THiNK Journalism

I am a stubborn son of a gun; I insist that we can rule over Climate Change and not simply allow it to rule over our lives. And having read and thought about this modern phenomenon since Al Gore and the IPCC co-won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for their climate works, I have made up my mind: We can change Climate Change! (Heads from critical-thinking.project.uq.edu.au ) My country the Philippines is minimally campaigning against Climate Change, and our agriculturists do not see – or say – that Regenerative Agriculture (RA) can solve 5 stubborn problems at the same time: 1. Fertilizer Imports, 2. Food Supply, 3. Customer Health , 4. Farmer Poverty and 5. Climate Correction. In their article “Regenerative Agriculture Can Play A Key Role In Combating Climate Change” ( One Earth , oneearth.org ), Betsy Taylor, Karl Burkart, Keith Paustian, Rattan Lal and Roland Bunch list 5 underlying principles of Regenerative Agriculture. But I prefer the practical list of John Cherry (“5 Princip

On Friday, 09 Sept 2022, I challenged Angat Buhay to plant the seeds and propagate a movement I called “Young Female Champions of Agriculture” ( YFCA ) – I wanted the acronym to look & sound like YMCA , because I am in awe of that social phenomenon, and I wanted to catch the attention of the ladies of Angat Buhay of the need for them to apply their beauty & brains to PH Agriculture, especially Regenerative Agriculture (RA), which should be given the lion’s share of agriculture – especially given Climate Change! We all have much to learn about PH Agriculture. The boys, farmers & leaders alike, are largely ignoring RA; ergo, they are largely ignoring the fact that this has twin purposes: (1) solve f armer Poverty , and (2) resolve Climate Change ! And so I am looking at the YMCA as a source of inspiration for YFCA, a new brains & beauty group dedicated to enriching farmers and impoverishing Climate Change simultaneously via RA. I see the female farmers saving us from t

News & Views to wake up some people – Today, Monday, 26 Dec 2022 (Manila), browsing Facebook , I chanced upon a Rappler post with the challenging title: “How Can Data Journalism Drive Action?” I clicked the link and was shown the Rappler editorial with that title, dated 12 March 2022. Rappler is still fighting disinformation – I see some things don’t change! On that same page appears the “Fearless Journalism Drives Action” vlogpost of Rappler; Nobel Peace Prize 2021 winner Maria Ressa leads that group that insists on what I call “ Truth Journalism. ”   Indeed, 31 months ago, on 14 June 2020, I blogged “Maria Ressa Thinks Truth Journalism. Like Apple, I Think Different" ( The Editor In Chief , blogspot.com ). Maria Ressa swears by her practice of Truth Journalism. Now I ask, since I have not seen any of her reports dealing with it: “Is Maria Ressa afraid of the Truths of Science? Why is she not wringing out the truths, for instance, about Chemical Agriculture (CA) and its s

To finance Asian countries in combatting Climate Change, should not the Asian Development Bank (ADB) encourage million-dollar funding proposals that proceed from a Vision and a Mission? Asking for a friend! Bonar Laureto shares on Facebook the top photo with link to ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa ’s message, news by ANN: “ADB Plans $14 Billion To Ease Food Crisis, Promote Long-Term Food Security In Asia And The Pacific” (Author Not Named, 30 Sept 2022, ADB SEADS, seads.adb.org ). Last year yet – Better late than never. How do organizations find “solutions” to “problems”? From a non-manager but an indefatigable digital researcher, my answer is: “First, they have to find Vision and Mission.” (“Vision” from tonyrobbins.com ) Now, how important are Vision and Mission? Canadian bank BDC says very clearly ( bdc.ca/en ): A vision statement expresses a company’s main goal for the future while a mission statement concisely explains how that goal will be achieved. So! The ADB might as

At 82+, yes, I drive thru my personal computer (PC) setup at home in my waking hours. No glasses. This year, 2023, with the birthday gift I requested 2022 that son-in-law Karl Cerni and his wife, my daughter Maria Lorena granted – an HP 15.6” laptop with an “AMD Ryzen” desktop processor – I graduated from a “Slow” to “Super-Fast” PC – and you can’t appreciate what that means to me! I thank God everyday. Yes, I turned 82 on 17 Sept 2022; I have poor eyes. I started blogging 22 years ago; how come up to 2023. I keep blogging almost every single day? 2 reasons. One, long ago as a writer, I vowed to myself: I will serve my country as much and as long as I can. Two, I enjoy blogging like you enjoy your Rocky Road ice cream! Yes, my mind and eyes were sharp in 1975 when I joined the Forest Research Institute (FORI) – with forester Filiberto S Pollisco as FORI Director – from 1975 to 1981, I was founder & Editor In Chief of the FORI monthly newsletter Canopy, quarterly technical

As as an Agriculturist (UP Los Baños 1965, BSA major in Ag Edu) and a digitally aware blogger since 1991, I know that most Filipino farmers, including growers of pili (Canarium ovatum), “simply” await for and expect government assistance in more ways than one. Some farmers form groups, but these merely ask or demand from government what they want. Thus: The farmers want corn, so: “Corn Farmers In CamSur Get Gov't Fuel Subsidy” ( Connie Calipay, 17 June 2022, PNA, pna.gov.ph ). Thus, the farmers want swine, so: “DA-Bicol Rolls Out Swine Repopulation With Over 3k Piglets” ( Connie Calipay, 23 Jan 2023, PNA, pna.gov.ph ). And so I read with great interest the news by Leander C Domingo : “Bicol Pili Farmers Gain Needed Support” (22 Jan 2023, Manila Times , manilatimes.net ): (“Grafted pili” from pilinuts.com ; “Support” from dreamstime.com ) To revive their livelihood activities hindered by the pandemic and typhoons, Bicol Region's pili farmers and entrepreneurs received support

As an 82-year old teacher, today, Sunday, 23 Jan 2023, I received a lesson on living from a surprising source, Filipina   Katherine Lopez , who is visiting the Philippines from IITA (Ibadan). She is a not-close friend, but with today’s Facebook post, I consider her now more than a friend! Kath posted the above Facebook image with these words: We want this page, Celebrating The Life Of Eli Libas , to serve as a platform for all of us to share the beautiful memories we have with our dear Eli. Feel free to post your photos and messages to celebrate her remarkable life. I was led to that page by Kath’s own Facebook post I saw earlier today that said: It is with sadness that we would like to let you all know that our dear friend Eli Libas quietly and peacefully left us to join our creator this morning. (22 Jan 2023) Eli, 68, had breast cancer and other health issues but she never lost her zest for life and love and care for friends and family and those around her despite her deteriorat

An Agriculturist, I am 82 plus; age matters as matters age, but it seems that PhilRice machines matter but do not age – they just disappear from public view. The above “album,” my photographs, taken with my Lumix FZ100 digital camera, shows farm machines invented by PhilRice in its headquarters in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. The machines were at the impromptu exhibit of PhilRice Los Baños on 18 April 2018. I took the photographs on the day itself of the “Lakbay Palay Dry Season 2018” showcase at PhilRice Los Baños, its headquarters next to the UP Los Baños campus, ANN says the event was attended by about 400 participants including farmers, extension workers, students, provincial and municipal agriculturists, experts and partners across CALABARZON (Author Not Named, “CALABARZON Rice Stakeholders Push For High Quality Seeds,” 24 April 2018, PhilRice , philrice.gov.ph ). That was 4 years ago. Today, I am writing about it with concern because I have not read anything about t

Dayo Duyile , 82-year-old Nigerian journalist, now has a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) to his name – his story is shared via Facebook. Comparing, Frank A Hilario , 82-year-old Filipino journalist, has had no PhD ambition. Mr Duyile’s educational dream has come true when it comes to personal reputation; my educational dream does not cover a curricular PhD for me. Mr Duyile is bookish & old-fashioned; Mr Hilario is unbounded & digital. Give me digital anytime! I am reading the news by Treasure Abraham dated 20 Jan 2023: “82-Year-Old Man Celebrates As He Finally Bags His PhD, Says He Still Hopes To Be A Professor” ( Allschool , allschool.com.ng ): Dayo Duyile, an 82-year-old journalist has officially bagged his PhD Degree from the University of Lagos. [This is] his inspiring story, from his challenges to experiences and opinions on certain aspects of his life. Mr Duyile, who was one of the reporters who witnessed and reported the official inauguration of the university in 1963, w

From now on, “Miss Universe” will be a world-wide competition for “Beauty & Brains” – (almost) says the new owner of the Miss Universe Organization, Thai transgender businessperson Anne Jakkapong Jakrajutatip (AJJ). I don’t admire transgenderism, but AJJ, s/he has my appreciation! If you look at the image on top, “Beauty & Brains” from facebook.com , it actually shows 2-in-1 yellow and pink female shapes – from now on, Miss Universe is a “Beauty & Brains” pageant, according to the wishes of AJJ – and I love it: It’s beautiful! “Winners, Miss Universe 2022” from bbc.com ) Thai Billionaire AJJ bought Miss Universe for $20 million ( P 1.9 billion) – she is a businessperson after all. And I, a non-business-mind, think that AJJ will make excellent business out of it. More than business: Miss Universe will elevate how we look at girls from merely physical to both seen and unseen. And I predict that beauty amendments will begin to lose their attractions, beauty clinics their

This week, the news is that Maria Ressa , CEO of Rappler, has won her tax case at the Court of Tax Appeals; the further news is that the acquittal has been “hailed as a win for press freedom” ( Dempsey Reyes & Krixia Subingsubing , “Ressa Tax Case Acquittal Hailed As A Win For Press Freedom,” 19 Jan 2023, Inquirer , newsinfo.inquirer.net ). We can also say that it was a win for Peace, as Ms Maria is a Nobel Peace Prize winner (2021). The Inquirer news says: Rappler CEO Maria Ressa calls her acquittal on tax evasion charges on Wednesday a “ray of light, hope” amid a slew of legal battles, including the appeal of her cyber libel conviction in 2020. The Court of Tax Appeals ruled that state prosecutors failed to prove Rappler dodged payment of income taxes in a 2015 stock rights sale to foreign investors. That was “a ruling that media watchdogs and human rights groups praised as a rare victory for press freedom and for ‘every Filipino who has ever been unjustly accused’ by the gove

Today, Wednesday, 18 Jan 2023, having blogged since 2000, now blogging in my 23 rd year, thank God, in my 82 nd year of earthly life, I will & can now concentrate on what I myself invented as a concept, that which I call “THiNK! Journalism” – (reprinted on this blog is my original think piece 03 May 2021 essay, “Women Journalists, ‘Access Is The New Civil Right’ – The Black Wall Street Times . I say, ‘THiNK! Before You Access’” ( bravenewworld , blogspot.com ). Having actively practiced journalism from 1975, when I was still 45 years old, then at 81 years of age, why did I think of a different kind of journalism? I was nowhere a negative journalist, but the journalism I was reading or watching kept on being negative and/or destructive of people, places, principles and/or policies public & private. Mostly destructive, hardly constructive – echoing what Tom Goldstein had said many years earlier, “J ournalism And Truth: Strange Bedfellows (Medill Visions Of The American Press)

  Above: As a Roman Catholic and an Internet denizen, I am heartened to see the headline “Church Builds Internet To Serve Far-Flung Areas” by the  Mindanao Daily .  Below: Do you notice that the girls, the 3 visible monitors, are exactly on the same page? (I’m a teacher, that’s how/why I notice.) They must be studying. Good girls, wherever you are! (Internet shop from  borgenproject.org ) No Sir, no Ma'am, except the headline, I can’t read the news either – where, when, who, with whom – that is to say, Mindanao Daily is only half-awake about the Internet – it doesn’t mind that its images are unreadable! The Internet is one excellent medium to connect Roman Catholics in far-flung areas to the cities and vice versa especially in terms of how to live – and continue to live – in the faith. I am saying that to encourage missionaries, especially those connected with the Munting Sambayanang Kristiyano (MSK). I saw the above image – sorry, I cannot make it clearer no matter what I do. It’s

  MANILA: We have a hero for Catholicism in the boondocks, the remote Church promoted especially for the poor, the Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC). He is Fr Acong, the Rev Msgr Ciriaco Alberto Sevilla Jr of Lucena City who served in the Gumaca Diocese from 1980 to 2007. In 27 years, within the Diocese, as a parish priest within an area that covered 1,200 sq km, he built 400+ BECs; that translates to 5 BECs every 4 months! St Paul would have been proud. More than 5 years ago, the month after he died, I wrote about Fr Akong/Acong ("Love's Martyr Of Fatima. Fr Akong & The Hidden Agenda Of The Rosary," 02 November 2007, americanchronicle.com). I had wished to write a book on him; now I have a book, composed by Fr Acong's own sister Milwida Sevilla-Reyes. Why did she compile a book on him? She writes on the Preface: He was not without blemish, but his exceptional life, particularly his pioneering the MSK (Munting Sambayanang Kristiyano) - Basic Ecclesial Communities -