Houston, Texas – Today, I mark my 66th birthday away from home here in the plains of Texas.
Along with local officials Davao del Norte led by Gov. Edwin Jubahib, I will formally sign today a Deed of Donation and Acceptance of Sorghum Seeds worth P5-M in the Philippine Consulate here.
The Sorghum seeds were donated by a Texas company, Scott Seeds, with whom I was linked with by Agriculture Attache Dr. Joselyn Javelosa when I was Agriculture Secretary.
The donation did not push through when I resigned as Agriculture Secretary in June to take on the new assignment as Chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).
Since the DA scrapped the P100-M Sorghum Development Program, I decided to channel the donation through MinDA to be distributed to provinces in Mindanao.
After the signing of the documents today, the donated Sorghum seeds will be shipped to the Port of Davao where it will arrive on Feb. 7, just in time for the planting season.
The priority areas for planting are the Fusarium Wilt affected banana farms in Davao del Norte and the Bangsamoro Provinces.
From Houston, our small delegation composed of just seven people, will proceed to Los Angeles for my second engagement with officials of Seafood City and possibly Costco.
These engagements were arranged by the Philippine Consulate and Dr. Javelosa and we hope to forge supply contracts for Mindanao products like Organic Black, Brown and Red Rice and coconut products.
These trips are no longer easy for a man my age but I have a self-imposed mission now that President Rody Duterte has entrusted to me the development of my home island, Mindanao.
MinDA’s Sorghum Development Program will be a game changer in the fight against rural poverty, this I will explain later.
Opening up niche markets for Mindanao’s Organic Rice will lead our rice farmers to a market which will not be affected by the plummeting palay prices due to the Rice Tarrification.
Developing high value coconut products for the world market will lift up the coconut farmers from poverty.
I was born to a poor family and I understand the meaning of being poor. I also felt the pain of hunger as a young boy.
There is so much to be done to fight poverty in Mindanao with the job assigned to me by President Duterte.
With Mindanao’s rich resources, poverty could be defeated, especially in the former conflict areas.
Sadly, there is very little time left.
For the Duterte Presidency, it’s two and a half years; as MinDA Chairman, 5 years and 7 months; in my life, maybe a good 14 years if I take good care of my health.
But for as long God would allow me to walk on top of grass, I will pursue my personal mission to help address poverty in Mindanao with sustainable programs, not dole-outs
I cannot afford to waste time.
I say sorry to my family for being away from you on my birthday but I know you will understand.
There is so much to be done with so little time.
Thank you for your wishes and prayers.
Merry Christmas. May God bless us all.
More Stories
Trump Presidency Boon To Philippine Agriculture
Mindanao Fruit Fest Scheduled Sept. 2025
DA, MinDA, LGU! MinDA Targets Tribal Areas For Highland Rice Farming