The first step to a big leap

“What we have once enjoyed, we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us (Helen Keller, 1880 -1968).

Sunday is an enjoyable day with our first grandson, Nykko with his mother, Easter Colette. She is our eldest and architect daughter.  The usual family gathering was altered on Feb. 20, 2011 because our second daughter and the youngest, our only son were in Manila. They were in Cuneta Astrodome to receive their respective awards from the Unlimited Network of Opportunities Int’l Corp. (UNO).

Judy and I decided to spend the weekend at “Kalubian ni Lolo”. When Colette learned about it, she opted to go with us.  Together, we attended the anticipated Mass at Fatima Parish, Basak, Mandaue City.  Coincidentally,  we were part of the joyful celebration of its 35^th founding anniversary as a parish.

Early morning on Sunday, we were all set for the 2-hr drive to the farm.  Colette drove their KIA Sportage while I followed driving our ISUZU Elf loaded with planting materials, a variety of household refuse and extras to be recycled and reused in the farm.

I observed Colette to be driving professionally.  She maneuvered the heavy traffic with ease, speeding up in clear highways, slowed down when I was lagged behind and carefully and safely overtaking slow moving vehicles in uphill and downhill blind curves.  I recall how mad she was at me during her student-driving days.  Dissatisfied with me as her instructor, she enrolled herself in a driving school.  Momentarily, Noriel, her geodetic engineer husband is in Seychelles, Africa (Indian Ocean) patiently earning a living for their future.

While driving, I visualized a convoy of the “primary stewards”, the heirs of the late Mr. & Mrs. Fulgencio M. Perez who are on our way to develop, nurture and enjoy the ‘fruits’ of our pet project,  “Kalubian ni Lolo”.  This is an application area and our little contribution towards our social responsibility and simple solution to environmental problems.

As “mastermind”, I earnestly pray that during our family (ala-corporate) meeting scheduled on May 2011, we can come up with a ”we-opic vision” (not my-opic)  to focus on the cooperative and collective capability that will empower the “primary stewards” as an effective/productive multi-disciplinary team in our coconut-based permaculture living system. Unfortunately or fortunately, in the roster of team members, the air force pilot (newly married to our medical doctor niece) is crashed-out because of infidelity.  Being a bum, a good for nothing “son of a gun”, we allow him to “fly his separate way” with his “doomed flight plan”. 

The day before our trip, Colette presented her plan to celebrate the second birthday of Nykko this coming April 2011 with the children of the dwellers who are the “secondary stewards” of the farm.  It is a laudable, commendable and a great idea to socialize and establish a harmonious relationship with everyone involved in our “living system”.  We are with Colette’s best friend, Arch Care Abella-Huang with the thought “that one big leap starts with the first small step”.


I acknowledge and appreciate Colette’s initiative and creativity showing her leadership as the eldest among the grandchildren who survive their grandparents. The memorable experience of sharing snack items after tree planting last Nov 10, 2010 with the farm children must have triggered the idea.  We planted a hundred sour soup or guayabano  (a cancer healer).

 Niña, our graphics and advertising artist employed with the Cebu governor’s office with her husband Ramie, a young police officer and an IT expert; Colette with Noriel and I assisted by 2 farm workers enjoyed tree planting.  It was Noriel’s second planting session because he planted 38 “pangantuan” trees during his previous vacation.  During that November 2010 tree planting activity,   I pointed out their respective contributions in our “living system” considering their respective technical training and professions.

In conclusion, I am inspired by the immortal slogans of great and famous personalities:

“If we are together, nothing is impossible.  If we are divided, all will  fall” (Winston Churchill, 1874 -1965).

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams” (Eleanor Roosevelt).

From a seed to a bed (January 2010)

After complying our Sunday obligation, Judy and I proceeded to the farm before lunch.  We were in a hurry for the agreed time of loading the copra for the following day’s delivery to Alpha Oil Mill in Subangdaku, Mandaue City.  We were frustrated when the truck did not arrive.  The driver could not be contacted after several attempts and we wondered what happened.  We decided to see him personally.

Early morning (January 11, 2010), we drove to Brgy. Canhabagat, Medellin, Cebu.  Instead of feeling angry for the non-appearance, we took it as an adventurous and joyful ride locating the place.  And there was the driver with his truck as if there was no previous agreement between him and Judy’s cousin.  There was miscommunication.

We agreed on the terms of cargo delivery.   I realized it was more economical and less risky hiring his truck than doing it myself using our ISUZU Elf estimated to take me four (4) trips.

We were happy to discover that the truck owner is also into the fabrication of wooden furniture.  Attracted to the fine finish of their beds, we ordered one utilizing our own lumber from the Gmelina tree cut by chain-sawing the log to desired sizes six (6) months earlier.  In less than a week, they delivered the finished product.  What a soothing relief to commune with nature!  When I first slept on the bed from a seed planted for over two (2) decades, I felt gratified, accomplished and one with God’s creation.  I had a different feeling when we cut several trees for lumber used as floor joist of the copra dryer.  The dryer was rebuilt after it was accidentally burned when used by Judy’s cousin and nephew last May 2005.

This experience of realizing a thing after many years contradicts with today’s ‘age of instants’ with the rise of instant products.   When I was still a young boy, I usually heard negative comments that I would not be able to harvest the fruits of the trees I planted in our backyard.  I have proven them wrong because I am always given the opportunity to harvest what I have sown.  In my life, it can be literal or metaphorical.  Jesus said, “This is how it is with the Kingdom of God; it is as if a man was to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how” (Mk 4:26-27).

Indeed, in 1987 I purchased a half-full sack of Gmelina seeds gathered by my laborers and their children at the forestry area in ViSCA, Baybay, Leyte.  I sowed the seeds in furrows like planting corn in the hilly and very infertile portions of my in-laws’ farm.  That forested piece of land was deducted from the total land area to qualify for exemption and clearance from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR  7).

In whatever undertaking or goals we have whether long or short term, “let us not grow tired of doing good for in due time we shall reap our harvest” (Gal 6:9).  nmg

Prayer and goal-setting

The terms prayer and goal are 2 keywords dealt with during our 2 sessions of our action group/prayer meetings for January 2011.  Judy and I hosted the first gathering (Jan 10) at home. As prayer leader, I discerned and selected the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians (Phil 4:4-8) for reflection.  We employed the ‘group response method’.  I was awed by the unusual silence of the group as if in deep meditation upon our opening prayer inviting the Lord, allowing ourselves to look back to the year that was (2010) in relation to our commitment to prayer. The stillness was broken with the arrival of the Lanticse couple sharing their closed contract with a multimillion project in Luzon.  The serious that turned lively assembly closed with a collated message, “Rejoice always and pray with thankful hearts keeping in mind what is truthful, holy, just, pure, lovely and noble.”

The second meeting (Jan 24) was hosted by Ate Cora Ongos with our action group leader, Kuya Robert Lim leading.  We were a little bit late because we attended first to a family concern.  I was astounded that the verses for reflection were from the previous verses of our earlier meeting.  This time Phil 3:12-16 was presented. Amazingly, from the Christian Community Bible, the term goal appears 3 times.  The afternoon of the day before (Jan 23), was enlightening and strengthening with the family and our guest, Ate Exal Grape’s attendance to the seminar on the “Power of Goal-setting”.  That was our second UNO Special Training (UST) conducted by our new-found friend and wealth coach, Chinkee Tan.  What a coincidence!! “Coincidence is God’s way of protecting His anonymity” (Yancey. Prayer. p. 105).  However, as renewed Christians, I consider it Divine Providence.  I was very enthusiastic to share the lessons I learned.  I pointed out my present activities and my personal and our family plans  (short, medium and long range).

Accordingly, only 3% of 100 graduates in Yale University (1953) set their goals and only this 3 were very successful. In a worldwide scene, the super powerful countries have set their goals.  In my opinion, the political and even religious leaders of our country must consider goal-setting for the common good instead of creating abundant legislations.

Upon self-examination and considering my past experiences and circumstances conforming with religious beliefs, tradition and culture, I have set my limitations to the level of being satisfied with what I have become.

Being afraid to fail or the fear (false expectation appearing real) to set ambitious goals are simply removed because I have a strong faith in our Rich God who answers and provides avenues or means for the realization of my ambitious dreams.  “Dreaming costs me nothing except a good sleep.”

Thought-provoking and mind-boggling are the main items of Chinkee Tan’s talk on “Patience develops God’s overflow” being a pastor in an entirely separate venue.  I am challenged to develop my attitudes: a) to be patient, b) to wait for the yield and c) to stand firm.  Sowing and reaping are 2 major/literal activities that are also true to any other human undertaking.   The activities in between constitute the waiting which could basically be devoted to prayer, “a cooperation with God that opens the way for Grace to work.”  Associated with prayer and goal-setting is to be consistently constant. nmg

Do nothing Permaculture?

Zero tillage is synonymous to do nothing agriculture.  I encountered this inherent agricultural production practice in Gandara, Samar, one of the site research management units (SRMU) of the Farming Systems Development Project for Eastern Visayas (FSDP-EV) during the 80’s being a member of the multi-disciplinary team.  We observed a rice field prepared manually by simply stepping-in the existing vegetation of weeds and rice straw from previous harvest or by using a wooden rotavator pulled by a carabao because the land was soft and wet.  When the field was clean, rice seeds were broadcasted and the farmer returned only at harvest time.

During the first permaculture convergence last Feb. 12-14, 2010 at Elicon Hotel, Cebu City, a practitioner from Bohol pointed out and justified the do nothing but a lot of thinking kind of crop production.  Indeed, this is a paradox, a “statement contrary to common belief, or one that seems contradictory, unbelievable or absurd but may actually be true in fact.”

To me, doing nothing is actually doing something.  Similarly, inaction is in itself a momentary response or reaction.  We are endowed with heads and minds to think.  A lot of thinking is doing something.  “Women basically use their right intuitive brain and they have the ability to take the whole picture.  Men on the other hand, use the left-analytical brain and interested more on parts or details.  Androgynous thinking employs both the left and right brain with the ability to integrate concrete and abstract realities” (Peck, 1997).

When I attended the Christian life program (BCLP No. 2 in Mactan), I was introduced to radical conversion.  Radical comes from the Latin word, radix meaning root.  Radical is synonymous to fundamental. In sociology, a radical is a left-leaning anarchist while a fundamentalist is a right-wing extremist.  Anyway, those who think deeply about fundamentals are radicals.  A radical action stems from a radical thinking”.  Now, I understand why a close brother knight (K of C Council 7507) labeled me as a deep thinker.  I thought he was referring to me as someone knowledgeable but I am not.  However, I am radically thinking with integrity.  I tend to “integrate the multiple reasons and dimensions of our incredibly complex world.”  I am a horticulturist by training but as I integrate all the other aspects/domains of permaculture, I become a generalist.  “To think and act with integrity requires that we fully experience the tensions of competing thoughts and demands” (Peck, 1997).  Fortunately, cooperation not competition is the essence of permaculture.

On our way to attend the session of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) last April 14, 2010 for PhilPA’s visibility, Mr. Joel Lee and I argued as to what slogan to adopt.  “Weaving the web of life” (metaphorical) is his motto.  Personally, my original catchphrase was, “I love farming”.  Now, it graduated to a higher level, “I love life and living” (literal).  Permaculture is an integrated and holistic approach signifying wholeness, entirety and completion of life and living.

Dr. M. Scott Peck (The Road Less Traveled and Beyond: Spiritual Growth in an Age of Anxiety) claims that doing nothing for at least 2 hours a day, allows him to take time to think, pray and organize his priorities to be more efficient.  As a psychiatrist, he concludes that building the best possible relationship or a community with their patients, healing will naturally occur without doing anything.  Health and spiritual well-being is an important domain in permaculture.  “We learn from good leaders and teachers who think well as our good examples to be efficient and to be able to live life fully”.  The Philippine Permaculture Association (PhilPA) is a learning organization, a sustainable community.  I believe that it is our vocation, our calling to spread the good news about the ethics, concepts and principles of permaculture. Let us not simply be evangelizers but doers or practitioners. Employing the principles towards ecological balance, we need to think, believe and live.  nmg

Mr. Food Production (March 2010)

During my College days in a premier agricultural institution of the Visayas, individual food production was one of the extra-curricular requirements aside from the rice field and the 1 m X 50 m plots for vegetable production as part of our curricular activities.  Food production plots were developed where each student was housed. Mine was at the beachside because my small nipa hut was near the beach.  Now, the area is occupied by the Zea mays Dormitory, the College Pavilion and the Center for Continuing Education (CEC) of the Visayas State University (VSU), Baybay, Leyte.

The one responsible for monitoring and evaluating our food production activities was the late Prof. Francisco G. Bascug.  He was dubbed as Mr. Food Production.  Every Monday morning convocation and flag raising ceremony, he was always on stage to announce his observations regarding our endeavors.  Moreover, he pronounced and broadcasted those who were to undergo several days of field work for misdemeanor.

One Monday morning along with some friends, I was dressed in working clothes with our bolo, pick-mattock and shovel ready to accept our respective punishments.  You know, I was caught by the guard-on-duty on a late Friday night violating the 10 p.m. campus curfew and bringing-in a gallon of tuba or toddy bought from the neighboring barrio.  Unexpectedly, my name was not called so I joyfully reported to my classes with the resolution never to engage myself with any naughty act again.  Later, I learned that my girlfriend thrashed the guard’s report.  She had access to the week-end reports because she was staying with the family of Mr. Food Production.  I can not forget her extra-ordinary act of saving me from humiliation but I failed to express my gratitude for her favorable action.

Presently, I am challenged to emulate Mr. Food Production.  However, the scenario is entirely different.  I will not be dealing with agricultural students but with a heterogeneous group of people.  A majority of them are used to consumerism most likely because they are moneyed.  On the other hand, there are numerous marginalized urban poor who are hungry.

In a macro environment, I am impressed with a number of positions or titles in large private corporations like sustainability manager and sustainability steward.  These positions or responsibilities may mean a decline in productivity so there is a need to sustain it.  According to a sustainability manager whom I met, “sustainability means striking a balance among profit, people and planet, the triple (P) bottom line balance.”  They are looking at ways that can sustain the business into the next generation while taking care of people and resources.  Isn’t this an application of the ethics of permaculture?

Indeed, there is a great challenge for us permaculture practitioners to respond to the problem of food scarcity.  First and foremost, we need to address the basic need of our respective “circles of influence”, our direct social responsibilities.

Food production per se is limited to our physical needs.  How about aiming also for the food that satisfies deeper hunger, the food that provides nourishment for eternal life? The Gospel according to St. John reminds us, “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures eternal life which the Son of Man will give you” (Jn 6:23).  nmg        

In their name . . . (July - Sept 2007)

“God calls each one of us by name.  Everyone’s name is sacred.  The name is the icon of the person.  It demands respect as a sign of dignity of the one who bears it” (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC] 2158).

As expectant parents, Judy and I were thrilled and very excited with the coming of our first baby.  Expecting a boy, I was ready with “Richard” as a very memorable name I wanted to retain.  A Franciscan brother in-charge of the working students during my high school days provided me rays of hope to pursue my aspirations in life.  In the dedication page of my master’s thesis, I wrote, “This piece of work is humbly dedicated with reverence in memory of a great philanthropist, an unforgettable character and a sincere friend, Bro. Richard Kloster, OFM.”

Contrary to my expectation, God granted us a baby girl.  Judy was ready with St. Colette’s name.  I personally filled-up the certificate of live birth.  I made sure of the correct spelling.  I added “Easter” because she was born on a Good Friday in 1981.

Four (4) years after, our second child was born.  Another girl and again the name I reserved was inapplicable.  Judy did not prepare for a name and so I readily filled-up “Marianne Claire” because 1985 was a Marian Year.

As a responsible couple and considering our financial capacity to raise our two (2) lovely and stress-relieving daughters, we decided to stop longing for a boy.  Moreover, I felt and shared the difficulty of child-bearing and giving birth. 

Dormancy lasted for ten (10) years.  Eventually, our only son, their only brother was born when Judy and I were a year old with the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP).  There were already four (4) of us who were excited with the arrival of the most recent model of God’s creation in our home.   He is the third among God’s supreme gifts of our marriage.  During that time, Colette and Marianne were already 14 and 10 years old, respectively.  They were given the privilege to give the name of their longed for brother.  “Francis John” was conceived in their young minds.  Unknowingly, they completed the full name of St. Francis of Assisi, Francesco Giovanni.  “Giovanni” is the Italian name equivalent to “John”.

The name “Richard” may have not been used among our limited number of children but he remains in my heart and mind as long as I live.  I wish him to be the first person I will meet in Heaven.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) declares, “In Baptism, the Lord’s name sanctifies man and the Christian receives his name in the Church.  This can be the name of a saint, that is, of a disciple that has lived a life of exemplary fidelity to the Lord.  The patron saint provides a model of charity, we are assured of his intercession” (CCC 2156).

The names of our children are derived from saints.  Being associated with the Franciscans, St. Francis, St. Clare and St. Colette are with our children.  In their name, our home is spiritually provided and guided.  From the book, “The five people you meet in heaven” by Mitch Albom, I learn that “the home is the secret of heaven.  That each affects the other and the other affects the next and the world is full of stories but the stories are all ONE”.   

Finally, inspired by a religious quotation, I say: “To dwell above with saints we love, that will be grace and glory.  But to live below with saints we know, well, that’s another story!” nmg