Beautiful, Admirable! Rural Rising Philippines: Linking Farmers-Buyers

For over a year now, I had been following the social media posts of a group called “Rural Rising Philippines” which had been involved in helping distressed farmers who could not sell their produce or victimized by unscrupulous traders.
In all of their “Rescue Buys,” there were no pictures taken showing the faces of the people behind this admirable display of the Filipino spirit of “Bayanihan.”
The products that they buy are distributed and sold to its members in Metro Manila and those that are not bought within 48 hours, are given out for free to poor families.
Curious, I checked their Facebook page and discovered that it was a couple, Ace and Andie Estrada, who started the movement in 2021 after seeing a post in the social media of farmers who had to dump their vegetables because the COVID 10 movement restrictions prevented them from reaching the market.
From what I learned, the couple gathered friends and started a social media campaign using the name “Rural Rising Philippines” which brought people together to serve as the buyers of the farmers’ produce.
What essentially is Rural Rising Philippines?
Here is what I found out in their FB Page:
“Rural Rising Philippines (RuRi) is a collective, non-profit grassroots effort to help distressed Filipino farmers get back on their feet and feed the nation with pride. It aims to do this by doing “Rescue Buys” in areas where there is an over-production of fruits and vegetables, and by paying the farmers above-farm gate prices. RuRi then distributes the rescued produce to its members at below-bagsakan prices. The farmers win and so do the consumers. All fruits and vegetables that are not claimed within 48 hours are automatically donated to hungry communities in the NCR and to various community pantries. No produce goes to waste. We believe that when farmers are paid the right price, they have a chance at achieving rural prosperity; that by giving members access to fresh and cheap produce, they would share what they cannot consume to the needy or perhaps create a profitable reseller business; that by channeling all unclaimed or unsold produce to residents in economically depressed communities, their lives are sustained, their souls given hope.”
Napakagandang konsepto ito sa pagtulong sa ating mga magsasaka while providing consumers access to fresh and affordable food items.
With 34,000 members, that means the farmers have that large number of committed buyers.
But what if Rural Rising Philippines would grow into a 1-million or 2-million member movement? That’s 2-million sure buyers of our farmers and fishermen’s produce.
I foresee the transformation of Rural Rising Philippines into a social economic enterprise which could serve the same function as the Food Terminal Inc. of buying farm products from the remotest areas of the country to be delivered to the homes of its members.
It could be a perfect model for the Farmer and Member-Subscribers linkage with no middlemen or traders in between but a group of patriotic Filipinos who make up the Rural Rising Philippines.
From the farms and the fishing grounds straight to the kitchen of RURI member-subscribers would ensure that the food producers will get their fair rewards for their hard work while the member-subscribers are assured of fresh and affordable food supplies.
Ganito dapat ang ugaliin nating mga Pilipino – huwag na lang palagi aasa sa gobyerno at magtulong-tulong para malampasan natin ang krisis at matinding pagsubok sa ating buhay.
#KungGustoMaramingParaan!
#TunayNaPagmamahalSaBayan!
(Photos were downloaded from RURI FB page or grabbed from a CNN video.)