Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

14 Outstanding Aklanons Come From 6 Towns

The provincial government of Aklan, during its 52nd Aklan Day celebration, honored 14 Aklanons as outstanding in their respective chosen professions. Of the 14, some six (6) of them or 43 percent are Numanciahanons. The six are the late Judge Maria Carillo Zaldivar, Judge Wenceslao Enero Ibabao, Ms. Ruth Tagala Palmani, Engr. Ernesto I. Templonuevo, Dr. Peter M. Ureta, and PSupt. William Solano Macavinta.

If Ms. Mary Jane Pajarillo – Tupaz whose husband is Mr. Noli Tupaz of Bulwang, Numancia is counted as a Numancia-hanon, then the number will increase from six to seven (7). This will make 50 percent of the Numan-ciahanons who comprised the year 2008 harvest of Outstanding Aklanons. But I will count Ms. Tupaz as coming from Puis, New Washington.

Going over the list of Outstanding Aklanons of 2008, the 14 are distributed by municipalities as follows: Numancia – 6 or 43 percent; Kalibo – four (4) or 28.5 percent; and Libacao, New Washington, Altavas and Banga has one (1) or 7.13 percent each. The most outstanding Aklanons of 2008 came from only six (6) towns of Aklan.

Eat Camote

Ms. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has advocated for the eating of camote. Why not? Let the people eat camote, tapioca and “saba” banana. Saba banana is rich in phosphorus, good for the body.

Camote is easy to propagate and to produce. It is a vine which can crawl on the ground thereby serving as cover crop that prevents soil erosion. It does not need too much irrigation water.

Camote leaves or tops are used as vegetables, like salad. The tubers are rich of vitamins and carbohydrates. Why, let us eat camote. It is best for the body and excellent substitute for rice. Let Malacañang lead in the consumption of camote.

In the late 1960’s, former president Ferdinand E. Marcos; the late DANR Sec. Arturo Tanco and DANR Undersecretary JD Drilon cajoled the Filipinos to eat sweet potato, cassava and saba banana to supplement rice. They showed to the people that eating root crops and saba–banana is good for the health, minimizes consumption of rice and it adds income of the marginalized Filipinos.

7 Outstanding Aklanons Are Gov’t . Officials

Going over the records of the 14 Outstanding Aklanons of 2008, it shows seven (7) of them or 50 percent are government officials. This reveals Aklanons are still employment driven. Government job means service to the people. No matter of what quality and quantity of performance a government official produces, he gets rewarded by his monthly salary. He performs bad, he performs well, he is paid.

In business, an entrepreneur gets all the profit, when he performs bad, he assumes all the losses. But he is a poor businessman if he lost all the time. It is time to think business as a way of life. It is in the entrepreneurs that Filipinos can get out of the below the poverty level. Let Filipinos manage their own business, the economy and not entrust it to foreigners.

Further, the records of the 14 show, no one is recognized for his efforts to produce food. Are we not experiencing food crisis today? The reason is simple. We have entrusted food production to our lesser competent countrymen. Our farmers must be of the best and the brightest. He must be of the best of health to withstand the rigors of the weather in the management of his crops either in livestock or plant. It is time to cajole the youth with the best of health and the best and the brightest to engage in food production.

One 2008 outstanding Aklanon, Raymundo Dela Cruz Cawaling on fishery was recognized. However, his achievements were on government fishery laws enforcement, planning assistance to get a grant from foreign government and volunteer service abroad. He was neither engaged directly nor cited in food production, specifically fish.

It is time to recognize productive farmers who contribute to food generation and less of food consumption. /MP