Rolan Cagas, who also sits as president of the Claveria Federation of Rice Farmers Associations, shared that their top concern was the rising prices of farm inputs, especially fertilizers, as it would now cost over P1,800 per sack, higher than the less-than-P1,000 price in the past years.
It was an opportunity to see the scenery of the countryside in the provinces of Laguna and Rizal, to do kamustahan and exchange banter with local folks, and to see how far our rural areas have progressed.
“Climate crisis is getting more real, and what’s more real is the devastation getting stronger each year, with most of the vulnerable communities heavily affected. Super-typhoon Odette (International name Rai) slapped its strength on farming and fishing communities in the Visayas.”