Tagaytay City—The SVD Laudato Si’ Farm was featured by CNN Philippines last September 16, 2023, at 8:00 PM, on the show "Building Bridges."
The SVD Farm was hailed as one of the region's "best-kept secrets" during the Tagaytay-centric episode, which featured an insightful interview with Rev. Fr. Samuel “Sam” Naceno-Agcaracar, SVD, Executive Director of the SVD Farm and Rector of the SVD-Tagaytay Community.
The CNN Philippines show "Building Bridges" features a new location in the country every episode. During its Tagaytay City episode, viewers were given a beautiful glimpse into the agricultural and spiritual sanctuary known as the SVD Farm.
In its introduction to the SVD Farm, CNN Philippines described the Farm as a “spiritual haven” and a good place to go “if you're seeking to commune with nature and renew your faith.”
The SVD Farm, which began “in response to” the COVID-19 pandemic, was initially conceived as a response to the challenges posed by the crisis. Since then, it has since blossomed into a multifaceted haven that combines agriculture, spirituality, and community empowerment.
Fr. Sam, the driving force behind the SVD Farm project, shared the Farm's inspiring journey during the interview. "The SVD Farm started at the height of the pandemic when we priests and seminarians of the seminary decided to clean up our vacant six-hectare property. The idea was that we were in lockdown, we had nothing to do, and we wanted to make use of this lockdown to become productive," Fr. Sam explained.
"At the same time, the motivation was to respond to the crisis of food production. It was just a vision that I opened up to the leadership of the seminary, which they approved," added Fr. Sam. He also expressed his gratitude for the supporters of the Farm. What began as a modest initiative for organic farming soon expanded thanks to the support of the Department of Agriculture and generous benefactors, he shared.
The SVD Farm offers a variety of organic produce, including high-end and native vegetables. "We have all kinds of vegetables. We have high-end vegetables, for example, different varieties of cucumber, different varieties of lettuce. And we also produce native vegetables, for pinakbet. Name it, and we have it in our Farm," Fr. Sam proudly stated.
One of the remarkable aspects of the SVD Farm is its commitment to community empowerment. The Farm now employs individuals from the neighboring areas, providing jobs and empowering local residents to cultivate their own vegetables. Fr. Sam also shared "the spirit of cooperativism" at the Farm among its employees.
Fr. Sam also expressed gratitude for the government's support in developing the Farm's infrastructure, highlighting the Farm's commitment to contributing positively to the community and its surroundings.
In closing, Fr. Sam extended an invitation to the public, saying, "All of you friends who have not yet visited our SVD Laudato Si' Farm, I invite you on behalf of the Divine Word Seminary to visit our SVD Laudato Si' Farm. You will not regret it. You can spend the whole day and experience many beautiful things about nature, about God, and meeting people."
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For reservations and other information, including ways to support and connect with the SVD Farm, contact us through:
📞 0905-106-5499
📧 contact@svdlaudatosifarmfoundation.org.