Regin “Ar-ar” Bolasoc

Published: June 9, 2019 08:33am | Metro Manila

Eating rice and catsup for a meal to save up for books did not deter Ar-ar from striving in life. Watch how a determined student and a diligent worker rise from abject poverty to become an area manager of Yamang Bukid Healthy Products Inc. for Bulacan.

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Banaba: Nature’s Best Anti-Diabetic Remedy

  • The next time you see banaba grown near your backyard, thank your forebears for it. Known in English as queen crepe myrtle, or pride of India and banaba in Filipino, Lagerstroemia speciosa is a small to medium-sized tree of up to 20 meters tall and with smooth, flaky bark.

    While it is grown and present in most areas of the world, cultivation of banaba has been prevalent in South and Southeast Asia, particularly in India and the Philippines where the plant, particularly its oval-shaped leaves are harvested for traditional medicinal uses. Before it was even introduced to the West and given a scientific name by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, the plant now known as banaba has been used for centuries by Filipinos and other Asian as traditional medication for diabetes-like illness. Its scholarly and scientific studies came and were published only as recent as 1940, according to Miura and Takagi (2012).

    The two Japanese experts, in a paper published by the United States National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reported a clinic study on the effects of banaba to humans with mild type 2 diabetes. The study revealed a significant 13.5% decrease in blood sugar levels and no side effects, negative or otherwise, were reported.

    A biomedical research by South Korean doctors Cheolin Park and Jae-Sik Lee on the other hand pointed to a component in banaba leaves extract called corosolic acid that acts as an anti-hypoglycaemic (blood glucose reducer) agent. Their study, published in 2011, asserted that coroslic acid helps improve the distribution of glucose to the cells of the body, thereby regulating blood sugar. The two South Koreans also supported banaba extract’s short and long-term use against diabetes and its safety against adverse side effects.

    With the plant extract’s mechanisms and functions, banaba remains among nature’s best antidiabetic remedy for prevention and treatment without the adverse side effects shown in current prescribed drugs.

    Therefore, they said, banaba could be a promising candidate for future antidiabetic drug as an ingredient or as a main component or base.
    Aside from its antidiabetic properties, studies also show banaba as a good antioxidant. It has compounds that help regulate and increase antioxidant compounds in the body, helping cells and tissues resistant to and fight off infections and diseases.

    You can conveniently avail of banaba’s antidiabetic properties and other health and wellness benefits by just a cup of Yamang Bukid Healthy Products Inc.’s Turmeric 10-in-1 Tea. Scientifically formulated to accurately extract nature’s antidiabetic plant, Yamang Bukid Turmeric 10-in-1 Tea is also mixed with turmeric and eight other powerful herbs to give you a spicy morning beverage with nature’s dose of health and wellness.
    (JL)
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Mimaropa farm learning sites boost cooperation

  • Farm schools in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) have banded together to further boost cooperation and exchange of ideas in an effort to strengthen the government’s partner in promoting agriculture, electing a set of officials who will steer the organization in the interim.

    The formation of an organization of farm schools and learning in the region was among the highlights of the 2020 Regional Learning Sites in Agriculture and Schools for Practical Agriculture (RLSA-SPA) Summit at Yamang Bukid Farm in Barangay Bacungan, Puerto Princesa City last Feb. 24-28.

    Br. George Maria, Yamang Bukid Farm vice president for community affairs, was chosen as president of the 40-plus member alliance.

    “Our mission is to help others, especially the youth to learn and love farming. This is a huge responsibility for me,” said Bro. Maria, 23.

    “As a young farmer entrusted by LSAs in Mimaropa, it is with all humility for me to work with the inspiration founded by the farming schools ahead of us. It is my joy to cooperate with the leadership of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) under the mandate of the Department of Agriculture in its various programs aimed at attaining food security and uplifting the lives of our farmers,” the former seminarian-turned-farmer added.

    Maria said farm schools should not be seen as a diploma mill for young people who want to get a national competency certification even without learning anything.

    The association was widely supported by farm owners in the region.

    Randy Eusebio, a 57-year old owner of a 21-hectare farm in Oriental Mindanao hoped the group would help empower small farm owners and upstart farm schools.

    “I expect to see sharing of ideas, knowledge and technology between the member-farms and unity among us in our resolve to strengthen the agriculture sector,” Eusebio said.

    Elected as vice president was Derwin Evangelista of Longfield ALC in Oriental Mindoro.

    Rosario Clemente, of Oriental Mindoro’s Lasquety Farms was chosen as secretary.

    Other elected officials were Roger Rada of Rada Eco-Farm (Oriental Mindoro) as treasurer and Rafael Constantino Seno of Agrea Farm in Oriental Mindoro as auditor.

    The public information officers (PIOs) were Randy Balderas of Mamburao Integrated Farms for Oriental Mindoro, Heidi Guverra of Guevara’s Farm for Marinduque and Porfirio Diaz for Palawan.

    For DA-ATI in Mimaropa, farming schools and agri-learning sites are in demand because the government is setting aside over P700 million yearly for scholarships and other assistance to those who want to study agriculture through farm schools and learning sites.

    Pat Andrew Barrientos, DA-ATI Mimaropa center director, said the agency is eyeing to accredit at least three farming schools or learning sites per municipality throughout the country. Currently though, there are just about 30 of such institutions nationwide, well below the actual need.

    Among the latest to get the ATI nod as learning site is Maria’s Yamang Bukid Farm, a 20-plus hectare farm known for its sunflowers, organically-grown vegetables and herbal plants and an employer to nearly 300 people. 90 percent of whom are former illegal loggers and wildlife poachers in Barangay Bacungan.

    A huge incentive to farmer whose farm will become a learning site is a monthly revenue of upwards to P140,000 per batch of at least 25 scholars.

    In spite of this windfall, Brother Maria urged his fellow farm school advocates to not lose sight of their bigger role to help the farmers.

    “I challenge myself to encourage all farming schools to live as one team with a mission of becoming factories of dignified farmers who can develop into agripreneurs,” he said.

    (Juan Lim)
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YB Turmeric 10-in-1 tea 'invades' Japan

  • Home-grown Yamang Bukid Healthy Products, Inc. “invaded” Japan with its export-quality healthy food products last year, a big stride by a Filipino company that was initiated a little over seven years ago.
    YBHPI’s product launch in Japan burst off with a big bang as Filipino women wearing Filipinia apparel wowed the passersby at a park, drawing them into the event.
    Curious strollers took slurps of YBHPI’s signature product the Turmeric 10-in-1 Tea served to them through free-taste sales approach. Thumbs-ups flashed after each gulp.
    YBHPI’s Japan launch soared even higher by the unexpected endorsement of celebrity Doctor Joel Mendez, who chanced upon a YB store, grabbed a jar of the Turmeric 10-in-1 Tea and made a sales pitch: “Hi, ako po si Doctor Mendez. At ito po ay turmeric tea galling sa Yamanb Bukid. Ito po ay inyong tikman, galing Pilipinas. Isang magandang inumin para sa inyo.”
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