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Goducate Training Center’s fish pond

On our recent trip to Goducate Training Center in Iloilo, Philippines we had the opportunity to catch the tilapia in our impounding lake.

The primary purpose of the impounding lake is to provide a source ofwater for our rice fields. Though there are 5 fresh-water springs on site, high-yielding rice requires lots of water to produce optimal yields.

Since the impounding lake is large (about half an acre) and deep (about 5 meters). we decided to stock it with fast-breeding fish. A local fish research institute gave us an hundred tilapia fingerlings a few months ago. Today, there are over 10,000 tilapia of various sizes.

Food to feed the tilapia is obtained from a local meat producer and bakery. Their “spoiled” meat and bakery items are fed to the tilapias.

We were handed bamboo fishing rods and we began pulling tilapia out of the lake every minute. The little tilapias were thrown back into the lake and the large breeders were also thrown back.

A visitor to GTC fishing for tilapia
A visitor with his tilapia (this size of this fish is made much larger because it is held near the camera!)

These fish will be the main source of animal protein for the Goducate trainees when they begin their training at the end of April.

 

The Goducate trainees will also learn to breed tilapias so that they can help poor communities find another source of protein and income.

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Goducate Orchestra’s unforgettable experience at Manila Symphony Orchestra concert

When Channel News Asia brought music experts from Singapore to Laguna to help the Goducate Orchestra, they also brought along Ray Sison, principal flautist of the Manila Symphony Orchestra, to help select which of our members would go to Singapore for training. He kindly invited our orchestra to listen to a concert by his orchestra on March 15.

With Elaine Lim, pianist

With Ray Sison, flautist

For the members of our orchestra, who come from poor villages, going to Manila to listen to a professional orchestra, and the Manila Symphony Orchestra at that, was bound to be a thrilling and unforgettable experience. Unfortunately, there were other factors that made the experience unforgettable.

As Jordan, our trombonist said, “We totally don’t know that the event was this formal kind. We are the only group who wear casual dress. At first we hesitate to go in as we think we are at the wrong place or the wrong occasion”. He added, “Our ignorance was noticed at once. When we clap our hands as the Manila Symphony started playing, everybody looked at us. We tried our best to hide in our chairs”.

But it all ended well. As Jordan put it, “We know so little, yet the stars came to take group pictures with us. And next time we will be in our best attire”.

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Veg@table project gathers pace in Dayap

Grace pulling out her flowering plants to make way for beans

It takes only a spark to get a fire going. After seeing Nanay Anita’s vegetable plants in her frontyard starting to bear fruit, her neighbours want to turn their frontyards into vegetable patches too. One neighbour, Grace, a mother of 2, decided to pull out her flowering plants to grow beans instead. So far 14 families in Dayap have joined the project.

Grace pulling out her flowering plants to make way for beans
Grace pulling out her flowering plants to make way for beans

Jordan (left), the farm manager, with a father pleased with his tomato seedlings that have sprouted
Children planting seeds

The manager of our model farm, who is helping the community there to plant vegetables, recalls how the children used to have little better to do than throw stones at passersby, himself included. Now they want to help with the planting.