 |
Candijay-born
politician-turned organic farmer Robert Olaer, with wife Brenda from
the Yu political clan of Calape, owners of Iyaah Eco-Farm in a pose with
Audio-Bohol president Fiel Angeli E. Araoarao-Gabin from the City
Government of Tagbilaran. |
The members of the Association of United Development Information Officers (Audio) in Bohol had been looking forward to July 29 and 30, 2020 as another exciting learning opportunity. Dubbed "Blogging Forum", the activity included lectures and expository tours to farm tourism sites being assisted by the Agricultural Training Institute Regional Training Center (ATI-RTC) for Central Visayas headed by Dr. Carolyn May O. Daquio based in Barangay Cabawan, Tagbilaran City, Bohol.
Recently,
Bohol Governor Arthur C. Yap emphasized the importance of agriculture
to Boholanos incorporating agriculture in the tourism industry.
Farm
tourism is the business of attracting visitors to go to farm areas,
generally for educational purposes, while encouraging economic
activities that can provide both the farm and community income.
However,
due to the CoVid-19 strict health and safety standard protocols, the
AUDIO-Bohol group composed of information officers from the local
government units and national line agencies in the province led by City
Government of Tagbilaran's Fiel Angeli E. Araoarao - Gabin as president,
were divided into two groups for July 29 and 30, but with the same
itinerary.
 |
| The Audio members with Robert and Brenda Olaer, ATI-RTC 7's Doris Isabel Racho, and PIA-Bohol's Rey Anthony Chiu and Elvira Bongosia at Iyaah Eco-Farm. |
ATI-RTC 7's Doris Isabel Racho
facilitated the activity which started with the opening program sharing
the ATI TRC-7 agricultural development thrust, as well as its staunch
commitment to the “Bayanihan to Heal Act”, while teaching new trends in
communication such as blogging and vlogging and showcasing different
farm technologies.
After the lecture of Bohol
Bloggers' Collective former president and content writer Jhuriz Dugaduga
about blogging who taught the group on how to make interesting posts
that attract engagements using the social media, Jomer Balag, the owner
of Jolit's Eco-Garden in Cambacay, Batuan town, took the Audio members
for a brief tour of the area and explained the fruit fermentation
process using molasses to provide the necessary nutrients to his plants
in the farm.
The visitors were also served
all-natural passion fruit juice. Nestled in the interior part of the
province, the place is, indeed, a haven of locally produced vegetables
and ornamentals that are a sure delight to every "plantliner".
The
most-awaited part of the visitors was the chance to choose and buy the
ornamentals that made the ATI coaster look like a crowded "lasang"
(forest) on the way back to Tagbilaran.
 |
| Jomer Balag of Jolit's Eco-Garden explains the fermentation process using molasses. |
IYAAH
Eco-Farm, coined from the word “kinaiyahan” (nature), an acronym meaning
“Inigsoonay'ng Yano Alang sa Agrikulturang Hamugaway”, is situated on a
10,500 square meter-property less than 5 kilometers away from the
center of Tagbilaran City.
It is classified as an integrated diversified farm that has been registered as one of ATI-RTC 7’s learning sites.
The
owner, former Candijay Sangguniang Bayan member Robert Olaer, supported
by his wife Brenda, shared their passion for the conservation of nature
and its sustainability which aligns with their strong advocacy to have a
“Happy Living, Healthy Lifestyle, and Holistic Life”.
According
to Olaer who is the Tagbilaran City Agriculture and Fishery Council
(CAFC) chair, Kapunongan sa mga Bol-anong Organikong Mag-uuma (KBOOM)
vice-president, and Central Visayas Farm Tourism Association (CeViFTA)
vice-president, they are basically teaching “harmonious living by eating
locally-produced organic foods, while constantly communicating with
nature. After all, nature does it all.”
Capping
the educational part of the one-day activity was the lecture on
vlogging by noted Panglaoanon graphic artist Rowell Clenuar, founder of
Travel 29, the marketing agency that popularized the Alicia Panoramic
Park, who challenged the Audio members to harness their creativity.
On
behalf of group, Audio-Bohol president Gabin expressed profound
gratitude to the ATI-RTC-7 for sponsoring the blogging forum geared
towards teaching a more interesting platform of sharing knowledge while
expressing oneself, refining communication skills, expanding
professional networks, making a difference to the general public, and
learning how to appreciate and be engaged in the promotion of
agriculture towards food security and sustainability, especially in
this time of pandemic.
PIA-Bohol’s Rey Anthony Chiu and Elvira Bongosia also provided coordination.
* * *
Sweet memories
Someone forwarded this article he culled from the Internet. I think this is worth sharing.
As a kid, Regardless of the weather, our dinner time was at 7:00PM and bed time was 9:00PM.
Eating out at a #restaurant was a huge deal, and usually to celebrate a special occasion.
There
was no such thing as fast food on every other day, and having a bottle
of soft drinks or a large ice-cream from the local shop was a real
treat. Boy oh boy! Pass your final exams and then you may get a new pair
of shoes or set of clothes!
You took your
school clothes off as soon as you got home and put on your ‘home’
clothes. There was no taking or picking you up in the car, you either
boarded the school bus or rode on public transport! Or simply walked
back. You got home did your chores and your homework after dinner.
We didn’t have #cabletv #wifi or #Netflix, we had only a few channels to watch and not available 24/7.
We
played shatong, tumbang preso, Hide & Seek, marbles, jack stones,
and any other game we could come up with..... At home, we stuck to
chess, scrabbles, ludo, snakes and ladders.
Staying
shut in the house was a PUNISHMENT and the only thing we knew about
"bored" was --- "You better find something to do before I find it for
you!"
We played music via records, magnetic tapes or listened to the radio.
We went to the local shop for groceries and candy used to be a few cents or at the most one cent.
We
ate what Mom made for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Even snacks were
homemade. Bottled water was unheard of. We drank tap water. At home it
was boiled and cooled . While playing outside straight from the tap.
We weren't AFRAID OF ANYTHING. We played until dark... sunset was our alarm.
We
hung around with real friends not virtual. We rode our bicycles or
walked to meet our friends at their houses. Friends houses were
extension to our home.
If someone had a fight, that's what it was and we were friends again a week later, if not SOONER.
We
watched our MOUTHS around our elders because ALL of our aunts, uncles,
grandpas, grandmas, AND our parents' best friends were all extensions of
our PARENTS and you didn't want them telling your parents if you
misbehaved! Or they would give you something to cry about.
We respected the Police, Firemen, Ambulance workers, Teachers, Doctors and Nurses.
We never answered back..... ever!!
We
got detention at school for not doing homework, being late to class or
being naughty. Our teachers spanked us when we deserved, and our parents
did not complain about it.
Those were the good
days. So many kids today will never know how it feels to be a kid the
way we used to be 😁. I loved my childhood and all the friends I hung
around with. Good Times 🤓😘
* * *
Thanks
for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at
leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter /Facebook.
