Is The Diocese Of Legazpi Helping The Pili Farmers Of Bicol? In Faith And In Fact!

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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 from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca). Searca Director Glenn Gregorio said the Socio-Economic Development Program Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SEDP-MPC) [has] engaged 17 barangay[s] (villages) in five municipalities to prepare to launch a pili processing facility in Albay.

The SEDP-MPC has 17 member villages engaged for the pili processing facility. The SEDP-MPC “is the business development arm of the SEDP Simbag sa Pag-Asenso Inc, a development-oriented institution run by the Diocese of Legaspi City committed to delivering financial and non-financial services to micro-entrepreneurial families” (Nanays.ph, nanays.ph). That’s great news! I am a Roman Catholic and always interested in what my church is doing for the people, especially in the remote areas.

The pili processing project, titled  "Technology Adoption for People-Centered Innovation and Livelihood Integration (PILI)" was funded by Searca's Grants for Research toward Agricultural Innovative Solutions [GRAINS].

First, I must congratulate the diocese of Legazpi for having organized the SEDP-MPC for the PILI. The pili farmers have to know what they can do for themselves first before they can honorably ask for assistance from public and/or private groups. In fact, a priest is the SEDP-MPC Chair: Fr Jovic Lobrigo. That is like saying the people cannot live on the “Bread of Life” alone!

Next, I give thanks to the Lord for Searca’s GRAINS – we must help the people help themselves.

Mr Domingo says:

[Searca Director Glenn Gregorio] said the project was “the groundwork for a facility that aims to help 500 farmers and 1,300 women entrepreneurs generate 20 percent added income from pili processing.

Fr Lobrigo said of the pili tree: "We have the so-called tree of hope – pili for resiliency, environmental and financial sustainability." Yes, Father, but the tree cannot help us if we do not help ourselves first! So, thank you for the SEDP-MPC.

According to Searca, machineries for pulp oil processing, including filtering and pressing, were tested through the PILI project, and by enhancing the machines, production capacity was doubled.

That’s very welcome news. Thus, with PILI, the pili farmers in the Bicol Region can now double their hopes!@517

 

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