2018

ANG PEYSBUK (FACEBOOK)

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Nagsimula sa “friendster” ang ugnayan

Ilang dekada na ang nakaraan

Kinagat din naman at naging tanyag

Subalit hindi nagtagal, may iba nang “tumawag”.

Tawag ng ibang nabuong application ito

Madaling gamitin ng mga tao

Sa sandaling gamit, many ay nagulat

Sa buong mundo ay spectacular ang pagkalat.

Facebook sa English, Peysbuk sa Pinoy

Puno ng photos at mga “hoy”

Ito yong sinasabi, mga shoutout kuno

At, may mga messages din na puno ng siphayo.

Maraming tao, sa Peysbuk ay nai-ugnay

Relatives sa tunay na buhay

May mga magkakaibigang di nagkita

At sa Peysbuk, halos hindi sila makapaniwala!

Mayroon nagkikindatan, nagmumurahan

Iba’y naglalabas ng kalooban

Matagal na kanilang kinuyom sa puso

At nang mailabas, naging makulay ang mundo!

Sa Peysbuk ay maraming nagkikita, matindi!

Nagka-impresan sa mga ngiti

Na nakita sa kanilang posted na photos

At sa aybolan nila, makita sana ay di  “etchos”!

Mayroon pa ring nari-reyp dahil sa Peysbuk

Kung bakit kasi napakamapusok

Nakita lang photo na pogi, akala’y siya na

Ang nakipagkonek, gumamit ng photo ng iba!

Kaya sa Peysbuk dapat lahat tayo’y mag-ingat

Pag-isipang mabuti ang nararapat

Ang fb request, huwag i-okey nang basta

Dahil ang pagsisisi ay nangyayari kapag huli na!

ANG KALAGAYAN NG PILIPINAS NGAYON

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

HINDI KAILANGANG MAGING PANTAS O WISE ANG ISANG PILIPINO UPANG MAUNAWAAN ANG MGA NANGYAYARI SA PILIPINAS MULA PA NOON NA NAGDULOT NG PAGHIHIRAP NG NAPAKALAKING BAHAGI NG SAMBAYANAN, TULAD NG:

THE WAY OF LIFE

By Apolinario Villalobos

Somebody asked me if I have a religion, and when I told him, I have none, he told me, so you do not have a way of life…because according to him, religion is a way of life. I did not want to embarrass him as we were in the company of his friends, so I just told him, we will talk later about this.

The poor guy is obviously ignorant as regards “the way of life” which is generic and does not apply only to religion, but in everything as to HOW a person lives his life, HOW he “carries” himself, or HOW he acts in a community, or better, as a citizen. It is about attitude, character, behavior, mannerism, health, ideology, and philosophy being followed.

There are people who follow the philosophy of Confucianism which is not a religion…and their life is based on that. Vegans are people who prefer vegetables than meat and fish…that is their healthy lifestyle – their way of life. Communists behave according to their political ideology…and that is their way of life.

Belonging to a certain religion is JUST ONE OF THE WAYS OF LIFE. Christians and Catholics should behave like Christ. Buddhists should live their life according to the teachings of Buddha. Muslims should live according to the teachings of Mohammad. Protestants should live according to the deviations from Catholicism….etc.

Finally, it does not necessarily mean that if a person has no religion, he is leading a bad life, because, as many thought, HE HAS NO WAY OF LIFE.  On the contrary, many people who do not belong to any religion, IN FACT, act and behave better than those who belong to one.

It is the ACT that should be considered in judging a person, and not the teachings that many of those who are religiously fanatic are taught BUT NOT PUT INTO PRACTICE, as expected of them.

THE AG DRAGON FRUIT FARM

…barangay Lilit, Lambayong (Sultan Kudarat, Philippines)

By Apolinario Villalobos

When I reached barangay Lilit, in Lambayong, I was surprised to find an orchard, not only planted to a cactus variety bearing fruits that came to be known as “dragon” perhaps, because of the skin that looks like scales, but also to lime or “calamansi” as well. The lime trees were profusely bearing late fruits, most of which hidden behind thick clusters of leaves.

According to the couple, G-Anne and Arnold, they started with the mangoes in the 3 hectare- farm. Unfortunately, the tropical fruit did not fare well, so that they were cut down to be made into charcoal. They tried the lime which somehow, brought in good yields. But, when Arnold got fascinated with the dragon fruit, as it has become a fad all over the country due to its nutritional value and consistently high price, he bought starter cuttings at Php50 per post. He used the upright system with stems that bear flowers allowed to extend freely. That was in 2016. Another type of raising the cactus for its fruits is by connecting the posts with wires  or thin cables to form some sort of a trellis.

Of the 3 hectares, ¾ of the area is planted to the cactus while the remaining space is retained for the lime.  Mrs. G-Anne Guerrero shared that the dragon fruit venture has so far shown a good promise of success. The first week of June saw a “pick and pay holiday” when the orchard was opened to walk-ins who enjoyed the American-style of fruit picking. On the other hand there is a need to check on a regular basis the clumps of cactus tied on the concrete posts so that segments infected with fungus could be cut off.

During my Sunday visit, the family was preparing for the arrival of guests from Manila and other parts of the province. Also, a relative, Ferdinand Pascua of the Department of Trade and Industry, Legal Department  (DTI-Manila) dropped by. The rest who were around during my quick visit were Meciel Abalos de la Cruz and Paulo Guerrero, the couple’s son who works at the Provincial Capitol of Sultan Kudarat, and Gerril Guerrero, barangay Poblacion Kagawad. As it was a late breakfast time, kalentubo, a Maguindanao rice curry conically wrapped in banana leaf was brought out as well as slices of the red variety of dragon fruit to go with coffee.

The Guerrero Orchard at Purok Lilit is about three minutes travel from downtown passing through barangay Pag-asa. The way is replete with refreshing view of rice fields that would turn into a sea of undulating green and become tinted with yellow as harvest time approaches.

The AG Fruit Farm is a typical “micro farm” with every available space utilized to the maximum so that even standing pruned trees serve as hosts to the clinging cactus. Sharing the area are lime trees, as earlier mentioned. Even cluster of yam are left to grow on their own, as well as, cluster of kangkong for that matter.

HISTORIC LAMBAYONG

(Sultan Kudarat Province, Philippines)

By Apolinario Villalobos

The historical significance of Lambayong could be traced back to the time when its vast expanse was ruled by a Muslim Royal House connected to Sultan sa Barongis. The Ala River played a major part in the lives of the early inhabitants being the main artery of commerce due to the absence of a road system. During the time, the four thriving settlements in the whole of Cotabato aside from what is now Cotabato City, itself, were Dulawan, Lambayong, Midsayap and Buluan. Before Lambayong was created as a town, as it was then part of Sultan sa Barongis, the area was referred to as “Torre” due to the presence of a Spanish tower which time has deteriorated. Ferdinand Marcos, issued PD #341 on November 22, 1973 that transferred Lambayong from Cotabato to Sultan Kudarat with its name changed to Mariano Marcos in honor of his father. But when Corazon Aquino took over as President, it was renamed Lambayong by virtue of Republic Act #6678 signed on October 12, 1988.

Lambayong is named after the flower-bearing creeper that grows in profusion on wet lands with which the town has plenty. The purplish cup-like petals are a sight to behold from a distance as they undulate with the dark waxy-textured green leaves when blown by the wind.

Christians began to settle in Lambayong as early as the 1930s but the early 1950s saw the greater volume of hordes from Visayas, particularly, Iloilo. Among them was led by the late Serafin Bernardo whose son, Nonito, confided that their group which consisted not only of their family but friends and relatives, took a barge from Cotabato City for Dulawan from which they took another barge to Lambayong. The Rio Grande de Mindanao that emanates from Cotabato City and the Ala River that flows through the Lambayong area, join at Dulawan.

During the 1950s, Lambayong was already a thriving settlement with many Christian families dominating the settled area along the highway. Purportedly, many prominent families who got settled in Tacurong City stayed for awhile in the homes and buildings of the early settlers of Lambayong, one of which was owned by the Guerreros. Some families decided to settle around Gansing and Kipolot while the rest, such as the group of Serafin Bernardo went on to New Passi which at the time was part of Katil. From there, some families settled in Rajah Muda and went up the hills of Magon.

Buluan was made accessible from Lambayong through Gansing and Kipolot by foot trails which the settlers blazed toward President Quirino which at the time was called Sambolawan, to trade in a designated area that settlers during the time, referred to as “Pamasang”. Buluan is the “mother town” of Tacurong and President Quirino. (This information was confirmed by my interviewees from Buluan who got the information from their parents.)

There was an early attempt of the government to connect the thriving settlements in the hinterlands of Cotabato that included Midsayap, Sultan sa Barongis and Lambayong with Makar in Dadiangas which is now known as General Santos City. It is named after General Paulino Santos who cleared the once sandy area for settlement by Christians from Visayas and Luzon . The proposed highway was what is now called in Tacurong City as “Alunan Highway”, but before was known as, “Mid-Makar Road” or “Midsayap-Makar Road” that passed through Lambayong and ended at Kalandagan in Tacurong, beyond which was a trail fit for carts only. Affluent students from Gansing and Tacurong hiked from Tacurong to Marbel on Sundays and hiked back home on Saturday, as for the rest of the week, they stayed at boarding homes in Marbel. Heavy provisions such as sacks of rice were loaded on a cart pulled by carabao. There were no tricycles, jeepneys, most especially, buses yet.

Lambayong, during the arrival of the settlers from the Visayas and Luzon, was covered with thickets and cleared for rice paddies and corn plots which in time expanded. Water for irrigation was coaxed from streams that abound in the area. The manifestation of this abundance of water, in fact, “sweet” spring water, is the presence of the six (6) continuously  flowing water out of upright tubes at the town’s six (6) purok or sitio and the one used by the District Hospital. The fertility of the soil is also fit for rice which ensured abundant harvest and made Lambayong earn the title, “Rice Bowl of Cotabato” when it was yet one whole province before the creation of the four provinces. Today, it is still fondly referred to as a “Rice Bowl” but of Sultan Kudarat Province.

The 26 barangays of Lambayong are: Caridad (Cuyapon), Didtaras, Gansing (Bilumen), Kabulakan, Kapingkong, Katitisan, Katitisan, Lagao, Lilit, Madanding, Maligaya, Mamali, Matiompong, Midtapok, New Cebu, Palumbi, Pidtiguian, Pimbalayan, Pingulaman,Poblacion (Lambayong), Sadsalan, Seneben, Sigayan, Tambak, Tinumigues, Tumiao (Tinaga), and Udtong.

The municipality covers a total land area of 226.99 square kilometers or 87.60 square miles.

Though without impressive big commercial structures, Lambayong is trying its best to maintain a harmonious and cordial ambiance which is necessary to erase the bad image it had at the height of the conflict between the Christians and Muslims during the early 1970s. Impressively, farmers hold with steadfast firmness to their rice fields and vegetable plots instead of converting them into subdivisions. Attempts are being made to raise the nutritious dragon fruit which consistently commands a high price in Manila. Another tradition which is maintained is the production of raw sugar in the form of muscovado.  For more delectable offerings of the town, one should visit the public market on a Sunday for tinagtag, panyalam, smoked fish and many more.

To commemorate the harmony between Christians and Muslims in Lambayong, the government came up with TIMPUYOG Festival celebrated every October of each year.                Groups compete for the best in street dancing and costume.

Currently, the mayor of Lambayong is HON. RAMON M. ABALOS.

The Municipality of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr.(SNA)

Could Be More Appropriately Named as “KULAMAN”

By Apolinario Villalobos

First of all, the Honorable Governor of Sultan Kudarat, Pax Mangudadatu should be accredited for the highway that has connected the area of Kulaman to the lowlands. The naming of the town after the dead husband of the late president Corazon Aquino did nothing good for the residents – Christians, Muslims and Lumads. Those responsible for the naming of the new town as such could be wringing their hands in remorse for their unfair decision.

When Sultan Pax Mangudadatu became governor of Sultan Kudarat, among his first acts for the province was lobby for the construction of a highway from the lowlands to the Kulaman area as it has been grossly neglected for several decades despite the promise of opportunities. Nothing happened to his effort under the two presidents –  Gloria Arroyo and even Pnoy Aquino. The governor confided that he even told Pnoy, “para naman sa bayan na nakapangalan sa tatay mo ang highway”…nothing happened.

When Duterte became president, he tried again to lobby although he was at the brink of desperation. He told the DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, “yong ibang bayan, nagpapa- widening na ng mga highway nila, pero ang iba tulad ng Kulaman wala pa maski kapirasong kalsadang sementado…”. He succeeded in his persistence. Today, Kulaman area is connected to the lowlands with a highway and extensions for connection with neighboring municipalities are afoot. Farmers living on the slope of Mt. Dagoma can now bring their produce to the city of Tacurong, Isulan and Esperanza with ease and comfort….and Kulaman is showing signs of fast development although, it is just a barangay of the SNA. The provincial government has also implemented several livelihood programs spearheaded by the livestock dispersal that include carabao, goats and hogs.

Back to the issue of name….the municipality of Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino  is more known by its contracted reference as “SNA” that stands for Senator Ninoy Aquino. My question is why adopt the said name when the dead guy has got nothing to do with the area?...just because he was the killed husband of the then, sitting president, Corazon Aquino? This is a blatant act of “paninipsip”! ….ash licking to the maximum!...or is it an attempt to perpetuate the name “Aquino” in Mindanao?....what a shame!

Kulaman has been known for so many years among the people of Cotabato, and in fact used by the Oblate Fathers or Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), as their center for evangelization activities around the area, hence, the establishment of Notre Dame therein that preceded other Notre Dames in the lowlands.  When scientific researchers mention archaeological finds in the whole area, they refer to Kulaman. When lowlanders mention organic vegetables and special highland coffee, they refer to Kulaman.  Despite the official name for the town, many people still thought that Kulaman is the town. Whoever thought of coming  up with another town should have just converted Kulaman into such, with area expanded by the additional barangays mentioned in the list below, some of which having been sliced from Kalamansig and Bagumbayan.

The administration of President Duterte could do the residents of the area a favor by changing the name of the municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino into KULAMAN…if he is committed to rectifying what has been done unfairly in the past. The precedent in the case of the renaming of the Mariano Marcos, back into its former name, Lambayong, could be cited.

(Quotation marks before and after the write-up below, indicate that it has been copy-pasted by this writer from Wikipedia in the internet.)

“The municipality was created by virtue of Republic Act No. 06712 on February 17, 1989,^[4] and is named after senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.

It brought Barangays Buenaflores, Bugso, Kiadsam, Kadi, Kulaman, Malegdeg and Sewod in the Municipality of Kalamansig and Langgal in the Municipality of Bagumbayan to constitute into an independent municipality. The seat of government of the municipality is situated in Barangay Kulaman.

Senator Ninoy Aquino is politically subdivided into 20 barangays.

·         Banali

·         Basag

·         Buenaflores

·         Bugso

·         Buklod

·         Gapok

·         Kadi

·         Kapatagan

·         Kiadsam

·         Kuden

·         KULAMAN

·         Lagubang

·         Langgal

·         Limuhay

·         Malegdeg

·         Midtungok

·         Nati

·         Sewod

·         Tacupis

·         Tinalon”

HOW SOME PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT HAVE NEGLECTED 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF FILIPINOS

By Apolinario Villalobos

First of all, it is a fact that the Philippines is lagging behind the neighboring Southeast Asian countries, especially, Thailand on the areas that cover exportation of dried products and fruit juices that can be processed into vinegar or “cider”. It is funny to note that it seems the government has no definite direction as regards the surplus bananas, mangoes, avocados, yams, sweet potato, leafy vegetables and medicinal herbs. It is funnier to note that when available locally, the processed products tend to carry tags with prohibitive prices due to their EXPENSIVE PACKAGING!...and worst, the country is way behind other southeast Asian nations as regards rice production!

In banana growing provinces of Mindanao, “reject” bananas due to their “over” and “under”  sizes are heaped in roadsides to be fed to hogs. What Filipinos know about the banana is to eat it as an after meal repast, fry into fritters or mix it with flour to be baked into cake. Many home-based entrepreneurs come up with “banana crackling” but a small pack that can’t even fill a small cup is priced sky-high. If ever banana products come out in the market, their prices become “unfit” for Filipinos. I was lucky to have found banana vinegar one day in a grocery inside a mall, but stylishly tagged as “cider” to justify the expensive price due to the “foreign sounding” brand. My elation was immediately transformed into frustration so I did not buy a single bottle of “cider”.

On the other hand, westerners love to eat dried mango that come in chips or strips, but small entrepreneurs cannot cope up with the demand because of outdated processing that they use. If they want a high-tech equipment, they are supposed to browse the internet for them. What is commendable is the resourcefulness of private individuals and groups in promoting this tropical fruit such as holding a mango festival just like what Guimaras is doing. The province is famous for its “sweetest” variety of mango. In Mindanao, many towns produce mangoes but most dried products, ironically, comes from Cebu. The mango juice that is packed in Davao is not promoted well.

The Philippines is a tropical country and as a popular adage goes, “one may throw the seed of any fruit anywhere and not long afterwards, a fragile teeny-weeny leaf will peek to great the sun!”. The same goes with the vegetables with stalks that can just be left in a corner of the yard and roots will sprout. DESPITE THIS, THERE IS NO TANGIBLE SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT AS REGARDS THEIR FULL UTILIZATION AS EXPORTABLE PRODUCTS IN DRIED OR JUICE. Assistance always comes from the LGUs despite their limited resources and a manifestation of this effort is the mango festival of Guimaras. As can be noticed, the assistance is limited to information dissemination and promotion.

This is the sad situation in the Philippines….national agencies that are supposed to be concerned with matters regarding agricultural products have no tangible output on the aspect of technological assistance. Accordingly, a certain bill on this issue is still pending in Congress for several years now.

Here is a classic ironic situation. Foreign rice specialists come to the Philippines to learn everything possible at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Laguna. After accomplishing their “mission”, they go back to their countries…put what they learned into practice with the help of course of their respective government…AND, SELL RICE TO THE PHILIPPINES!...BECAUSE THE PHILIPPIN E’S BELOVED NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY (NFA) SAYS, THE FILIPINOS WILL DIE OF HUNGER IF THE COUNTRY WILL NOT IMPORT RICE BECAUSE THE LOCAL PRODUCE IS NOT ENOUGH!

Concerned government agencies always mention the lack of budget when it comes to the need for their assistance on certain relevant projects, BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A BIG BUDGET WHEN IT COMES TO PURCHASES!...AND RICE IMPORTATION IS AMONG THEM!

There is not even a very EFFECTIVE effort  to CONTROL the conversion of rice fields into subdivisions…despite the fact that even before the creation of the Rice and Corn Administration (RCA) that metamorphosed into National Grains Authority (NGA), and today, has become the National Food Authority (NFA), rice has been identified as the most crucial need of the country. Today, the NFA is unfortunately viewed as a corruption-riddled agency.

Lately, resourceful farmers whose fruit orchards started as a hobby are into exportation of their products…still the government has not given them the much needed technological assistance, as shown by the pending bill that should have benefited them years ago, yet. If approved and becomes a law, my apprehension is that the implementation will again be hampered by the LACK OF BUDGET as what happened to the rest…so, as expected, there will be finger-pointing as to who’s to blame again!

My big question is…are the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and the National Food Authority (NFA) still RELEVANT today? It seems that the BPI is only good for “information dissemination” or giving out of brochures during agri-trade fairs, as well as, seeds/seedling dispersal….things that can be done by LGUs that are already with nurseries of their own.  And, worse, the NFA is only good for rice importation as it cannot even do anything about the obvious rice cartel in the country.

MY CALL IS FOR THE TWO AGENCIES TO BE DEMOLISHED.

LAMBAYONG

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Sa tunog pa lang ng pangalan kung banggitin

Exotic na ang dating, mahiwaga pa kung isipin

Sinaunang bayan na saksi sa isang kasaysayan

Ng malawak na emperyo sa ka-Mindanawan.

Napapaligiran ng malawak, matabang lupain

At noon ay mga gubat, maaliwalas sa paningin

Sagana sa mga hayop, sa kalawaka’y mga ibon

Subalit nawala dahil sa pagbago ng panahon.

Nagkanlong ng mga dumayo mula sa Visayas

Na ang pagsisikap ay nag-iwan ng mga bakas

Nagsimula sa pusod ng minahal na Lambayong

Hanggang sa New Passi, barangay ng Tacurong.

Mula sa Midsayap tumagos sa kanya ay daan

Tungo sa Makar, pantalang malalim ng GenSan

Nang sa bayan ng Tacurong ito’y tumagos naman

Naging highway na ito at ipinangalan kay Alunan.

Nadugtong siya sa Buluan sa  bahagi ng Silangan

Tumagos sa Kipolot ang matalahib na mga daan

Umabot sa Sambolawan na  ngayon ay Quirino

Sentro ng masaganang kalakalan o mga negosyo.

Biniyayaan siya ng mga bukal ng matamis na tubig

Nagpapawi ng uhaw at sa kapaligiran ay nagdilig

Kaya’t masaganang ani ay hindi mapapasubalian

Mula sa mga nagluluntiang palayan sa kapaligiran.

Hindi lang mula sa kalikasan ang kanyang yaman

Pati na rin sa masisipag, mababait na mamamayan…

Lambayong, tungo sa kaunlara’y umaarangkada

Sa bilis ng pagsulong tila wala nang hahadlang pa!

UNSOLICITED NA MGA PAYO SA MGA NANALO SA BARANGAY ELECTION

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

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