Ms Celeste says:
After being recognized in 2019 by the readers of Conde Nast Travel as the “best island in the world,” Siargao Island drew even more tourists and surfing enthusiasts from around the world. As tourism picked up in (this) southern Philippines island, more farmers and (fishers) “abandoned their traditional livelihoods to earn fast cash from foreign tourists,” and petty crimes flourished in the key island municipality of General Luna.
Easy come, easy go. Farming is easy if you ask this farmer’s son who is also an Agriculturist, UP '65, but fast cash is more tempting by selling something, anything. Goodbye carabao, hello tourists! Hello petty crimes.
Fortunately for Siargao, a year before the island became the toast of tourists, says Ms Celeste, Police Captain Wise Vicente Panuelos “realized that despite the steady growth in local tourism over the years, residents were still struggling to make ends meet.” What did he do?
He investigated a new idea, connecting Food with Peace.
“In 2018, defying convention, he decided to train the police in community organizing and address local food insecurity in pursuit of peace and order.” He thought, “If people have hungry stomachs, they might have angry minds.” He was thinking of more crimes.
So, Chief Panuelos sought the assistance of community-conscious businesses and individuals and started “Hardin ng Pagbabago” (Garden of Change). This was community farming. Ms Celeste says, “The innovative program was quick to get local backing within its first year.” There were an initial 12 community farms in San Isidro.
There is a white stranger in this story. Ms Celeste says:
Siargao-based, ex-military Brett Johnson of the Australian Special Forces is one of the pioneer supporters of the (Garden of Change) program. Mr Johnson and Captain Panuelos met almost three years ago when Mr Johnson moved to the Philippines straight out of retirement from the military.
Different peoples and different perspectives, yet they blended. Mr Johnson said, ““I became good friends with him (Captain Panuelos), as my background and (his) being (Police Chief were) a good mix and we could understand each other and relate.” Law and Order of a different kind!
Mr Johnson came from a farming background in Western Australia where his family had grown wheat and raised sheep. “When Captain Panuelos decided that the program was ready for a full-scale approach, he asked Mr Johnson to be a sponsor, and he adopted 3 farms.” He was a farmer first, police next, farmer last.
Once a farmer, always a farmer. Apart from providing financial support for local farms; Mr Johnson also trained the farmers on soil rehabilitation, a Very Important Point (VIP) – I will write on this VIP another time.@517
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