Infomediary ripple

It all started with a curious mind. One day of deep thinking: Do the farmers benefit from our ICT initiatives? That was in 2009. That was when I barely had knowledge on doing extensive research. All I had was that big question. With my colleagues and college academic adviser, we went out to do a survey “Assessment of e-readiness of the five top rice-producing provinces of the Philippines”.

We learned a lot from the survey. Farmers who underwent ICT training, but were hardly able to apply what they learned. The reasons were very simple: they did not have computer units in their household, most were computer illiterate and had difficulty understanding the English text, which is the dominant text in the Internet. From that survey we learned that farmers wanted their children to teach them how to use the computer—if it could be made possible. That was the birth of the infomediary concept in our work.

But then, it did not take off as expected. The campaign to mobilise the youth as infomediaries started in 2012 in Aurora province. We are now in the middle of our campaign in Aurora. We are blessed that our proposal has been approved for funding by the DA’s Regional Field Unit in Central Mindanao. So here we are replicating the campaign in Southern Philippines! We are in Apolinario S Bernardo Memorial High School in Tacurong City. The same breath of fresh air, positive energy and enthusiasm, but different social context. This will be very exciting.

Days of Discovery

Let me repost an essay I wrote in 2007 which appeared in the Youngblood column of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, one of the national dailies in the Philippines. Might be a good material for cross-cultural communication.

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My thinking about Muslims for 21 years was shaped by Philippine news media -- what I saw on television, heard on the radio or read in the newspapers. Sadly, Muslims usually land in the news when there is an explosion, a kidnapping, a beheading or when some other atrocities happen. As a result, I was scared every time I would hear about them. I couldn?t help but associate them with the Abu Sayyaf and other terrorist groups. So for 21 years, I carried this prejudice against Muslim Filipinos. And I never had the opportunity to alter this perception until I started working with them.

When I learned that I was being sent to Mindanao, I was excited, thrilled --and afraid. This was something that I really wanted to do back when I was still in college. But then I was worried that I would end up as one of the casualties in a bombing or a victim of kidnapping.

During my first month in Midsayap, North Cotabato, I had a hard time focusing on my work. I was so paranoid that whenever we went out to buy food, I would look around, expecting a bomb to go off. Whenever I talked to my Muslim officemates, I would be very careful lest I hurt their sensitivities. My first month was a total disaster; I could not enjoy some of the nicest things about being in Mindanao. I am talking about the seafood, vegetables and fruits, which are all very affordable.

It has been four months since I first set foot here. I have discovered many things, which I am sure many people in Luzon and the Visayas do not know.

My work involves documenting success stories of farmers who are involved in some of the programs of the Philippine Rice Research Institute. I go to their homes and interview them. In the process, I have found many friends.

The first interview that I did was with a former commander of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). For me it was a scoop, and I was thrilled. But I was almost trembling with fear, when I was introduced to him. I thought I would never be able to finish the interview. I was afraid that I might faint in the course of our conversation.

The man had the fierce look I had come to associate with the movie character Rambo. I began by asking him about his farming experiences. But when I was finished with farming-related questions, I knew I had to ask him about the days when he was with the MNLF. I told myself that was the reason why I was there. But before I could summon the courage to throw my first question at him, I was asking myself so many questions: Will he get mad? Will he shoot me? Then I took a deep breath and started shooting my questions.

To my surprise, his life as a rebel was something he wanted to talk about. In fact, I had the impression that I bored him with my farming-related questions.

To someone who was so afraid of what he might say, his words were kind and comforting. In fact, he was a picture of serenity and peace as he talked.

I have been to places described as dangerous by the media. I have visited Camp Abubakar, formerly the largest camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. I have been to Basilan where the recent, televised encounter between the Marines and the Abu Sayyaf took place. I have been to Sulu where the beheading of farmers happened. I have been to all these places, and I think they are not as dangerous as the world has been made to believe.

And the people in these places? They are far from being the ruthless killers they have become in many people?s imagination. What I have seen are humble and polite people who, like all of us, crave for a peaceful life.

Whenever we enter a Muslim house, we would say, ?Assalamualaikum? [?Peace be with you?] and we would be welcomed with a similar prayer ?Waalaikumussalaam? [?Peace be with you, too?]. According to my Muslim friends, that is their standard greeting. Imagine people wishing you peace every day? In fact my Muslim friends keep telling me that Islam is the religion of peace-loving people.

These people are also very hospitable. Wherever we went to conduct interviews, we were always offered the best seat, the best food served in the most beautiful plates our hosts possessed. One time I interviewed a farmer who had prepared so much food that one would think there was a fiesta or he expected someone very special. He served us grilled fish, chicken ?adobo,? vegetables and lots of other foods, and yet I was there just for an interview!

In almost every place we visited, the people made sure we would have some produce to bring home: fresh from the garden bottle gourd, squash, cucumber, and other stuff.

In the office, I no longer feel uncomfortable talking to my Muslim friends. I find it very healthy and enlightening to discuss our differences now. Over lunch, we compare religious beliefs and what we find offensive. We discuss their practices like polygamy, and they are quite open about them. They have told me that under Islam, a Muslim cannot have many wives if he cannot provide the needs of their families. I found some of their ways rather quaint and amusing, such as solemnizing a wedding even in the absence of the bride. One of my friends was actually married while she was in a hospital; only her husband attended the ceremony.

My Muslim friends have also educated me about their different tribes. The fashionistas and the businessmen and women are the Maranao, the warriors are the Tausug, the weavers are the Yakan, etc. When we talk about these things, I realize how very little I know about Muslims.

Every day when I go to the office or conduct a field interview, I always feel excited. I know it will be another day of discovery for me. When I see their faces, I don?t see terrorists. What I see are humble and kind folks, just like all of us, searching for a peaceful life.

Here's the link to the article: Days of Discovery
 
Jaime A. Manalo IV, 21, is a writer from the Philippine Rice Research Institute. He documents success stories of farmers who are taking part in the PRRI?s Technical Cooperation Project 4 in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Knocking

We’ve been experiencing weather extremes lately. Last summer (March to May), Manila registered record high temperature, the hottest in recent years. Hence, it was declared as a heat island. Nobody wanted to go to our capital city then. And now, we’re experiencing excessive rainfall. In 2009, we experienced super typhoon Ondoy. That was the time when the rest of Metro Manila was submerged in water. That was the same time when our world class expressways and vast ricefields all of a sudden seemed like endless seas.

Manila is on the world news again. Well, that’s the trend whenever we are on international news. It’s either there’s bombing and/or kidnapping in Mindanao in Southern Philippines or when there are calamities. The country mourns for a couple of deaths noted in 3 days of non stop rain in Manila and in surrounding provinces. People crying desperately for help—we hear their voices once again. We also see bashing, mudslinging, blaming left and right—but this is not the time for that. This is the time to be united. To help. Our people need lots of it. 

It’s probably the Filipino spirit that despite the rising waters we still manage to smile, crack jokes, sing songs, make jingles out of our rather desperate situation. Filipinos are like that. Faith must have something to do with it. We are strong. We are among the happiest peoples of the world. We will survive. This, too, shall pass.

I do it usually for others, so I won’t hesitate to do it again now. I am knocking on your doors for some help for the flood victims in the Philippines. They need you. I saw thousands of pleas for food and clothing. Our people also need medicines just in case there would be disease outbreak because of floods.

Here are some organisations doing relief operations that have good networks across the country:

ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya Foundation
http://www.sagipkapamilya.com/

GMA Kapuso Foundation
http://www.gmanetwork.com/kapusofoundation/

Philippine Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org.ph/

Thank you.

The ICT applications project (post PNOA)

Yesterday we concluded the six rounds of participatory needs and opportunities assessment (PNOA) for our ICT applications project. Computer Science and Information Technology students from La Fortuna College, AMA-Cabanatuan, College of the Immaculate Conception, Central Luzon State University, Araullo University and Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology participated in the event.

It was some sort of a face off between the game developers and their intended clients: the out of school youth (OSY) Filipino farmers. Just to refresh your memory, this is a project where computer-related studies students are being asked to develop games that will promote cost-reducing and yield-enhancing technologies to OSY Filipino youth farmers.

I appreciate the fact that the university students took an effort to dress down (I knew they were fashionable people) for the event. I observed that many of them got inspired to think of a game that can be used by their clients. I surmise it was also the first time that they’ve been to that place. I have been telling my friends that my concept of Talavera (the municipality where we had our PNOA) was just Jollibee and Chowking so we can have some good meals outside PhilRice. I was very surprised to learn that there were some barangays (villages) kilometres away from the national highway. The places we visited were surrounded by vast expanse of rice areas, and indeed very rural.

Some of the OSY had difficulty writing their names when we asked them to sign in the attendance sheet. Literacy was a problem for some. While I am fully aware that many farmers did not finish formal education, it was another thing to see someone in his 30s or 40s who did not finish high school. It should be highlighted, however, that there were OSYs whose dreams could challenge the world’s biggest dreamers. They have big dreams for themselves. They just need some time to realise that—when they go back to school—probably next year as they said.

We had two fulfilling days doing the PNOAs. I, for, one was very pleased that this convergence of seemingly unrelated disciplines—development and computer-related—studies is finally possible. I can’t wait for the next big thing i.e. when the students are ready to show their games for the OSY Filipino youth farmers.

Doing your literature review

If you’re doing your thesis, prepare for this as this is literally a BIG one. My professors and some friends tell me this is the most difficult part to write in the thesis manuscript. Well, for one, this will take so much of your time—so if you intend to graduate on time, better strategise. Here are some tips for you:

• Start early. You can manage your reading load well if you will divide it into tiny bits. So, try to read as frequently as you can. This of course assumes that you already have a topic in mind and that you are already starting to build knowledge on it.
• Be very systematic. This means that you need to organise your notes well. In the past, what I did was to have an excel file. I had three columns—source, key points, and remarks. In the source column, I put the bibliographic citation. The key points column was for the claims or main arguments of the material I just read. The remarks column, I placed there just any thought that would help me remember the article. The good thing about doing it in Excel is that it has a very efficient search tool= CTRL+F. So if you need to find a reference, just type the key words and it will take you to it. (Caution: check your spelling).
• Check out the references of the material. Often, it is a practice to just skim through the article and just read the introduction and conclusion. This helps especially if you are so pressed with time. However, it would save you a lot of time if you would take some time off to have a look at the references cited. This will guide you in your literature search. I find this really helpful as oftentimes the big names in the discipline are in the reference list – you might want to learn from them as well. 
• Diversify. This means that you need to look for several materials. Don’t confine yourself to journal articles. Do find some books as well. Try to weigh which ones have the most relevant content. Additionally, make sure that you are not confined to the works of just one author. This is very common as sometimes if an author is really good in his field, we tend to be so immersed in his work that we quite have the tendency to shut off other scholars. It is always good to entertain opposing ideas.
• Check out open access journals. Most scholars have problems accessing journals as they are very expensive. Their interest is oftentimes blocked by the “pay per view” thing. The good news is there are many open access journals out there. And mind you, some are really good quality. So if you need help in finding articles, do check out these open access journals. Some of the sites you can visit are: the Public Knowledge Project and the Directory of Open Access Journals. Google them now!
• Discuss your thoughts with someone. It is always good to have someone to talk to. When I was doing my thesis, I had always made overseas calls to my friends back home. First, this is good to check your sanity :D.Often we get too immersed with the literature that we just keep going and going. So have someone who can tell you if you are still on the right track, if you need more, or if you need to slow down. Your adviser can do this for you, BUT have another one. Someone who can bear your rants, disappointments and joy!
• Prepare an outline. They say if you’re done with the outline, half of the work is done! This will help you a lot in your writing process. So don’t skip this part. When I was doing mine, I even have to do a concept map. If you are interested, email me or write a comment here and I’ll show how it’s done. It is always good to know how one idea connects with others.
• Write and rewrite. The beauty of writing is in rewriting. You write to document what is on your mind. You rewrite to make sure others understand what you’ve written.

I want to write more, but the PhilRice vehicle will pick me up in 30 minutes. So i’ll end here for now. Keep in touch!

P.S. I have written and published quite a few papers on information and communications technology for development (ICT4D). If you're doing some work in this area, I am happy to exchange thoughts with you. Cheers!