In the rural town of Sto Niño in South Cotabato, women farmers have banded together to survive the pandemic, seeing no one but themselves and their creativity as recourse.
The female members of the People's Action for a Liberative Agricultural Industry (PALAI) are turning rice straws into eco bags, sustaining not just the environment but their community at a time when agriculture's role in a nation's survival has never been more apparent yet still underappreciated.
"Nakikita namin dito sa Sto Nino na after the harvest, sinusunog yung mga dayami which is nagiging problema pa sa environment natin. So isa sa mga member namin dito, nagsuggest na instead of sunugin, gawin nalang ecobags," said Joffrey Jofax Frinal of PALAI.
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Prior to the pandemic, rice prices were falling, thanks to the Rice Tariffication Law. When the pandemic came and brought the already-undersevered community of farmers the problem of restricted movements of goods, the women of PALAI went crafty.
"Malaking tulong sa mga farmers natin. Siyempre alam natin naging biktima tayo ng Rice Tarrification Law. Bumagsak yung presyo ng palay, maliit nalang yung kita ng ating mga magsasaka. Isang paraan ito na madagdagan naman yung kita nila sa pamamagitan ng mga eco bags," said Frinal.
The eco-bags are sold at P35 a piece and comes in various sizes.
According to Gary Ben Villocino of non-profit farmer network Masipag Mindanao, social media helped farmers realize how viable the venture was. Upon going viral, orders started pooling in such speed that overwhelmed the farmers with gratitude.
"Sana marami mga tao na makarealize na yung mga magsasaka natin, kapag sila ay supported, appreciated, they have the capability to do great things," Villocino said.
Know more about their story in this #SummitOriginals video:
