The Philippines has always been blessed with fertile lands and rich natural resources. For generations, we’ve called ourselves an agricultural nation because farming has fed our families, clothed us, and given work to millions of Filipinos. Yet, despite this blessing, our farmers continue to struggle. Outdated practices, lack of access to modern tools, and a system that too often leaves them to fend for themselves have kept the promise of agriculture unfulfilled.
I know this not just from books or reports, but from my own experience. As a lawyer, I once handled cases where farmers lost their lands because of failed government programs. As an entrepreneur, I’ve met farmers who simply wanted a fair price for their vegetables, but could not get it because the market was stacked against them. These aren’t just statistics to me—they are stories I carry.
But I’ve also seen hope. Change becomes possible when people come together. Collaboration between farmers, businesses, government, and even consumers can create the shift we need. This is where my work with One Farmvest Agriventures comes in.
At One Farmvest, we believe farming should not end at harvest. Too many times, I’ve seen vegetables rot in Benguet because there was no way to bring them down to Manila in time. Distribution is just as critical as production. That’s why we set up our system to pick up produce directly from farmers, bring them to our hubs, sort and process them, and then distribute to supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, and institutional buyers.
By taking care of logistics and aggregation, we allow farmers to focus on what they do best: growing food. And by giving them a direct line to buyers, they finally get fairer prices without being at the mercy of too many middlemen.
We don’t stop at buying and selling. Farmers we work with learn better practices—from seedling support to proper sorting and packaging so that their produce meets market standards. Every time one farmer learns a better method, the benefit spreads. This kind of knowledge-sharing has the power to lift entire communities.
We also recognize that technology and capital are out of reach for many small farmers. That’s why One Farmvest steps in with solutions like shared facilities, biomass-powered solar dryers for processing surplus vegetables, and even partnerships with financial services for payments and cash-out. We treat these as investments not just in business, but in the farmers themselves.
Farmers often lose money on rejected crops—vegetables that don’t meet size or shape standards. Instead of letting these go to waste, One Farmvest processes them into dried mixes or supplies them for use in condiments and even alternative materials like bioplastics. This way, farmers still earn, and nothing goes to waste.
But beyond what we do as a company, I believe the bigger vision is national. Farmers cannot do it alone, and neither can businesses. Government, consumers, schools, communities we all have a role to play. When we build supply chains that are fair, when we share technology and knowledge, when we make policies that truly work for the people on the ground, agriculture can finally live up to its promise.
For me, this is not just business, it is stewardship. It’s about making sure farming is not a burden carried only by farmers, but a mission we share as a nation.
The future of Philippine agriculture will not be built on quick fixes. It will be built on collaboration, responsibility, and care for the land and for the people who feed us. One Farmvest is just one example of how this can work in practice, proving that when we honor both the farmer and the consumer, everyone benefits.
The road is not easy, but I believe the journey to a resilient agriculture begins with one simple truth: we can only move forward if we move together.