THiNK Journalism

These are revolutionary times. That's exactly why I have this new blog. Beginning today, Monday, 29 July 2019, I'm going to write about PH agriculture using what I call The  in Revolution. I'm referring to the use of modern media any material: text, image, video or mixes that are produced in any manner that is in tuitive, in novative, in genious, in tellectual, even in credible – all for Development, all in clusive of the Poor. Journalists, digital  in Revolution is what we need today – and, at 78 going on 79, if I can do it, you can do it! And, The in Revolution must be for sustainability. In this case, agricultural sustainability. About any company's hybrid rice, everyone talks about achieving the higher yield, up to treble. But nobody is talking about sustainability! (image from Vermillion Energy , sustainability.vermilionenergy.com ) Differently , I'm talking about If Sustainability . From now on, I'm going to investigate any idea, concept, theory, practice,

Today, Sunday, 28 July 1935, SRO's Birthday – Differently, how to retell a story already told twice? On Santiago Rigonan Obien, Rice Guru : How do you relate a story already told in 2 books in 582 pages?  Use your imagination! I used more to come up with a 3rd book. My brainstorming and typing gave me Draft #1, 258 pages, in 2 months out of 2 earlier books, autobiography and compilation of compliments from family, friends, and colleagues of SRO. Completely different . Also Ilocano, also an original aboriginal! It was also a Sunday when SRO was born in Ilocos Norte. Up to high school, he studied there; for his BSA he attended the University of the Philippines' College of Agriculture in Los Baños, Laguna; and for his MS and PhD degrees the University of Hawaii East-West Center in Honolulu. SRO's official journey as a science manager, for which he did not study, began in 1977 when ground was broken for the Philippine Tobacco Research & Training Center, PTRTC buildings a

"Great directives by PRRD to unlock the potentials of the agriculture sector" says William Dar in his Facebook sharing above. That was about the SONA last Monday.  Yes, Sir, but we do have to be careful. The SONA was a failure in speechwriting (see my essay, "PRRD's SONA – Colorful Words Flying, Malacañang Media Boys Flailing," 24 July 2019, Journalism for Inclusive Development , jinclude.blogspot.com ); no, we don't want a failure in inclusive development without planning . Not only from you but from General Santos City in Southwestern Mindanao and Alaminos City in Central Luzon have come 2 endorsements of the SONA pronouncements on the aggie funds: 22 July, from Alfredo Bronx Hebrona, who has been Regional Governor of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Southwestern Mindanao (Allen Estabillo, 22 July 2019, "Biz Leader Hails PRRD's Commitment To Agri Sector," Philippine News Agency , pna.gov.ph ). 24 July, from Leonardo Montem

It's 2 months old, but it's new even to me who am a digital, wide-reading old foggy – 79 in September. Richard Barr says he knows "8 Things Every School Must Do To Prepare For The 4th Industrial Revolution" (22 May 2019, forbes.com ). Now: Broadly: About the images above, the main image comes from Mr Barr's article; the superimposed one from my external 22-inch ViewSonic monitor. My views: (1)   Mr Barr's modern classroom is too orderly, too regimented for modern learning. Too formal for children to start enjoying themselves and learning much as a result! (2)   Mr Hilario's modern monitor is too cluttered – but that's exactly how I think! at the beginning of writing. And clutter is exactly where to begin teaching the children. What I'm saying is that the opportunities for clutter belongs to every man, woman and child trying to learn something, especially in the digital universe we are in now. Specifically: Here are the 8 things Mr Barr is recommend

In his State of the Nation Address SONA, PRRD told LandBank (22 July 2019, SunStar , philstar.com ): You are called Land Bank, but you are now the number one commercial bank in the Philippines. What the heck is happening to you? You are supposed to finance agricultural enterprises and endeavors… Go to the countryside and ask the people if there are cooperatives, (help them) to form one. LandBank is into commercial loans because, Sir, LandBank knows which side its bread is much buttered. Now, I love it that Sir, you mention cooperatives. And the Coco Levy Fund: I also have not forgotten my commitment to uplift the lives of coconut farmers and further develop the coconut industry through the urgent utilization of the Coconut Levy Fund. You hit the nail on the head, Mr President! I have been proselytizing about cooperatives and The Fund in the last 7 years (see my essay, "A Coop Is Born. Will Nagkaisa Wake Asingan Up?" 23 October 2012, Nagkaisa , nagkaisa.blogspot.com ). I was

Image from D23 ( d23.com ) – Unfortunately, it's the other way around – each of our PH Secretary of Agriculture has been sleeping on the job! since 1898, founding year of the DA. 1898 was a revolutionary year, except that the DA did not take up arms against the enemy – poverty among farmers and fishers. Pertinently, former Agriculture Secretary William Dar, who continues to espouse what he calls "New Thinking For Agriculture," has come out with his Manila Times column titled "Increasing The Income Of Farmers And Fisherfolk" 1st of 2 parts (25 July 2019 ( manilatimes.net ), where he says: I listened very carefully to the State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, and I commend his full support to leveling up the country's agriculture sector by investing in programs to increase the incomes of smallholder farmers and fisherfolk. ¶ This is a very powerful message from the President, as it clearly emphasizes increasing the income of ag

The SONA could have been PRRD's Tour de Force – there was enough content to strut out with, but the Malacañang Media Boys failed him. They failed to rise to the occasion (image from google.com ). The patriotic thing those boys could have done was immediately come up with a 1,500 word summary of what was actually said, minus the colorful language. There was much substance to chew on for the SONA, but those boys were not paying attention. For instance, in the case of Land Bank, PRRD was saying: What the heck is happening to you? You are supposed to finance agricultural enterprises and endeavors. Bakit wala? (Why none?) PH President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's, PRRD's State of the Nation Address, SONA, was delivered last Monday, 22 July 2019, at the House of Congress in Quezon City, and I have found it educational. With full text reproduced by PhilStar (22 July 2019, philstar.com ), my count was 9,500 words including such entries as [applause] and [laughter] and "p***** i**.&qu

I'm always curious. I saw Jovita Movillon's Facebook linkSaturday, 13 July 2019 (Carrie Lam, "11 Habits of an Effective Teacher," 05 July 2014, Edutopia , edutopia.org ), and curiosity led me there. Even if the article is 5 years old, I was still interested in it since I studied to be a teacher and did teach high school and college, and I have been thinking of an alternative school – and therefore an alternative way of teaching – for high school or would-be high school youth. The 11 habits do not simplify teaching, but I'm curious how you can make teaching effective. I selected these 14 websites carrying the exact same Curiosity story: Collaborative Classroom, Visible Learning Plus, Murrieta K12, Iitk Teaching, Pearl Trees, Teachers Pondering, The Soul Of ESOL, Learn Lead Love, Praveen 897, Academia, Privacy Chain, Curriki, Effingham Schools, and Go Venture Oasis. Meaning the topic resonated with many teachers. So many curious teachers! Miss Carrie's 11 habits

In his Manila Times column of today, Thursday, July 18, 2019, William Dar writes up Part 2 of his column series on "The Power Of Technology And Innovation In Agriculture" ( manilatimes.net ). Not him but me, I look at the whole of it as a lecture on common sense .  So! (1)    Common sense is not food sufficiency . It is food security. Mr Dar says, "The overall objective should be to make smallholder farmers and fisherfolk prosperous and, more importantly, food secure." We may have a sufficient rice supply, but we do not live by rice alone! (2)    Common sense is not food production, food production, food production . It is for farmers and fishers "earning enough to buy food for themselves and their families." Not simply higher yields but higher incomes. (3)    Common sense is not simply technology . "Technology is just technology until is it used for a noble purpose." Common sense is "using technology and innovation (in) levelling up the eco