[#CampusBulletin] Ugat ng Alat, Alat ng Ugat: Lasa ng katutubong Pamana, Lason ng Paglimot

In solidarity with the Farmers and Fisherfolk month, the UP Agricultural Society will launch one of its flagship events this coming May 7, 2025, titled “Ugat ng Alat, Alat ng Ugat”  (UAAU), to be held in the University of the Philippines, Los Banos.

Founded in 2023, the “Ugat ng Alat, Alat ng Ugat” continues to campaign for sustainable and ecological farming through hosting activities and educational discussions. The event aims to dismantle the grassroots issues and challenges in Philippine agriculture, all while steadfastly emphasizing the importance of practices and knowledge that support and protect the interests of our local farmers.

Loyal to its mission of advocating for sustainable and culturally rooted practices in agriculture, this year premieres the theme,”Lasa ng Katutubong Pamana, Lason ng Paglimot.”

Lasa ng Katutubong Pamana, Lason ng Paglimot

Being on the cusp of the fourth agricultural revolution, in a world where the integration of emerging advanced technologies is rapidly transforming the ingredients—practices that mold our agriculture at the expense of farmers, traditional practices and Indigenous knowledge planted and propagated by our Filipino ancestors are at risk of decaying in the furrows of our past.

Committed to this preservation of heritage, UAAU will host educational discussions on heirloom crops and local fisheries, as well as a complementary exhibit showcasing the crops featured in the forum. It aims to give the audience a taste of what the advocacy is really about and to further emphasize what we are at risk of losing.

One of the speakers is Teresita H. Borromeo, and relevant to her career, as an Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Crop Science (iCropS) at the University of the Philippines, Los Baños, she will venture on the topic of heirloom plants. 

What sets these plants apart from the High-Yielding Varieties (HYV )  commonly found in commercial farming is that heirloom crops are untouched by modern technologies. Their seeds are carefully cultivated by our local farmers and are passed down from generation to generation because of their unique genetic makeup, evident in their flavors, colors, and other valuable characteristics.

Crossing to the topic of local fisheries, UAAU will also feature the provincial coordinator of Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahan ng Mangingisda (PAMALAKAYA), Aries Soledad. Aries is known for his humanitarian work involving labor unions and fisherfolk communities, and in relation to the theme, he will talk about the importance and current status of our local fisheries.

Through these educational discussions and exhibits, the UP Agricultural Society hopes to raise public awareness and educate stakeholders on the importance of agrobiodiversity and indigenous knowledge.

Since its inception, UAAU has continued to champion agricultural sustainability, and this year’s theme has put emphasis not only on ecological farming practices but also on the recognition of the dangers posed by cultural erosion and biodiversity loss. 

The event hopes to instill in its audience the significance of taking care of our cultural identity and history through participating and initiating activities that promote the preservation of ating mga katutubong pamana.