WWF-Philippines, BPI Foundation Team Up to Build Food Sheds Across the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A woman tends to crops inside her communities’ food shed in Bago City, Negros Oriental. Each food shed requires the teamwork of whole communities to manage and maintain them, and can help boost food and livelihood security in areas racked with poverty. Photograph © WWF-Philippines

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines and the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) have partnered up to oversee the construction of food sheds in rural communities across the country.

The project, entitled PagSibol, is the latest development in WWF-Philippines’ multi-year effort to advance food and livelihood security in distant communities across the archipelago. Known as the Sustainable Farm to Table Program, the project has helped communities to organize and govern themselves and their savings, while supporting them in the development of agribusiness enterprises.

PagSibol looks to extend the gains made by the Sustainable Farm to Table Program, by improving the food production capacity of partner communities. 

Community members pack crops from their food shed in preparation for the marketplace. Food sheds bring the promise of sustainable prosperity for rural communities. Photograph © Alo Lantin / WWF-Philippines

Food and livelihood security continues to be a major problem for millions of Filipinos. 5.2 million Filipinos experienced hunger in 2020, while 4 million Filipinos were unemployed as of January 2021.

“We’re very excited for this recent development. Our partner communities have come a very long way since we first started off with the project, but there is always room to do more. These food sheds that the BPI Foundation is helping us to put up will help guide our communities to further, more sustainable prosperity,” said WWF-Philippines Project Manager Muneer Hinay.

A food shed in Rizal. Each food shed allows for the year-round cultivation of crops and small animals in a way that is much less land and labor intensive compared to older farming methods. Photograph © Alo Lantin / WWF-Philippines

A low-cost, modular agricultural technology, each food shed allows for the growing of a variety of crops in a multi-level structure that requires less land than an open-air farm. Sheltered from the elements under a roof and maintained through simple hydroponics, each food shed allows for the growing of crops year-round, with space for the cultivation of small animals, such as poultry.

With the added, consistent production provided by a food shed, each of the PagSibol projects’ partner communities will be able to provide for their needs, while selling any surplus for additional income.

PagSibol’s partner communities include Barangay Bantog in Tarlac City; Barangay Dolores in Ormoc City; Barangays Balugo and Sibulan in Negros Oriental; Barangay Ara-al in La Carlota City; Barangay Mailum in Bago City; Anajawan Island in General Luna, Surigao del Norte; Barangay Basagad in Baloi and Barangay Binuni in Bacolod, both in Lanao del Norte; Barangay Tigbalabag in Zamboanga City; Barangay Kidalapong in Malita, Davao Occidental; and Barangay Dailag in Arakan, North Cotabato.

“This is a wonderful step forward for all of us, and we are very thankful to have BPI Foundation on board supporting this effort. It is our hope that one day, all communities can enjoy the benefits of a thriving food shed. That day will come, thanks to projects like PagSibol,” added Hinay.

In the face of rising food and livelihood security for millions of Filipinos, the PagSibol project hopes to give communities a chance to dream toward sustainable prosperity. Support WWF-Philippines, and help bring an end to the food crisis.

Cover photo caption: A woman from Pampanga, beneficiary of the Sustainable Farm to Table Program, pumps water for the communal farm behind her. The Sustainable Farm to Table Program has promoted food and livelihood security all across the Philippines. Photograph © Alo Lantin / WWF-Philippines 

Tanikala Brings You Stories of Hope and Healing with Stars Lara Quigaman-Alcaraz, Karen Timbol

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CBN Asia brings you two brand-new films about hope and healing amid the pandemic on its much-awaited Holy Week special – Tanikala presents Habang May Ngayon and Isa Pang Hiling, airing this Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. on GMA.

In Habang May Ngayon, seasoned actress Karen Timbol tells the true-to-life story of Carla Manas who battled the deadly virus. As she fell seriously ill, Carla faced harrowing experiences and fear of death in the shadow of COVID-19.

“Compared to my previous roles, this is something different. What I liked about this character is that, in the middle of the storm, she saw hope,” Karen said.

Thrilled about her first Tanikala role, the actress shared that she could relate to Carla’s journey, “I see myself in her. Whatever happened to her in the past, she used it for good. Many people went through a lot of challenges during the pandemic, I hope that they will be inspired through this story.”

Meanwhile, actress and beauty queen Lara Quigaman-Alcaraz takes on another challenging role as a mother in Isa Pang Hiling. Lara plays Jarolyn Moulder, whose world turned upside down when her husband and son suffered from COVID-19.

In utter desperation, Jarolyn pleaded with God to allow her to be infected too so she can stay in the hospital and take care of her son, Vincent. Sandro Muhlach portrays Vincent.

Lara felt the deep connection to her character right off the bat, “We are both mothers who are willing to do everything for our children, to the point that we’ll pray, ‘Lord, let me bear this, please spare my child.’ That’s where I pulled all the raw emotions from. When it’s about our child, we will really cry to God.”

The actress continued, “I was in awe after shooting the scenes because I realized that the story and character I portray happened in real life. So prepare your tissues not only because the scenes are quite tearful, but because you will see how good our God is–how He wants to heal and save us. And you should look forward to that!”

Habang May Ngayon is directed by Joash Bermejo while Isa Pang Hiling is directed by Timmy Yee.

 

Witness stories of hope and healing in Tanikala presents Habang May Ngayon on Maundy Thursday, April 1, and Isa Pang Hiling on Good Friday, April 2, at 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. on GMA.

 

Lara Alvarez stands up to competition; fights on for young son

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Lara Pearl Alvarez knew that joining The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition would push her to her boundaries.

But never did she imagine that this early in the competition, she'll be in a sink-or-swim situation.

Alvarez was one of the first three candidates to be sent to The Boardroom, alongside fellow Team Conquest members Alvin Ang and Nazee Sajedi as they defended their positions from the get-go in front of ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong and ONE Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy Niharika Singh.

"During that moment, I felt like I was fighting for my life," she said. "In my mind, I'm saying I didn't go all the way here to be eliminated this way."

It sent a shock to the spine of the single mother as she found herself as one of the first to be on the chopping block in the toughest edition of The Apprentice in history.

But it also served as an eye-opener for Alvarez, knowing that for one to be named as The Apprentice, one must really want the title so bad. "I should have spoken more and made sure that they heard me," she said, echoing Sityodtong's sentiments inside The Boardroom.

In hindsight, Alvarez thought that she could've been more firm in pushing what she believed in the first business challenge, where the candidates were asked to build a "ONE at Home" essentials kit, a marketing plan, and a product prototype to be pitched to the hosts. After all, she understood the target audience well given her background in mixed martial arts.

But her decision to shy away from the background may have been her undoing, a brutal realization she came to terms when they faced the music in The Boardroom.

"Chatri asked us, 'Who else thinks that the product is crap?' And I raised my hand and explained that Roman [Wilson] and I were insisting on putting other items in the box since I also made a research on the Singapore market. Also, on the night before the pitch, I tried to present to the team how I could be presenting on the pitch and they liked it, but the team said that it's already too late since the pitch is only a few hours away," she said.

"I knew I had the least contribution, not because I didn't want to but because I didn't get the chance. And that's partly my fault for not insisting."

Luckily, the challenge was a non-elimination one and Alvarez, alongside Ang and Sajedi, remain alive in the toughest here, living to fight for another day.

Still, Alvarez is intent on learning from these mistakes as she vows to "never let other people out you to the side."

"It's not bad to talk about yourself and what you can do so that people would trust your ability. It's a bit of culture shock because here in my country, you would be branded arrogant if you talk too much about yourself and your achievements, but I realize that in the bigger world where there's a mix of culture and views, it 's important to give facts about yourself so that people wouldn't underestimate you," she said. "When Chatri spoke in the boardroom saying that I'm the most experienced martial artist, that's the only time that my team found out about me."

And with those lessons at hand, Alvarez vows to not be in this situation again, more motivated than ever to win this high-stakes game of business competitions and physical challenges.

"After that near-elimination, I told myself I wouldn't be coming back to that chopping block in the next challenge. I had to do much better and speak more. I was more motivated because I already felt how it was to defend yourself before Chatri and Niharika, and it's not easy to be in that position," she said.

All of this hard work, after all, is for her baby boy back home.

"Thinking of my son gives me more fire to overcome all my self-doubt and bring out what I'm good at in the next challenge. I just keep on thinking about the possible changes that I can bring to my son and family's life if I win the competition and that motivates me," she said, her desire burning more than ever to claim that US$250,000 job offer to work as Sityodtong's protégé at the ONE Championship Global Headquarters in Singapore for a year.

Truly, Alvarez didn't come this far just to be given the first boot.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition is showing across Asia on AXN, the show’s official Asian broadcast partner, with markets to include Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.



The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition is also available on other platforms and TV networks across Asia, including MediaCorp (Singapore), Abema (Japan), KompasTV (Indonesia), Amarin TV (Thailand), LINE TV (Thailand), One Sports (Philippines), and HTV (Vietnam).