TOFARM’s ‘agri-culture’ stimulates farmers and farming

“There is a dearth of songs about farmers and farming like in the old days,” the gentle-mannered and smart dresser Dr. Milagros How, TOFARM chief advocate and executive vice president of Universal Harvester Inc. (UHI), observed in her keynote talk at the launch of the First TOFARM Songwriting Competition.
“Music is a universal language and we Pinoys are a musical people. Our songs contain and express our ambitions, dreams, emotions, frustrations, struggles and successes. With the musical compositions that we will harvest in the First TOFARM Songwriting Competition, we hope to discover musical wonders that will highlight the diligence, hard work, perseverance, resilience, tenacity and optimism of our farmers,” Dr. How explained the cultural importance of the project.
“We want to discover new talents in songwriting and singers. This contest is for the ears as TOFARM Film Festival is for the eyes,” she added.
For this reason, Dr. How identified the need to have more songs about farmers and farming, conceptualizing culture as the answer to recognize farmers, entertain them and promote scientific agriculture or “agri-culture,” a word play by this column. It is an outstanding idea whose appropriate time has come with the government’s big thrust to achieve food sufficiency.
The simple but focused project director Rommel Cunanan recognized the media’s push for “agri-culture,” sharing the feedback of farmers from all-over the country in his welcome speech. “They appreciate the positive promotion of new ways of farming and the importance they are receiving in the process,” he stated with quiet pride.
In case it is passing your conscious attention, there is no hard sell of the UHI brand and product information in this public relations campaign. Mechanics do not require their direct use or mention. The name “TOFARM” stands for The Outstanding Farmers of the Philippines.
Even the media releases do not contain hard information about UHI, perhaps in recognition that most television networks, broadsheets and tabloids will not use them. In fact, I had to google such information, thinking it is necessary for a better understanding of the topic.
Established in 2003, UHI uses state-of-the-art technology in indirect manufacturing, local distribution and exportation of quality fertilizers such as muriate of potash (MOP), sulphate of potash (SOP), hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl).
UHI plants are situated in PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) Special Economic Zones, locations that are supported by the government by providing a conducive industrial site for companies that offer globally competitive products.
In its commitment to offer products of the highest quality, UHI’s Quality Management System has been established and certified on December 29, 2006 by SGS Philippines Inc. (ISO 9001:2000) with Certificate No. PH06/0098. In September 30, 2010, Universal Harvester, Inc. was certified by TUV/SUD Philippines Inc. (ISO 9001:2008) with Certificate No. TUV 100 05 1624.
UHI has proven its strength and continues to grow with a promising future.
TOFARM, on the other hand, is UHI’s incentive program to recognize top-performing farmers and actively promote “agri-culture.” It launched the TOFARM Film Festival, which features films about the lives of farmers, in 2015.
Zig Dulay’s entry Paglipay (Crossing) that tackles the main character’s (Atan as played by Garry Cabalic, a non-professional actor who is an Aeta from Zambales) fulfillment of his arranged marriage and his slash-and-burn livelihood, won Best Picture, Best Cinematography for Albert Banzon, Best Actor for Cabalic, Best Supporting Actress for Anna Luna and Best Director for Dulay.
The TOFARM Film Festival was so successful that all six finalists — Free Range by Dennis Marasigan, Kakampi by Victor Acedillo Jr., Paglipay by Dulay, Pauwi Na by Paolo Villaluna, Pilapil by Jose Johnny Nadela, and Pitong Kabang Palay by Maricel Cariaga — had extended runs “due to insistent public demand.”
So, for this year, TOFARM is promoting the culture of music for farmers and agriculture with a songwriting competition with the theme “Planting the Seeds of Change” that Roque described as wide enough to allow a wide exploration of theme. “It can even be slanted as a love song,” she added.
All interested amateur and professional writers, students, hobbyists, farmers and media practitioners are encouraged to join the song competition. Different song genres are suggested but not limited to folk/acoustic, rock, jazz, R&B, country, pop, inspirational and fusion.
The following requirements must be submitted: a duly accomplished Application Form; copy of a valid ID with specimen of the applicant (including co-applicants if collaboration); song entry id mp3 format labelled with the title and the contestant’s name or pseudonym directly on the CD; lyric sheet (in English or in any dialect from the Philippines in Pilipino line-by-line translation, if applicable) — two hard copies and one copy in PDF file in the Song Entry CD.
Entries may be submitted from September 10 to November 18, 2016. The nine finalists will be announced on December 5, with the nine interpreters selected from December 6 to 9. Finals night is set on February 6, 2017.
Winners will receive a trophy and a plaque plus a grand cash prize of P300,000, 1st runner-up of P200,000 and 2nd runner-up of P100,000. The People’s Choice winner will receive P75,000 and each finalist will receive P40,000 plus a plaque.
The TOFARM Secretariat Office is located at 10th floor of Harvester Corporate Center, 158 P. Tuazon corner 7th and 8th Avenue Cubao, Quezon City. The form is available at www.TOFARM.org. For details, call 709-5001 to 02 or 0915-2614372, e-mail at info.tofarm@gmail.com or log on to www.tofarm.org.
TOFARM’s innovative campaigns for farmers and farming deserve recognition!