The Igorot Hunks, male members of the Tawid Cultural Performing Group from Cordillera, have joined the advocacy to save Filipino farmers and the protection of the environment in Palawan.
The Igorot folk dancers planted tree seedlings while proudly wearing their
traditional attire beside the stream at the Yamang Bukid Farm in Brgy. Bacungan, Puerto Princesa City.
The Yamang Bukid ambassadors were in Palawan to take part in the Agros Festival (Farmers Festival) held from September 27 to 29.
The six-member Igorot Hunks also drew attention as they performed their traditional dances in the shopping malls, and had lunch in popular Pinoy fastfood restaurant Jollibee wearing their Igorot g-strings.
R-jay Falisong, a pageant titleholder and one of the Igorot Hunks who graced the festival, shared on social media how proud he was in showcasing their culture in Palawan.
“As a Man of the Philippine Ambassador and pure blooded Igorot, it is my advocacy to promote our respectable culture. Let’s love our culture and let’s love our country,” Falisong said.
The Igorot culture advocate and a proud son of a farmer expressed the importance of the farmers’ contributions in society and said it is the duty of the youth to go back to basics and choose sustainability.
“If you ate today, thank a farmer. Farming is the noblest profession, do you agree? Because without farmers, there will be no food to eat.
“I am a proud farmer because my parents are farmers and I was raised in a farming community in the Cordilleras. Growing up in a community that sustainably produce it’s food is a blessing. I witnessed how hard and rewarding farming can be, especially when you produce safe foods for your family.
“Sustainable and organic farming have been practiced by our ancestors for generations. Now, it is our duty to the next generation, to preserve whatever is left and go back to the basics in order to heal the soil that we destroyed. It is our duty to encourage our children to produce their own food by practicing sustainable backyard gardening,” R-jay Falisong said.
The Yamang Bukid in Palawan has become a local and international tourist destination for its practices in farm tourism and sustainable agriculture, and has received commendations from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Tourism and other government sectors.
The farm produces quality products for people’s health and wellness, supports local farmers, and helps in conserving the environment.
Various organizations and individuals have been contributing to a greener and more sustainable Philippines in their own ways.
Para swimming champion Ernie Gawilan joined thousands of Filipinos around the Philippines for the International Coastal Cleanup. The Asian Para Games gold medalist participated in clearing trash off the beach and planted mangroves in Lian, Batangas with the “Start Your Impossible” teams from Toyota Motor Philippines.
Environmentalist celebrity Jasmine Curtis-Smith has signed up as the Millennial Ambassador of the Philippine Energy Independence Council which advocates for clean energy.
The fourth Filipina Miss Earth winner in 2017, Karen Ibasco represented the Philippines at the first Youth Climate Summit of the United Nations held in New York City.
Quezon National High School has started using banana leaves instead of plastics in serving hot meals to students, and Tawi-Tawi vendors take pride in their native “sulingkat” basket made of coconut leaves to eliminate plastic waste,the Department of Tourism shared its strategy during the Farm Tourism Summit for a sustainable tourism and inclusive development that will benefit the farming and fishing communities.
SEND cheers in the comments below to the Igorot Hunks for proudly showcasing their Cordilleran heritage while championing the cause of farmers and the environment!
Like, Follow, Subscribe to GoodNewsPilipinas.com Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Good News Pilipinas! TV on YouTube, new story notifications and e-mail newsletters for updates on more Filipino Pride stories.
