'Greening' Mt. Banahaw

MANILA, Philippines - Mt. Banahaw is considered by many Filipinos as a “Holy Mountain,” as well as a “red area” or a lair of communist rebels.

Today, portions of the picturesque slope of Banahaw have turned “green,” as wide tracts of idle lands are planted to various semi-temperate, pinakbet and “chopsuey” vegetables.

Now, the farm cluster is considered as one of Southern Luzon’s major vegetable producing areas, supplying the requirements of Metro Manila, Bicol and adjacent provinces. And more recently, it serves as the alternate supplier of “Baguio vegetables.”

What prompted it all is the establishment three years ago of a wholesale market and processing center, known as the Sentrong Pamilihan ng Produktong Agrikultura ng Quezon (or SPPAQ), at Barangay Sampaloc 2, in Sariaya. It sprang up in May 2006, as a brainchild of Rep. Proceso Alcala (2nd district, Quezon), to provide a ready market for various farm commodities.

With Sentrong Pamilihan in place, dozens and later hundreds of farmers were encouraged to develop hectares of idle lands into vegetable gardens at the foothills of Mt. Banahaw, spanning the five towns of Mamala, Bugon, Sampalok, Dolores and Candelaria.

‘Vegetable carpet’

Soon the area was carpeted with lush vegetation of eggplant, tomato, beans, ampalaya, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce and carrots, among other popular vegetables.

Hence, vegetable farming and trading has been a major source of income and livelihood of 300 or so Quezon farmers and their families.

“Gusto namin talagang tulungan ang aming magsasaka, na pagtatanim lang ang ikinabubuhay,” (We are indeed keen on helping our farmers, whose main livelihood is farming), said Cong. Alcala in his native Batangueño tongue.

“Sa ngayon ay napakaganda ng aming partnership,” (Now, we have a very good partnership), he added, referring to the relationship he built with about 300 pioneering farmers who partnered with SPPAQ as contract growers.

To nurture its partnership with them as well as with entrepreneurs and traders, the Sentrong Pamilihan gives them marketing, merchandising and transport assistance, including education and training programs, according to Ariel Mañalac, SPPAQ market administrator.

“Para dun sa mga ka-lalawigan naming nagtatanim at nagdadala ng mga produkto dito sa Sentro, binibigyan namin sila ng mga pagsasanay sa values formation at entrepreneurship. Nagbibigay din kami ng environmental training,” Mañalac said. (We provide training on values formation and entrepreneurship, as well as environmental training.)

These capacity-building programs do not only equip farmers with modern technologies, but also impart to them socio-civic and environmental responsibilities, as they are taught to employ sustainable and environment-friendly farming methods, Mañalac added.

180 tons of veggies weekly

With the joint efforts of the national and local governments, as well as the perseverance and determination of the SPPAQ farmer-partners, their families and entrepreneurs, the volume of vegetables produced and traded peaked at 40 tons every Tuesdays and Fridays, their market days.

On ordinary days, volume traded reaches 20 tons. Hence, for the entire week, up to 180 tons of vegetables are produced and traded at the Sentrong Pamilihan.

Aside from Metro Manila, the vegetables are transported to Bicol and Marinduque.

Thus, since May 2006 the SPPAQ has compiled a host of stories to encourage other farmers.

One worth sharing is the triumph of Felipe Heli of Mangalang Tulo-Tulo in Sariaya, who borrowed P70,000 worth of tomato seedlings and farm inputs from SPPAQ. Combining his diligence and learned farm technologies, he was able to gross more than P160,000.

Dahil sa Sentro, nakapagpatayo s’ya ng maayos na bahay. Ngayon may sari-sari store pa s’ya,” Mañalac boasts of Heli’s accomplishment as a farmer-trader. (Because of the Center, Heli was able to put up a decent house. Now, he also has a sari-sari store.)

In the years to come, SPPAQ and Alcala commit to help more Quezonians in their quest for a better life.

“Tuloy-tuloy lang po itong mga proyekto nating ganito” (We will continue to pursue similar projects), Alcala said.

Likewise, he expressed his gratitude for the firm support and assistance extended by Secretary Arthur C. Yap and the Department of Agriculture, as the agency has helped linked the SPPAQ farmers directly with markets and bagsakan centers in Metro Manila.

In addition, the DA has provided Sentrong Pamilihan a cold storage facility and a refrigerated truck.

“Napakalaki na po ng ipinagbago ng industriya ng paggugulay sa lalawigan ng Quezon, at malaking bahagi po nito ay dahil sa tulong ng DA at ng national government” (The industry of vegetable farming in the province of Quezon has developed and improved dramatically because of the assistance of the DA and national government.)  Alcala said with a smile.  – DA Information Service