“Shades of Green”

Serving unlimited rice has been one of the latest trends in most Pinoy restaurants nowadays. Still no doubt, rice remains to be the staple food for all Pinoys. Aside from being the staple food, rice and its production are an important source of employment and livelihood in rural areas of the country to which people living in urban areas will surely be in awe at the site of the green sceneries occupying the fertile lands as they pass by the rural provinces most particularly when traveling by land. Paying a monthly visit to Barangay Bacuyong, Pinan, Zamboanga Del Norte is NOT an exemption!

Modern cities struggle to design residential communities, commercial districts and even business parks to be enclosed in lush greens, but here in Barangay Bacuyong, it’s a plain sight to behold. One cannot simply deny the fact as to how much hard work that these farmers put into and how amazingly this practice is being handed down from one generation to the next.

Majority of the heads of the family in the said barangay are mostly farmers. For this obvious reason, they are often regarded as stewards of these productive lands. Seemingly, it has been their mission to develop and nurture these lands that will stand the test of time amidst the pressure of rapid urbanization. Truly, one can firmly say that they are working with nature and not against it, which is actually the key in sustainable development in terms of food production.

It has been frequently raining in the area and it can be bothersome for others especially for the medical students whose field works are subject to further delays because of unfavourable weather. However, rain is considered a blessing by the farmers who welcome it with joy and excitement. Shin deep in mud and rain water and getting soaked from a monsoon deluge appear to be a celebration for them that it's hard to fathom why these workers can possibly look so happy in their daily toil. Indeed, rice farming is the source of the country's staple diet and possibly the community’s main source of income as well.

In conclusion, one can assert that by simply looking at green sceneries, undeniably they are a product of all these — heritage and commitment, nurturance and promise. It is just impossible not to notice its beauty and grandeur!