Why Igorots in Metro Manila directly source goods from farmers

 Two pesos a kilo for cabbage. Four pesos for cucumber.

After spending to bring their produce to the nearest vegetable trading post in the last week of July, Cordilleran farmers were given a cruel rate, crushing their hope of raising cash to buy seeds for the next harvest. 

A Sad Story for New Gen Farmers

Shereen Umayat and Jessica Dapliyan, two young farmers from Sagada, had a cheaper option for their next maturing vegetables- let the plants rot in the farmland to stop having additional expenses. 

Asked how much she has spent for her cucumber, Umayat computed it to be at least P40, 000.

While there are active programs like Sustainable Sagada and Rural Rising organized to help ease the situation, not all produce in the remote Mountain Province town can be accommodated.

Dapliyan, a former innkeeper who shifted to farming following travel bans, started giving away her cabbage produce for free in September after unsuccessful attempts to sell what her family has been working since community quarantine restrictions were implemented. 

Trying the Metro Manila Market 

For generations, farmers in Sagada and other towns of the Cordilleras have been trading in marketplaces within the mountainous region and going to the lowlands is not part of their regular routine. But as they run out of options, they are forced to seek help outside the highlands.

Tapping Metro Manila-based Cordillerans or Igorots was the first move. Upon learning about the crisis, Christian Aligo, a Marketing Communications practitioner living in Quezon City, started the “The Sagada Harvests Project” on Facebook. 

With the assistance from Umayat, Menchie Buking of the Department of Agrarian Reform Mt. Province (DAR MP) and other concerned locals, The Sagada Harvests Project is able to sell out about three tons of produce in its first two runs.

Alongside Aligo are other Metro Manila-based Igorots including Luisa Gay Pugong, Jenny Lyn Likigan, Bing Podes Laguipen, and Hector Ngales who transformed themselves into vendors after their day job to help address the crisis.

Joining the force is the couple Atty. Pio and Noemie Jeanet Daoas who now spend their weekends on vegetables. With the help of dedicated riders, the couple deliver the goods within Taguig City at only P20. 

A Trade Friendlier to Farmers

As agreed, it is the farmers who set the price of their produce. Currently in marketplaces, it is the multi-level middle men who dictate the price and get a bigger portion of it.

When the rate at the La Trinidad trading post for cabbage was P2 per kilo, The Sagada Harvests Project purchased the vegetable at P20 per kilo-- as dictated by the farmers.

To further assist the Igorot vendors, DAR’s Sagada Linksfarmers Consolidation Center opened its doors to help screen quality produce prior to shipping. 

Recently, the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) also offered transportation assistance to help lower expenses.

Meanwhile, local food producers Gabay Wines and Food Preserves and Masferre Country Inn & Restaurant have been doing experiments for delicate items like wild blueberry, wheat bread, and goat cheese products to check on the shelf-life of the products when offered in places with a warmer climate.

To know more about The Sagada Harvest Project and a list of Igorot vendors who directly source their goods from farmers, contact Aligo at 0956-174-8464 (Globe) or visit www.facebook.com/sagadaharvests now.

NEW Pampers Sensitive Wipes make cleaning poo a breeze for parents

_{NEW Pampers Sensitive Wipes is ultra-soft and strong and does not tear easily – for a gentle but effective clean that helps protect baby’s delicate skin from skin rash} 

Manila, Philippines – Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced parent, it’s a known fact that with every precious baby also comes a lot of mess to clean! Everything from feeding your baby, playing, and especially diaper changing, comes with its fair share of mess, but it doesn’t mean cleaning up can’t be easy.

To make cleaning a breeze for you and your baby, Pampers, the No.1 diaper brand in the world, is here to help you with the launch of the NEW Pampers Sensitive Wipes that offers gentle but effective clean for your baby.

Pampers Sensitive Wipes comes with soft and thick fluffy sheets that enable gentle, effective cleansing without easily tearing. Every sheet is guaranteed to be PH-balanced, paraben-free, phenoxyethanol-free, and alcohol-free with Pampers’ unique formula that helps protect your baby’s skin from diaper rash. It is dermatologically tested to be suitable for sensitive skin making it safe for your baby’s bum. 

“Pampers continuously aims to deliver the best products for baby's healthy development such as providing quality diapers suitable for baby's delicate skin,” said Akhil Meshram, Pampers Country Leader. “This is why we are launching Pampers Sensitive Wipes, to offer gentle and effective cleaning for baby especially when diaper changing.”

For beginner parents, it’s important that you have these essentials when doing a newborn diaper change: a clean and dry surface, clean diapers, sensitive wipes.

Using baby wipes to add to your diaper-changing routine leaves the baby feeling fresh after every wipe. Use wipes to clean the baby’s diaper region, wiping from front to back without missing out the sides and the outside areas, and then wait for the skin to dry before putting on a fresh diaper. 

With every diaper change, using a trusted sensitive baby wipe like Pampers helps in minimizing the risk of diaper rash. Because not all wipes are created equal, some easily tear apart. A good tip for parents is to choose wipes that are gentle and strong enough to properly wipe baby’s poo without tearing, so you use less wipes as you clean more.  

Pampers Sensitive Wipes offers parents that advantage to clean up poo and wipe’s baby’s bum with its safe ingredients and effective cleaning feature, which are also gentle to use on the hands and body too. 

  

“From my eldest hanggang sa bunso, laki sa Pampers ang mga yan. I’ve always believed that Pampers is the best diaper brand for my kids because they understand parents’ sentiments on what babies’ need, like how to avoid baby diaper rash and importance of diaper change. Trying the new Pampers Sensitive Wipes, super satisfied ako kasi ang gentle sa skin ni Marius and super effective! It was love at first wipe,” candidly shared by experienced mom Pehpot Pineda who is a well-known mommy blogger and a Pampers Ambassador.  

“It definitely made cleaning baby poo’s mess easier and faster for me. Thanks to Pampers kasi I don’t have to use more wipes than I should, so I’m sure I’m getting a quality product, no harsh chemicals pa! I definitely recommend this to mommies, especially rookie moms!,” Mommy Pehpot urges new moms to use the new Pampers Sensitive Wipes too. 

Whether you’re at home or outdoors, add the new Pampers Sensitive Wipes to your diaper-changing routine so you have peace of mind that you only give total protection to your baby’s delicate skin. 

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About Pampers® Sensitive Wipes 

• Protects Baby’s Sensitive Skin: Helps maintain skin's natural pH ·  
• 0% Phenoxyethanol, Paraben, Perfume & Alcohol: Specifically designed with your baby's skin needs in mind 
• Our Thickest and Extra Soft Wipes: 20% thicker to help clean delicate skin gently 
• As Mild as Washcloth and Water: Ideal for baby's sensitive skin
• Clinically Proven Gentle: Designed with your baby's delicate skin needs in mind 
• Dermatologically Tested and Hypoallergenic: To ensure they are gentle against your baby’s skin 

Pampers Sensitive Wipes minimizes the risk of diaper rash and makes sure your wipes are free from harmful chemicals that may irritate baby’s skin. Available in 2 different sizes for a suggested retail price of Php 139.00 for a pack of 56 sheets and Php 260.00 for a pack of 112 sheets. Wipe counts per pack vary by size and pricing is at the sole discretion of the retailer. The wipes are now available online and at major retailers nationwide.  

To learn more about the product and information on how to keep your baby’s skin dry and healthy, check out: https://www.pampers.com/en-us/diapers-wipes/pampers-sensitive-wipes. 

   

About Pampers®  

For more than 50 years, parents have trusted Pampers to care for their babies. Pampers is a part of The Procter & Gamble Company and is the #1-selling diaper worldwide. Every day, more than 25 million babies in 100 countries around the world wear Pampers. Pampers offers a complete range of diapers and pants designed to provide protection and comfort for every stage of baby’s development. Visit www.pampers.com to learn more about Pampers products, and find ideas and information to help your baby get the most out of love, sleep and play.  

About Procter & Gamble  P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.