The Villegas Organic and Hobby (VOHO) Farms hosted almost 80 participants from the Catholic Filipino Academy – consisting mainly of grade school kids including their parents, seven high school students and some pre-school kids – who actively took part in the one-day "Lakbay-Aral sa Kalikasan" on 27 February 2010.
The "Lakbay-Aral sa Kalikasan" was purposely designed to immerse young students on living things, sustainable environment and organic agriculture (which they have limited exposure to in the city) and to make their learning experience fun, memorable and exciting.
Mr. Pablito Villegas, Dr. Isagani Catedral and Ms. Dinah Rose Pizarro facilitated the study tour program, providing outdoor hands-on learning on earthworms and their value in promoting sustainable environment, soil and its types, culinary and medicinal plants, and the inter-relationships of worms-soil-plants, demonstrated in a sustainable/environment-friendly farm and ecological balance through the maintenance of biodiversity and employment of zero waste management practices, as exemplified by the VOHO Farms. The students also enjoyed hands-on fishing, running after free-range chickens and playing in the tree house and "bahay-kubo" (indigenous Filipino house), thereby enriching their eco-experience and enhancing their appreciation for nature.
After the educational field tour, as part of their commencement activity, high school students were introduced to Organic Gardening 101. On the other hand, grade school kids planted fruit tree seedlings and prepared dedication cards to their tree. A five-year old girl wrote on her tree: "I will save papers so you can live long." This concluding session intended to instill in the students their valuable role in protecting the environment and to leave in them a memorable experience to share with their friends and family.
The recently passed Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 clearly mandates the inclusion of organic agriculture curriculum in all levels of the Philippine educational system. The remarkable success of the study tour program (educational field trip) last Saturday was a step toward promoting the sustainable environment and organic agriculture in the schools and its community or constituents.
Good day po... I am Yani Carpo po... I am a teacher here at calamba, laguna... This coming July po sana we're planning to have a field trip po for our pre-school students sa isang farm like yours... is it possible po ba for us to visit your farm? Thank you po god bless...
ReplyDeleteThis place is really good for educational trip and I think it is really a big help to every student to gain more knowledge about what is the life in a farm. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ms Kirstz! I second the motion :)
ReplyDeleteI can not stress more how each student can benefit from the life outdoors.. or this case, the tour in the farm.. while they know more about the origin of their food, they start to appreciate why "slow" food is better than fast food and how making the change transforms the earth we live in.. and the lives who grow our fruit, vegetables - our dear farmers.. Enjoy the weekend! cheers!
We care for your Health, We nurture Mother Earth!! :)