Tagaytay City—The SVD Laudato Si’ Farm was featured by the GMA 7 television show AgriPreneur, hosted by Filipino television producer and reporter Jiggy Manicad.
Airing on February 8, 2023, the episode titled "Ang Mabubuting Binhing Tanim ng SVD Laudato Si' Farm" unveiled the Farm's principles through an exclusive interview with Rev. Fr. Samuel “Sam” Naceno-Agcaracar, SVD, the Executive Director of the SVD Farm and Rector of the SVD-Tagaytay Community.
“(Dito sa SVD Farm), hindi lang ang mabuting balita ng Diyos ang kanilang pinapalaganap, kundi nagpupunla din sila ng mabubuting binhi,” said Jiggy Manicad in his introduction to the segment. “Para sa mga seminarista ng Divine Word Seminary dito sa Tagaytay, kasama sa kanilang misyon ang ipalaganap ang pangangalaga ng kalikasan bilang bahagi ng pananampalatayang Katoliko,” he added.
The SVD Farm, said Fr. Sam, is situated within contextual theology, which he emphasized as being “rooted in our reality.” "Ang (SVD Farm) ay sinusubukang tumugon sa teolohiya na ito kung saan sinusulong natin ang paniniwala na tayo ay may ugnayan sa kalikasan dahil alam natin na ang kalikasan ay galing sa Diyos,” he said.
Fr. Sam also noted how the Farm began in response to the food security issues brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a response to the exhortation by Pope Francis in the papal encyclical Laudato Si’. “As Christians, as humanity, we are called to take care of our creation, especially as a response to the challenges of global warming,” he said.
“Ang mga seminarista, ang aming mga estudyante sa aming seminaryo, ay inaasahan namin na maintindihan nila ang kahalagahan ng pagbubungkal ng lupa, paghawak ng lupa as our way to reconnect, not only with nature but also with the source of nature, the source of life, and that is God,” said Fr. Sam.
Alongside their spiritual activities, Fr. Sam emphasized that immersion in manual labor” is an important part of the overall formation of the seminarians. “Sa pamamagitan ng pag-immerse ng aming mga seminarista sa ganitong gawain, inaasahan namin na nila ay mahuhubog bilang future missionaries na marunong bumalik sa lupa (who would) promote a simple lifestyle,” he said.
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Fr. Sam explained the features of the SVD Farm, emphasizing its “no entrance fee” policy, its organic vegetables, its farm-to-table dining experiences, and especially its beautiful and natural landscapes. “(Here at the SVD Farm,) you can stay and reflect, share with your loved ones, and meditate on the beauty of nature, the goodness of God,” he said.
The SVD Farm practices “integral farming,” said Fr. Sam, wherein farm wastes are cycled back into the system as fertilizer or livestock feed, among other uses.
“For example, ang manure ng livestock na aming iniipon ay pina-process namin sa aming vermicast. Ito ay sa tulong ng Department of Agriculture na nag-donate sa amin nitong mga facilities. Ito rin ay ginagamit namin na fertilizer ng aming crops. Yung mga trimings ng harvest namin, ipinakapakain namin sa mga native chickens,” Fr. Sam said.
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“Bukod sa mga inaaning gulay, layunin rin daw nilang makapagtanim ng magagandang asal sa mga kabataan sa pamamagitan ng farming,” said Jiggy Manicad about the SVD Farm’s efforts to inculcate a love for agriculture among the youth.
“Karamihan sa ating mga kabataan ngayon ay hooked sa paggamit ng mga gadgets. I think they are becoming disconnected with nature, sa pinagmumulan ng pagkain natin, ng buhay natin, ng mga basic na pangangailangan natin sa buhay. If you want to transform the world, we have to reorient the values and lifestyle of our young generation—that is, again, to go back to nature, to go back to the farm, to go back to God,” concluded Fr. Sam.
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Viewers who missed the episode can catch the episode via the official Agripreneur YouTube page, through the link below.
Ang Mabubuting Binhing Tanim ng SVD Laudato Si' Farm
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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.