METROPOST


NOV. 4 - NOV. 10, 2018 7 GEMMA MINDA ISO


FREELANCE CRACKERJACK


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retired businessman Ernesto C. Quiamco offering the free use of a portion of his nearby farm to help instill a love for farming among students. He also assured them of marketing support for their produce through his store in downtown Dumaguete. This idea of attracting


I


young people to love agriculture, develop an attachment to the environment, to learn how to plant or learn how to farm reminds me of another visionary endeavor in the US by Elon Musk’s brother,


Kimbal Musk. The project is named “Big Green.” Big Green is an off-


n the Oct. 28 issue of this paper, an article caught my eye. It was about


for comprehensive mindset change regarding chi ld nourishment, socialization and student achievement. They are also designed to go well with any type of school structure, whether it has extensive fields surrounding it or it only has an undersized rooftop. These gardens were conceptualized to assist children in building up better responses to pressures and anxieties and improve learners’ academic performance. Its founders intend the project to be replicated in other schools and generate a range of school- related solutions. The food harvested from the learning


shoot of a non-profit program called Learning Gardens, launched in 300 public schools in American cities in 2011. A combination of playground and outdoor classroom, the learning gardens are spaces where learners discover and get trained on the science of growing fruits and vegetables. It aims to enhance students’ health and improve communities through the creation of practical learning, garden-based education opportunities.


The learning gardens also serve as productive gardens of plants fit for eating. It is composed of modular, raised beds with seating and shade, providing space for teaching and learning. These gardens are designed to become mediums


gardens are sold to restaurants. The activity aims to teach students to become young entrepreneurs and acquire business abilities.


this?


Dumaguete is a university town and that many residents here are professionals and white-collar job workers, we cannot deny the fact that our city belongs to an agriculture- based economy. Unfortunately, the City’s land area for agriculture is decreasing, and if I am not mistaken, as of last year, we only have 948 hectares of land left for crops and vegetables. C o ns id er ing the urbanization that Dumaguete i s embarking on, the possibility that the areas left for agriculture will be used for more construction projects


So why am I talking about While it is true that


and commercial conversions, is very strong. This means that the likelihood of Dumaguetnons getting starved to death in the years to come is also very high. On second thought, even if our land resources are not depleting, even if our air is not polluted, even if our water reservoirs are not exhausted (due to our fast diminishing forest cover), if our people DO NOT understand the value of agriculture to our future, we will still be confronted with food insecurity and starvation will not be a far-fetched idea. That is why we need


to infuse in our children a mindset that cultivates the love


learning gardens, the Quiamco offer, and elections


of farming or planting. Mr. Quiamco’s sincere


gesture is an offer that must not be refused, and must be seriously considered.


And if possible, we should replicate here in Dumaguete what Kimbal Musk has done in the US, that is, build learning gardens so that children will learn to love farming, will learn to take care of the environment at an early age, and will be conscious of the reality that if we neglect our farms and our farmers, there is no decent future for all of us.


As a long time resident of Dumaguete, I am hoping that the City government will continue its effort to teach residents how to make organic fertilizers out of kitchen wastes, to rigorously implement regulations that will prevent the conversion of


TO PAGE 12 L ast week, DR. JENNY LIND ELMACO-CARDENAS


A SOUTHPAW’S MUSINGS


AMAL: Hope through Action Muslim Women of Faith National Conference from at the St. Joseph Retreat House. This event was organized by Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy in partnership with the Asia Foundation and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, with support from the Kingdom of the Netherlands.


The conference focused on critical issues that impact the Muslim communities such as the Bangsamoro Organic Law, and mechanisms for implementation, the role of women in the changing political environment and peace and security. In the 2015 Poverty


Census, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has the highest poverty incidence at 53.7 percent, which means more than half of ARMM’s population are considered poor.


With the Sulu contingent and fellow technical experts, Dr. Aurora de Dios of WAGI and Atty. Salma Rasul of UP law.


Lanao del Sur stands out for having the highest poverty incidence rate of 71.94 percent, which means seven in every 10 of its residents endure poverty conditions.


province in the poorest Region, surpassed all provinces in the country in poverty-reduction. Apart from poverty, the Region has been plagued by violent conflicts, the most recent of which was the one in Marawi which displaced


However, Tawi-Tawi, a


and Organizing Women for Preventing Violent Extremism. Women play a vital role in peacebuilding.


many areas riddled with structural violence, women should contribute to the prevention and resolution of armed conflicts, sustaining peace, and creating resilient communities. The United Nations has recognized the indispensable role of women, and this is why the Security Council


For the ARMM and in


equal partners in conflict transformation. The attendees came from the Noorus Salam (meaning Light of Peace), a network of aleemat (women religious scholars) established in 2010 by the PCID. To strengthen the network


Cotabato as a resource speaker


jenny.elmaco@gmail.com I was


in during the


many, and left a lot homeless, with shattered dreams and trauma.


challenges especially on the experiences of violence, I believe there is hope when you mobilize and empower women in Mindanao.


In the conference, I gave a presentation on Engaging


However, despite these


passed a resolution, UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security which acknowledged the distinct impact of armed conflict on women, and recognized women’s vital role in conflict resolution, peace- keeping, and peace-building. Indeed, there are tangible benefits that result when women are full and


of Muslim women leaders, the Magbasa Kita Foundation of former Sen. Santanina Rasul and the PCID launched the “Muslim Women Peace Advocates” initiative that


TO PAGE 8


Te Silliman University community mourns the passing of a generous and humble alumnus and benefactor Dr. Rolando Villanueva del Carmen


whose contribution to the fields of law and research has given flesh to the maxim that “Tose who have less in life should have more in law”;


whose support for outstanding students has produced several luminaries in the legal profession in the country today


and whose generosity to the University saw the rise of a building dedicated to the pursuit of academic excellence.


We praise God for your life and witness. from


Te Dr. Jovito R. Salonga Center for Law and Development Atty. Mikhail Lee L. Maxino, director Students and Staff


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