Pandemic really is such an era which has not been particularly nice,
lots of lives had been lost, livelihood and businesses had been on
pause, people are trying to keep living despite the 360 degrees turn
around of their lives. Last lockdown period, when the economy was down,
everyone had been forced to stay inside their house, or if they
weren't home, stay where they are until the cases had died down a
little or when the curve had flatten, no one was out but military
people and health care workers, people had to depend on the stock of
food they had on their homes or the little help and food packs from
their LGUs. In this trying times, the need and importance of food had
been highlighted. The mass was able to appreciate more those who
work on the agriculture sector. They are basically who feeds us, but
years and years had people belittle their profession, often
associating them as Leni Robredo’s associate with her former
campaign, “mga nasa laylayan”. But guess who people depend on now
that they cant dine out on fancy restaurants and cant snack on some
imported chips and crisps? Imported goods distribution was on hold,
we had to depend on our local farmers, on whatever is available on
market. Life had been hardest to most of us, when surviving and
living was being divided by a tiny little thread, when fear of the
virus, of our future, of our loved ones are enveloping our whole
being. When we were all basically just striving to live just another
day after another hoping that tomorrow we will just be able to wake
up from this nightmare and everything goes back to normal.
This pandemic indeed has been an eye opener of the significance of
agriculture in our society. And we, as ABE, as a part of the
agricultural sector, also plays a great role on harnessing the future
of this country, of uplifting agriculture back to its glory days,
when people think so highly of farmers, such well respected
individuals, our modern day’s heroes. ABE for me is like Agri 2.0,
agriculture with a little twist of innovative technology, so cheers
to you too, my fellow Bayaw, we’re on our way to better and brighter
tomorrow. There are a lot of great things our chosen profession can
do, a profession I am proud to be a part with. And I can encourage
the youth to engage and be a part of such great community by
highlighting the contributions, the possibilities of what we ca do
together. I think it would actually be easier since a lot of people
are plantitos and plantitas. We can encourage them to join local
activities, attend free seminars that harness the importance of
agriculture. Also, by sharing a platform and letting us, those who
are in the agricultural sector, share our voice of how inspiring and
self-fulfilling it is to know that everyday you are waking up
contributing to something more meaningful than life itself.
Personally, it gives me a sense of purpose knowing that I am not just
a speck of dust in the universe, a living organism wasting out oxygen,
I am a part of something meaningful. And I think that is what most
teens are trying to seek with their emo and sad posts online, not
that I am invalidating their feelings and mental health but if they
can engage to something meaningful, life would be better for the
benefit of the many and the betterment of the future.
Once again, we can encourage the youth, who are very much engaged in
social media, to use their platform and promote agriculture, to
schedule a public agricultural related events free for everyone to
join, to make seminars and webinars entertaining and engaging.