Das Boat

Traditional balangay sails
from Butuan to Manila

BY YVETTE TAN

Jul 31, 2024 05:58 PM

  

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Many pre-colonial Philippine cultures were maritime voyagers, some using their boats to trade with nearby countries. Unfortunately, this once vibrant seafaring tradition has all but died out. 

Fortunately, an organization of adventurers has been working to keep these traditions going. Its latest project: building a balangay and setting sail from Butuan to Manila, with the main purpose of making a peaceful visit to the Spratlys.

Last May 27, the Florentino Das started its maiden voyage, leaving Butuan, where it was constructed, and arriving at the CCP area in Manila on June 11, a day before Independence Day. 

Das Boat

What made that voyage special was that the Florentino Das isn’t just any ordinary vessel. It's a balangay, a wooden boat that was used for trading in the pre-colonial era.

“We have a proud maritime heritage. Our ancestors have been sailing our archipelagic waters since the dawn of history. The Austronesian migration out of mainland Asia across the Pacific to Madagascar in the West and to Easter Island in the East is a testament to our innate ability as a people of the ocean. That the Kingdom of Butuan was able to send trade missions to the Song Dynasty as early as 1003AD using boats like the balangay is proof of our forefathers’ ship-building skills and mastery of the seas,” said Fung Yu, the project’s media coordinator and part of the land support team.

This balangay, the sixth of its kind, was built using traditional materials and methods and indigenous hardwoods donated by the DENR, though it does have an engine, making it a hybrid. 

It was named after Florentino Das, the first Filipino to sail the Pacific solo. 

The building and the voyage event was organized by the Kaya ng Pinoy Foundation, the group behind the 1st Philippine Mt. Everest Expedition and the Voyage of the Balangay Project, the latter involving the building and sailing of balangays as a way to keep pre-colonial maritime cultures and traditions from going extinct.

“The majority of the crew are from our previous expeditions, that of the first balangay project that sailed around Southeast Asia in 2009-2011, then the second balangay project (2017-2018) that sailed to China and HK for the 600th anniversary of Sultan Paduka Batara’s historic trade mission to the Ming Emperor of 1417. The boat builders were once again the Sama Dilaya group from the island of Sibutu in Tawi-Tawi, our southern province where traditional boat building is still being handed down from generation to generation, but sadly, this intangible cultural heritage is slowly vanishing.”

The crew in front of the balangay Florention Das in San Vicente, Palawan after visiting Pag-asa (Thitu) Island. (Photo from Fung Yu’s Facebook account)

Dubbed “The Balangay Expedition to West Philippine Sea,” the crew consisted of Art Valdez, the expedition leader and former DOTC/DENR undersecretary; expedition coordinator Jody Navarra, Fred Jamili, skippers Cesario Cornejo and Raf Carolino, Fil-Canadian adventurer and mountaineer Ramon Ruiz, expedition doctor Ted Esguerra, Wendell Tamayo, chief engineer Jeffrey Zaragosa, Dhandy Paiton, Edward Valdez, Ernie Oquendo, Gaude Gaylon, Richard Mark Yamba, Meljun Villacura, Jade Castillo, Sama boat builder Al-nadzmie Abdulla, and ABS-CBN embedded media crew Job Manahan and and cameraman Manny Bongcayao.

The balangay was built in Butuan, Agusan del Norte, near the mouth of the Agusan River, to commemorate the three balangays that were accidentally excavated in 1976. They were carbon-dated to the late ninth to 11th century AD. “...To put that into context, that is an average of at least over 600 years before the arrival of the Magellan Expedition in 1521,” Yu said. “So, it was only fitting that the boats were constructed in Butuan, to give pride and homage to the place of their discovery.”

Construction began in the first quarter of 2024. The keel, or the boat’s backbone, was laid in the middle of pouring rain and it took about 100 days for six master builders led by Master Boat Builder Ibrahim Abdulla from Sibutu to complete.

Although one always hopes for smooth sailing, the crew was well aware of possible difficulties that can be encountered on such a voyage. 

“There is always the fear of bad weather and shifting sea conditions, plus the worries that the boat may encounter challenges from the contested claimant nations, particularly China and its coast guard ships and maritime militia. Fortunately, no untoward incidents happened, both balangay and crew safely returned after the conclusion of the mission,” Yu said.

“The boat sailed out of Butuan without any sea trial ([the crew were] confident in the skills of the boat builders themselves) to avoid any sudden change of sea conditions that could hamper its voyage as well as the safety of the crew. From Butuan, the balangay boat made a short port call in Dumaguete, then in San Vicente, Palawan for an overnight rest and re-provisioning before heading to its intended purpose, a humanitarian-medical mission to Pag-asa (Thitu) Island in the Spratlys Group,” Yu said.

After arriving at the Pag-asa (Thitu) Island in the Spratlys, the team conducted a tree planting activity and participated in, as Yu wrote in a Facebook post, “ a humanitarian/medical mission for the residents as well as to assert for the maritime rights in the WPS (West Philippine Sea).”

When asked what he wanted more Filipinos to understand about the voyage, Yu replied: “The current disputed waters in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea in general belong to the common heritage of mankind, a traditional fishing ground of all claimant countries, and therefore must be protected, sans bullying, intimidation, force, and military actions. It must be resolved peacefully, objectively, and fairly, for the sake of our children, and our children’s children.”

 

This flower farm in Lucban will not only let you take selfies with the blooms, but eat them, too

I visited Bukid Amara in Lucban, Quezon, a popular vegetable and flower farm among both tourists and farmers.

BY YVETTE TAN

Sep 18, 2023 04:55 PM

  

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By YVETTE TAN

I visited Bukid Amara in Lucban, Quezon, a popular vegetable and flower farm among both tourists and farmers.

The 2.5 hectare farm is a sight to behold. The first thing that catches the eye is a field of different types of flowers that stretch out from the farm entrance towards a man-made pond filled with tilapia, with the mystical Mt. Banahaw peeking out from its cloud cover just beyond. 

The flowers grown are annuals, and can be changed according to the season, so for example, couples who visit during Valentine’s Day will be greeted by a sea of red. The only blooms that remain constant are the sunflowers, which are the crowd favorite. 

A close up of a begonia, one of the many flowers that can be found in Bukid Amara. (Yvette Tan) 

Bukid Amara is a tourist hotspot for locals as well as for folks in surrounding provinces, some coming as far as Metro Manila, which is three hours away without accounting for traffic. A P150 entrance fee (P120 for students, PWDs, and seniors) allows visitors access to the farm, which includes the flower field, pond, and in-house restaurant. Farm activities include cut-and-pay flowers and fish-and-pay (and paluto). The farm also allows for small events to be held there, and is constructing a holding area so bigger celebrations can be held.

The 2.5 hectare farm is a sight to behold. The first thing that catches the eye is a field of different types of flowers that stretch out from the farm entrance towards a man-made pond filled with tilapia, with the mystical Mt. Banahaw peeking out from its cloud cover just beyond. (Yvette Tan)

The flowers aren’t only beautiful to look at–they’re edible, too! Guests can experience this when they dine in the cafe, which serves food decorated with the edible blooms. We had the salad and the pancit habhab, the latter a Lucban specialty which gets its name from the way it’s eaten–placed on a banana leaf which is lifted to the mouth with one’s hands. Both were just as delicious as they were eye-catching. The vegetables in the salad are picked on-site, and the flowers add color and vibrancy to the dishes, resulting in a weird, but welcome sort of joy during the meal. It feels like every meal at Bukid Amara would feel like a fiesta.

A popular dish in Bakid Amara Cafe is the salad, which features edible flower petals. (Yvette Tan)

The farm isn’t just well known for its blooms. The farm is owned and run by horticulturist Michael Caballes, a well known name in the farming industry. A former executive for a seed company, Caballes is known for his business acumen, enterprising spirit, and interest in experimentation.  

Behind the flower field are several domed net greenhouses that house different things–hydroponic setups, vegetable seedlings, flower nursery, and a Japanese melon grow house. Bukid Amara is the only farm in the Philippines that has successfully grown Japanese melons, the type that can go for as high as USD1000 per piece in auctions in Japan. It’s known for its crisp sweetness and its uniform, blemish-free exterior. The melons are hard to grow and demand a lot of care and attention, hence their high price. While Bukid Amara’s melons aren’t as expensive as the ones sold in Japanese auctions, they are priced higher than usual in the Philippine market, and with good reason. They are grown in a hydroponic setup, the fruit covered in newspaper to prevent overexposure and accidental bruising. It’s one melon to one vine, with everything, from the nutrient solution down to the number of leaves on the vine accounted for. 

Bukid Amara is the only farm in the Philippines that has successfully grown Japanese melons, the type that can go for as high as USD1000 per piece in auctions in Japan. (Yvette Tan)

The farm also holds training sessions for beginner and experienced farmers, as well as agriculture students. Caballes is very interested in experimentation, so many of the greenhouses are set aside to test things, which include prototypes of agricultural machinery. He also uses his acquired knowledge to help fellow farmers both increase their yield and fortify their businesses, often for free. For example, he is a consultant for the Korea Program on International Agriculture (KOPIA), which aims to bring the Korean agricultural mindset and technology to developing countries. 

Behind the flower field are several domed net greenhouses that house different things–hydroponic setups, vegetable seedlings, flower nursery, and a Japanese melon grow house. (Yvette Tan)

So whether you’re the type to smell flowers, grow flowers, or eat flowers, if you’re in Lucban, it would be worth your while to drop by Bukid Amara. 

Inside one of the greenhouses used to cultivate flowers. (Yvette Tan)

Photos by Yvette Tan

Read more about gardening and farming at agriculture.com.ph

From waste to treasure: Davao company turns biodegradable waste into biofertilizer

BY YVETTE TAN

  

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It’s no secret that the Philippines has a garbage problem. A World Wildlife Fund report in 2020 stated that only 33 per cent of the country’s garbage is disposed of in landfills, with only nine per cent of this going to recycling centers.

What if some of this could be turned into soil-nourishing fertilizer?

This is what Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation (DTBC) is trying to do.

The company began in 2014 when its founders, husband and wife Robert “Dr. Bo” and Olive Puentespina, acquired the technology to turn biodegradable waste into biofertilizer, which is a type of fertilizer that contains live microbes to aid in boosting soil health. “We don’t use any chemicals, we don’t use any machinery, all we do is compost,” says Olive Puentespina, Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation’s CEO, having taken over after her husband’s passing in 2021.

This is done through thermophilic aerobic composting, a high-temperature process that uses bacteria as an activator. This particular technology is patented in Japan and turns biodegradable waste in 45 to 50 days.

Once the collected waste gets to the facility, it is weighed mixed with activators, and assigned a bay where it will sit for 45 to 50 days while the bacteria does its work. (Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation)

Thinking of waste differently

DTBC works with clients all over Mindanao. Their trucks pick up institutional biodegradable waste from clients such as poultry farms, commissaries, and condiment producers. The waste, which is already segregated, can come in the form of food scraps, chicken feathers, and used cooking oil. The segregation is important because it makes it easier for the bacteria to work on.

“The businesses that we love to build with are businesses who are compliant with DENR,” Puentespina says. “Since we’re compliant, we’re also restricted to dealing with people who… have those mandates already in their organization.”

It wasn’t easy getting folks on board at first. Waste management isn’t really something a lot of people think of in the Philippines, and most people understand it as simply trash getting dumped in a landfill. It’s not understood that aside from being unsightly and smelly, they are breeding grounds for pests and disease, produce greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide and methane, and contribute to environmental and noise pollution, not to mention prevent land from being used for other, healthier pursuits. When DTBC started, the concept of paying a company to take away one’s waste was almost alien.

Now, aside from attracting clients through marketing and word of mouth, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) sometimes recommends companies in need of waste disposal services.

Now, aside from attracting clients through marketing and word of mouth, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) sometimes recommends companies in need of waste disposal services. (Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation) Now, aside from attracting clients through marketing and word of mouth, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) sometimes recommends companies in need of waste disposal services. (Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation)

A streamlined process

Once a company has expressed interest in using DTBC’s services, DTBC does a site inspection to find out how much waste is being generated and what kind of collection vessel they need to send over. Puentespina emphasizes that all their trucks are covered and made from aluminum to minimize spillage.

Once the waste gets to the facility, it is weighed (“…only what we weigh you will be paying for,” Puentespina says), mixed with activators, and assigned a bay where it will sit for 45 to 50 days while the bacteria does its work. Each bay can take around 70 to 100 tons of waste. The bays are aerated regularly and their temperatures and moisture contents are regularly monitored. The mounds usually start with temperatures of about 20-25°C, but this can go up to as high as 80-100°C as the bacteria breaks down the organic material. The high temperatures also mean that the mound is being sanitized and any pathogens contained within are killed. After the process is complete, samples are taken to check for its NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) content. Once standards have been met, the biofertilizer is either bagged or turned into other products such as enriched potting mix or compost starter, all of which are sold under the brand Dr. Bo’s Farm Essentials.

One of DTBC’s products offered is enriched potting mix. (Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation)

“...over the last five six years of our existence, we were able to divert over 300 million kilos of biodegradable mix that would have gone to landfills,” Puentespina says in Taglish.

DTBF has been able to divert over 300 million kilos of biodegradable mix that would have gone to landfills. (Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation)

The potting mix and compost starter are sold through a distributor and through a hardware chain, but buyers can also contact DTBC directly to purchase. The biofertilizer is currently in the last stages of re-registration with the FDA (Food and Drug Authority) and should be available again soon.

The Yellow Drum Project

Private households can also avail of DTBC’s services. The company launched the Yellow Drum Project (YDP) during the pandemic to help households manage their organic waste. YDP is a door to door waste management collection system. Subscribed customers get a yellow 60 liter drum and a bag of compost starter to manage the smell of the organic waste that will go into the drum. After the drum is filled, which usually takes 1 to 1 ½ months, the customer calls the company to have the drum picked up. On the third pickup, the customer gets a gift of either compost starter or potting mix.

Private households can also avail of DTBC’s services. The company launched the Yellow Drum Project during the pandemic to help households manage their organic waste. (Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation)

Puentespina shares that they are in talks with certain villages who want to promote zero waste. “Because [under] RA 9003, you’re actually encouraged to do composting yourself at home,” she says, citing the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

DTBF’s compost primer is popular among home gardeners, especially during the pandemic. (Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation)

Biofertilizers for healthier soil

The waste management is just part of the whole process. The company also regularly engages in efficacy trials for their biofertilizer products. Puentespina shares that one of these involved using the biofertilizer on one hectare of a fusarium-infected banana plantation.

The company is collaborating with banana plantations to further test the efficacy of its biofertilizer. (Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation)

Also called Panama disease, fusarium wilt is a soil-borne fungal disease that has caused widespread damage to banana plantations globally. The farmer who volunteered his lot predicted that his banana plants were going to die within three months anyway, given the severity of the infection. “We used three applications and… they were able to harvest,” Puentespina shares, adding that the biofertilizer application was done in conjunction with the plantation’s regular conventional farming regimen. “...the biofertilizer will heal the soil… so that it will be able to take in the chemicals that you put [in].”

She specifies that this evidence is still anecdotal, but also promising. “Even though it’s not scientific because it’s just on one hectare with about 1000 plants, compared to about 20,000 hectares of banana in the whole Philippines… but with  what we saw, I am now emboldened to try and offer it to bigger banana plantations to give us a chance to do something,” she says. “Now we’re engaging with… banana corporations who are giving us a chance for them to do trials.”

DTBC also has collaborations with institutions like DOST (Department of Science and Technology), UP Mindanao, and the Philippine Geothermal Center. “We tried it in UP Mindanao on black rice. The performance was good but we’re still waiting for the results, which will come out when the research is published,” Punentespina shares. “We [aso] tried it with… irrigated riceland, [and] we were able to fix the pH from 5.5 to 6.8, increasing their yield.”

They’re also trying it with cacao, specifically in the Malagos cacao plantation, which the Punetnespina family owns and operates.

READ: Filipino Cacao Beans Given Heirloom Status

“I’m not averse to chemical versus organic [farming],” Puentespina says. “Each farmer has their own philosophy. Regenerative agriculture or intensive agriculture, for me, let’s give everyone the chance to do their thing.”

Towards a sustainable future

DTBC plans to continue marketing their services until they can fill up their facility;s capacity. “Once you fill up the capacity, your production cost gets lower, so you can either sell your fertilizer lower or sell your services lower because it’s more efficient,” Puentespina says. “We can actually build more [facilities], especially in the area where there is waste generated in small spaces. We can [also] situate [ourselves] in the rice granary. In the food basket, or wherever in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. That’s where we want to be….”

DTBF turns organic waste material into nutrient-rich biofertilizer on a large scale. (Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation)

They’re also looking for partners who are interested in building waste processing facilities in other areas in the Philippines.

“The overarching dream between my husband and I and the whole family is… of a waste-free Philippines…. We know that because of awareness, plastics, cans, glass bottles, and paper get recycled, but nobody recycles food waste and biodegradable waste,” PUentespina says. “If we become the element of change for that, we can… turn it into something that really will help our shortage in food, because shortage in food is directly connected to the nutrition and the productivity of our land.”

When it comes to waste management, every little bit counts. If that waste can be turned into fertilizer that can help boost soil health, so much the better.

Photos courtesy of Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation

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

Meet the couple behind one of Davao’s most successful durian and cacao farms

by Yvette Tan, Manila Bulletin

Davao is known for two crops: durian and cacao. At Belviz Farms, both take center stage.

Husband and wife Emmanuel “Nel”and Mary Grace “Eyeth” Belviz is the couple behind Belviza Farms and Rosario’s Delicacies. (Belviz Farms)

Belviz Farm is a family-owned farm in Calinan District, Davao City. It is currently run by husband and wife Emmanuel “Nel”and Mary Grace “Eyeth” Belviz, who met while studying agriculture in University of the Philippines, Los Banos (UPLB). Nel is in charge of farm operations while Eyeth, who hails from Quezon, is in charge of production and processing for Rosario’s Delicacies, the farm’s brand. Aside from their two main crops, they also produce  jackfruit, mangosteen, and lanzones, as well as seasonal crops like sunflowers.

The farm, which currently spans around 30 hectares of both owned and leased land, was originally established by Nel’s father, acclaimed durian farmer Severino Belviz. The couple had been helping the senior Belviz run the farm since they got married in 2000, taking over after Nel’s dad passed away in 2016.

“Our biggest challenge is what in Bisaya is called ‘inato,’ which loosely translates to traditional farming where you produce, you find a middleman, and you sell,” Nel explained in Taglish. “When my wife and I took over, we saw gaps in the marketing, so we looked for ways to  value-add products so that we can get a higher price on our harvest.”

Though the farm had been producing value-added products like frozen durian, durian candy, and durian jam since 2001, they increased their product line, adding unique items like jackfruit jam. They also revived their tablea production, which had halted in the 1980s, and ventured into bean-to-bar artisanal chocolates after Eyeth was accepted as a scholar to a cocoa and chocolate processing workshop in Ghent, Belgium. Their venture into artisanal chocolates coincided with the local bean-to-bar boom in 2015, when Filipinos were becoming more interested in local cacao. 

It was also a dream come true for Nel, whose childhood dream was to make chocolate candy. Growing up, his dad had explained that the cacao they grew for tablea was the main ingredient of the imported chocolate bars he loved so much, but with added ingredients like milk and sugar. When young Nel failed to make a bar, he promised himself that he would learn to produce chocolate candies one day. “At least now we get to fulfill his childhood dream,” Eyeth said in Tagalog.

Some of the fruits cultivated on the farm. (Belviz Farms)

Belviz Farms

Cacao and durian are actually related, both belonging to the family Malvaceae, which also includes cotton and okra. The two used to be intercropped, until the Belvizes realized that they flourish better when planted separately, as the microclimate produced from the intercropping hinders the growth of both plants. “Cacao and durian, when consumed, also give people a happy feeling because they produce serotonin and tryptophan,” Nel added.

The farm grows 11 durian varieties but is planning to focus on Puyat and Duyaya varieties because these are what’s popular internationally. “The international market only knows Thailand durian, and Puyat is comparable to the Thai variety,” Nel said. “Puyat is highly-resistant to pests and diseases.  It has a smaller canopy [than most varieties], [so] you can plant more per hectare. The taste is very good and it has a longer shelf life than other varieties… but you have to care for it or else you won’t have an abundant harvest.”

Though durian can be lucrative, it can also be intensive to cultivate. “You need at least the basic technical know-how,” Nel said. “It’s not a tree you can plant and forget. They need constant care until about three years old.”

The Puyat variety can be planted in 8×8 formation, for a total of about 158 trees a hectare. It is also possible to plant in 10×10 for a less intensive farm. The Belvizes advise planting nurse plants like bananas for the first three to five years as young durian trees flourish in the shade. The harvested bananas will also serve as a source of income while waiting for the durian trees to mature.

The durian trees will start flowering in about four years, though it’s suggested to wait until five or six years to begin harvesting to ensure good harvests. Around the fourth year, the banana trees can slowly be pared away to give the durian trees much-needed sun. “After six years, you can eliminate bananas and you can start harvesting from your durian,” Nel said.

If cared for properly, a healthy durian tree can produce fruits for up to 50 years, though the practice is to keep them up to 35-43 years to maintain a quality harvest. The farm also houses native varieties which are said to be around 135 years old. “As long as you fertilize properly, don’t overfruit your trees, practice fruit thinning, proper drainage, and proper care, I think your durian can last 50 years or more.”

The couple is currently focusing on durian because of the huge local demand and the growing interest in it internationally, with countries like Japan, US, China, and even Thailand looking to import. When asked if the Philippines can meet the global demand for durian, Nel was quick to say, “No, we need to plant more.”

The areas not planted to durian are used to grow cacao. They also source wet beans from nearby farmers and cooperatives, opting to process them themselves. “We ferment them ourselves so we can ensure their quality,” Nel said. “Flavor consistency is an important factor for good chocolate, and it starts in the fermentation process.”

Durian jam, one of the many value-added products from Belviz Farm that is sold under Rosario’s Delicacies. (Belviz Farms)

Rosario’s Delicacies

Working in tandem with Belviz Farms is Rosario’s Delicacies, its value-adding arm, which Eyeth manages. “We didn’t have a background in marketing and trends when we started,” Eyeth shared. “We started developing products because there was a need to use farm surplus. The benchmarking came after.”

Their first customers were folks studying farming in the farm, which is an Agriculture Training Institute (ATI) learning site. “We saw that there was a market, and from there, we created products like frozen durian, durian Jam, and durian candy.”

“We weren’t thinking about profit at first,” Nel added. “Fresh durian has a very short shelf life, so we needed to find a way to extend their selling time. That was why we ventured into processing.”

They were able to expand the availability of their products through the help of several government agencies. “They invited us to trade fairs, local bazaars, even international trade fairs,” Eyeth said, adding that though travel expense was a challenge, the government agencies tried to augment it by giving them free booth space. “The experience exposed us to different kinds of products and marketing. We learned how to deal with buyers and how to develop and improve our products.”

Their clientele began to expand by word of mouth. “Actually, our government is very supportive of SMEs and farmers. We just have to (avail of it).”

The couple stressed the importance of value-added products in adding to a farm’s revenue. They equally stress that value-adding and marketing requires a different approach and mindset, and ideally, a separate team altogether. This is exactly why Nel manages Belviz Farms and Eyeth manages Rosarios’ Delicacies: they’re both managing different businesses. 

Eyeth addressed the unintentionally dismissive response many of the public have towards farmers who complain about having surplus harvests with, “just turn it into something else:” “A lot of people misinterpret value-adding as a way for a farm to make money, when it should be that the farm is already making money before going into value-adding.”

Another thing to consider when going into production is to expand beyond one’s farm by working with supplies from other farmers and processors. “We work with other farmers and processors,” Nel says. “We don’t think of them as competitors but as collaborators. That’s how we increase our market.”

Working with other small farmers allows SMEs like Belviz Farms, Rosarios’ Delicacies, and their collaborators to compete with bigger industry players. “We should work as an industry, from farming to processing to working with suppliers and networking with logistics and government agencies,” eyeth says. “We need to group together to achieve economies of scale.”

An example of this was during the first lock down in 2020, Davao durian farmers had no customers because tourism had been halted. The group coordinated with the DA’s High Value Crops (department), who helped find clients outside Davao. “The cost of logistics were high, so everyone helped each other,” Nel said. “We were able to get a lower price working together than if we had done it alone.”

“We have to be resilient,” Eyeth added. “Resilience is an important characteristic of a farmer.”

Rosario’s Delicacies counts artisanal chocolate as one of its best sellers. (Belviz Farms)

The power of marketing

 The couple credits treating both farm and value-adding as businesses as part of the formula to their success after taking over. “Marketing is important,” Eyeth said. “If you don’t know your target audience, you’ll lose interest in farming… You need proper marketing, networking, and coordination with your target market.”

A recognizable brand and consistently high quality products are important as well, since the brand is the first thing customers see and of course, good products are what will keep them coming back.

It’s also important, especially for SMEs (Small and Mid-sized Enterprises), to constantly be on their toes. This is why it will shock  customers to find out that the Belvizes don’t consider themselves “successful” yet. “For us, success is a journey, not a destination,” Eyeth explained. “It’s how you survive. You consider yourself successful because you’ve weathered a challenge… you’ve innovated, you’ve helped other farmers, and you’ve helped build your industry. For us, it’s… part of being a successful farmer.

Nel and Eyeth Belviz are very happy in their chosen profession. “I love planning. There’s a cycle… If you plan (properly), when the durian flowers bloom, your farm will look like a winter wonderland because even the ground will look white because of all the falling petals. For me, that’s one of the most magical times in durian farming because from there, you can estimate if you’ll have a good harvest that year.”

“Farming is a good investment because farming is life,” Eyeth said. “No matter what happens, you won’t starve if you have a farm.”

Nel added, “There’s a saying that goes, ‘You will need a doctor once, twice, or ten times in your lifetime, but you will need a farmer every day.’”

The couple hope that more people, especially the youth, will consider a career in agriculture. “For those who want to farm or are already farming, please keep doing so because farming is forever,” Eyeth said. “You’ll be able to sustain not just your family, but also your community.”