Of families, friends, and reunions

The importance of reconnections

BY DEEDEE SIYTANGCO

Jul 2, 2023 00:25 AM

  

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Angel Thoughts

This is a tense week for some of us the Mayon volcano watchers (my beloved was a Bicolano, that's why I love the province) and the activities of the perfect cone-shape natural wonder is worrisome. But we can only hope she will not blow, at least, anytime soon.

Another worry is Taal volcano in Tagaytay which is visible from my home on the ridge, as it is puffing out plumes of smoke, PhiVolcs says. Let us pray for a ceasefire from both volcanoes!

Now, our take on the new Tourism slogan for the country. “Love the Philippines” from Its more fun in the Philippines. Sounds like a logical cry of approval from tourists, right? After experiencing our beautiful beaches, waterfalls, islands, delicious food, friendly natives, historical churches and landmarks, our native culture, and fantastic scenery, this is the only conclusion for our country.

Love the Philippines—Approved!

From top left: Novic and Candy Dela Cruz, Jon Basco, Anna Abola, Junie Siytangco, Jennifer Ligones, Cynthia Simolde, Melai Feliciano, Rachel Ong, Anne Marie Abao, and KitKat Diestro; Next row from left: Carlo Malana and Marc Galido; not in photo: Eio Abola

These last days have also been hectic for our family as my eldest son, Ramon Amado, or Junie, came home from Vancouver to be with his lucky mom. He came in time to bring me down to the operating room with his sister Sandee, and helped me in being discharged from the hospital two days later. The paperwork and protocols are, as any former patient can tell you, horrific, but then again what a relief after all that hassle.  Whatever, it is such a relief to be home!

Our balikbayan, Junie, has been caught up in a happy whirlwind of reunions with friends, classmates, and relatives. His wife, Coralyn was here earlier than he and they just switched places after she went home to Vancouver.

DLSU (De La Salle University) Volleyball Alumni Men's and Women's Team 1986 to 1990 Reunion at XO 46 Century Mall. One of the reunions, Junie was with his former co-players of De La Salle University (DLSU) men's and women's volleyball teams. The group which remains very close to this day since their university playing days keep in touch with each other and always jumps at the opportunity to gather and catch up. And they enjoyed the food at XO 46 restaurant in Estancia mall. In between stories of past adventures and news of what has happened since they last met it was all fun talk, jokes and light banter. It went on until the mall had to close and still the group didn't want the night to end, they moved to a nearby bistro and deli to continue to be able to catch up and wait for others still to join them like Eio Abola and carried on until the bistro also had to close down. It was a most enjoyable night as friends who are family seem to be able to pick up where they left off even after a long time apart.

Some of Junie's co-players and classmates were familiar faces in our home in Paco, so it was a joy to see my son reconnect with them. Then our family got together with aunties and cousins from the Munson side at a sprawling venue like XO for a whole day of fun. The younger kids went swimming and the older ones sat around and had fun keeping up to date with their blood relatives. We had special guests Dr. Mina T Gabor, who is practically a family member already.

Also with us was Vancouver-based Edna Corrales and her granddaughter Zion Nelson, 23-year old star athlete and member of the PATAFA. More on this amazing athlete with three several degrees and M.As in a later column.

Zion swooned over the special “turon” prepared by Chef Tanya Dizon, banana- wrapped and sweetened with special sauce. She also approved “bibingkang malagkit” from Coralyn Barte's mom. Thanks, cumadre!

The clan spent a happy restful day, happy with the delicious food served non-stop, the sounds of the happy youngsters in the pool area, and the chatter of the tri-generatio guests around the sprawling sofas.

Friends, not food: Examining the potential of ornamental fish breeding

Other countries like Indonesia and Malaysia have specific departments dedicated to the ornamental fish industry, especially raising and marketing these require skills different from raising fish for food, including keeping an eye on the ever-evolving ornamental fish market.

BY YVETTE TAN

  

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Will the Philippines be able to export aquarium fishes?

That’s something the Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) is trying to explore.

The NFRDI is the fisheries research agency under the Department of Agriculture (DA). It conducts research and development on fisheries and aquaculture to address the needs of the fisherfolk and the fisherfolk industry.

While the DA’s main focus is on food, its mandate also encompasses ornamental plants, and in this case, ornamental fish, which are fishes and aquatic creatures kept as pets.

Pet fish

“...the trade on aquarium fish is a steadily increasing industry in the world... but since [the 80s, when the hobby gained popularity] up to the present, the local industry has still not yet tapped the export market… even the local markets are not yet that fully developed,” says Frederick Muyot NFRDI Senior Science Specialist. “If we look at the quality of fish that we have, it’s not at par with the export quality fishes that we are seeing from our local pet shops.”

The ornamental fish industry is divided into marine or seawater ornamentals and freshwater ornamentals. According to Muyot, marine ornamentals are “gathered from the wild and exported to other countries.” On the other hand, there is a small number of hobbyists who breed freshwater ornamentals, “but all of these are exotic or not native to the Philippines” and are bred to supply local demand. These include discus, goldfish, koi, and guppies, among others.

“We’ve not yet tapped the export market due to some constraints,” he concludes. “...some of our aquarium fish farmers have tried [exporting ornamental fish to the US] through the initiative and support of BFAR 4A and quality-wise, we have passed the requirements of the exporter but the volume of production that they require could not be met by the local industry. That’s one of the points that we need to address for us to be able to go into the export market.”

A locally bred goldfish. (Jeffrey Lim)

A potential for export

Muyot estimates that the local ornamental fish industry is worth about 140-150 million pesos, a conservative estimate since it’s based on 500 pet shops around the country and doesn’t count private breeders and hobbyists. Internationally, the industry is worth around five billion US dollars, and is estimated to grow around eight per cent annually. This means there’s room for new players, especially if they can deliver the required quality and quantity of fish breeds.

Breeding ornamental fish can be a lucrative business, as these tend to be priced higher than food fish. Tilapia, for example, has a farmgate price of 80-90 pesos per kilo, but even a small, relatively cheap ornamental fish will go for 10 to 20 pesos a piece, and can go up to hundreds, even thousands of pesos per piece depending on its breed, size, and quality. Ornamental fish also don’t need as big an area for breeding as food fish. Muyot explains that a three hectare facility is already considered large. “Compared to tilapia and bangus, you need 10 hectares or 20 hectares to produce the same value of harvest,” he adds. ”We have great potential for the ornamental fish for the local market and eventually, if you are already established enough and you have the capacity, volume, quality, you can go into the export market… [which] is very lucrative because the industry is steadily increasing, the market demand is very high, and the price of fish per piece is also very high.”

Local hobbyists regularly breed high quality aquarium fish such as discus. (Jeffrey Lim)

The need for high quality

Unfortunately, apart from not being able to supply the required quantity, a lot of potential fish farmers who aren’t hobbyists to begin with may not understand the need to breed fish that pass quality standards if they are to be exported. “...most farmers would tend to pay more attention to volume of production instead of quality,” Muyot admits. “In other countries, they are more concerned about the quality first… but locally, this is not the case.”

He does, however, cite a case in Davao where he was surprised to find export quality fish in a pet shop, and was told that the reason they were of good quality was because they were bred by a hobbyist. “ The hobbyist sector, they have the highest quality breeders selection. They produce the highest quality fish, but they produce at a smaller amount,” he shares.

It’s not that breeders who aren’t hobbyists don’t care about quality, it’s more a case of having to choose between one or the other because of a lack of resources and institutional support. “...most of the pet shops we have around the country cater to the masses. “In other countries, they are more of a middle class group that demands higher quality fish,” he explains in Taglish. “...we asked [some farmers in Laguna] why they don’t do selective breeding… before they sell the fish, [and] they told us that the selling price of… the sorted and unsorted ones are not that significant..., so they try to go for the mass production process.”

But Muyot stresses that if one wants to become a reputable name in the industry, one cannot forego quality. “...for you to be known and to be a reputable farmer, you have to produce good quality fish. Otherwise, there will come a time that other people will surpass you.”

Koi is one of the popular ornamental fishes that hobbyists are breeding locally. (Jeffrey Lim)

A budding industry in need of support

The DA has always placed importance on food crops and livestock over ornamental plants and animals. While this is important for the welfare of the nation’s food security, it means that non-food industries get left behind. This need not be the case, as there’s room for everyone to grow. “Ornamental fish is not one of the main priority species for the government. I think the industry should be given… support in terms of different programs,” Muyot says. “For example, the lack of… quality breeders in the industry should be addressed through breeding programs… and training and capacity building for aquarium fish farmers… They don’t have entrepreneurship skills.”

He added that other countries like Indonesia and Malaysia have specific departments dedicated to the ornamental fish industry, especially raising and marketing these require skills different from raising fish for food, including keeping an eye on the ever-evolving ornamental fish market.

The NFDI and BFAR have programs that promote ornamental fish breeding as a form of livelihood for backyard breeders. “Our ultimate vision is to develop the local market for us to have a dynamic, thriving local ornamental fish industry that is competitive enough to eventually go into the export market.”

There may be a focus on food fish in the agriculture industry, a necessity given the country’s lack of food security, but it doesn’t mean that ornamental fish growers have to languish. There’s room for everyone to grow, and the success of one industry will mean success for the Philippine economy as a whole.

Photos by Jeffrey Lim

Toni Gonzaga-Soriano unfollows Instagram friends

 Toni Gonzaga’s Instagram profile as of Feb. 9, 2022

by Stephanie Bernardino, Manila Bulletin

Actress-singer Toni Gonzaga has unfollowed her celebrity friends on Instagram.

As of Feb. 9. Toni is only following 22 accounts on IG, including her husband Paul Soriano, son Severiano Elliott, sister Alex Gonzaga, and mom Pinty Gonzaga. Others are the official accounts of her businesses.

After 16 years, Toni bid goodbye to her reality show “Pinoy Big Brother” hours after she hosted the proclamation rally of presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos and running mate Sara Duterte. The “PBB” management also released its statement.

Prior to Toni’s confirmation, Kapamilya reporter MJ Felipe already broke the news.

MJ wrote on Twitter: “THIS JUST IN: According to a reliable source, Toni Gonzaga will no longer host Pinoy Big Brother. No formal resignation but source said Toni has voluntarily endorsed the main hosting job to Bianca Gonzalez.”

“Pinoy Big Brother,” more popularly known by its abbreviated title “PBB,” is the Philippine version of the “Big Brother” reality game show franchise. The show first aired in 2005 and Toni was among the original hosts alongside Willie Revillame and Mariel Rodriguez.

Some believe Toni’s departure from the show has something to do with her appearance as host of BBM-Sara proclamation rally held at the Philippine Arena, Tuesday. Several ABS-CBN executives have expressed disappointment on Toni.

On the other hand, Toni’s hosting stint UniTeam’s proclamation rally ignited viral memes.

FRIENDS IN TIMES OF COVID

Among the several waves of change we surfed through the last two years, the one that wiped out many sand castles was a tidal wave that impacted friendships. Many, of course, survived and built endurance. But whether dissolved with distance or evolved and redefined, the impact of COVID on friendships has been undeniable.

While some people may have always found it challenging to make friends, many found the task even more daunting during the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to limited social interaction. Even as the world continues to reopen very slowly, increases in remote work mean that people's social lives look considerably different.

During times of stress and change, however, it's still possible to engage with others and build friendships—it just may look a bit different than you're used to. More importantly should be to keep friendships within these times. But this seems for many of us to be very difficult even online and especially by social networking.

When making the effort to create new or rebuild older friendships, it's worth taking the time to think about what you need out of a friendship. For instance, if you believe that you need shared equity values with others to develop a bond of friendship, then that may be easier to find in an activist space.

If you find that you like to have shared interests and hobbies it might be helpful to meet others who are already involved in the things you enjoy. It is important to note that friendships require consent from all parties and it often takes time to develop trust with new people.

We need the support of our friends, but it can be tough to stay close when you can't meet up in person. There are always some ways to nourish your friendships during the era of safer-at-home. Sue Scheff is the author of Shame Nation: The Global Epidemic of Online Hate. She recently penned a story on Psychology Today on the unraveling of friendships during this time. “We have seen the unraveling of friendships during Covid-19 when people don’t agree on masks or whether they should be getting a hair-cut or going to restaurants,” she says. “The truth is, everyone has their own comfort level, we need to respect it, and if we don’t agree with it, we are witnessing (what was once close relationships) now crumble.” Sad to say but very true...!

There's also the additional layer of trust (or mistrust) that gets heaped on top of the current situation. According to a study published in the Journal of Health Psychology in August 2021, it turns out more people are lying in the current era. For their own reasons, some friends might conceal that they have been feeling ill or that they have widened their "pandemic pod" to others who are not practicing safe social distancing. While it may seem like it's not a big deal, the truth is, lying about your behavior or how you feel can endanger the lives of the friends you care the most about.

I never ever talked about myself on social networks if I really felt bad or sick. But one thing I found out during the last year: more and more "friends" left or remain mute on social networks. Maybe, because I didn't join the open circle of bad and negative daily posts. Or these friends are like me: I am still trying to look on the bright side of the street - even times like now.

What A Small World - Was fuer eine kleine Welt...

My wife and I love to take time out in a very special beach resort on Samal Island. Years passed by, sometimes even a whole decade... suddenly we meet friends here never having seen for quite a long time. What a small world.

Meine Frau und ich lieben es, ab und zu in einem ganz speziellen "beach resort" auf Samal Island auszuspannen. Jahre vergehen, manchmal eine ganze Dekade - und tja, ploetzlich sieht man sich wieder - nach vielen, vielen Jahren. Was fuer eine kleine Welt.