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

In PH, After The Successful “People Power Revolution” Of February 1986, We Need A “Science Power Revolution”!

A million people walking the long stretch of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) that February week in 1986 which ended with the flight of the entire Ferdinand Marcos (FM) family out of the Philippines and terminated the Marcos dictatorship – we may need that EDSA March again, but this time to drive out poverty and inequality in these islands and terminate the dictatorship of Chemical Agriculture (CA).

Are you listening?

This time, we need a Science Power Revolution! (SPR). For what? To solve the problem of Farmer Poverty and at the same time to combat Climate Change! So, I was only a participant in the People Power Revolution of EDSA; this time, I am the instigator for and rabble rouser of an anti-poverty movement.

And the weapons for this modern science revolution have been circulating around the world since time immemorial – they are collectively called “Regenerative Agriculture” (RA). (image from brynmawr.edu)

The 13 RA weapons are:

(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.

These RA practices are perfect for poor farmers and poor soils! Their advantages are as follows:

1.    They do not require expensive fertilizers. No fertilizer is necessary for 12 of the practices. But if the farmer wishes, S/He can apply organic fertilizers that which S/He can prepare personally.

2.    None of the practices is complicated. A demo of all the methods in one location can be recorded in electronic media for everyone, available via the Internet anytime of day or night anywhere in the Philippines.

3.    Capital for farming is not a problem – given the simplicity of the farming techniques espoused and materials used.

4.    An electronic library of the steps for each practice, including anticipated results, and answers to anticipated questions, can be constructed and made available anywhere in the Philippines – free!

No, there is no such library in the world, electronic or otherwise – and no book either. None yet. (I writer may be encouraged to author that book myself – I just need a little funding.)

How will the Science Power Revolution solve the problem of poverty? Basic economics:

Each and everyone of the RA practices requires Minimal Inputs and generates Maximal Outputs. The farmer is a winner.

Note – The common characteristics of the RA practices listed above are as follows:

1.    No chemical fertilizers necessary, absolutely! No chemical pesticides required either. Therefore, no greenhouse gases generated. And therefore, zero contribution of farming to Climate Change.

2.    Many of the farm practices in the above list are already familiar to old farmers, so that unfamiliarity should not be a hindrance to adoption. Also,

3.    the Department of Agriculture can promote the RA practices indirectly via farmer cooperatives and Municipal Agriculturists in location.

The 13 RA practices can then turn into Weapons of War against both Farmer Poverty and Climate Change!@517

“Change From The Ground Up” By Cielito F Habito; “Change From Top To Bottom” By Frank A Hilario

I’m reading very early this morning, Tuesday, 25 Feb 2025, the Philippine Daily Inquirer column of former NEDA Chief Cielito F Habito, and I can’t help but smile at the title, “Change From The Ground Up” because, as an inveterate wit, I immediately thought the other way around: “Change From The Top To The Bottom”! Two ways are better than one – from which to choose? (image from clipart-library.com)

I quote from Mr Habito:

“In my somewhat pessimistic piece last week, I concluded that the only way out of the self-destruction path bad politicians have led us into is for our elite and middle class to act to help shape a better future for all, as we can’t expect our elected leaders to do it.”

Lift us all up? No Sir! Not even our best elected leaders can do it, if left alone! (And the lower class?)

By saying “Change From The Top To The Bottom,” I mean select and/or elect at least one leader who knows the breadth of leadership from left to right and from top to bottom. Above all, one who has charisma and is known to be a visionary.

The only Philippine leader whom I know who has achieved all that – and succeeded in an international scale – is William Dar. He was Director General (DG) of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) based in India. He proved to be a highly successful DG that he was selected DG for 3 times, each term 5 years, from 1999 to 2013, until he had to retire because of age.

Under Dar, ICRISAT rose from dead last to first among the 15 members of the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

What Mr Dar did was this: He came out with the slogan:
“Science with a human face”
that was so people-friendly and yet challenging every single worker of ICRISAT, from top to bottom.

Another way of putting that is that ICRISAT became, first, itself friendly with the staff who became friendly with those they were serving – the people, the people from top to bottom.

As a non/slogan, “Science with a human face” was by definition and insinuation friendly with the people. The people of ICRISAT themselves knew they were working for the outside people in the semi-arid tropics who did not possess ideal lives.

“Science with a human face” I interpreted as meaning “science being brought down from the unfriendly laboratory to the ordinary lives of farmers wherever they were, to help improve their lives.

Jitendra Sinha (26 Feb 2023, “Science With A Human Face: The Untold Story,” LinkedIn) says:

“Dr William Dar and his team of Scientists defied approaches of the past, and started refocusing the efforts on research that would actually benefit farmers. (FAH’s emphasis) As mentioned by him “... we needed to do agricultural research for development, not research for research’s sake. Not science for Science sake”. The Slogan: “Science with a Human Face.” Mr Dar first showed us that!@517

“Ille Emperium” From “The Art Of Paul Hilario” – It Should Change The Art & Political Scenes Of The Philippines Forever!

What you read in the title, I would like to tell you now that that may be possible.

As “Ille Emperium,” the solo art exhibit of my painter son Paul Hilario now showing at the Sining Makiling Gallery at the campus of UP Los Baños, nears closing day this coming Friday, 28 February, today, Sunday, 23 February, it strikes me that the whole exhibit is best purchased by an individual fellow, institution or group – so that the whole exhibit, intact, can be shown anytime.

What’s the point?

Initially, I wrote about it: “Andres Bonifacio & Jose Rizal? On Abililty & Disability, Nanay Ampy and Tatay Frank A Hilario, Paintings By Son Paul Benjamin” (06 Feb 2025, The Editor In Chief, blogspot.com). There are clear lessons in graft and corruption if the art pieces are seen as a whole and not separately in different places and times should some pieces be purchased by art lovers here and abroad. (Yes, Paul Hilario has sold and is selling his art pieces in Europe and in the United States.)

It struck my mind that instead of selling the art pieces one by one, this particular art exhibit would be much better bought in its entirety by one individual, family, group or institution to keep the art pieces together and the story intact – and inspire generations of Filipinos to love their country as they rise above petty politics, sexual proclivities, massive corruption, and Vision-less leadership in all aspects of nationhood!

Given the new owner, the next exhibit could be either physical or digital (photographs taken and viewable via personal computer), that is, portable, so that from time to time, the whole exhibit could be displayed in any or each of the capitals of the major provinces of the Philippines from Luzon, to the Visayas, to Mindanao – to drive home the point that politics must be played for the benefit of the people and not to enrich the politicians at the expense of the people! I am particularly hoping that a politician/non-politician leader would emerge with a Vision.

Visions Management says, “The field of controlled chaos is our playground” (visionsmgmt.com). Yes, Your Vision is your weapon to control your chaos!

Once purchased by an individual or group, after digitalization, the entire collection could be displayed at one location anytime to silently but surely educate visitors out of their own sins and unsocial proclivities.

This artistic exhibit could then become The Travelling Exposé Of Current Philippine Politics, to educate the people out of their faith in False Prophets! (There are so many of them today.)

The one art piece I love the most is that which features peace-loving Jose Rizal holding a bolo talking to warmongering Andres Bonifacio (the Philippines’ 2 national heroes, both Tagalogs, noted especially by me, an Ilocano).

This Friday is your last chance to visit and look at each of the challenging art pieces by my son Paul Hilario at the UPLB art gallery. Enjoy! At least, be enriched visually.@517

 

How To Educate The Filipino Youth For The Future – Budget Is Important, But Quality Of Education Is Importanter!

How to “Equip The Filipino Youth For The Future,” is the main message of UE President Zosimo M Battad; he bemoans PH Education and demands: “Equip The Filipino Youth For The Future” – 22 February 2025, Philippines Daily Express).

I am reading Mr Battad’s Inquirer column as a college teacher – Civil Service eligible 1964, graduate 1965 – yes, the exam came first and it quite indicated that I would graduate with dignity! And since I never stopped learning as an indefatigable blogger – the Internet is quite a school – I feel I am qualified to comment on Mr Battad’s Inquirer’s 22 February 2025 column, “Equip The Filipino Youth For The Future” (Inquirer.net).

Our Philippine “education is in crisis,” Mr Battad states categorically. How does he know? “Filipino students have been scoring lower than their overseas peers in standardized tests on math, reading, and comprehension.” Sad to hear that!

Original: “PH Government Spending For Education”? Improved by me: “Government Spending For Quality Education.” Quality is Most Important.

UE President Zosimo M Battad states categorically (“Equip The Filipino Youth For The Future,” 22 Feb 2025, Philippine Daily Inquirer, inquirer.net):

“Education in the country is in crisis: Filipino students have been scoring lower than their overseas peers in standardized tests on math, reading, and comprehension.”

“The Constitution explicitly states that education must be given the highest allocation. This year, budgets for military and police academies and nontraditional schools were counted in the overall education budget, making it appear that the bare minimum requirement has been met.”

“Per the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, government spending per student has decreased to P19,943 in 2021 from P22,979 in 2017, making ours one of the lowest spending rates per student globally.”

“The crisis is multifaceted and far-reaching.” I would think so. “Funding is key.”

I say, “Also, type of education is important – are they teaching the students to think or not?” In fact, I teacher think this is the most important of all: Are schools teaching the students to think or not? My answer: Probably not!

I explain: There are 2 types of thinking: Creative thinking and critical thinking. In creative thinking, the teacher tries to teach students how to come up with ideas that may be new or untried. In critical thinking, the students are taught only to consider what is already there and judge it according to the best of their thinking, or what they know.

I say: “To equip students for the future, we must teach them both creative thinking and critical thinking – that is quality education!” (sg.images.search.yahoo.com)

Let me put it this way:

Critical thinking is jumping to conclusion.
Creative thinking is jumping to confusion!

We need both kinds of thinking; we need to teach both kinds of thinking.

I think we should begin to teach creative thinking to our newspaper columnists – all they know is critical thinking! Same is true with the opponents of BBM. Same is true with BBM and his cohorts.

To build our future together, everyone needs creative thinking!@517

Why Do I Write Mostly For The 3 Million Filipino Farmers And Their Families?

"Online Farmers’ Markets” – that will be the day! Right now, a million or so farmers are on line for a 5-6, you know, you borrow five and you pay back six in a couple of months, no questions asked! An online farmers market is a dream! (image  from PhilStar, philstar.com)

i’m a blogger. “Filipino Writers” writes about “Three Topics You Can Write About” (18 Feb 2025, Facebook): (1) Climate Change, (2) Conflict, and (3) The Global And The Hyperlocal. Thank you for those tips, ladies & gentlemen, but I, I always write depending on my mood! (Well, I’m mostly always on the mood.)

if you talk about those millions of Filipino farmers, I’m always on the mood to listen – and then write.

We go back to Filipino Writers who writes on “three topics that you can write about”:

“Are you at a loss on which topics that you can utilize in your writing?

“Here's three of them…

“1. Climate change: Many publications both in the Philippines and in the world want strong works that focus on climate change (and climate action).

“It can be ... an entire novel or something that's in a different/experimental format altogether.”

“2. Conflict: … You can write a dramatic novel between two lovers separated by war. You can write about the fictional exploits of special operations operators, secret agents, and the common citizen…”

“3. The global and the hyperlocal: … It can be a love story between a Filipino man and a Dutch woman..., the struggle of a Filipino making it into the world stage…, or the intrigues of Filipino diplomats who try to secure Philippine interests abroad…”

“Obviously, (all) this is not the be-all and end-all for writing: Always write what your heart wants…”

I love that – “Always write what your heart wants.” Truth to tell, I do that all the time!

Most of all, I want to write about the 3 million or so Filipino farmers who are poor. As an agriculturist (UPLB 1965), I see little reason for their poverty outside technology!

And that hyper-enemy is? Chemical Agriculture! (CA). Just look at what our farmers are applying on their crops – chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides. These CA concoctions generate greenhouse gases (GHGs); in turn, the GHGs generate Climate Change!

Under Regenerative Agriculture (RA), I know 13 ways farmers can work out their lands and profit from it much – and the climate will profit much more because there are no GHGs formed by their farming:

(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.

How do farmers profit from any of these 13 methods? The cost of farming under RA is way, way below the PH10,000/ha under CA. Since there are no GHGs formed, I surmised that if the whole world suddenly practiced RA, Climate Change will be gone in 7 years!@517