Hello Summer!!!!

The news this morning was a bit distressing. The rice crops in Cagayan de Oro has all been affected by the drought caused by El Nino. The administration is now considering adding more rice imports to meet with the demand.

This is strange in that we have now become rice importers instead of the top exporters of rice to other countries. What's happened to us? During the Marcos regime we had more than enough rice to feed the growing population. And more! we had a booster supply which we eventually exported to other countries abroad.

This was a direct result in the establishment of the IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) located in Laguna. We had the equipment and the knowledge in producing the best strains of rice varieties and most of Asia turned to us for our expertise. We were the benchmark as far as rice production was concerned.

Before as one is driving along the South Luzon Expressway you could see rice fields as far as your eyes could see... Now, all you see are buildings and subdivisions along the high way... Vegetation has been limited to manicured lawns and trees lining the road.

Gone are the lush green stalks of rice that during the summertime turn into golden ears of grain. The same thing has happened to Bulacan. Touted as the "rice granary" of the Philippines, the province has become host to the North Luzon Expressway. Lanes of concrete have all but covered the vast expanse of ricelands.

The rice shortage in the seventies gave us a lesson we didn't need to learn. WE are self-sufficient if we really get to do hard work. I remember buying rice at P7.00 - P10.00/ kilo back then. Now P30.00/kilo of rice is still cheap. But can someone explain to me how we've been reduced to this?



Now everyone's blaming the destruction of the environment. I don't remember summer being any different. As a student, I welcomed the onset of Summer. By around February, we were rounding up on lessons in class, completing projects that needed to be submitted, termpapers were typed and neatly fastened to folders. School was out by March and Summer beckoned. It was hot then, it's still just as hot now.

So I don't see why global warming should be a threat to us. We should've been prepared for all of this... shouldn't we? Back then our main concern was excessive flooding in Bulacan as it destroyed rice production during the monsoon rains. Now we worry if it's raining too hard and we worry if it's not raining at all.

At the height of Ondoy, authorities released water from the dams. Now at the start of summer we're surprised that the water from the dams are at it's lowest level. What gives? Someone ought to put a hose up those technocrats behinds...