technical forest research journal Sylvatrop, and quarterly color magazine Habitat. Oh, they made FORI known and popular in the Philippines and abroad – we had exchange publication arrangements with the libraries of top universities.

Two: From 2005 to 2011, I was Writer From Home (WFH) for the nternational Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) based in India, when William Dar was Director General of ICRISAT. ICRISAT published 7 books for itself based on my WFH outputs.

2011: I was given the singular award “Outstanding Alumnus For Creative Writing” by the UPLB Alumni Association (UPLBAA) when Madecor President Elpidio L Rosario was UPLBAA President. The 1^st and only such award in UPLB history!

When I saw that Facebook post, I googled for a list of UP Press books – I got 131 in my list. Interesting stories – but how do I know if they are interesting enough for me? I have to be convinced before I read – that is why you need a good, positive book reviewer!

In general, every book published needs a positive blah for prospective buyers, and that is the failure of UP Press that I see.

“Publicity can be terrible,” American actress Jane Russell says. “But only if you don't have any.” The non-attempt of UP Press in this one is not terrible – but what a waste. Sayang!@517

Pope Francis’ Suggestions For Fasting” – Time To Fast Every Single Day Of The Year!

At about 6:40 AM today, Thursday, 06 March 2025, I find myself reading the Facebook post “Pope Francis’ Suggestions For Fasting,” Surprise! Even as an Editor In Chief for 51 years, I was surprised by the richness of the language suggested by those 35 words – endless possibilities of grace!

Wikipedia says about “Ash Wednesday” (en.wikipedia.org):

“Ash Wednesday is traditionally observed with fasting and abstinence from meat in several Christian denominations. … Many Christians begin Ash Wednesday by marking a Lenten calendar, praying a Lenten daily devotional, and making a Lenten sacrifice that they will not partake of until the arrival of Eastertide.

“Many Christians attend special Ash Wednesday church services at which churchgoers receive ash on their foreheads or the top of their heads, as the wearing of ashes was a sign of repentance in biblical times. Ash Wednesday derives its name from this practice, in which the placement of ashes is accompanied by the words, "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" or the dictum "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." The ashes are prepared by burning palm leaves from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebrations.”

On Facebook, Crossworks says:

“We have been working hard these past days and as we enter the Holy Week, we also prepare ourselves spiritually. Fasting is one of the things we offer during the Lenten season and even if it's to an end, we still have a few days to apply the following suggestions from Pope Francis about fasting. We may apply these in our every day life at work and in our personal lives even after the Holy Week.” (image above)

I say, “Pope Francis has just blessed us with astounding greetings that implore us and at the same time bless us, whether we are Roman Catholics or not.

I elucidate the greetings:

“Fast from Sadness & be filled with Gratitude.” However, whichever, whoever, wherever you are in life, don’t give up to sadness! Be Thankful always and ever, whatever the circumstances. Me, I thank God twice a day, with my prayer before I close my eyes to sleep in the evening, and after I wake up in the morning – “Thank you, Lord, for another day/night of blessings….”

“Fast from hurting words & say kind words.” When you are angry, almost automatically you curse the other person. But remember, when you are angry at someone but decide to “keep your peace” anyway, you are at peace! You owe it to yourself to be at peace with the world no matter what!

“Fast from Anger & be filled with Patience.” It seems the best way to learn Patience is to check yourself when you are angry. Remember this: When you are angry, the first person you hurt is yourself!

“Fast from Pessimism & be filled with Hope.” It’s so easy to lose hope. But when you are able to check your Pessimism, Hope comes to visit and blesses your soul.

I hope you’re listening! This is not only for Catholics like me.@517

Agriculture – Is Sustainable Regenerative, Or Is Regenerative Sustainable? Surprise – You Can/Can’t Have One With The Other!

Both the images above are from Pexels (pexels.com) when I searched for images “sustainable agriculture” – my selection of 2 qualitatively different images from the one Pexels great collection of images shows that, truly, “sustainable” is not differentiated by people from “regenerative”! People, I mean, including the agriculture experts.

Columnists, including leaders in agriculture in the Philippines and abroad, mostly talk about Sustainable Agriculture (SA) – but seldom if ever talk about Regenerative Agriculture (RA). Simply put, “sustainable” means “can be maintained” while “regenerative” means “can reproduce the original.” 2 distinct un/natural propositions.

I subscribe to RA. I note that RA takes the original as the “natural fertility of the soil” that which is sufficient in itself, while CA takes the original as the “current fertility of the soil” that which needs adding to every cropping season.

When you irrigate your rice crop, that is Sustainable Agriculture – can be done and redone. When you instead build-into the soil a natural waterholder in the form of decaying organic matter, that is Regenerative Agriculture!

In my title I ask: “Is Sustainable Regenerative, Or Is Regenerative Sustainable?” The fields they are differently applied on may look alike, but they definitely differ in meaning:

Sustainable – maintained with addition of source/s of richness.
Regenerative – maintains itself, as it can reproduce its own kind/s of richness.

We must also talk about biodiversity. As I understand, Sustainable Agriculture (SA) measures sustainability more as “harvests maintained” or even improved – Regenerative Agriculture (RA) measures sustainability more as “species maintained” along with their productivities.

Above – I think that the best examples of SA in my country the Philippines are the mountainsides of Benguet and Ifugao with rice terraces. If those rice terraces were instead treated and maintained as Regenerative instead of simply Sustainable, we Filipinos would revolutionize the whole world of agriculture with examples of RA in the mountainsides, and adorable at that! That would then radicalize agriculture as well as tourism!

Not only that. SA is the cause of so much trouble in farming because of those aggie chemicals when used generate so much greenhouse gases (GHGs) as they are applied! With RA, there would be zero GHGs and that would contribute much to the reduction of the havocs created by chemical agriculture!

In 2020, I wrote (“PH School & Home Gardens – How Good Are They? ComDev Vs DevCom Views,” The Editor In Chief, blogspot.com):

…Both fall short of their avowed ultimate goal of sustainable development, which has 4 aspects: (1) technical feasibility (2) economic viability, (3) environmental soundness, and (4) social acceptability.

Even gardens, in school or at home, should be part of any overall campaign for regeneratability.  And that means sustainable agriculture is out of the question anywhere!

Earth.org says there are “5 Challenges The Agricultural Sector Faces And What We Can Do About It” (earth.org): (1) Climate Change, (2) Insufficient agricultural land, (3) growing population, (4) biodiversity loss, and (5) low investment in agriculture.

Chemical Agriculture exacerbates Climate Change while Regenerative Agriculture reduces it – I am happy with that!@517