This is a strange Ilocano story, and I am a strange storyteller.
I am a full-blooded Ilocano, born in Asingan in Eastern Pangasinan. I trace my ancestry to my grandfather Graciano who came from Rosario in La Union, and if you just look at the maiden name of my mother Sixta Agapito, you will know she was full-blooded Ilocano too – "agapito" or "agapit 'to" means "will harvest" or "is set to harvest."
And Ilocano is William Dollente Dar, from Santa Maria in Ilocos Sur. If you did not know, he is the new Secretary of Agriculture, having been appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte effective August 5 only.
Surprise! At about 17 minutes after 1 o'clock this morning, Saturday, 17 August 2019, I woke up with a revelation that Ilocano should be the national language of the Philippines:
The national language of inclusive development!
Now look at the above images. The word dar; that of half-body UP Oblation with the word GIVE from the UP website; the 3rd image from SoundCloud (translation: "I am Ilocano, I assure you.")
From PH Spanish colonial past comes dar and, according to Google Translate (translate.google.com):
The word dar has these multiple translations:
give, yield, lend, show, teach, hand, gift, put on, give off, take to, surrender, turn on, lecture, feed on, produce.
No joke!
Now, what does chaotic Philippine Agriculture need today from her Secretary?
Someone who gives his all.
Someone who cares about the yields of crops.
Someone who knows the value of lending to poor farmers.
Someone who shows how it is done because he has done it before.
Someone who teaches the value of playing as a team against the opponent.
Someone who hands out advice.
Someone who gives out of his heart.
Someone who puts on the mantle of "Science with a human face."
Someone who knows how to make the land give off its riches.
Someone who takes to the fields like ducks to the water.
Someone who knows how to learn from a surrender.
Someone who turns on quietly the Light of Inspiration.
Someone who lectures when he has to.
Someone who feeds on the ideas of others.
Someone who produces!
Someone who cares about the yields of crops.
Someone who knows the value of lending to poor farmers.
Someone who shows how it is done because he has done it before.
Someone who teaches the value of playing as a team against the opponent.
Someone who hands out advice.
Someone who gives out of his heart.
Someone who puts on the mantle of "Science with a human face."
Someone who knows how to make the land give off its riches.
Someone who takes to the fields like ducks to the water.
Someone who knows how to learn from a surrender.
Someone who turns on quietly the Light of Inspiration.
Someone who lectures when he has to.
Someone who feeds on the ideas of others.
Someone who produces!
What else do you want from your Secretary of Agriculture!?
Before this appointment, among others, Mr Dar was Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, ICRISAT, based in India, January 2000 to December 2014. Those were 15 long years, meaning he was renewed twice, until retirement, meaning the Indians saw that Mr Dar gave his all. Indeed, with his headship, the ICRISAT Team captured honor after honor that catapulted ICRISAT from dead last to first among 15 CGIAR international centers including IRRI.
Surely, William Dar will give his all to his own country!
Mr Dar told CNN Philippines (09 August 2019, cnn.ph) about the DA's new double target Ani at Kita: "Hindi lang masaganang ani (kundi) pag-taas ng kita ng ating mangingisda at magsasaka." (Not only higher harvests but also higher earnings for our fishers and farmers.)
This Ilocano is Good News Pilipinas!@517
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