Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Tenacious Vietnamese

The "Entrepreneurial Farmer" gave himself a one week vacation (October 22 – 29), a self conferred reward for long, continuous hard work in Aklan. But it was not all leisure. It was a study tour. Upon my invitation, Dr. Arnold Jayme joined me in my travel. Dr. Jayme is a specialist of pediatrics pulmonary diseases.

For "Vietnam’s Modern Faces", please see some photos captured during my visit. I will write in series in this column the way I saw Vietnam, her people’s struggle for self government, my views how the Vietnamese people drove away from Vietnam the most powerful nation of the world: the United States of America, and France, one of the seven highly developed countries.

For today, the people of Vietnam are "having everlasting peace, indepen-dence, happiness, and prosperity." Vietnam has overtaken the Philippines, a country second only to Japan in Asian Region in economics in the 1960s.

It was only last Thursday night, Nov. 3 when the Vietnamese football team defeated Philippines team, Askal at 3 – 1 score.

It is highly regrettable that Vietnamese farmers have overtaken the Filipino farmers in rice production. Vietnam produces an average of four (4) metric tons per hectare per harvest from her three million hectares devoted for rice production.

As I traveled outside of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), I saw verdant scientifically operated agricultural fields of palay, fruit trees, vegetables, flowers, and even rubber trees. Never did I see rice straw being burn, unlike in Numancia, Aklan and other provinces in the Philippines.

I believe their cost of production of agricultural products is cheap as farm goods sold in market like fruits and flowers are cheaper than similar products sold in the Kalibo Public Market, Aklan. The Philippines has also been importing rice from Vietnam. The foods and drinks like juices are cheaper than in Kalibo.

The hotel I stayed is air conditioned, provided with hot/cold and drinking water, computer connected with internet and all other amenities cost us very much lower than the best hotel in Kalibo and New Washington, Aklan charge its guests.

Tourists? Last year’s count was six million who visited the Cu Chi Tunnels, Mekong Delta, interesting places in Ho Chi Minh City. To me Ho Chi Minh City is clean, with city streets lined with trees encouraging the pedestrians to walk under its shade. There are several parks with immaculately trimmed grasses, trees, cut flowers, and flowers. I did not see garbage, ambulant vendors, and beggars.

Go out anytime of the day and night for nobody will trouble you. I saw neither policeman nor a person carrying gun.

Are you a gourmet? Our hotel room payment included breakfast. We ate unlimited quantity of food consisted of coffee, tea or juice, noodles with chicken, beef or pork, bread, rice, vegetables and fruits available. Dr. Jayme and I always ate up to "sawa".

We ate lunch and dinner either by the road side – the cheapest because of ambiance and location, the second cheapest is indoor without aircon, and in the most decent, the air conditioned restaurant which is little bit expensive but comparatively low priced to that in Manila.

Vietnam money is called "Dong" which exchange rate is 21,000 Dong to US$1. I was changed 6,300,000 Dong with my US$300. I spent all that money at a rate of 1.05 million Dong a day.

The international airport in Ho Chi Minh City is very orderly. Upon our departure, we just went inside without body check, no baggage X-ray. We checked in, passed the immigration line, and entered the departure area without body check unlike in the NAIA or in KIA. We passed the metal detector with all the metals we have like camera, coins, wrist watch and cellphone.

Our airport terminal fee was included in the air fare.

Watch for the next issue which will concern about the historical and interesting places in Ho Chi Minh City, the Cu Chi Tunnels, and Mekong Delta. /MP