(Rizal & rice image[1] from FutureRice.com;
texts in English and Tagalog from “Sen. Kiko Pangilinan Remembers Rizal As A Farmer[2],” kikopangilinan.com)
“I Choose To Remember Jose
Rizal As A Farmer Who Reminds Us That We Need To Measure Development By How
Abundant Are The Farmers’ Own Dining Tables” – Kiko Pangilinan, 30 Dec 2017
Today, we remember our national hero, a writer, a doctor,
and a martyr. Today, I choose to remember Jose Rizal as a farmer who soiled his
hands and feet to learn the basics of agriculture, studying how to make the
land he bought near Dapitan productive.
During his exile on the land in the coastal barangay of
Talisay, he planted rice and corn and vegetables, and raised chickens. He also
founded a cooperative that helped other farmers use efficient farming
techniques (like use of fertilizer, crop rotation, and use of farm machines),
and market their produce. ing together, can help uplift agricultural workers
from ignorance and poverty.
Ka Pepe left the haunting message that genuine independence
cannot exist when Filipino farmers are still disrespected and poor. We need to
measure development by how abundant their own dining tables are.#
“Inaaalala Natin Si Jose
Rizal Bilang Isang Magsasakang Nagpababatid Na Dapat Nating Sukatin Ang
Pag-Unlad Sa Kung Gaano Kasagana Ang Hapag-Kainan Mismo Ng Mga Magsasakang
Pilipino” – Kiko Pangilinan, 30 Dis 2017
Ngayong araw na ito, inaaalala natin ang ating pambansang
bayani, isang manunulat, isang doktor, at isang martir. Ngayong araw na ito,
pinili kong maalala si Jose Rizal bilang magsasakang nagbungkal ng lupa para
pag-aralan ang agrikultura at paano pa mas maging masagana ang ani ng lupang
binili niya sa may Dapitan.
Noong kanyang exile sa lupain sa baybaying barangay ng
Talisay, nagtanim siya ng palay, mais, at gulay, at nag-alaga ng mga manok.
Nagtatag din siya ng kooperatibang tumulong sa iba pang magsasaka para gumamit
ng mga mabisang paraan sa pagsasaka (tulad ng paggamit ng pataba, crop
rotation, at paggamit ng mga makinarya), at para ibenta ang kanilang mga naani.
Alam niya na ang agham at technolohiya, kasama ng bayanihan,
ay makakatulong para maiahon ang manggagawang agrikultural mula sa kamangmangan
at kahirapan.
Nag-iwan si Ka Pepe ng nakakabahalang mensahe: walang tunay
na kasarinlan kung ang mga Pilipinong magbubukid ay nananatiling minamaliit at
mahirap. Dapat nating sukatin ang pag-unlad sa kung gaano kasagana ang kanilang
sariling mga hapag-kainan.#
An agriculturist, a blogger
of 21 years, and very wide reader, I am pleasantly surprised with the thoughts
of Senator Kiko on Jose Rizal’s thoughts regarding the growers of crops and
animals for food. If our farmers themselves can only afford limited fare on
their families’ own dining tables, how can we Filipinos say, “Yes, the
Philippines is a developed country!?”@517
No comments:
Post a Comment