BLAAN TRADITIONAL UPLAND RICE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:

IMPLICATIONS TO HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY AND CULTURAL

SURVIVAL IN BRGY. KIHAN, MALAPATAN, SARANGANI PROVINCE

JOSEPHINE LATIMBAN CARIÑO TURNER

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

OF ENRM 290 (SPECIAL PROBLEM)

First Semester AY 2007-2008

i
 This Special Problem report entitled “Blaan Traditional Upland Rice Resource

Management: Implications to Household Food Security and Cultural Survival in

Brgy. Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani Province” prepared and submitted by Josephine

Latimban Carino Turner in partial fulfillment of the requirements of ENRM 290, is

hereby accepted.

Dr. MARIA HELEN F. DAYO

Adviser, ENRM 290 (Special Problem)

Date Signed

Dr. CERENILLA A. CRUZ

Chair, Master of Environment and Natural Resources Management

(MENRM) Program

Date Signed

Dr. MARIA FE V. MENDOZA

Dean, Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS)

UP Open University

Date Signed

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 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Born on February 28, 1977 at Landan, Polomolok, South Cotabato, the author is
the third child in the brood of five of Mr. Jose S. Cariño and Mrs. Maria L. Cariño. She
belongs to the Blaan indigenous peoples group of Mindanao.
She graduated Class Valedictorian at Dole Cannery Elementary School,
Polomolok, South Cotabato in 1992. She finished secondary education from the
Mindanao State University-General Santos City in March 1996. She was admitted for
college at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) with full scholarship by
the Agricultural and Rural Development Scholarship (ARDS) grant under Presidential
Decree 1209. In 2000, she graduated with the degree of BS Agriculture Major in Plant
Pathology. While in college, she served important positions and actively involved in the
following organizations: UP Agricultural and Rural Development Scholarship Society
(UP-ARDSS); UP Mindanawans; and Lakas Angkan (LA) Undergraduate Ministry. She
was also active in community volunteer works spearheaded by the UPLB Volunteers and
the UP Ugnayan ng Pahinungod. She also served as Student Research Assistant at
SIKAP/STRIVE Foundation and was designated by Dr. Leonardo A. Gonzales as the
Project Team Leader for the 1998 survey on the “Impact of Peso Devaluation on Rice-
Based Agriculture in Mindanao”.
Her first professional work was as a Research Assistant at MINDSET
Consultancy firm in General Santos City. She was then hired in December 2000 by the
Provincial Government of Sarangani as Project Manager for the Luntiang Lumad Project
(LLP) under the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist. In July 2004, the LLP was
transformed into a comprehensive Indigenous Peoples Development Program (IPDP)
initiated by the new provincial leadership. She held the position as Program Manager
now under the Office of the Governor and served until May 18, 2006. She also served as
2004 Vice President for Community of the Gensan Twin Star Jaycees and as the
Secretary of the Sarangani Indigenous Peoples Professionals Association (SIPPA).
She left Philippines in May 21, 2006 and is now based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
She is happily married to Bernard Lorenzo Turner. Currently, she served as the Secretary
of the Galing Foundation, Inc. (GFI) and is active in doing indigenous peoples cultural
advocacy in partnership with the different Filipino-American organizations in Atlanta.

iii
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

To GOD be the glory for this research work! Also, special credits for the

unwavering support, active involvement, and encouragement from the following:

Hon. Governor Miguel Rene A. Dominguez for creating IPDP that made it

possible for the conduct of this research thru its IP Culture and Traditional Arts Project.

Thank you for lending us your video camera and provision of much needed logistics

during the series of immersion activities. Thank you for your good leadership!

Hon. Board Member Art Lawa for sponsoring a Sangguniang Panlalawigan

Resolution in support to the upland rice resource management as vital component of

upland development program interventions in indigenous cultural communities.

Maribeth Farnazo, Edzel Pontong, Ener Toguin, Jestoni Badilla, Fernando

Tusan, Emma Rizza Balandan, Anne Edday for the IPDP teamwork and for all the

administrative support and to Celito Terando for the big help in the database

management of the upland rice research.

Dr. James A. Namocatcat of MSU-GenSan for leading the upland rice research

team, technical input for the research and advocacy of in situ conservation of upland rice.

Professor Florence Lasalita-Zapico, MSU Molecular Biologist, for joining us

on-site immersion activities and sharing your insights for the importance of preserving

indigenous cultivars for biodiversity conservation.

Our immersion buddies (Lean Marx Degracia, Gary, and Jezrel Barnizo), for

the mapping surveys and morphological studies of the upland rice.

Cocoy A. Sexcion for the photo-documentation of the different rice collections.

iv
 The Upland Development Program (UDP)-Sarangani Office for sharing us your

facilities, your baseline data and maps on the pilot UDP areas in Brgy. Kihan.

Conrado Alcantara Foundation Inc. (CAFI) former staff (Ms. Bong Subang

and Jocelyn Cariño-Robles) for the logistics support especially during the conduct of the

first traditional upland rice festival in Brgy. Kihan.

Dr. Heidi K. Gloria, thank you for the technical assistance in the conduct of

Sarangani Peoples and Culture research and visiting us in Brgy. Kihan.

Hon. Municipal Councilor Jimmy Bagit (formerly Brgy. Captain of Kihan), all

Purok Chairmen, Tribal Chieftains, all research respondents , thank you for allowing

us to stay in your homes, sharing us your upland rice farming experiences, and providing

safety for the research team during our community immersions.

Bae Betty C. Katug, thank you (bong salamat) for exposing us at Brgy. Kihan to

do this research and for being our pro-active community local researcher.

Dr. Maria Helen F. Dayo, thank you for the guidance on my MENRM 290

applied research work, for understanding the nature of this study and for appreciating its

relevance to the indigenous cultural communities in Sarangani Province.

Ms. Maria Pilar Defenio, thank you for the student support system extended to

me during the whole duration of my MENRM courses.

My Family who has supported me in all my endeavors in pursuing this MENRM

Degree. Thank you for the prayers and moral support.

SIPPA, Gensan Twin Star Jaycees, thank you for community works and fun!

My husband Bernard L. Turner, thank you for the prayers, the love, the

unselfish support and giving me inspiration to pursue my UPOU-MENRM degree.

v
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I INTRODUCTION 1

Background 1

Statement of the Problem 5

Objectives of the Study 7

Significance of the Study 7

Scope and Limitations 10

II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 11

Importance of Rice as Culture and to the Economy of the Philippines 11

The Blaan Indigenous Peoples Group of Sarangani Province 14

Rice Culture Among Other Indigenous Peoples Group of Philippines 16

Importance of Traditional Knowledge in the Philippines 22

Importance of In Situ Conservation 25

III CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 27

IV METHODOLOGY 31

Description of the Study Site 31

Mapping of Upland Rice Farms 34

Data Gathering and Analysis 36

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V RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 39

Brgy. Kihan Baseline Environmental Conditions 39

Demographic Profile of the Upland Rice Farms and Farmers 40

Traditional Upland Rice Varietal Diversity in Kihan 48

Diminishing Traditional Upland Rice Varieties in Kihan 52

Seed Selection, Storage and Movement 54

Brgy. Kihan Upland Rice Resource Allocation 58

Diversity of other Crops in the Upland Rice Farms 59

Role of Women in Kihan Upland Rice Farming 62

Cultural Belief System of Blaan Upland Rice Farming 64

Problems Encountered by Traditional Upland Rice Farmers 70

Lowland Influences Modifying Kihan’s Traditional 71

Upland Rice Farming Practices

Impact of Dwindling Traditional Upland Rice Resource 73

Role of Local Government Unit in the In Situ Conservation 74

of Traditional Upland Rice in Brgy. Kihan

VI SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 77

Implications of the Study to the Upland Rice Resource 85

Management of Brgy. Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani Province

LITERATURE CITED 87

APPENDICES 92

vii
 LIST OF TABLES

TABLE PAGE

1 Survey Questionnaire (Visayan Version) 93

2 Farmer and Farm Profile 104

3 Farm profile, Role of Women and other Sources of Income 107

4 Summary of Traditional Upland Rice Varieties in Brgy. Kihan 115

5 State of Traditional Upland Rice Varieties 120

6 List of Traditional Upland Rice Varieties Collected in Brgy. Kihan 127

7 Purpose of Upland Rice Planting and Preferred Qualities 130

8 Seed flow, Selection and Storage 135

9 Traditional Upland Rice Allocation in Brgy. Kihan 143

10 Volume of Harvest and Traditional Post-Harvest Practices in Brgy. Kihan 145

11 Diversity of other Crops in Upland rice Farms 150

viii
 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE PAGE

1 Conceptual Framework on the Blaan Traditional 30

Upland Rice Agriculture in Brgy. Kihan

2 Map of SOCSARGEN area showing the Municipality of Malapatan 32

3 Barangay Base Map of Brgy. Kihan, Malapatan produced by UDP 33

4 Existing Land Use of 4 Upland Rice Farming Communities in Kihan 34

5 Map of Brgy. Kihan Showing the Direction of Upland Rice 35

Farm Surveys

6 Distribution of Upland Rice Farmer Respondents per Sitio 41

7 Distribution of Ages of Upland Rice Farmers Respondents 41

8 Research Respondents Gender Distribution 42

9 Other Sources of Income of Upland Rice Farmers 43

10 Number of Hectares Cultivated by the Upland Rice Farmers 45

11 Type of Land Ownership of Upland Rice Farmers 47

12 Implements Used in Upland Rice Farm Preparation 48

13 Distribution of Upland Rice Farms and Rice Cultivars 50

14 Characteristics of Traditional Upland Rice Planted 51

15 Traditional Upland Rice Resource Allocation 59

16 Diversity of other Crops Planted by Upland Rice Farmers 62

17 Breakdown of Responses on the Role of Women in Upland Rice Farming 63

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 LIST OF PLATES

PLATE PAGE

1 First meeting of the research team with the Brgy. Council of Kihan 156

2 (L-R) Dr. James Namocatcat,, Lean Marx Degracia, Betty Katug, 156
Jezrel Barnizo, Josephine Carino-Turner, and Jestoni Badilla

3 The steep slope of Brgy. Kihan showing the decimated forest cover 157

4 Vast cogonal area dominating the upland ecosystem of Brgy. Kihan 157

5 Forest patches along one of the streams of Brgy. Kihan 158

6 Upland rice farm of Dodong Kila from Sitio Limbunga 158

7 Upland Rice patches of Sitio Katnog showing some forest 159

patches along creeks

8 Traditional farm with upland rice patches in Sitio Kyondog 159

9 View of Sitio Amlitos with corn area and an irrigated 160

lowland rice from UDP

10 View of upland rice patches (yellowish area) from Sitio Limbunga 160

11 Panoramic view of Sitio Klalang and some upland rice farms 161

12 Panoramic view of Sitio Banlas with some upland rice farms 161

13 Agmasi 162

14 Bantong 162

15 Bansalan 162

16 Blanak 162

17 Buling katiil 163

18 Fanda bulaw 163

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19 Falak 163

20 Fantilanen 163

21 Kanadal 164

22 Kantuna 164

23 Kanone 164

24 Kifan kili 164

25 Lumabet 165

26 Magles var 2 165

27 Magles var 1 165

28 Manabang 165

29 Mlikat knumi 166

30 Mlikat samlaka 166

31 Mlikat luyong 166

32 Mlikat tabe 166

33 Safat 167

34 Spikit 167

35 Samfang 167

36 Tindah 167

37 Balwen var 1 168

38 Blawen var 3 168

39 Blawen var 2 168

40 Bukay kwat 168

41 Fitam kwat 169

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42 Gulo 169

43 Fungol 169

44 Kalubid 169

45 Kinsinas 170

46 Lagfisan 170

47 La ereng 170

48 Larangan 170

49 Mlabet 171

50 Mlikat fule 171

51 Mlikat blawen 171

52 Mlikat kablak 171

53 Mlikat tapul 172

54 Muslim 172

55 Muraro/Dinorado 172

56 Nabol 172

57 Collected traditional upland rice varieties placed in plastic bags 173

58 Collected traditional upland rice varieties placed in bluyot 173

59 Tidal used by the Blaan to store different upland rice varieties 174

60 Bundles of different upland rice varieties hanged for next season 174

61 Storage house called fol for upland rice harvest 175

62 Placement of upland rice harvest inside the fol 175

63 Use of lihub (tree bark) as another seed storage technique 176

64 Upland rice storage using sacks, lihub and indigenous baskets 176

xii
65 A coconut shell used to store small and diminishing upland rice seeds 177

66 Blaan women during harvest season 177

67 Almugan, a bird of omen among the Blaan tribe 178

68 Bot tne representation during the first Upland Rice Festival in Kihan 178

69 Lamgi re-enactment during the first Upland Rice Festival 179

70 An example of upland rice elnigo owned by Sagen Yano with a fol 179

71 Upland rice harvest with the female farmer and the researcher 180

72 Upland rice harvest for sun drying 180

73 Blaan fish trap called bubu 181

74 Corn milling implement used by the Blaan tribe 181

xiii
 ACRONYMS

ARF Asia Rice Foundation

BDP Barangay Development Plan

BR Brown Rice

CBD Convention on Biological Diversity

CIRP Community Intellectual Rights Protection

DENR Department of Environment and Natural Resources

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization

FGDs Focus Group Discussions

FPIC Free and Prior Informed Consent

FNRI Food and Nutrition Research Institute

HYVs High Yielding Varieties

IARC International Agricultural Research Center

ICCs Indigenous Cultural Communities

IDRC International Development Research Centre

IFPRI International Food and Policy Research Institute

IKSP Indigenous Knowledge, Systems and Practices

ILO International Labor Organization

IPs Indigenous Peoples

IPDP Indigenous Peoples Development Program

IPM Integrated Pest Management

IPR Intellectual Property Rights

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IPRA Indigenous Peoples Rights Act

IPGRI International Plant Genetic and Resources Institute

IRRI International Rice Research Institute

LGUs Local Government Units

MASIPAG Magsasaka at Seyentipiko Para sa Ikauunlad ng Agham

Pang-agrikultura

MSU-Gensan Mindanao State University-General Santos City Fatima Campus

MV Modern Variety

MVP Museum Volunteers of the Philippines

NCCA National Commission for Culture and the Arts

NCIP National Commission for Indigenous Peoples

NFA National Food Authority

NGOs Non-Government Organizations

OPAG Office of the Provincial Agriculturist

OMAG Office of the Municipal Agriculturist

PDAP Philippine Development Assistance Programme

PGR Plant Genetic Resources

PPDO Provincial Planning and Development Office

SWS Social Weather Station

TK Traditional Knowledge

TV Traditional Variety

WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization

UDP Upland Development Programme in Southern Mindanao

UNCED United Nations Conference on Environment and Development

xv
 ABSTRACT

TURNER, JOSEPHINE C. University of the Philippines Open University. March 2008.

Blaan Traditional Upland Rice Resource Management: Implications to Household Food

Security and Cultural Survival in Brgy. Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani Province.

Major Adviser: Maria Helen F. Dayo, PhD.

The Blaan indigenous peoples group of Brgy. Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani

Province had been growing diverse traditional upland rice varieties. However, there was

no research done on their traditional upland rice resource management in relation to their

household food security and cultural practices. The study attempted to attain the

following objectives: (1) to make an inventory of the remaining traditional upland rice

varieties grown by the Blaan tribe in Brgy. Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani Province, (2) to

document the rituals, belief systems, and other cultural practices associated with

traditional rice varieties, (3) to identify the lowland influences that modified Kihan’s

traditional upland rice farming practices, and (4) to determine the impact of a dwindling

traditional rice resource on household food security and the survival of the Blaan rice

culture.

Multiple methodologies such as the participatory rural appraisal technique, survey

questionnaire translated into Visayan dialect, focused group discussions, mapping,

community meetings and immersion in the upland rice farming communities were used in

the conduct of the research. Data validation was also done with the Barangay Council,

Tribal Chieftains, Sitio leaders, survey respondents and other residents in Brgy. Kihan.

xvi
 A total of 42 key farmer respondents surveyed onsite revealed that there are 108

varieties based on the Blaan farmers’ characterization. They have indigenous system of

rice classification known as Mlal fali (short growing) and Laweh fali (long growing)

varieties. Of the 108 varieties identified, only 46 varieties were collected and

documented. The respondents also identified that there are 62 varieties that are

diminishing and some 47 rare varieties are no longer found in their Barangay.

Blaan devotion to cultural ritual is closely tied to their traditional upland rice

agriculture. Cultural rituals associated with their rice culture are distinct in each stage of

the agricultural cycle as evidenced by different rituals that include mabah, bot tne, nlaban

fali, tuke fali, pandoman, amgawe, and damsu.

Lowland influences that modified Kihan’s traditional upland rice farming

practices include introduction of cash economy and paid labor, adoption of introduced

hybrid rice varieties by some farmers, more farmers shifting to cash crops compounding

future upland rice genetic losses, non-practice of rituals with shift to cash crops, and

increased use of synthetic fertilizers. The change of mindset of the Blaan upland rice

farmers affects their sense of volunteerism. Some of the lowland influences have resulted

in hunger, more poverty and indebtedness of the farmer to the financier or a middleman.

Traditional upland rice resource management in Brgy. Kihan is characterized by

subsistence farming. However, current scenario of dwindling upland rice resource posed

threat to their economic and cultural survival. With few varieties available and the impact

of lowland influences, Blaan farmers realized that they have smaller upland rice farms

and smaller rice harvest that is not enough to sustain the growing family members coping

for household food security which affects the sustenance of their cultural practices.

xvii
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background

This Chapter discusses the value of the traditional agriculture, the importance of

rice in the Filipino culture, overview of Sarangani Province and its Indigenous Peoples

Development Program, the statement of the problem, the objectives of the study,

significance of the study, and, the scope and limitation for this research.

Traditional agriculture is an indigenous form of farming, result of the co-

evolution of local social and environmental systems that exhibit a high level of ecological

rationale expressed through the intensive use of local knowledge and natural resources,

including the management of agro-biodiversity in the form of diversified agricultural

systems (Altieri et. al., 1987). Chang (1977) and Grigg (1974) noted that one of the

salient features of traditional farming systems throughout the developing world is their

high degree of biodiversity. These traditional farming systems have emerged interacting

with the environment without access to external inputs, capital, or modern knowledge.

Another salient feature of traditional farming systems is their degree of plant diversity in
 2

the form of polycultures and/or agroforestry patterns (Chang, 1977). Added to this,

Altieri et. al. (1987) also articulated that the greatest challenge to understand how

traditional farmers maintain, preserve and manage biodiversity, is to recognize the

complexity of their production system. In studying such systems, it is not possible to

separate the study of agricultural biodiversity from the culture that nurtures it.

For centuries, rice (Oryza sativa L) is the world’s most important food crop in

developing countries and accounts for 29% of the total calorie intake of the populations

and an important source of income (De Datta, 1981; Braun and Bos, 2004). According to

De Datta (1981), rice is grown throughout the tropics in rainfed uplands, in seasonally

deep flooded areas, and in rainfed and irrigated lowlands. Moreover, Braun and Bos

(2004) articulated that rice has shaped societies and cultures. The Asia Rice Foundation

(ARF) noted that rice is an integral part of the Philippine cultural heritage and roots as it

defines our Filipino culture, our economy and even our own Asian proportions

(www.asiarice.org). Also, the study of Rice in Filipino Culture and Diet by Aguilar

(2005) revealed important points on what Filipinos know about rice in the pre-colonial

past that includes: rice was considered as a prestige food, rice was produced in limited

quantities usually in upland swidden and in some water-logged districts, rice was given as

tribute to chiefs and overlords, rice was consumed more by elites than by the non-elites,

rice was consumed in large quantities in post-harvest feasting, and rice was an article of

trade. Aguilar (2005) also noted that in the pre-conquest world, rice growing, harvesting

and consumption were embedded not only in social relationships but also in the

cosmology and worldview of the settlers and inhabitants of the Philippine islands.
 3

Rice is crucial to food security (Braun and Bos, 2004). In the Philippines, the

attainment of food security as a development goal hinges on the agricultural sector

(Gonzales, 1999). Gonzales (1999) also emphasized that food security has been

operationally interpreted at the rice sub-sector level as rice self-sufficiency. Cororaton

(2006), in his study about Philippine Rice and Rural Poverty, stressed that there are two

rice varieties grown in the Philippines namely modern variety (MV) or high yielding

varieties (HYVs) and the traditional variety (TV) respectively grown under two types of

ecosystem, the irrigated and non-irrigated (rainfed and upland). For centuries, irrigated

rice fields have been predominant but the last 3 decades saw a significant shift into

irrigated palay rice farming from 55 percent to 66 percent in 1999 (Cororaton, 2006). On

the other hand, the upland rice is grown in rainfed fields and the uplands that are

characterized as rolling to steep areas where both agriculture and forestry are practiced on

slopes ranging upward from 18 degrees or more that are mainly inhabited by poor

farming families and with cultural or tribal communities (World Bank, 2001).

Sarangani Province is the Philippines southernmost province in mainland

Mindanao established in 1992 (www.sarangani.gov.ph). It has a total land area of

4,100.42 square kilometers in which 60 percent is considered upland area. It is cut

midway by General Santos City, giving its two sections hammock-like shapes. It has

seven municipalities namely Alabel, Malapatan, Glan, Malungon, Maasim, Kiamba, and

Maitum with a total of 140 barangays. It has enormous cultural diversity of the

Indigenous Peoples (IPs) group (Blaan, Tboli, Tagakaolo, Kalagan, Manobo, Ubo), the

Muslim and Christian settlers. Data from the Sarangani Provincial Planning and

Development Office (PPDO) showed that the IPs comprised 60 percent of the 410,622
 4

total provincial populations as of 2002. The IPs predominantly occupies the upland areas

and is considered to be the most marginalized sector of the society. This condition is

attributed to a complex web of socio-economic politico-cultural problems and the most

pressing of which are poverty, lack of access to basic services, possible loss of ancestral

lands/domains and the diminishing cultural heritage (Carino, et. al., 2004).

In 2004, the Provincial Government created the Indigenous Peoples Development

Program (IPDP) under the Office of the Governor that seeks to assist the different

Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) identify their cultural resources, retrieve its

traditions and values, way of governance and celebrate their culture to empower them to

assert their significant presence in the society (Carino et al., 2004). The Blaan tribe

characterized the largest minority and is distributed in the municipalities of Malapatan,

Glan, Alabel, Maasim, and Malungon. Blaan tribe constitute 37 percent of the municipal

household population in Malapatan (www.sarangani.gov.ph)

The Philippines National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the

National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) noted that the Blaan indigenous

peoples adheres to the sedentary form of agriculture and engages in other economic

endeavors for their subsistence and community development

(http://www.ncip.gov.ph/resources/ethno_detail.php?ethnoid=47) NCCA further noted

that although many have adopted the ways of modern Filipino and have been integrated

into the main body politic, they still believe and practice their indigenous rituals and

customs (http://www.ncca.gov.ph) . Of all crops, the upland rice is considered a very

important food resource of the Blaan tribe embedded with rituals and lifelong cultural

practices.
 5

Statement of the Problem

Agricultural plant genetic resources (PGR) are vital to food production and

security yet these resources are affected by massive genetic erosion, or the loss of genetic

diversity both among and within species (CBDCP, 2001). Genetic erosion is most

pronounced in the displacement of local and traditional crops and their varieties from

farmers' fields leading to the loss of indigenous biodiversity (Leung, et al., 2002).

According to Salazar (1992), the Green Revolution in the 1970s promoted the cultivation

of the so-called high yielding varieties (HYVs) that has been largely responsible for the

loss of non-genetically modified seeds of traditional rices. Despite this biodiversity loss,

Salazar (1992) noted that there are a few hundred upland traditional cultivars that are

currently left in the fields. The growing concerns over the impact of genetic erosion to

food production and security has prompted various efforts and initiatives to develop new

and more appropriate approaches to understanding, conserving, utilizing, and managing

local PGR diversity (CBDCP, 2001).

In Sarangani Province, irrigated HYVs in lowland areas typically dominate in the

municipalities of Kiamba and Maitum over the traditional upland rice grown in the

upland plateaus in the municipalities of Alabel, Malapatan, Malungon, Maasim and Glan.

The farmers cultivating HYVs are being supported by the National and Local

Government Units (LGUs) thru a package of modern agricultural technologies like the

irrigation project, technical assistance for farmer trainings, and even augmentation for

modern variety seed supply and chemicals. However, no local government effort was

initiated towards research, documentation and promotion for the cultivation of the
 6

traditional upland rice as the basic food resource among the ICCs in the uplands of

Sarangani Province. This is a very glaring gap and government policy bias for lowland

irrigated rice agriculture.

The nature of traditional knowledge in traditional agriculture is that more of it is

transmitted orally than written down in a form that is recognizable or useful for

conservationist (Posey, 1996). The lack of written record also makes traditional

knowledge more vulnerable to permanent loss as concluded by Posey (1996). Traditional

agriculture is still practiced by the Blaan tribe of Sarangani Province. Their traditional

agriculture is characterized by its great diversity of plant genetic resources (PGR) like

their traditional upland rice varieties. An evidence of this is the Upland Development

Programme in Southern Mindanao (UDP) data on the existing land use map among the

four Sitios of Brgy. Kihan it covered namely Banlas, Kyondog, Amlitos, and Limbunga

showing that there is a total land area of 98.67 hectares planted to different traditional

upland rice varieties (UDP, 2000). Their traditional upland rice production is still at the

subsistence level and there are growing concerns of diminishing harvests as shared by the

UDP Malapatan Support Officer, Tata Vidamo. The IPDP recognized that the wealth of

traditional knowledge on this very important resource can give insight into the centuries

of practice and experience that are embedded in the cultures of the Blaan. Through time

and circumstances, they are undertaking their farming activities in the hinterlands

utilizing the production forest and even the protection forest that raises specter of

uncertainties on the cultural survival of the Blaans in Kihan (Namocatcat et. al., 2005).

This uncertainty is best articulated by the erosion of its precious, never before

documented genetic resource – its traditional upland rice.

 7

Objectives of the Study

This study sought to achieve the following objectives:

1. Make an inventory of the remaining and the diminishing traditional

upland rice varieties grown by the Blaan tribe of Brgy. Kihan,

Malapatan, Sarangani Province;

2. Document the rituals, belief systems, and other cultural practices

associated to their traditional upland rice resource management;

3. Identify the traditional upland rice farming practices and the lowland

influences that modified Kihans’ traditional upland rice farming

practices; and

4. Determine from the upland rice farmers the impact of a dwindling

traditional upland rice resource on their household food security, on

their upland farming practices and the underlying factors that needs to

be done for the survival of the Blaan rice culture.

Significance of the Study

Most of the world’s remaining biodiversity is concentrated in areas inhabited by

indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups according to the International

Development Research Centre or IDRC (http://www.idrc.ca/es/ev-6234-201-1-

DO_TOPIC.html). This close relationship is acknowledged in international agreements

 8

such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which recognize the knowledge of

indigenous peoples and local communities and their rights and access to biological

resources. The IDRC also noted that the conservation of PGR has focused traditionally on

"ex situ" methods but now recognized that "in situ" (on-farm and community)

conservation is also required as part of a wider strategy of managing PGR

(http://www.idrc.ca/es/ev-6109-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html). The Food and Agriculture

Organization (FAO) has also identified types of indigenous knowledge of critical

importance to in situ conservation including the location of areas of high plant diversity,

classification systems for germplasm, identification of useful germplasm, and

characteristics used in farmer selection procedures (FAO, 1996). Equally, people’s

knowledge and perceptions of the environment and their relationships with it are often

important elements of cultural identity (Altieri, et al., 1987).

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has also identified types of

indigenous knowledge of critical importance to in situ conservation including the location

of areas of high plant diversity, classification systems for germplasm, identification of

useful germplasm, and characteristics used in farmer selection procedures (FAO, 1996).

Equally, people’s knowledge and perceptions of the environment and their relationships

with it are often important elements of cultural identity (Altieri, et al., 1987). The

traditional knowledge on the upland rice resource management is an important and

helpful source of knowledge in upland resource project planning and implementation for

cultural development and agricultural interventions in the ICCs of Sarangani Province.

The research is expected to have an impact on the lives of the Brgy. Kihan upland rice

farmers by raising awareness, increased appreciation and giving importance of their

 9

traditional upland rice varieties as well as the ingenuity of their indigenous upland rice

farming systems. For socio-cultural development, this research will largely contribute to

the documentation of cultural beliefs systems and Blaan upland rice farming practices,

promote the in situ conservation of the remaining traditional upland rice varieties and the

biodiversity in the upland rice farms not only in Brgy. Kihan, Malapatan but even among

other undocumented ICCs in Sarangani Province that are still growing upland rice.

The study will also be of help for database for government officials, agricultural

technicians/extension workers, community social workers, and tribal councils to work

hand in hand in order for the younger Blaan generation to look at traditional upland rice

and its cultivation as a part of their culture and to make this culture an economically

viable resource in the agriculture sector. The primary offices that will benefit from the

baseline data on this research will be the IPDP under the Office of the Governor, the

Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG), Malapatan Office of the Municipal

Agriculturist (OMAG), Barangay Kihan Local Government Unit and the Barangay Tribal

Council. In addition, future researches that will be done with respect to the upland rice

farming communities in Sarangani Province can make use of the experiential learning

documented in the conduct of this research.

Scope and Limitations

The study is limited to the Blaan tribe traditional upland rice resource

management of identified upland rice farmers of Brgy. Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani

Province. The field work or community immersion activities covered the period from

May – October 2005 covering the planting season until harvest for all the categories of
 10

upland rice varieties. From November 2005 until March 2006, the individually filled up

research questionnaires were encoded for data synthesis and result analysis. Other

activities were followed by series of data re-validation done onsite, and finally, the

research output presentation to the Barangay Council. IPDP provided the logistics and

administrative support for the conduct of the research. Technical assistance on field

research, data collation, synthesis, mapping, data presentation to the Barangay Council

was part of the collaborative effort of IPDP and Mindanao State University-General

Santos City (MSU-Gensan) as the partner academe. The collected samples for the

different traditional upland rice varieties were kept in MSU-Gensan science laboratory

for photo-documentation as well as rice grains viability preservation for further

morphological and genetic studies. The cultural belief systems and indigenous knowledge

on traditional agriculture of upland rice were respectively documented using a video

camera, still photographs of upland rice farms, upland rice mapping by MSU-Gensan,

recorded interviews and focus group discussion during the immersion activities for better

appreciation of the study. Thus, the conclusion of the study is based on the experiences of

the upland rice farmer respondents of Brgy.Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani Province and

may vary greatly with other indigenous communities in other parts of the country.
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This Chapter illustrates the importance of rice as a culture and to the economy of

the Philippines; a brief feature on the Sarangani Blaan; the rice culture among other

indigenous peoples group of the Philippines, the importance of traditional knowledge in

the Philippines, and the importance of in situ conservation.

Importance of Rice as a Culture

and to the Economy of the Philippines

Food and culture are intimately related and mutually constitutive (Aguilar, 2005).

Aguilar (2005) further stressed that oftentimes, a group of people can be known by what

they eat and by their methods of food preparation. Rice is the staple food for about 80

percent of the Filipinos (Cororaton, 2006). Aguilar (2005) profoundly presented in his

discussion paper entitled “Rice in the Filipino Diet and Culture” the facts about what

Filipinos know about rice in the pre-colonial past that includes the following: (1) rice was

considered a prestige food, (2) rice was produced in limited quantities, usually in upland

swidden and in some water-logged districts, (3) rice was given as tribute to chiefs and

overlords, (4) rice was consumed more by elites than by the non-elites, (5) rice was
 12

consumed in large quantities in post-harvest feasting and (6) rice was an article of trade.

Also, an interesting article “Rice in the Philippines” by Kyle Knuuttila elaborated that

having rice at the table is just as important to Filipinos as it is for Americans to have

bread at the table. Rice in the Philippines can be prepared by many different methods

such as steamed or cooked in water, it can be fried, ground, sweetened, used as stuffing,

it can even be made into a very potent wine as explained by Knuuttila

(http://www.cseas.niu.edu/outreach/ricephilippines.html). Knuuttila also expressed that

almost all Filipino people can afford to buy rice, except for the very poor. Along these

lines, rice is indeed a fundamental part of the Philippine cultural heritage, the Filipino

way of life, national identity and roots as articulated by the Asia Rice Foundation or ARF

(http://www.asiarice.org/sections/chapters/philippines/ARF-Phil-Prog.html).

Rice has been historically the core point for the achievement of food security

goals (Gonzales, 1999). On the other hand, the economics and politics of rice are

changing because of globalization, and technological transformation of agriculture driven

by science (Braun and Bos, 2005). According to Aguilar (2005), the principal relation of

most Filipinos to rice is as consumers rather than producers. With regard to this, Braun

and Bos (2004) also give emphasis that rice consumption and production are closely

associated to poverty. Data on widespread commoditization of rice was gathered by the

Social Weather Station (SWS) for the World Bank in March and April 2000 showed 84

percent of Filipinos nationwide are simply buying the rice they consume from the market

(Aguilar, 2005). Aguilar (2005) further noted that the 2004 SWS third quarter survey on

the incidence of hunger revealed that many Filipinos are being hounded by hunger, with

Mindanao as the most hard-pressed region. Survey results showed that one in seven
 13

families experienced not having anything to eat at least once in the three months

preceding the survey. Cororaton (2006) also observed that during the last ten years, local

rice production has become less and less able to meet local demand because of high

population growth. In 2002, 49 percent of the palay production of farm households was

sold to the market, while the share for personal food consumption dropped to 26 percent.

This trend implies that palay activities have become market oriented, and therefore

increasingly vulnerable to market changes according to Cororaton (2006).

The rise of organic rice farming and consumption is another evidence of the

indispensability of rice in the Filipino diet (Aguilar, 2005). Organic farming uses resilient

rice varieties that are not dependent on chemicals primarily bolstered by the emergence

of a growing number of health consumers in the food market

(http://www.oryza.com/global/organicrice). In relation to this, a group of scientists,

community workers and farmers called MASIPAG (Magsasaka at Seyentipiko Para sa

Ikauunlad ng Agham Pang-agrikultura) stressed that the organic rice farming was

initiated as a form of resistance against the Green Revolution and as a way of bringing

back “traditional” farming practices (http://www.masipag.org). The Philippine

Development Assistance Programme (PDAP) points out that Green Revolution ushered

in by the seventies has been a bane to both the farmer and has not resulted in rice self-

sufficiency (Doyo, 2003). Sepe (2000) also stressed that scientists and economic policy

makers who designed the Green Revolution did not consider the viewpoint of farmers.

According to Sepe (2000), the Green Revolution technology promoted the adoption of a

Western style of farming that was incompatible with the local farmer’s culture, history,

and natural agriculture.

 14

The Blaan Indigenous Peoples Group of Sarangani Province

The indigenous peoples constitute a significant segment of Philippine society. The

indigenous peoples of the Philippines are generally regarded as those who have opted to

retain their customs and traditions, most of whom remain steadfast to their ancestral

domains (Daoas, et. al, 1999). As defined by the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA),

IPs are those groups of homogenous societies identified by self ascription, who

continually lived as organized communities on communally bounded and defined

territories which they have occupied since time immemorial, sharing common bonds of

language, customs, traditions and who became historically differentiated from the

majority of Filipinos. (Section 3, Article II, RA 8371). Having successfully resisted

western colonial influence, the IPs live in the dignity of their indigenous culture which is

the hallmark of their identity. According to the NCIP and the Lumad Development

Center Inc., there are about eighteen Lumad groups in 19 provinces across the country.

They comprise 12 to 13 million or 18% of the Philippine population and can be divided

into 110 ethno-linguistic groups (http://www.answers.com/topic/lumad?cat=technology).

The NCIP described the Blaan tribe as another proto-Malayan indigenous peoples

group particularly in Southern Mindanao Provinces of Davao del Sur and South Cotabato

(http://www.ncip.gov.ph/resources/ethno_detail.php?ethnoid=47). The Blaans are the

most numerous of the indigenous peoples group of the newly formed Sarangani Province

(www.sarangani.gov.ph). They are found mostly in five municipalities namely

Malungon, Malapatan, Alabel, Glan and Maasim. Since ancient times, the Blaans have

populated both upland and coastal areas and subsisted primarily on upland agriculture
 15

using indigenous technology founded on field rotation (Gloria, et al., 2006). Blaans called

the world Banwe or Tah tana. Blaans called their god Dwata, a male god who cannot be

described since nobody has seen Dwata in heaven. Dwata is as compassionate as a

human being and always expects people to obey him. The people oftentimes pray for

Dwata’s blessings and for their wishes to be granted.

The Blaan symbol for religion is the bird called Almugan. The bird serves as a

messenger for Dwata. It warns people when disaster is about to come. It also announces

the coming of prosperous days. The evil Dwata lives in stones, balite trees, or in the

creeks (sbang). Dwatas easily get offended. They are offended when their domicile is

distributed or destroyed, when somebody speaks of evil things, or when mortals name

them. Those who have offended them must ask forgiveness and offer a deer or a chicken

as a sacrifice (damsu) in the place where Dwatas are disturbed (Gloria, et. al. 2006).

The B'laans practice swidden agriculture or the kaingin system as the main source

of livelihood (http://www.ncip.gov.ph/resources/ethno_detail.php?ethnoid=47). They

grow upland rice, corn, sugarcane, banana, papaya, and other root crops. Some of their

crops are used as barter commodities in exchange for tools and other utensils that they

need. The B'laans observes certain rituals in their upland rice planting cycle. In these

rituals, they make offerings to their deities requesting for signs to know where to best

make a clearing for a particular planting season. The Blaan sing songs during planting

and harvest of rice. They sing lamgi wherein everyone joins in the singing.
 16

Rice Culture Among Other Indigenous Peoples

Group of the Philippines

When people consume or produce rice, they are not just consuming calories or

producing grain, they are also engaging in practices that have intrinsic cultural value

(Braun and Bos, 2004). In the Philippines, there are hundreds of rituals associated with

the rice growing as expressed by Kyle Knuuttila in her article “Rice in the Philippines”

(http://www.cseas.niu.edu/outreach/ricephilippines.html). Added to this, the ARF also

explained that where the rice crop has been planted, festivals, traditions, and rituals

celebrate its importance (http://www.asiarice.org). The underlying theme in all of these

rituals is that people are the human agents who must go through a cleansing process in

order to be worthy of planting the rice fields. The right to plant rice fields is a special gift

given by grace, water, the sun, the gods, and the ancestors who worked the fields before

them as Knuuttila elaborated (http://www.cseas.niu.edu/outreach/ricephilippines.html).

Bontoc tribe. Different ceremonies marked the phases of the rice cycle among the

Bontoc according to Gabriel Casal in his essay “The Rites of Rice and the Community”

(http://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/filipiniana/viewessay.asp?aid=32&art_id=32&pg=1).

He elaborated that the onset of the rain, the death of the eleventh moon and appearance of

the khiling bird heralds the sowing and planting ritual during the cold season, or

chinamey (November-February). Another ritual called sechang signals the ripening of the

rice grain (March-June) which is also considered as the scarecrow season that could

cause dwindling rice stocks. Kesep is the harvest ritual done at the best time of the year

(July-October), when there is a fleeting moment of pleasure and plenty.

 17

Ibaloy tribe. To the Ibaloy, the first field to be harvested must be blessed and

exorcised. Together they troop to the ripest field for the blessing, the exorcism, and the

ceremonial reaping. The mambunung, or priest, bends over a jar of rice wine that is

passed around as he chants. The reaping then begins. When the field has been harvested,

the workers gather in the yard of the field's owner. Maidens have been preparing a supper

of rice and meat. The priest smears with rice the three stones on which the rice pot sits.

"Eat you first," he says to the stones, "because you carry on your heads the heavy pot in

which our rice boiled." Then he smears with rice the three stones on which the rice pot

sits. "Eat you first," he says to the stones, "because you carry on your heads the heavy pot

in which our rice boiled." Then he smears with rice the shelves where the rice sheaves are

laid to dry, saying: "You too, shelf, eat first, who watch over our food and fire." After

throwing some rice to the hollow log where unhusked rice is pounded, the mambunung

invites the harvesters to sit down and eat. Thus, ends the bakak rite with which the Ibaloy

open the harvest season. Everyone is now free to reap his own field.

(http://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/filipiniana/viewessay.asp?aid=32&art_id=32&pg=1)

Ifugao tribe. Rice agriculture has the most extensive sacrificial rituals among the

Ifugao according to Gabriel Casal in his essay “The Rites of Rice and the Community”.

In the hierarchy of Ifugao gods, there are specific gods for rice culture who are invoked

during the rituals where favor for the rice plants is sought. Bulol - the wooden gods which

are put in granaries as guardians .An article entitled “Rice Farming, Rice Terraces, and

the Ifugao” by Pandy Singian of the Museum Volunteers of the Philippines (MVP)

featured the 12 rituals that annually shaped the Ifuago calendar. Rituals are performed in

the granary of the field-owner by the native priest mumbaki, for every stage of the rice
 18

agricultural cycle The agriculture year starts with the lukya"- the first working phase;

then the hipngat - performed after a field cleaning when the fields are dotted with

vegetable mounds; panal- when the seeds are laid in the seedbed; bolnat -conducted

during the planting to ask blessings from the deities and ancestral spirits so that the farms

and rice will be productive, and healthy; kulpi, which is performed after the planting

season is over; hagophop, which is the start of the weeding phase of the working season;

bodad - done during slope clearing when rice plants bear abundant grains; paad -

conducted after the rice grains mature; ngilin - which is performed immediately before

the actual harvest in a field; ani - the harvest-day ritual; upin -the post-harvest ritual, and

kahiw - which is performed at home to release the people from their promise to the gods

(http://mvphilippines.hypermart.net/banaue4.html).

Isneg Apayao. Three days before rice planting, the Isneg Apayao observes the

agpaabay ceremony, which is considered as a remnant of a fertility rite

(http://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/filipiniana/viewessay.asp?aid=32&art_id=32&pg=1)

The ritual starts with a man and a woman going to the fields, scattering a few grains of

rice, and warning the rats not to eat them. The woman then returns in the afternoon alone

and makes an offering to the spirits. She then bores a hole in the ground and plants a few

grains, covering the hole with leaves from the taxalitaw vine and sapitan herb, to ensure

the health of the crop. That night and all next day, she is taboo, thus, no outsider may

enter her house nor may she hand out anything. Then, on the third day, the womenfolk

begin the rice planting. Each one carries a dibble stick and, tied to her waist, a coconut

shell full of seed. One hand dibbles a hole and the other hand pours in seed. Along with

this process, the children are instructed to keep quiet and not to disturb two spirits: the
 19

Paxananay that hovers over the planting and the Bibiritan that kills when vexed. The

murderous spirit, Bibiritan, recalls the animal or human sacrifice that once began the

planting season. And children are warned because a child was often the sacrificial victim.

Kalinga tribe. No talking or singing is allowed during harvest until half the field

has been reaped among the Kalinga according to Casal. While the rice is being stored,

prayers are said to the rice gods and pig blood is sprinkled on the granaries. Then

everybody partakes of the harvest feast, or palanos, where meat and rice can be eaten to

satiety, for once (http://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/filipiniana/viewessay).

Mangyan tribe. Harvest time among the Mangyan tribe is a holiday, however

short, for the rice growing communities, a brief respite from watchful concern. From the

time of sowing and planting to the time of reaping and storing, they have anxiously

tended the growing and ripening grain; have scratched and weeded, toiled and slaved

unceasingly; have frowned at the sky when the sun scorched and no rain fell on what

needed rain; or have frowned at the clouds when no sun shone on what needed sun; and

have wrung their hands in helpless despair when drought or storm wrought havoc on their

fields according to Casal (http://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/filipiniana/viewessay).

Mansaka tribe. The Mansaka rites of cultivation are as important as the planting

ceremonies. If the seeds do not sprout, a shaman must be called to invoke the spirits

before new seed is planted. Unhealthy plants may be strengthened with the use of magic

herbs. If a hut is built on the field, betel nut and coconut meat must be offered to appease

the spirits of the bamboo grass. The offerings are hung on top of a pole stuck beside the

hut. A jar full of herbs and wrapped in twists of cloth striped red, black and white is
 20

prepared by the shaman and brought to the field to keep away deer, boar, bird and other

pests (http://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/filipiniana/viewessay).

Sarangani Manobo. The preparations for planting rice begins with locating an area

with many earthworms wastes and black soil. The area is then cleared of trees and other

plants, which are set aside to dry and later burned. The process of preparing the planting

area takes about two weeks. Before planting begins, an offering of mama (betel chew) is

made to the god of harvest. The mama, consisting of buyo (betel leaves), kawed (betel

nut) and tobacco leaves, is placed on a tall pole at the planting area. The entire

community then helps in the planting. A man digs holes with the use of a long round

piece of pointed woods. A woman follows closely behind and places ten to twelve grains

of palay in the hole. The grains of palay must be free of chaff. The palay seedlings are

preserved in containers made of barks of trees whose ends have been sewn together.

Harvesting the palay is a time of festivity. Once again, the entire community joins in the

activity, gathering the palay, except those intended to be grown as seedlings for the next

planting season. Much of the harvested palay is prepared as food for everyone who

helped in the harvest (Gloria, et al., 2006).

Sarangani Tboli. The Tboli tribe of Sarangani has at least seven varieties of rice

that are known to them namely: miyaga, kabuyo, bunting, page, langwe, midsayap, and

esul. Planting is done before daylight. After harvesting rice, they pound the grains while

making music. The following morning, they ask their god to bless their harvest in a ritual

called milol (Gloria, et al., 2006).

 21

Sarangani Tagakaulo. The Tagakaulo tribe planting rice involves the ritual libod

talubiniyan. Before clearing the planting area, the Tagakaulo pray to their god Tyumanem

to bless the rice seeds placed in the baen or bamboo. At harvest time, they sing:

Ha!oan-ha!Wo,wo,wo atagi kami kakan (Give us food…bless us so)

Walo galo ya magkalat sa kakan (Our rice shall not be destroyed)

They then perform the ritual Pangapog, which is a festival celebrated with

sufficient food for the whole family/community (Gloria, et al., 2006).

Sindangan Subangon. The early month of May just before the rain comes is the

planting time for the Sindangan Subanon tribe. For them, planting is a community labor

with the men moving ahead punching holes in the ground then women following to insert

the seed. The holes are estimated to a foot apart and about half a dozen rice seeds are

placed in each hole. A Subanon rice field usually consists of four plots: a sacred plot in

the center for ginger and ritual rice; a plot for pepper and spices; a border plot for greens,

root crops, sugar cane, millet and sesame; and a main plot for rice and other grains as

explained by Gabriel Casal in “The Rites of Rice and the Community”.

Tagbanuwa tribe. A ceremony of panitaonan, a rite for the souls of the dead, is

the belief of the Tagbanuwa tribe in which seed-planting is associated to the burying of

god who would rise again. The Tagbanuwa tribe also believes in the appearance of a

constellation called muru-muru before rice planting as described by Gabriel Casal in his

essay “The Rites of Rice and the Community”. They have strong belief that the crop will

fail if planted before the constellation is in place.

 22

Importance of Traditional Knowledge in the Philippines

Traditional and indigenous knowledge (TK) is defined as discoveries, innovations

and technologies that has been made and used by indigenous peoples and local

communities under local laws, customs and traditions that are usually not recorded in

written form, and are transmitted orally from generation to generation (Daoas, et. al.,

1999; Correa, 2001). Most traditional knowledge systems assume that people are part of

the land, not that they own the land, so they consider themselves as true guardians

(Emery, 2000). Correa (2001) emphasized that TK has played, and still plays, an

important role in vital areas such as food security, the development of agriculture and

medical treatment.

In the Philippines, traditional knowledge touches on almost all facets of the

economic and social development of a community from agriculture to literature and from

customary law to arts and crafts, and so on (Daoas, et. al., 1999). Despite colonization,

the Philippines has retained a substantial portion of its traditional knowledge as reported

by Daoas et. al (1999). to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Credit is

given to the vigilance of diverse IPs who persevered in protecting and promoting their

indigenous knowledge to the younger generation (Daoas, et. al., 1999). The protection of

traditional knowledge is hinged on the 1987 Philippine Constitution which mandates, in

numerous provisions, the recognition, respect and protection of the rights of the

indigenous cultural communities, a concern that is not enunciated in the 1935 and 1971

Philippine Constitutions. Specifically, Section 17 of Article XIV provides that: “The

State shall recognize, respect and protect the rights of the indigenous cultural
 23

communities to preserve and develop their cultures, traditions and institutions. It shall

consider these rights in the formulation of national plans and policies.” This mandate was

realized with the passage of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (Republic Act No. 8371)

on 29 October 1997. The law recognizes the rights of the indigenous peoples to their

ancestral domains and lands, to self-governance and empowerment, to self-justice and

human rights and to cultural integrity. In the latter, the law provides protection to the

community intellectual property rights, to religious, cultural sites and ceremonies, to

indigenous knowledge and practices and to biological resources. The right of the

indigenous peoples to their indigenous knowledge systems and practices and to develop

their own science and technologies is provided by Section 34 which states that:

“Indigenous cultural communities / indigenous peoples are entitled to the recognition of

the full ownership and control and protection of their cultural and intellectual rights.

They shall have the right to special measures to control, develop and protect their

sciences, technologies and cultural manifestations, including human and other genetic

resources, seeds, including derivatives of these resources, traditional medicines and

health practices, vital medicinal plants, animals and minerals, indigenous knowledge

systems and practices, knowledge of the properties of flora and fauna, oral traditions,

literature, designs and visual and performing arts”.

Access to biological and genetic resources and to indigenous knowledge related to

conservation, utilization and enhancement of these resources, is allowed within ancestral

lands and domains of the indigenous peoples only with a free and prior informed consent

(FPIC) of such communities, obtained in accordance with customary laws of the

concerned community. (RA 8371, Section 35). The infusion of science and technology in
 24

the field of agriculture, forestry and medicine to the indigenous peoples is subject to their

FPIC and shall build upon existing indigenous people’s knowledge and systems and self-

reliant and traditional cooperative systems of the particular community. Violation of this

rule is strictly prohibited and subject to penalties under customary laws and as provided

for by the IPRA (Daoas, et. al., 1999). At present, there are three bills pending at the

Congress of the Philippines (Eleventh Congress) providing for the establishment of a

system of Community Intellectual Rights Protection or CIRP (Daoas, et. al., 1999). These

bills seek for the State recognition of traditional knowledge. It also provides that the State

shall also strive to protect and encourage the customary use of biological resources in

accordance with traditional cultural practices which are compatible and which promote

conservation and sustainable use (Daoas, et al., 1999).

The Green Revolution introduced changes in the agriculture system of the

Philippines that neglected the traditional knowledge of local communities (Aguilar, 2005;

Cororaton, 2006). The advent of modern agriculture wiped out most of the non-

genetically modified seeds of traditional rices and the whole form of traditional rice

cultivation was revolutionized (Salazar, 1992). In addition to this, the ARF also noted

that traditional rice farming practices have been on the decline because cultural practices

that had been employed for centuries became subject to modification and elimination that

consequently contributes to slowly disintegration of rituals and lifestyle associated with

rice culture (www.asiarice.org). Thus, this study will contribute in documenting the

remaining upland rice resource, cultural practices, impacts of lowland influences and

agricultural changes in connection to the preservation of upland rice cultural heritage that

is interwoven in the household food security of the Blaan indigenous peoples group.
 25

Importance of In Situ Conservation

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the

International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) are leading international initiative

on biodiversity for food and nutrition under the umbrella of the Convention of Biological

Diversity or CBD (Toledo and Burlingame, 2006). In 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio,

the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) called for

the development of in situ conservation strategies to complement ex situ collections. The

CBD defines in situ conservation as "the conservation of ecosystems and natural habitats

and the maintenance and recovery of viable populations of species in their natural

surroundings. The CBD also recognized the value of indigenous knowledge on biological

resources in its preamble by noting "farmers that grow traditional varieties are not only

custodians of a wealth of genetic resources, but also carriers of knowledge which may be

equally valuable" (UNEP CBD, 1992). Since then, there have been increasing political

calls for broad-based and holistic approaches to the conservation and use of plant genetic

resources according to Hansen (2000). The successful implementation of such

conservation approaches involve working more directly with farmers. Hansen (2000)

articulated that such is reflected in the Global Plan of Action that was approved at the

FAO International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources in Leipzig,

Germany in 1996: “Strengthening farmer’s community level management of plant

genetic resources is essential to the success of in situ conservation and development, and

to facilitate the sharing of benefits derived from the utilization of these resources.

Farmers and their communities play a critical role in the conservation and improvement
 26

of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. Enhancing their capacity would help

promote food security, particularly among the many rural people who live in

agriculturally-marginal regions” (FAO, 1996).FAO has identified types of indigenous

knowledge of critical importance to in situ conservation including the location of areas of

high plant diversity, classification systems for germplasm, identification of useful

germplasm, and characteristics used in farmer selection procedures (FAO, 1996).

There are two strategies to carry out in situ conservation. One strategy is focused

on the creation of ‘landrace reserves’ where farmers are paid to continue growing

traditional varieties and the other strategy is concerned with on-farm management, a

"dynamic form of plant genetic resource management which allows the natural and

artificial (farmer) selection to continue" (Huvio, 1999). According to Huvio (1999),

participatory work with farm families is critical to the success of in situ conservation

since the responsibility for PGR rests with the family itself. Farm families decide when to

plant, harvest and process their crops; how much of each crop to plant each year; how

much percentage of seed or germplasm of their own production to save and which parts

to buy or exchange. All of these decisions affect the total amount of genetic diversity that

is conserved and used (Huvio, 1999).

 CHAPTER III

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The farmers in local communities have a considerable amount of information on

their genetic resources both at the individual and community level (Altieri and Weid,

2000). According to the CBDCP (2001), the farmers' knowledge is interwoven into their

daily practices as a reserve accumulated over the generations. These days, the protection

under intellectual property rights (IPRs) of traditional and indigenous knowledge (TK)

has received growing attention since the adoption of the CBD in 1992 according to

Correa (2001).Global concerns regarding biodiversity loss have also drawn attention to

the roles of indigenous and peasant people in the conservation through the use of the rich

agro-biodiversity base which comprise native crops and wide plant genetic diversity

(Chweya and Eyzaguirre, 1999). However, native and traditional crops and the

indigenous knowledge associated with them are subject to neglect, lack of social prestige

and erosion (FAO, 2000). Altieri (1987) also added that traditional agriculture is also

rapidly disappearing in the face of major social, political, economic changes, thus, the

need for the preservation of these traditional agroecosystems in conjunction with the

maintenance of the culture of the local people. But, the greatest challenge to

understanding how traditional farmers maintain, preserve and manage biodiversity is to

recognize the complexity of their production systems (Altieri, 1987). Altieri (1987)

articulated that by understanding the features of traditional agriculture, such as the ability
 28

to bear risk, biological folk taxonomies, the production efficiencies of symbiotic crop

mixtures, etc., many scientists have been able to obtain important information to develop

agricultural technologies best suited to the needs and circumstances of specific peasant

groups

Upland rice is the staple food resource among the Blaan indigenous peoples group

of Brgy. Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani Province. The traditional upland rice production

among the Blaan tribe is still at subsistence level. This subsistence production that is

basically rainfed has been neglected as key component for food production primarily

among the upland farming communities. Such neglect is coupled by declining capacity of

upland soils due to erosion and habitat degradation, significant loss of forest cover due to

improper management of farming systems, promotion of exotic agro-forestry and high

yielding varieties focused on the lowland development, and lack of government

intervention or support system among farmers practicing traditional upland rice

agriculture. This subsistence crop production is implicitly associated with rural poverty

aggravated by the different induced coping mechanisms employed by the upland farmers.

Upland rice is not just a food resource, it is culturally important because of the

strong belief system and rituals associated with the traditional agriculture deeply

embedded in the Blaan culture. The survival of the cultivation of the upland rice resource

determines a large portion of heritage preservation for the Blaan culture. However, the

traditional knowledge on the upland rice farming systems and its resource conservation

among the Blaan indigenous cultural communities in Sarangani Province was never been

documented.
 29

The study attempts to integrate cultural forms with the understanding and

appreciation of agri-economic strategies among the Blaan indigenous cultural

communities in particular that is related to the upland rice farming. Understanding the

Blaan holistic perspective about the importance of their existing upland rice varieties is

also potential strategy for genetic conservation. Such research output provides invaluable

information about the characteristics and uses of existing premium upland rice

germplasm, the cultural management practices associated with the beliefs/ritual and their

roles in the development of traditional agricultural systems. The focus on upland rice on-

farm conservation of local varieties could provide venue for the appreciation of farmers’

knowledge on rice culture as an existing strategy of household food security.

The upland rice cultivation is the only way for the Blaan farmers to produce rice,

their staple food. Development is needed for the protection of the remaining indigenous

varieties and for further improving the traditional upland rice farming itself. Along with

this, research and development is needed in order to provide scientific explanation for

Blaan upland rice farmers’ practices and thus elevate the level of knowledge at the

village/Sitio level, Barangay level, Municipal level and the Provincial level governance.

The government structure plays vital role in developing mitigating measures and or

agricultural development plans specific for upland rice farmers. This will dis-abuse the

ICCs for the fears regarding alleged paganism connected to their rituals. A framework is

made herein for the study of the Blaan traditional upland rice resource management:

implications to household food security and cultural survival in Brgy. Kihan, Malapatan,

Sarangani Province (Figure 1).

 Figure 1. Conceptual Framework on the Blaan Traditional Upland Rice Agriculture in Brgy. Kihan

Conservation of Blaan Input Blaan Traditional

upland rice varieties and Knowledge on Upland
their cultural beliefs Rice Agriculture
associated with upland rice
farming without
sacrificing food security.

Outcome

Throughput

*Source of household food *Onsite interviews

security *Survey upland rice
*Preservation of lifelong farmers
cultural practices in upland *Focus group discussion
rice agriculture *Photo-documentation
*Data collation and
Output analysis

Problems: Degraded upland areas, Lowland influences affecting upland agricultural systems, Erosion of diverse traditional rice
varieties and indigenous cultural practices, Lack of Government intervention for traditional upland rice farming
 CHAPTER IV

METHODOLOGY

Description of the Study Site

Sarangani Province lies in the southern fringe of the Philippine archipelago, part

of the SOCSKSARGEN (South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos

City) growth region (Figure 2). It is bounded by the provinces of South Cotabato on the

north and Davao Del Sur in the east. Sarangani province has one landlocked and six

coastal municipalities separated by General Santos City in the middle. It has a total of

140 barangays. The Sarangans showcase enormous cultural diversity of the Indigenous

Peoples (Blaan, Tboli, Tagakaolo, Kalagan, Manobo, Ubo), the Muslim and Christian

settlers. The Blaans characterized the largest indigenous peoples group and are

distributed in the municipalities of Malapatan, Glan, Alabel, Maasim, and Malungon. A

bulk of the Blaan tribe is found in Malapatan constituting 37% of the 53,876 municipal

household population (www.sarangani.gov.ph).

 32

Figure 2. Map of SOCSARGEN area showing the municipality of Malapatan

The municipality of Malapatan has a total land area of 62,456 has. Forestal areas

constitute 39.91 % or a total land area of 27,972.01 has (www.sarangani.gov.ph). The

upland areas particularly the northern portion (Barangays Kinam, Daan Suyan, Kihan,

Upper Suyan, and some portions of Poblacion, Sapu Masla, and Lun Padidu) are

mountainous underlying mainly by aglomerates. Barangay Kihan is one of the 12

Barangays of the municipality of Malapatan. According to the Barangay Development

Plan (BDP) of Brgy. Kihan, it has a total land area of 6,620 hectares. Brgy. Kihan has a

recorded population of 3,529 as of January 2000 census. About 585 households are

widely dispersed in the 26 Sitios of Brgy. Kihan (BDP, 2000). Barangay Kihan is

characterized by undulating to slightly rolling to very steep sloping areas ranging from

200 m-700 m above sea level (Figure 3). The very steep sloping areas are dominated by

grasslands. The soil types ranges from sandy clay to clay loam and is yellow, reddish or

grayish in color.
 33

Figure 3. Base Map of Barangay Kihan, Malapatan produced by UDP

The Barangay Development Plan (BDP) of Kihan revealed that the land use

classification of the Barangay is largely composed of forestland, cropland, built up areas,

farm roads, some creeks and pasture lands. The inhabitants belong to the Blaan tribe with

traditional farming as their main occupation. Major crops grown are corn, upland rice,

coconut, mango, and other fruit trees. Majority of the residents are land owners with an

average of 25 households per Sitio (BDP, 2000). The Barangay center can be reached by

hiring mountain motorcycle locally known as “skylab”, land rovers and other four

wheeled drive vehicles. The medium of transporting farm produce to town center to the

city is through the huge “weapon” truck owned by business minded middle man living in

the Barangay. Those products from far flung Sitios will be transported by horses costing

from P 100.00 or even more per trip depending on the weight of the produce.
 34

Mapping of Upland Rice Farms

Baseline data of the Upland Development Programme (UDP) in Southern

Mindanao revealed that there is an existing land use of 98.67 hectares planted to upland

rice covering the four Sitios of Brgy. Kihan namely Sitio Banlas, Kyondog, Amlitos and

Limbunga (Figure 4). The UDP data was significant in the interest of finding the specific

locations of the upland rice farms not only in the four UDP covered areas but also in

other upland rice farming communities of Brgy. Kihan.

Figure 4. Existing land use of four upland rice farming communities in Kihan
 35

For this study, upland rice farms with standing crops were identified by actual

field visits and marked using a Garmin Global Positioning System (Figure 5). Boundary

map for Sitio Kyondog, Amlitos, Limbunga, and Banlas is generated by UDP. Estimates

of individual upland rice farm sizes and plotting of sample points and surveys were made

using a DIVA Geographic Information System (www.diva-gis.org). This was done by the

Mindanao State University-Science Department (MSU-Gensan), the academe partner of

the research. MSU-Gensan focused on the morphological characterization as well as the

genetic and varietal diversity of the upland rice cultivars in Brgy. Kihan. The respective

farms are far from each other that we need to stay for two to three days to transfer from

one community to another. Walking time is approximately 3-4 hours crisscrossing the

Kihan river several times and traversing the undulating terrain of Brgy. Kihan.

Figure 5. Map of Brgy. Kihan showing the direction of upland rice farm
surveys(…….)
 36

Data Gathering and Analysis

Interview methods to exact data from each community were generally

participatory and interactive, utilizing broad suite of methods such as the participatory

rural appraisal (PRA), semi-structured interviews, survey questionnaire, focus group

discussions (FGDs), community meetings and recording field notes. A survey

questionnaire was used to gather farm and farmer profile, farming activities, cropping

diversity, state of the traditional upland rice cultivars, impact of mechanization, upland

rice resource allocation, and genetic resource conservation. The survey questionnaire is

given in the Appendix (Table 1). The interviews were open ended, free willing and based

on the interview guide. Individual upland rice farmer was interviewed in Blaan dialect

based on the questionnaire especially for those who could not read and write. Some

farmers who are able to read and write were made to fill up the questionnaire. Informal

setting is used based on the availability of the farmers, thus, some interviews were done

on the upland rice farm while doing the survey and in the house of the farmer during

night time.

Preliminary official communications were made regarding the intention of

conducting the upland rice research in Barangay Kihan channeled thru the Office of the

Municipal Agriculturist of Malapatan (OMAG) and the Barangay Captain of Kihan. The

first meeting was done to introduce the research team from the Mindanao State

University-Science Department and the Indigenous Peoples Development Program staff

of Sarangani Province to the Brgy. Council and Tribal Council of Brgy. Kihan. (Plate 1).

This meeting is vital for the free and prior informed consent (FPIC) from the community.
 37

Discussion of all aspects of the traditional upland rice research project was done to ensure

for mutual understanding on support needed from the stakeholders. The research was also

introduced to the community and to level off expectation from the output of the research.

The Barangay Tribal Chieftains gave their consent and support for the research upon

understanding its significance for a cultural revival specifically on their upland rice

resource. Thus, the Blaan indigenous peoples and the leaders are involved, consulted and

included in the key decision for the conduct of the research from the very beginning.

The schedule for community immersions had been agreed in the presence of

Purok Chairmen of the Sitios to be covered and as a local government support. The

Purok Chairmen served as our farm guides, research advocates and host families. At the

second and until the end of the field work, the research team has reduced into six persons

due to the health difficulties attributed to long hours of steep hiking under the heat of the

sun encountered by the 3 other team members (Plate 2).Bae Betty Katug, a resident and

respected Blaan woman leader in Bgry. Kihan served as our barangay local researcher,

translator/interpreter and coordinator (person-to-person contact) as a strategy for effective

method of communication for the research process.

Blaan upland rice farmers have rigorous lifestyle, that is, their available free time

is limited. Giving respect to their daily routines, community priming/group discussion

and sharing were done at night time wherein most farmers are available. It was also the

best time to do cultural advocacy on why the need to conserve seeds and revive cultural

traditions concerning upland rice farming. This gave time for the respondents to share

their farming experiences and environmental changes encountered in their respective

farms, express their difficulties in upland rice farming and in what ways the government,
 38

the Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), academic institutions, and civic groups can

be of help to further make their traditional upland rice farming productive. The impact of

their upland rice farming to secure household food was also discussed in this gathering.

Also, the focus group discussion forms a very interactive medium for us to get the

cooperation of the farmer to do actual field measurements of their respective farms

especially those planted with three or more varieties on his/her farm. Average walking

time is 3-4 hours to get to another far flung Sitio. It was a painstaking effort to reach all

the upland rice farming Sitios of Kihan. Distance of the upland rice farms from the Sitio

center varies from one Sitio to another. Indeed, lots of walking was done.

Photo documentation (still pictures and video) were taken for the patches of

upland rice farms and the extent of degradation in the uplands. The data obtained from

the questionnaires were collated and analyzed. Data generated were subjected to simple

arithmetic calculations (frequency distribution) presented in tabular form and descriptive

statistics using arithmetic means. Data presentation and validation was done at the

Barangay center with all stakeholders using Powerpoint presentation and was interpreted

into the Blaan dialect. Television viewing of the video taken during the conduct of the

research was also done after the data presentation. This gave them more visualization of

the current state of their upland areas, their upland farms (corn, rice, etc.) and on-site

interviews of the upland rice farmers.

The community gave their feedbacks and gratitude to the research team for this is

the first time that their upland rice was given importance and that they were made aware

on the state of their vanishing upland rice resource. In consideration of their intellectual

property rights, copies of research this will be given to the Barangay and Tribal Council.
 CHAPTER V

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Brgy. Kihan Baseline Environmental Conditions

Field visits during the conduct of this study revealed that encroachment into the

forestlands and kaingin farming has decimated the forest cover of Brgy. Kihan down to

barely 5% over the years. Three habitat types are recognized in Brgy. Kihan – open

grassland dominated by suffrutescent herbs and shrubs, small forest patches and a

remnant lowland dipterocarp forest, and diversified agricultural areas planted with upland

rice, corn, root crops, fruit trees and other cash crops (Plates 3- 12). A mosaic of forest

patches still remains on steep slopes and along streams and creeks. UDP data on the

existing land use of the four upland Sitios of Kihan also revealed the same (Figure 4).

The open grassland is dominated mostly by pioneer species typical of transitional

seres such as hagonoy (Chromolaena odorata), handayung, Mallotus sp. and Macaranga

sp. with dense growth of cogon and talahib. Ecological threats in the area are onslaught

onto the remaining forested steep slopes (kaingin) to plant upland rice, corn and other

cash crops. Exotic plant pervasive in the site is Gmelina introduced by the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) office as reforestation species.

 40

Demographic Profile of Upland Rice Farms and Farmers

Forty two (42) key household informants from the 11 upland rice farming Sitios

of Brgy. Kihan were able to fill in the questionnaire. Some of them were identified by the

Barangay and Tribal Council, some we met during the conduct of immersion in the Sitios

(Figure 6 and Table 2.). Due to the difficulty in access to far flung upland rice farms and

for security reasons, other upland rice farms and farmers were not covered in the

questionnaire. Some farmers were not able to fill up questionnaires given to them by the

Barangay but participated and were involved in the focus group discussions (FGDs). It

was observed that there are more upland rice farmers that are concentrated in Sitio

Banlas, the farthest from among the 26 Sitios of Brgy. Kihan. Majority of the farmers

who made up the workforce in the upland rice fields are within the age bracket of 26-45

years old while the elderly farmers aging from 46-65 ranks second (Figure 7). Despite

age difference, the latter group is still actively involved in farming activities. Male

farmers also outnumbered their female counterparts at 74% to 26% (Figure 8). A glaring

issue raised by the old farmers is that many of the young Blaan generation leave the

parental household to enter work in urban areas—females in domestic work, males in

manual labor as they can earn easy money compared to farming. In terms of their

scholastic backgrounds, most respondents did not have formal education. Only 5 of them

went to high school; 10 respondents had elementary, 4 did not finish it; 21 farmers are

not educated and 2 went to non-formal education. Those that have gone to school are able

to do basic reading and comprehension. Out of the 42 upland rice farmer respondents,

only one claimed to be of Visayan origin while the rest were of Blaan ancestry.
 41

16
16

14

12
Number of Farmers

10

5 5
4

2 3 3
2 2 2 2
1 1
0

Banlas Canaan Centro Katnog Klalang Limbunga

Lower Klabong Nabal Proper Sol-kili Upper Klabong

Figure 6. Distribution of upland rice farmer respondents per Sitio

12

11 11
10

8
Number of Farmers

8 8

3
2

1 0
0

5-15 16-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66-75

Figure 7. Distribution of ages of upland rice farmers respondents

 42

26%

74%

Male
Female

Figure 8. Research respondents gender distribution

Household size ranged from 4-6 members per family. About 20 respondents are

also involved in church-related organizations, while 21 of the respondents revealed that

they have no affiliation with any organization. Only 1 claimed to be part of the Brgy.

Local Council (Table 2). All respondents listed farming as the main source of income

with upland rice as the major crop. Upland rice farmers have employed different induced

coping mechanisms in times of difficulty to raise a living for the family while waiting for

harvest to come. They earn extra income however by raising chickens (35) and swine

(29). Some farmers venture into manufacture of native products (14) and small scale

businesses (sari-sari stores, 8) for supplemental income. The other 14 respondents

additional sources of income include dressmaking, peddling vegetables, corn and raising

ducks and goats as coping mechanisms especially when drought comes (Figure 9 and

Table 3).
 43

35

Frequency of Responses 30

25

20

15

10

0
Sari-s ari Sto re Indig eno us Backyard Gard ening Ho g Rais ing Po ultry Corn Pro d uctio n Tailo ring
Handicrafts (p ig g ery)

Sources of Income

Figure 9. Other sources of income of upland rice farmers

Most of the farmers (16 respondents) had long (16+ years) involvement in

farming activities. Also 20 respondents stated 1-5 household members were involved in

farming. Only 3 of them revealed that about 6-16 family members also worked in the

fields while the rest of the respondents failed to give an answer (Table 3).

It is believed that elders often hold a great store of knowledge that has been

gained from decades of living on the land, and centuries of wisdom passed down by their

ancestors (Emery, 2000). Interaction with Datu Saron Bayang and some elders of Sitio

Kihan revealed that migration of some young people to urban areas leads to labor

shortage and implies that older people are left to manage the farm. The knowledge and

experience of how to manage their upland rice farm are hardly and to some extent not

being transmitted anymore to the younger generation and can be subsequently lost in the

near future. To attest this, Datu Saron Bayang said in Blaan “I dad lamnek nga, tala nulit
 44

la i-nimo muna to gabla di akfale fail du tanun san-kul la. Ta kalnifet la i-maleh na i-dag

sansimo di elnigo. Tala ganbet la i-dag muna to galabek. Knaye la fanak di datal banwe”

(The new generation especially those who have gone to school would no longer wanted

to cultivate and till the farm. They forgot the traditions with respect to upland rice

farming because they no longer stay in the farm; they opted to stay in the urban areas).

In Barangay Kihan, the dominant rice growing ecology is rainfed type (80%).

Planting time is also homogenous and all respondents’ plant rice from March to May with

most opting for April because climatic conditions are favorable and the rainy season (1st

week of May) is approaching (Table 3). Almost all farmers also synchronized their

planting so that the pests will become dispersed and there would be less infestation.

Farmers have constant communication with each other to plan for their planting. This is

also practiced especially if one farmer seeks the assistance through the bayanihan system

from other farmers. One farmer however disclosed that he plants the variety larangan all

year round as it takes only 3 months before harvest. All upland rice farmers said that they

timed their planting schedule based on the position of the stars called blatik employed as

a traditional knowledge for timing with the onset of the rain.

More than 1/3 of the farmers described the topography of their farm as rolling

plains while 27% described as mountainous. Their soil classification is clay loam upland

soil. The farmers manage upland rice fields of varying sizes, ranging from a few hundred

square meters to over a hectare or more (Table 3). It was also gleaned from the interviews

that 25 farmers had >1/2 hectares parcel of land for upland rice; 8 farmers have two

hectares; 4 farmers have 3 hectares; 3 farmers have four hectares; 1 five hectare farm and

1 farmer with 8 hectare upland rice farm (Figure 10).

 45

25
25

20
Number of Farmers

15

10

5
4
3
1 0 0 1
0

1 ha. 2 has. 3 has. 4 has. 5 has. 6 has. 7 has. 8 has.

Figure 10. Number of hectares cultivated by the upland rice farmers

Reduced upland rice farm sizes for cultivation were largely attributed to growing

household members, thus, subdividing the farm to children who get married. Another

significant reason is the shift of crops wherein the married children often choose to plant

corn as cash crop other than the cultivation of traditional upland rice .Farmers also

expressed that there is increased underproductive state of their farms due complex factors

of soil erosion, weediness of the farm due to prolific cogonal growth, and lack of man

power or labor force to sustain bigger upland rice farms.

On the contrary, this is not the case 20 years ago for their upland rice farming

experience according to Andan Dala as shared during the research FGD:“ Di muna, bong

i-gu maleh tana di labi fali du lu ye i-tou ti tnutol dad to falih fara la malnus i-familia la.

Tungan i-harvest na i-darame subra harvest, gal mi fabli lulen i-bong weapon. Fye I

kinabuhi na kagkah i-dad to maleh labi falih. Kabay, di nawan ani, ta dee i-fali fusok fro
 46

di dungan and dad to baba. Ta nun dad man la hybrid agol na ta ye e le falih dad to di

elnigo la. Li manna fa i-kalbong dad to di kada pamilya, na tagutamnga eh elnigo kafngu

amwe yaen i-satu miyembro di familya.Di nawan ani, e tana and e elnigo tala mabo-an,

na tale nun epekto di harvest du ta lande kabo i-tana gu maleh dad to. I dad labi fali fara

semilya ta le tukay.” (Before, our rice farms are vast and extensive as this is the main

crop cultivated by us and we are able to have surplus for sale in the market. The upland

rice farmers are enjoying an abundant life. However, the introduction of other cash crops

such as corn, diminishing fertility of the soil and the increasing population making our

family subdivide lands for our marrying children have reduced the area of land to be

planted with upland rice. Added to this, there is also a great contribution of the

diminishing and less quantity of seeds for different varieties that we would love to plant).

A great majority owned the small parcel they till, two farmers claimed to be

working on leased land (Figure 11 and Table 3). Land owners usually inherited their

parcel of land from their parents when they got married. Majority of the farmers planted

upland rice in both steep slopes (15-50%) and rolling plains as long as the soil is good.

Some elderly women even prefer to plant in steep areas because they do not need to bend

over or stoop. As such, they do not suffer from back aches which they usually get when

they plant in the plains.

 47

40

35

30

25
Number of Farmers

20

15

10

5 Owned

Lease
0

Figure 11. Type of land ownership of upland rice farmers in Brgy. Kihan

Mechanization of any forms was not observed in the area. Land preparation is

done manually by 80% of the upland farmers. They make clearings of their elnigo cutting

the grasses and woody plants using a very sharp bolo also known by the tribe as lagaraw.

A hand hoe to cultivate the soil and pointed dibble sticks (ahak) to make a hole ready for

rice planting especially for very steep and rolling areas (Figure 12).The more prosperous

ones with bigger farms use animals such as carabaos and horses for tilling the land and

making rows for planting rice using a farm implement called comb harrow. No power

tiller or tractor was observed in the upland rice farming communities. Among the

respondents, only Mulaw Dayag of Sitio Klalang is the only one using fertilizer in his

upland rice farm. Traditionally, Blaan upland rice farmers return to the land all farm

wastes like animal (carabaos, cow, and horses) manure, crop residues, and rice straws as

a strategy to improve and sustain the productivity of the soil

 48

60

50

40
Percentage

30

20

10

0
Hand Hoe Traditional way Power Tiller Tractor
using Comb Harrow

Figure 12. Implements used in upland rice farm preparation

Traditional Upland Rice Varietal Diversity in Kihan

Upland rice cultivars grown in the different Sitios of Brgy. Kihan are traditionally

classified as Mlal fali (short growing period) and Laweh fali (long growing period). The

Mlal fali can be harvested after 2 ½ to 3 ½ months while the latter can be harvested after

4-5 months (Table 4). Examples of Mlal fali are larangan, manabang, fanda bulaw,

amihan, kanone, bantong, mlabat, and mayaman. On the other hand, malalga, fitam kwat,

kaltuna, muslim, fantilanen, mlitaw, kanadal, bulabed, katiil, buling and bukay kwat are

late maturing varieties. The different classification systems of the upland rice varieties

based on the number of months before harvest is an indigenous knowledge handed by

their ancestors and their own farming experiences in planting different upland rice
 49

varieties. Information gathered also revealed that not one of the farmers had fields

planted to purely modern cultivars. Most (83%) planted traditional cultivars while 21%

opted for mixed cultivation of modern and traditional cultivars (Table 7). Eyzaguirre

(2001) noted that the farmers growing under their own traditional cultural practices

contribute to the continuing evolution and adaptation of crop varieties to new and diverse

environments.

Survey also revealed that there are 108 traditional upland rice varieties in Brgy.

Kihan with specific characteristics (Table 4). Of the 108 varieties, the individual farmers

enumerated the varieties that they are familiar with and they have experienced planting

(Table 5). Farmers expressed their interest in keeping larangan (79%), fitam kwat (64%),

and manabang (55%) as the most favored varieties. Other varieties they wanted to keep

were: fantilanen, kanone, mlabat, fanda bulaw, tinda, pilit tapul, lumabet, fungol,

matutong, ameyan, kandal, mlitaw, pilit mantika, mlikat lagfisan, kaltuna, muslim, gulo,

manumbay, mlikat blawen, bantong, bulabed, kalubid, mayaman, Asucena/kinsinas,

buling katiil, bukay kwat, mlikat fule, mlikat samlaka, blanak, mlikat tabe, magleg, la

ereng, dinorado, and nlakon, magles, tindah, samfang, safat, mlikat spikit, nabol, mlikat

knumi and mlikat fule. Most upland rice farms were concentrated in Sitio Limbunga,

Klalang and Banlas, other Sitios covered include Sol-Kili, Cana-an, Nabol, Proper,

Centro, Upper Klobong, Lower Klobong, Katnog, (Figure 13). The farmer respondents in

each Sitio gave samples of the different upland rice varieties they grow. There are 46

traditional upland rice varieties collected and documented along with the conduct of this

study (Table 6).

 50

Figure 13. Distribution of upland rice farms and rice cultivars

In Brgy. Kihan, the in situ conservation of upland rice genetic resources depends

upon the autonomous farmer decisions that serve his household interest and welfare.

Choice of a particular variety is based on reasons related to high yielding and early

maturing characteristics. Palatability and fragrance were also of importance to many

farmers. Other features deemed desirable by the farmers were: good morphological

appearance, long storage life, vigorous growth, soft and rises when cooked, glutinous,

easy to winnow, easy to thresh and pound, high pest resistance, drought tolerance, with

long panicles of heavy grain and not attractive to maya bird or rat infestation. Thus, they

are categorized as nutritious, resistant to adverse weather conditions, resistant to pest and

insects, fast growing variety, bigger yield or volume of harvest (Figure 14 and Table 7).
 51

35

30

25
Percentage

20

15

Nutritious
10

Resistant to the
5 Weather Condition

Resistant to Pests
and Insects
0
Fast-growing
1
Characteristics variety

Bigger volume of
harvest

Figure 14. Characteristics of traditional upland rice planted

The upland rice varieties were also handed down through generations and jibe

with the Blaan culture. The farmers also said that these seeds form an integral part of

their existence and if not cultivated, a part of them will essentially be lost as well. As for

those opting for mixed cultivation, respondents said that they did so for purposes of

comparison and to select good planting materials. Other farmers anticipate a bigger yield

because modern hybrids are promoted to be high yielding.

The collected upland rice varieties are then kept at MSU-Gensan Science

Laboratory. Further scientific studies on their morphological characterization, varietal

diversity and studies associated to genetic erosion was done by the MSU-Gensan Science

Department. High resolution photo-documentation of collected upland rice cultivars was

taken by Cocoy A. Sexcion of the Provincial Information Office as shown in Plates 13-

56. The collected varieties were also used as agricultural exhibit during the weeklong
 52

2005 Cultural Exhibit in Sarangani Province in celebration of the MunaTo Festival. Some

varieties were placed inside a plastic (Plate 57) and some are placed inside the bluyot

(Plate 58) with corresponding varietal name as well as the name of the farmer donor.

The study revealed that Blaan upland rice farmers conserve and cultivate a wide

genetic diversity of the native upland rice varieties classified using their traditional

knowledge. Eyzaguirre (2001) stressed that this collective regime of biodiversity at the

indigenous level supports the broad conservation and exchange of PGR. By developing

names for crop types, farmers are effectively segregating populations and often treating

them differently. Eyzaguirre (2001) articulated that cultural knowledge about a crop

variety helps to transmit plant knowledge both widely in a community and specialized

knowledge within sub-sectors of the community.

Diminishing Traditional Upland Rice Varieties in Brgy. Kihan

The farmers were made to recall as far as they could remember the varieties

which some of them had discarded in the past years. They enumerated 62 varieties which

most of them (47 varieties) no longer cultivate and are considered diminishing (Table 4

and Table 5). These were afu, aknugo ibid, alag, amik, baka, balngolan, basag, kabang

fafak, matutung, bigko, binatan, balsuk ful,,falak, fanaral mlatoh, kuto kura, sufe, gulo,

haytin, hinumay, ikong balos, labwari, lafinig, lamot magayo, maglub, manumbay,

mnamat, ubo, manabang mayeng, mlabon, mlatoh, mlikat alfa, mlikat blokok, mlikat

bulen, mlikat buling, mlikat fnu, mlikat kablak, mlikat kambing, mlikat labas, mlikat
 53

lanifil, mlikat malah, mlikat tele, saba, salban, samlan kulanu, samlon, sufe, tabwen,

taagnsuli, and yos. Among the reasons given for the abandonment of these cultivars were

un-availability of seeds and rat infestation. The varieties of mlikat, lagfisan mayaman,

mlikat luyong, mlikat samlaka, are feared to be diminishing due to small quantities of

seeds available in very few farmers.

Respondents shared during focus group discussions that the other reasons for the

diminishing upland rice varieties is as follows: difficulty to pound by some varieties

especially those that are with tiny grains e.g. kifan kili, kuto kura; hard grain texture when

cooked; late maturing variety; lack of capital for cultivation and payment of farm labor;

low seed availability; and low yielding during harvest time. They also noted that the 1998

El Nino phenomenon destroyed their upland rice fields and they lost lots of rare upland

rice varieties. The presence of many alternative cash crops also obviates the need to

cultivate all the traditional varieties. This dilemma is further compounded by the small

sizes of farmlands that they till which can accommodate only 2-3 cultivars per planting

season. In a few cases, plant stands in the rice fields died due to the extreme heat during

dry season. Some farmers also consumed their planting seeds for lack of options during

hard times especially with growing household member. Data from the Food and Nutrition

Research Institute (FNRI) showed that as household size increases, total per capita

consumption of food decreases (Aguilar, 2005).Rapid population increases are a threat to

food supply in the household and survival will depend on plant nutrients and responsive

varieties to increase crop yields (Pereira, 1993).

In Brgy. Kihan, most farmers believed that there are more varieties than what they

could recall that their grandparents used to cultivate before, mostly priced and regarded
 54

as of excellent texture and aroma that they only use for very special occasions. Those

unique varieties are no longer found in their communities. Brush (2000) stressed that

cultivar diversity in association with wild ancestral crop species is linked to crop

domestication and most importantly, a broad base of genetic resources that may be useful

for crop improvement. The loss of crop varieties from centers of diversity causes genetic

erosion or loss of genetic resources which is a negative consequence of agricultural

development (Brush, 2000). The loss of agricultural biodiversity can reduce food

security, increase economic uncertainty, and threaten the viability and sustainability of

agricultural systems (Eyzaguirre and Dennis, 2007).

Seed Selection, Storage and Movement

Small-scale farmers in developing countries rely largely on the seed from their

farm or from other sources in the community according to Almekinders (2000).In Kihan,

seed selection is a very important undertaking for upland rice farmers since most of them

(92%) use planting materials from their own seed stocks (Table 8). Traditional seed

exchange and supply systems have provided and still provide the main source of varieties

that farmers grow in Brgy. Kihan. They explained that these varieties had been in the

family for many generations and they take it as their responsibility to continue the

cultivation of these varieties. In doing this, they will have a constant supply of seeds

which are very viable, germinates fast, grow well and which they can get at no cost to

them. Respondents also shared that seed exchange with other upland rice farmers is done
 55

to prevent pest and disease damage especially when their planted variety become

susceptible to pests and diseases present in their field. By exchanging seeds, there will be

new and fresh seeds grown in their field. Also, 30% said that they obtain their seeds

through barter while other sources of seeds include payment for services rendered, given

by other farmers and bought from a cooperative. As to the sources of their seeds for next

planting season, 38% said that they personally kept their own seeds (Table 8). Also, 23%

expressed that they got seeds through the Barangay Council for the provision of upland

rice to other farmers. Some (14%) got their planting seeds from the barter they made with

other farmers while only 9% got their seeds from labor payment. Also, 14% said that they

got seeds from UDP. However, the survey revealed that the limited seed sources and seed

supply are the major problems faced by the farmers during seed exchange. There are

times when there are no seeds left for exchange especially for those diminishing varieties.

In terms of selection, 87% of the farmers exhibited a distinct preference for

agronomic traits such as palatability/nutritious followed by storability (81%), pest

resistance (60%) and high yielding (50%). Other important criteria for seed selection are

low input, high market value, early maturing, easy to pound, ‘rises’ when cooked and

with long panicles (uhay). As regards to properties that the farmers think a good rice

cultivar must have, all farmers unanimously agreed that palatability is a prime

consideration along with early maturing characteristics (98%), high yielding (98%),

drought tolerance (83%), fast growing (94%). Other characteristics considered were

easily threshed by foot, easily pounded (33%) using the traditional wooden big mortar

called sung and varieties that exudes good fragrance (Table 7). Selection of good quality

upland rice seeds starts in the field prior to planting according to the Blaan farmers
 56

during the FGDs. They selected a field lot where upland rice plants are healthy and have

good growth such as sturdy stem, plenty of tillers, drought tolerant and free from pests

and diseases. Then, they select full and heavy panicles with healthy seeds from the center

of the filled for seed stock. By doing this kind of seed selection, farmers are already

doing plant improvement (CBCDP, 2001). Seeds for home consumption are harvested

separately to avoid contamination of good seeds. This practices and traditions for

managing germplasm like a seed is an indicator of genetic diversity (Eyzaguirre, 2001).

With respect to their post-harvest practices, the farmers revealed that the seeds are

threshed by foot, cleaned, sun dried, and kept in a hallowed out bamboo stuffed with

ashes ( tidal) especially for seeds to be used on the next planting season (Table 8 and

Table 10). Their traditional knowledge about using the ashes is that it helps in keeping

the dryness and viability of the seeds as shared by Kyuga Lukina from Sitio Banlas. In

this seed storage system, only one variety will be placed inside each tidal so that the

seeds will not mix with another variety (Plate 59). Each tidal is marked and labeled for

identification and place on the top portion of the house. The seeds stored in the tidal can

last for 1 year as long as seeds are dry. Another way of keeping their seeds is hanging a

bundle or more for each treasured diminishing and rare variety (Plate 60). If harvest is

abundant especially from bigger farms, the harvested rice is kept either in granaries or

storage house called fol (Plate 61). This will allow further air drying of the harvested

produce that is usually used for household consumption (Plate 62).

The farmers also divulged in a novel technique which involves the keeping of the

dried rice rains in the lihub, a cylindrical container made of bark of trees (Plate 63).

Almost all of the farmers (96%) said that this indigenous technique confers storability to
 57

the seeds. The use of sacks, indigenous baskets, and coconut shell container are also

employed if their will be no more available wood bark that could make another lihub.

The indigenous baskets are made of strips of bamboo that are strong and durable enough

to store rice and other crops (Plate 64-65). These cultural practices for seed storage made

the upland rice farmers as effective seed custodians, keeping and continually planting the

traditional varieties for natural resource conservation purposes. This form of in situ

conservation work with indigenous communities because of the presence of intact and

functional social and cultural system (CBCDP, 2001). According to all of the

respondents, the seeds stored in lihub also retain viability for one year (Table 8).

Seed movement appeared to be unrestricted in most Sitios of Brgy. Kihan as

proven by the influx of planting materials from places as far as North Cotabato, Davao

Del Sur and South Cotabato. Other sources of seeds are from Brgy. Kinam and Brgy.

Upper Suyan of Malapatan and Sitio boundaries of the municipality of Alabel. About a

third of the respondents coming from the more remote places, however, said that the

seeds from other places do not reach their communities. The farmers also enumerated the

ways which seeds reach their Sitios. These are through the UDP operation in 4 Sitios of

Brgy Kihan, some seeds are brought by visiting friends and family members/relatives,

some are acquired due to intermarriages and seed exchanges between united families,

some hybrid or certified seeds are introduced through the Barangay seminars conducted

by the local government extension workers from the Agriculturist Offices of the

Government, some seeds bought by the farmer during his/her travels and some seeds as

labor payment for services in other places.

 58

Brgy. Kihan Upland Rice Resource Allocation

Production in the uplands is mostly for home consumption (CBDCP, 2001)

According to all respondents in Brgy. Kihan, upland rice is grown primarily for family

consumption (Figure 15, Table 7). Each farmer gave their specific percentage allocation

for their upland rice harvest (Table 9). Also, farmers shared that their harvest varies

according to the size of hectares for upland rice farms and number of varieties planted

(Table 10). Some crop losses were due to pest infestation and slope or elevation of their

farms. They also set aside portion of the harvest to be used for special

occasions/celebration and thanksgiving ritual.

Farmers also ensured that they will allocate part of the harvest for seed banking

for the next planting season (Almekinders, 2000). Some farmers that still practice

bayanihan system have allocated accordingly to each fellow farmer a portion of the

harvest that serves as payment/barter or exchange for labor extended. Some farmers

reserved a portion of their harvest for unprojected needs using their rice as a barter of

other household needs and even selling that reserved harvest to have money. Some

varieties considered to be of higher spiritual value to the tribe are also used as part of the

dowry for Blaan marriage rites and other special rituals/ceremonies. The respondents

expressed that the bigger the household size, their main concern is to ensure household

consumption, thus, affecting the allocation of upland rice for other purposes mentioned

above. But, the household rice food security depends on the volume of upland rice

harvested from their smaller upland rice farms.

 59

50
50

45

40

35

30
Percentage

25

20

15
10 10 10
10
7
5 5
5 3

0
Consumption Seed Keeping Payments Gifts/Offers Celebration Reserved Dowry Others

Figure 15. Traditional upland rice allocation in Brgy. Kihan

Diversity of other Crops in the Upland Rice Farms

The upland rice farming communities of Barangay Kihan is a place characterized

by a large number (57) of crop species (Table 11). This high degree of plant diversity is a

salient feature of traditional farming systems that performs a variety of renewal processes

and ecological services in the agro-ecosystem (Chang, 1977; Altieri, 1993).In addition,

planting several species and varieties of crops promotes diet diversity (Harwood, 1979).

Rice is the principal agricultural product and the chief carbohydrate source for all

residents of the area. The other major crop grown by the farmers is hybrid corn as one of

the substitute staple foods during lean months when rice is not available. Corn is

becoming more popular and they usually plant corn in bigger area of their farm. This is

exemplified in the UDP covered Sitios of Banlas, Kyondog, Amlitos and Limbunga that
 60

has a total of 208.56 has of the agricultural land planted to corn (Figure 4). Vegetables

(eggplant, string beans, onions, radish, bell pepper, ginger, tomato, okra, pechay, lemon

grass, upo, malunggay, patola, squash, ampalaya, munggo, Baguio beans and garlic were

also grown in small plots in the backyards and within the upland rice farm. Takway is the

fibrous root of the gabi (taro) and kawat (wild spinach) just grow wild inside the upland

rice farm. These varieties of vegetables are grown on a limited scale, primarily for family

consumption and if in excess will be sold to the Barangay market.

Other species have special purpose in the farm such as sesame seeds, sugarcane,

lemon grass and wild bamboo. According to Salan Yano and Renato Salway, the sesame

seeds and sugarcane are intended to be planted in rows to serve as border and wind break

for the different varieties, harbor pests and become the alternate host for aphids. The

sesame seeds are also harvested and used to give more aroma to food and if in excess,

they sell it by kilo to the Barangay local market. The sugarcane also serves as the source

of sugar to sweeten their coffee, fruit juices and serve as snack when weeding time under

the heat of the sun. The lemon grass and wild bamboo are intentionally planted to prevent

soil erosion according to Felipe Sumbo. Lemon grass is also used for food preparation to

give more aroma and taste especially with chicken soup. The young shoots of the wild

bamboo are also significant source of food cooked in coconut cream called ‘gata’.

Root crops such as gabi, camote, ube, kayos and cassava were grown by the

farmer respondents. Kayos when not cooked properly can cause death to whosoever eat

it. It is only the old folks who are doing the food preparation for kayos. Peanuts, ubi, bisol

(turmeric) were also planted in gardens so that the farmers can have a staple food to fall

back on in case of pest infestation in the rice fields. Moreover, fresh and pounded bisol
 61

(turmeric) is also used as medicine to heal primary wounds and insect bites. But like the

vegetables, they were planted solely to augment household food consumption especially

the fiber intake.

An assortment of fruit crops also grew in the farmers’ backyards. Among these

are coconut, mango, cacao, abaca, coffee, rambutan, sunkist, star apple, pomelo, marang,

breadfruit, tambis, avocado, papaya, guava and banana. They also defined the boundaries

and create space for social gatherings (lunch, resting and wild cards games) of the

farmers especially at noon time. The coconut meat is made into copra, the old coconut

lumber used for construction and the young coconut for its nutritious juice and nut. The

litters from the fruit crops are also important in adding soil nutrients, reducing soil

erosion, lowering soil and ambient temperature, and regulating sunlight. Some of the

fruits are used for snacks as supplemental food and some for sale if harvest is plenty in

farms with bigger number of fruit crops. The young fluorescent shoot of the banana can

also be cooked as vegetable with coconut meat and chicken meat considered as Blaan

indigenous food. Banana leaves are also used for wrapping food and its trunk usually

used as plate by the farmers. Figure 16 shows the diversity of the abovementioned crops

that are preferred by upland rice farmers. Thus, the incorporation of wild resources and

high diversity of other crops formed the livelihood strategy for the farmers and helps

provide resilience in the face of adverse trends, times of stress such as drought and other

ecological change, and offers a greater choice of livelihood options (Hardwood, 1979).
 62

70

60

50
Percentage

40

30

20

10

0 Vegetables
1
Crops Planted Root Crops
Fruits

Figure 16. Diversity of other crops planted by upland rice farmers

Role of Women in Kihan Upland Rice Farming

Women farmers in Brgy. Kihan do a myriad of duties in the upland rice growing

communities. Among the Blaan women’s major contributions are planting and weeding

upland rice field, harvesting, post-harvest activities, seed selection ( and seed banking

and preparing food for farmers/household chores especially during the planting and

weeding stages (Figure 17, Plate 66,Table 3). They are also responsible for drying and

seed keeping and driving away maya, a bird that eats the rice grains during the late

maturity stage of the rice. Their other duties include planting corn and other vegetables in

the backyard gardens, threshing of rice panicles by foot to separate the grains after

harvest, sowing of the sesame seeds along rice field borders, adding of natural insect
 63

repellants to planting seeds, making of ‘tuke fali’ and winnowing to separate chaff from

the grains. Pounding of the rice using the traditional mortar and pestle is an important

household chore that women are also doing.

Results of the interviews revealed that both the farmer husband and wife do the

seed selection at 40% as their conjugal duty. However, 28% of the respondents said that

its only the farmer husband who does the seed selection and also 28% said that it only the

women wives served as decision makers when it comes to seed selection (Table 8). Thus,

the women in the upland rice farming communities of Brgy. Kihan share with men the

responsibility for stewardship of upland rice farming values in their communities.

35

30

25
Frequency of Responses

20

15

10

0
Ho us eho ld Chores P lanting Harves ting P os t-harves t Activities Seedbanking

Role of Women

Figure 17. Breakdown of responses on the role of women in upland rice farming
 64

Cultural Belief System of Blaan Upland Rice Farming

Food culture, food taxonomy and associated folklore are important indicators of

diversity relating to how crop populations or eco-types within species may be treated

differently (Eyzaguirre, 2001). In addition, farmers incorporate knowledge about their

traditional varieties in their folk culture and rituals (Eyzaguirre, 2001). Their ancient

traditional knowledge is passed down from generation to generation and is often more

spiritually oriented (Emery, 2000). Focus group discussion during the immersion

activities in Kihan revealed several Blaan cultural belief systems associated with their

traditional upland rice farming.

Kaingin farm (Elnigo).Within the tana (land) allocated to a Blaan household, a

fertile area called elnigo (kaingin) is identified for planting upland rice. Burning not only

results in ash that contributes to increased soil fertility and reduced soil acidity, but also

increases soil temperature, resulting in accelerated decomposition of the organic matter

The farmer invokes the help of Dwata or Meleh (supreme being) through a ritual called

mabah to determine whether the area is suitable for cropping. Dwata speaks to the farmer

through the almugan, a wild fruit dove (Plate 67). When the almugan makes a pleasing

sound more than four times heard through the left area of the ear, then Dwata blesses the

farm. The four call of the almugan stand for the cornerstones of the fol (rice granary).

This determines the right planting time of the upland rice in the el nigo.

Other crops such as abok or bila (edible tubers), ginger, kalmati (tomatoes),

blatong (beans), squash are planted alongside of the elnigo (Table 11). Many traditional

food plants also grow wild like the weeds that grow in the elnigo are edible such as kawat
 65

(wild spinach) and saluyot. Rotting logs grew edible fungi such as mouse moss and

mushrooms. They are characteristically energy rich and play a crucial role during hunger

periods. They are accessible, they can be collected freely and are thus available to anyone

in the community. When elnigo is already cleared of palay, the area is planted with

various crops such as kasila (sweet potatoes), bananas, glutinous corn, papaya and beans.

This incorporation of wild food resources in this traditional farm is a risk minimizing

strategy in times of food shortage (Hardwood, 1979).

Bayanihan system (Sahul). Sahul is the traditional practice among the Blaans to

prepare the elnigo within three months. The men discuss among themselves the time table

of sahul to accommodate each elnigo. Elnigo is cleared by slashing the vegetation and

allowing it to dry for few days before setting the fire. Salugsong is a flat, short tool used

in uprooting the weeds. Balo (bolo) is used for cutting trees, brushes and woody plants.

After the clearing, the elnigo is fenced with bagacay poles (climbing wild bamboo) and

sugarcane to protect it from wandering animals. The elnigo is maintained by the farmers.

Sahul is also employed during the planting season wherein a farmers agrees to

help in the planting of a fellow farmers’ field and expecting to do the same in his/her

field. If the farmer cannot perform an exchange labor, it is expected that the labor will be

replaced by a portion of the harvest from the farmer who did not do an exchange labor.

The very ideology of sahul is the word of honor to the farmer who made an agreement to

do a mutual exchange of labor.

Planting (Amlah). Traditional calendars are developed by many farmers to control

scheduling of agricultural activities. Additionally, many farmers sow according to the

phase of the moon, believing that there are lunar phases of rainfall according to Altieri
 66

(1987). When samkyab and tubong appear in the sky, it heralds the start of the planting

season. Samkyab and tubong are stars that only Blaan farmers could identify. The farmer

and his wife then build a ‘bot tne’ (platform) at the center of the elnigo. Bot tne has four

posts about a meter high where all seeds are placed before planting, surrounded by four

sugarcane stands, four rows of camote tops, and bagacay or salban (wild bamboo).On the

bagacay pole, the farmer and his wife places slices of ginger, layers of ashes, green

pepper and chili, slices of kisol (turmeric), and charcoal in threes. The ritual of ‘bot tne’

symbolizes the farmer’s desire to have a good cropping season free from infestation and

bad omens. The right to plant rice fields is a special gift given by grace, water, the sun,

the gods, and the ancestors who worked the fields before them. A re-enactment of the

traditional upland rice planting showing the simplified bot tne was done during the

conduct of the First Upland Rice Festival in Brgy. Kihan held last October 2005 (Plate

68).

Before sunrise, seeds are brought to the ‘bot tne’ along with food. Then amlah

begins with the farmer and his wife initiating the lamgi, where men, women, young

people join in a synchronized chorus of chants in increasing tempo as men dig holes with

ahak (sharpened pole used to dibble) and women fill them with bne (palay seeds) . The

cadence of lamgi ranges a slow chant (lamgi tana), to moderately upbeat (lamgi Blaan)

and to very fast chanting (lamgi mayeng). The song lamgi is a repetitive melody of slow

to fast tempo “ lamgi…lamgi…hay! Lamgi…lamgi…hay!lamgi…lamgi…lamgi…lamgi!”.

During the last first Upland Rice Festival of brgy. Kihan celebrated last 2005, they re-

enacted the planting ritual with the singing of lamgi (Plate 69). The sound is astounding

and very joyful with the rhythmic movements that the chanters make. Very important to
 67

the planting ritual is that no women having menstrual flow will be prohibited to get near

the upland rice farm. The farmers believed that the menstrual flow of the woman is

unclean and will harm farm by enticing the insects and pests to infest the upland rice

field. The Blaan tribe believed that the primary idea in all of these rituals is that people

are the human agents who must go through a cleansing process in order to be worthy of

planting the rice fields. An example of a newly planted farm is shown in Plate 70.

Rice soldier (Mlikat lagfisan). Eyzaguirre (2001) explained that a certain variety

may have ritual value and uses that cause it to be maintained and assigned a special place

within the cropping system. Mlikat lagfisan ( a kind of glutinous rice) is planted around

the bot tne to guard the rice field (Plate 46). It has a special place in the middle of the rice

field surrounded by sugarcane, turmeric and some leafy vegetables. There are few

farmers who have the lagfisan variety, due to shortage of seeds. Farmers who have seeds

may give a handful to another farmer that is just enough to make 3-4 hills of the lagfisan

variety. With very meager harvest from mlikat lagfisan, farmers just use it for very

special occasion and most often just add a cup of the winnowed lagfisan rice to other rice

varieties. Lagfisan is a magical rice that endows strength and intellect to those who feast

on its highly nutritious taste. It is highly reserved for lactating mothers and first solid

food for a child. This is considered a diminishing variety as very few farmers possess it,

thus, considered by the old folks to be a major cultural threat associated with the upland

rice farming system.

Harvest (Tuke fali). While the rice field is considered to be ready for harvest, the

farmer is busy along with the children in setting up an indigenous scarecrows, rattles

made of abaca ropes with some empty cans attached to make a sound for the flocking of
 68

hungry maya birds not to eat the mature rice grains They also use baits called limon to

trap rats. Sometimes, they burn tires and other rubber based materials near their rice field

to prevent pest infestation. Before the great harvest, the farm owner will perform the

ritual of nlaban fali near the bot tne.. A portion of the standing crop is tied to uway

(rattan) with sluan (climbing fern) and weighed with stone, to serve as the starting point

of the harvest. The women turn in their back to the ‘tied palay’, imbued with a spiritual

fervor that there will be more for them to harvest. The elderly skilled women in the

upland rice farming communities of Brgy. Kihan have traditionally used delicate hand

knives to carefully select the seed rice for future harvests and place it inside the baen, a

traditional basket placed at the back with the abaca tie that can hold in the forehead of the

harvester (Plate 71). The harvests are then brought to the farm house for segregation,

cleaning and further sun drying usually done by the women (Plate 72).

Tuke fali is an elaborate celebration that begins with the ritual of amngawe, where

women exchange chants to fill the air with merriment. Before amngawe is a ritual of

pandoman (thanksgiving ceremony) that takes place in the fol where two bundles of

palay are placed on the mat. The farmer lunges a spear to the rice bundles then the

community forms a circle around the mat in deep silence, thanking Dwata for the

protection of the elnigo from pestilence and for blessing the elnigo with bountiful harvest.

After pandoman, the men go hunting for wild pigs or settle for native chicken. Other

farmers especially those from Sitio residents living near the big river of Kihan opted to

catch fish, crabs, fresh water shrimps and or eels using an indigenous fish trap (Plate 73).

This is to augment for the viand of the household and for those who will partake in the

celebration. The eldest member of the household will then allocate a portion of the sun
 69

dried harvest that will be cooked. This will be milled using the indigenous mortar and

pestle called sung, a log concavely hollowed in the middle. There are usually man and

woman who will do the pounding with a chant to synchronize the exchange of pounds.

The rice grains will then be winnowed to separate the chaffs and cleaned. It is then

cooked by women inside the bamboo during the celebration. Some wrap it first with

leaves and place inside the bamboo and grill it under open fire until such time that it will

be cooked, they call it lnulot.Then the men arrive with their catch and join preparations.

Rice cakes and viands are prepared from native chicken, wild pig and offered damsu

(offering). After damsu, everyone goes back to the field and help in the harvest. When the

harvest is about to finish, rice straws are bundled and brought to the house and arranged

for sun drying the following day. While women harvest palay, others thresh the straws

with their feet. The grains are going on, women converse jovially and chant their

conversations. After all the palay harvests are accounted for, the farmer and his wife

initiate the dance to the beat of falimak (gong) and sluray (bamboo zitter) and everyone

joins in. the families who took part in the harvest are given a share of the harvest as gifts.

The rest of the harvested rice is thereafter placed in receptacles made of tidal (bamboo),

lihub (bark of the tree), bluyot and baen (baskets).It is highly prohibited by the upland

rice farmers to take any single rice of grain across any rivers unless a tuke fali was done.

Violation of this rule is considered very unethical and disrespectful to the Meleh. Upland

rice collected from Barangay Kihan were given by the farmers after they did the tuke fali

ritual.
 70

Problems Encountered by Traditional Upland Rice Farmers

The farmers were also asked about the problems that they frequently encountered

in upland rice farming. Most of the farmers shared that the lack of money to finance

planting, land preparation, weeding and purchase of fertilizers. If farmers opt for

Bayanihan system, feeding of 50-100 people would also entail a lot of expense. Pest

infestation was also identified by 35% of the farmers as the biggest bane in upland rice

farming.

Other problems mentioned were prolonged drought, low seed supply, small

farming area, lack of carabaos, weediness of the area dominated by cogon, fungus attack,

heavy rainfall and low soil fertility. The farmers were then made to identify the specific

sources of these perennial problems which significantly caused upland rice farm

reduction. First is the occurrence of natural calamities wherein all of the farmers noted

that they lost many rare upland rice varieties during the 1998 environmental crisis (La

Nina and El Nino phenomenon). Second, is the pests, insects and diseases that plague the

rice especially during inflorescence stage .Third, the weediness mostly by prolific cogon

growth in the planting area that also contributes to the lower yield. Fourth, the

conspicuous reality that carabaos are hardly found in the area any longer making upland

rice farming is made even more difficult. Finally, other farmers said that they lack the

necessary technical skills to increase production given their degrading natural resource

such as the diminishing soil fertility.

 71

Lowland Influences Modifying Kihan’s

Traditional Upland Rice Farming Practices

Focused group discussion with the upland rice farmers of Kihan was used to

discuss changes in their traditional farming and help farmers understand the positive and

negative consequences of such influences. The introduction of modern varieties believed

to be high yielding has shifted 9 of the farmers to start cultivating the modern varieties

from Kabacan, North Cotabato (Table 7). Another farmer revealed to have planted

modern hybrid rice obtained from Little Bagiuo, Malita, Davao Del Sur. When asked

whether modern cultivars are better than traditional cultivars, all answered negative.

Reasons given were as follows: modern cultivars are not drought tolerant and more suited

to lowland irrigated areas, prone to pests, and require a lot of inputs (fertilizers and

pesticides) considered as added burden for maintenance cost by the farmers. The farmers

were also asked to express their views as to the effects of hybrid rice to upland

agriculture. They said that hybrid rice cultivation if intensified will result in the loss of

traditional rice varieties by the farmers who formerly planted traditional upland rice

varieties. No rituals are done in association with the growing of the introduced modern

varieties. Another farmer said that continued fertilizer would result in the leaching of the

soil nutrients and would consequently result in poor harvest.

The cultivation of hybrid corn as a major cash crop also lured more farmers to

allocate bigger area for corn planting compared to rice farms. This shift of cropping

system also entails the use of the chemical fertilizers to ensure the productivity and

optimum yield for bigger sale in the nearby local market. Some corn farmers left portion
 72

of their corn harvests are left in the house and are milled whenever the household will be

out of upland rice supply. For milling, Blaan tribe has developed and used an implement

that looks like a round log with an opening hole to drop the corn kernels and rounded

blades inside to crush and finally mill the corn into grits when it is moved

counterclockwise using the protruding handle (Plate 74). However, the corn farm is

usually a mono-crop type displacing the other varieties planted in the traditional upland

rice farmers’ field. Corn farming does not have any cultural rituals associated with its

cultivation…thus, contributing a cultural gap for the former practices, belief system and

rituals on traditional farming. Emery (2000) articulated that shifting from traditional

agriculture which encourages diversity, to intensive agriculture which sacrifices diversity

to productivity, can have a negative impact on indigenous peoples and their lands.

In addition, the effects of the intrusion of cash economy and wage labor for the

deterioration of subsistence production and the erosion of cultural management practices

is also of particular interest contributed by the lowland influences that modify the Blaan

traditional upland rice farming. The introduction of paid labor which has partly displaced

the Bayanihan system has resulted in hunger, more poverty and indebtedness of upland

rice farmers that could not afford to pay labor for workers specifically on land

preparation, planting, and weeding. Interviews with the old folks revealed that the spirit

of sahul is almost not appreciated by the present generation; they opted to have money in

payment for labor incurred in helping the upland rice planting, weeding and harvesting.

Barter for labor exchange is not much as popular as it was practiced 20 years ago. The

introduction of unpaid labor also resulted in financial difficulties of the farm owners.
 73

During the last phase of conduct of the study, it was observed that most male

farmers were very busy looking for bya-o, a kind of wild nutty fruit tree that is being sold

at higher cost per sack for its oil. There was a high demand of the bya-o from the lowland

buyers and farmers were using their horses to transport sacks of the bya-o to the

Barangay market. Farmers tend to love the culture of earning quick money. Those who

have money opted to buy NFA rice from sari-sari store retailers in their Sitio. Sometimes,

when out of supply from the nearest store, they would walk to another Sitio to buy a kilo

of rice that is just enough for eating in a day and they will buy again a kilo the next day.

There is always insufficiency of food even if there is increased monetary income by some

farmers who do not have upland rice farms.

Impact of Dwindling Traditional Upland Rice Resource

In Brgy. Kihan, the major factors that contributed to the dwindling traditional

upland rice resource are: farmers’ preference for favorable traits over particular or even a

few varieties, diminishing and unsustainable seed supply for the next season especially if

seeds allocated for the next season will be cooked when the household don’t have any

more food. Natural pestilence such as recurring pest epidemics, lack of capital for bigger

farm cultivation, diminishing soil fertility and degradation of the natural resources in the

upland ecosystem also have significant impact on the difficulties experienced by farmers

upland rice farmers.

 74

The small area planted to upland rice by most of the farmers also implied a

shortage in harvest that affects household food security and other allocation purposes of

the harvest. Most importantly, the respondents expressed that they fear that the cultural

heritage and traditions associated with traditional upland rice farming will not be

sustained through time as most of practices are being done or performed by old farmers

who are still custodians of the rare and considered highly spiritual traditional upland rice

varieties. Also, the lowland influences also markedly altered the farming culture of Kihan

with more farmers shifting to cash crops compounding future traditional upland rice

genetic losses.

Role of Local Government Units in the In-Situ Conservation

of Traditional Upland Rice Varieties in Brgy. Kihan

This study showed how Brgy. Kihan Blaan farmers, despite marginal conditions,

have maintained as well as lost a diversity of upland rice landraces and other crop

varieties in their fields and over time. The respondents grow and maintain their upland rice

varieties because they are vital to the respondents’ socio-cultural and economic survival. The

Blaan farmers conserve their upland rice genetic resources in-situ through the continuous

utilization, planting and storage of these varieties using their traditional knowledge. This

system can complement ex-situ PGR conservation (Altieri et. al, 1987).

The study also emphasized the importance of generating baseline information on

upland rice PGR as an initial step to developing appropriate approaches and interventions

to support Brgy. Kihan farmer’s conservation, utilization and management of this

 75

precious resource. Focused group discussions revealed that the upland rice farmers of

Kihan have acknowledged the need for technical assistance especially from the

government on the areas of soil erosion prevention in the steep upland rice farms, contour

farming practices, provision of farmer’s capital and or access to credit to support their

farming venture. It has been noted that a lack of access to agricultural resources and

services including research poses a fundamental constraint to upland rice farmers.

Improved access to, and control over, all productive resources and services such as land,

labor, credit and equipment are required to increase their capacity to generate much

needed income and improve traditional upland rice production. Concerning natural

resource and agricultural intervention, the UDP implementation was cited by the

Barangay as a big help in the four Sitios covered by the program.

The following are the community needs that upland rice farmers stressed during

the data validation of this research: (1) build an organization of traditional upland rice

farmers in Brgy. Kihan that is capable of looking at their situation and addressing them

using their traditional knowledge and skills through linking with other organizations that

is geared towards upland rice conservation; (2) Local Government Units (Provincial,

Municipal and Barangay) thru respective Agricultural Technicians to work closely with

identified upland rice farmers to understand their traditional agricultural practices and

help improve the diversity of their traditional upland rice varieties that will subsequently

increase production. These approaches can be taken as a tool in improving the

understanding and community management of their varieties; further inventory of the

existing traditional upland rice varieties inclusive of their indigenous knowledge on their

farming system. e.g. organizing community-based seed fairs in order to improve

 76

exchange of information and material between farmers and enhancing the community

management of local varieties by participatory training and workshops.

Upon presentation of the research output to the Barangay Council, they decided to

declare an Upland Rice Festival during their weeklong Barangay Anniversary. It is the

first time that the Blaan farmers were awakened of the importance of their precious

upland rice resource. The Barangay Captain also promised to donate a portion (3 has.) of

his land near the Barangay Center as an upland rice demonstration farm planting the

different varieties collected during the conduct of the research. The upland rice farmers

were encouraged and they committed to do the Bayanihan system and perform the

planting ritual on the demonstration farm. This community initiative conforms to an in

situ or an on-farm management of PGR (Huvio, 1999).

The Barangay Council was very thankful for the Provincial Government through

the IPDP under the Office of the Governor for initiating the research on the traditional

upland rice in partnership with the Mindanao State University – General Santos City.

IPDP is right now working hand in hand with the Mindanao State University, OPAG, and

OMAG to further support the initial research by technical assistance to sustain cultural

integrity as well as improve upland rice productivity. This will be a joint tri-partite effort

for cultural preservation by the IPDP, technical assistance for agricultural productivity by

OPAG/OMAG and the scientific studies on the genetic variability of the upland rice by

the academe. It is hoped in the end that the sustainability of farmers’ efforts is determined

by the strength of the farmer’s organization and the support of the local government and

other stakeholders.
 CHAPTER VI

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

The traditional agricultural system in Kihan is characterized primarily by

subsistence farming. Production is geared towards food security and other basic needs

rather than market forces. The place is poorly integrated to commercial markets due to its

inaccessibility and the lack of road networks to link the far flung Sitios to commercial

markets. Barangay Kihan is predominantly inhabited by the Blaan indigenous peoples

group. The Blaan devotion to cultural ritual is closely tied to their traditional upland rice

agricultural system. The study focused into the inventory of the different upland rice

varieties, understanding of their traditional knowledge on upland rice farming system,

understanding socio-cultural pressures that contributed to the loss of rare upland rice

varieties and the advocacy for in situ conservation of their precious upland rice varieties.

Upland rice is a key to recovering biodiversity as a fundamental dimension of

household food security among ICCs. Upland rice farming is considered as a household

affair among the Blaan tribe of Brgy. Kihan. They own their land as inheritance from

their parents and most farms are dominated by male farmers. Study revealed that most of

the farmers are within the age range of 26-45 who had been farming for over 16 years.

Respondents said that farm preparation for upland rice planting is from March to May.
 78

This farm activity synchronization is practiced for cultural pest management, thus,

dispersing the pest infestation if ever they occur. The timing is also necessary for the

Bayanihan system or sahul so that farmers can commit to help in another farmers’ farm.

Considering their terrain as rolling to steep mountainous farms, most farmers use hand

hoe to cultivate the soil. They also use dibble stick to make holes for the upland rice.

These implements are efficiently used for minimum tillage in steep sloped farms. Others

with not so rolling farms use draft animals like carabaos, horses, and cow in land

preparation and harrowing. Blaan farmers return all farm wastes like animal manure (e.g.

carabao, cow, horses, chicken), crop residues and rice straws to bring back productivity

of the soil during fallow period.

The survey and semi-structured interviews among the 42 upland rice farmers with

indicated that there is high genetic diversity of traditional upland rice (108 varieties)

identified in Barangay Kihan, a significant indicator of traditional agricultural system.

They traditionally classified their upland rice varieties as Mlal fali (short growing) and

Laweh fali (long growing). This indigenous system of rice classification is based on

farmers’ characterization. Among the 108 varieties, three varieties were favored by most

of the farmers to be planted are larangan (79%) as it can be planted all year round, fitam

kwat (64%) due to its high yield and manabang (55%). The seeds they have at present are

handed down from their forefathers, some from the Barangay Council and Government

program like UDP existing in the area, some are from barter and labor exchange to other

farmers. Choice of particular variety either for food or for seed banking is based on

reasons related to palatability (nutritious) and fragrance, high yielding, resistance to pests

and insects, drought resistance, storability and fast growing varieties. On farm
 79

conservation of local varieties is an existing strategy for food security among the Blaan

tribe. It is also a potential strategy for genetic conservation in Brgy. Kihan because

varieties those farmers manage continue to evolve in response to natural and human

selections. The evidence of many Kihan farmers’ selections in rice field indicates

continuing process of maintaining rice varieties that specifically fit their own needs and

local conditions. Moreover, respondents revealed that the diversity of other crops (57

species) categorized into vegetables, root crops and fruits in upland rice farms served

different purposes. Most crops are used for household consumption especially the root

crops, some are believed to be alternate hosts for pests, some for medicinal value, some

to prevent soil erosion. Some are cash crops that are sold to the local market. The

incorporation of wild resources and high diversity of other crops in their upland rice

farms formed a livelihood strategy among the Blaan farmers.

Traditional upland rice as a common cultural heritage is deeply ingrained in the

belief systems and practices of the Blaan in Kihan. Their traditional knowledge is

transferred from one individual to another individual (Emery, 2000).Traditional upland

rice farming practices and cultural beliefs are distinct in each stage of the agricultural

cycle. During the planting season, the farmers invoke the help of Dwata or Meleh

through a ritual called mabah. The message is revealed through a wild fruit dove called

almugan making a pleasing sound that must be heard through the left ear. This is to

determine the suitability of the area for upland rice planting considering the position of

the blatik (stars) known by the Blaan as samkyab and tubong. This is an illustration of a

world view from an experience-based relationship with family, animals, places, spirits

and the land (Emery, 2000). The Blaan have an elaborate ritual of ‘bot tne’ symbolizing
 80

the desire to have a good harvest. Planting is a major role done by the women. Their

planting is initiated by chanting lamgi of slow to fast tempo while dibbling and placing

rice seeds called bne right into the tiny dibbled hole. This is joyous and fun as old folks

exchange lamgi chants. The most important variety in any upland rice farm is the mlikat

lagfisan strategically planted in the middle of the rice field. This variety is considered to

have the power and strength to protect the upland rice farm and give intellect to those

who eat from it. During the harvest, an elaborate ritual of tuke fali is done beginning

pandoman (thanks giving ceremony), amngawe (exchange of chants), and finally damsu

(offering). Rice harvests vary with respect to the size of the farm, number of varieties

planted and crop losses due to pest infestation. Their upland rice harvest is allocated for

consumption of the household, seed keeping, payment for farm labor, for celebration,

gifts and some reserved for special occasions. Those who have big farms and excess

harvest sell their upland rice to the local market. The upland rice for consumption is

dehulled manually by big mortar and pestle producing different color of rice, some are

red, black, yellowish and some are brown .Different varieties produce different rice

texture and aroma when cooked.

Cultural pest management practiced by the upland rice farmers when their rice is

on its boosting, milking and maturity stage is very crude as they do not use fertilizers.

They make borders and planted other crops that could also serve as alternate hosts for

pests and insects. They make use of burning rubber based materials such as slippers and

old tires on the corner of their farm to get rid of rats. They also burn tails of the rat they

caught and do clearing along the sides of their field. While waiting for harvest, the farmer

is preparing for the storage house or the granary for the harvest that they called fol. They
 81

also make scarecrows and rattles with empty cans to shoo away the maya birds that will

eat the mature grains. They also set up indigenous traps in their fields. This is being

manned during the day by the farmer’s child not going to school. Another belief system

associated in upland rice farming is that no women having menstrual flow will be

allowed to participate in planting or even roam around the rice field as it will entice

insects and pests to infest the field. The ensemble of traditional crop protection practices

used by the indigenous farmers represents a rich resource for modern workers seeking to

create Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems well adapted to the agro-ecological,

cultural and socio-economic circumstances facing small farmers (Altieri, 1993).

Blaan upland rice farmers have their unique cultural resource management for

seed selection, seed keeping and storage. Most farmers inherited their seeds from their

family and forefathers. Some got their seeds through barter and labor payment, some

from the Barangay Council and the UDP, some from seed exchanges among relatives

living in another place. Given the volume of their harvest, they use a storage house called

fol, a hallowed bamboo called tidal, a cylindrical container made out of tree bark called

lihub, indigenous basket called baen, bluyot and kalfilo. Some use sacks in the absence

of the baen,bluyot or kalfilo. For very small quantity of diminishing variety, they use a

nicely polished big coconut shell. Other farmers make bundles of upland rice and hang

them in a safe place near the kitchen to dry the seeds and keep away from rats. These

cultural practices for seed storage made the upland rice farmers effective seed custodians,

keeping and continually planting their traditional varieties. Women played and equally

significant role as the male counterpart with regards to seed selection for the next

planting season.
 82

Farmers expressed that there are 62 varieties considered diminishing and 47

varieties were no longer cultivated in their farms. Reasons for the non-cultivation and dis-

appearance of the rare upland rice varieties are: El Nino and La Nina phenomenon in

1998, difficulty to pound by some varieties due to their tiny size; hard grain texture when

cooked, late maturing variety, lack of capital for cultivation and payment of farm labor;

low seed availability, and low yield during harvest time, introduction of modern varieties

and more cultivation for cash crops. Given this situation, conservation appears to be

driven by the needs where farmers conserve varieties with desired agronomic traits to the

exclusion of other varieties. Crops and varieties grown by farmers primarily depended on

their use and the individual farmers’ preferences (Huvio, 1999). In some cases, little or

no effort done at the conservation due to unavailability of the abovementioned planting

materials. Information gathered revealed the there is genetic erosion of rice gene pool in

the area due to non-cultivation of other traditional cultivars. In a few cases, the large

number of rice varieties and the very small planting areas had contributed to genetic

erosion. Also, small harvest is directly related to the small size of the upland rice farm.

The smaller the farm, the smaller harvest per variety affecting their allocation of the

harvested upland rice resource. Growing number of the family leads to the consumption

of upland rice kept for seeds and other cultural uses to cope for household food. The

diverse rice cultivars are disappearing unless measures will be undertaken to stop or

minimize the occurrence of genetic erosion in the upland rice farmer’s fields of Brgy.

Kihan. This loss of crop varieties causes genetic erosion or a loss of genetic resource

which is a negative consequence of agricultural development (Brush, 2000).

 83

Focus group discussions and survey among the farmers indicated distinct lowland

influences that modified traditional farming systems in Kihan. The over all impact of the

lowland influences is a threat to the cultural survival of their unique Blaan traditional

upland rice agriculture For one, they noted that the introduction of cash economy and

paid labor displaced the Bayanihan systems that the farmers had been using for many

generations, has resulted in hunger, poverty and indebtedness. The change of mindset of

the Blaan affects their sense of volunteerism especially among the younger generation

that opted for money as payment for farm labor. The economic forces from the lowland

business men like the demand for the bya-o enticed more farmers to go to the hinterlands

and look for the bya-o as it commands quick and bigger money. Another lowland

influence is the adoption of hybrid irrigated rice introduced to the farmers that cause them

to discard their traditional variety. Also, it forced the farmers to buy synthetic fertilizers

and pesticides that is an added burden to them. Farmers who shifted to planting irrigated

rice varieties realized that if hybrid rice cultivation is intensified, it will result to further

upland rice genetic loss in their field. Unlike upland rice, they do not perform rituals in

planting and harvesting of the hybrid irrigated rice. The promotion of high yielding cash

crops especially modern variety of corn is another lowland influence that modified

Kihan’s agricultural landscape. Most farmers have bigger area for corn farm rather than

upland rice farm. This shift in agricultural system makes their bigger farm a mono-crop

of corn displacing most of the crops that are found within the upland rice farms. They

keep smaller size of their farm for upland rice. The shift in the corn cropping system

prompted again for the farmers to buy synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to ensure

optimum corn yield. This decision of farmers to cultivate bigger area for corn has become
 84

a salient factor in the diminishing upland rice varieties. Another cultural change is that,

no rituals and traditional practices are performed in their corn farming experience. Post-

harvest and transportation cost for corn harvest is another stage that farmer has to

struggle with just to earn marginal income. They have to hire horses to transport their

product gong to the Barangay and haul their products through the weapon before it would

reach the final market. This alone cost a lot for the farmers

Protection and conservation of the traditional rice is shared responsibility of the

community and the local government. Establishing in situ or on-farm conservation site

for upland rice at Kihan will prevent genetic erosion of traditional rice and preserve the

rich cultural traditions for the coming generations. If the biodiversity of traditional upland

rice is lost, a greater part of the Blaan culture is also lost. To preserve the culture, it is

imperative to continue planting traditional upland rice for the Blaan generations to come

in Brgy. Kihan. If the rare rice cultivars could no longer be collected, then about 60% of

the traditional rice germplasm has vanished, a great loss of our cultural wealth.

Sustainable production of traditional upland rice also addresses one very important – food

security in the uplands. Overall, there is a real need to take a more holistic view of rice

production systems and offer a framework for policy-makers and planners to better

understand the dynamics of upland rice agriculture operating at household and

community level. It is only in this way that the Government and their partners will be

able to support efforts to improve production of traditional upland rice and other crop

varieties in ways that are both sustainable and that meet the food security needs of the

Blaan upland rice farmers in Barangay Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani Province.

 85

Implications of the Study to the Upland Rice Resource Management

of Brgy. Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani Province

The interest of the research study was focused on the Blaan tribe traditional

knowledge with respect to their diverse upland rice resource. The use of their land

includes supporting subsistence lifestyles, the development of culture and their sense of

identity (Daoas et al., 1999; Altieri, 1993; Emery, 2000).

The following are the learning’s and implications on the research findings:

1. Traditional knowledge (TK) is a way of life. The Blaan tribe traditional

knowledge extends back to hundreds or even thousands of years. Their cultural

roots are solidly planted in traditional knowledge and practices that highlights

environmental understanding like their traditional upland rice agriculture. It is

holistic; it cannot be compartmentalized and cannot be separated from the people

who hold it. Their upland rice farming is characterized by subsistence farming

and is primarily geared towards household food security.

2. Acquiring a deep understanding of Blaan traditional knowledge on their upland

rice farming systems requires a great investment of time for the immersion

activities in the communities from planting to harvesting season. A partnership

was created with the Brgy. Council and Tribal Council of Brgy. Kihan thru the

IPDP staff and MSU-Gensan scientists that carries out the research with them.

3. Blaan traditional knowledge on upland rice farming represents a unique

opportunity for agricultural projects in the upland ecosystem to increase their

effectiveness and efficiency. This will also add new world views and perspectives

to the many variables that are part of agricultural development project planning
 86

and implementation (Emery, 2000). The on-farm or in situ conservation of

traditional upland rice varieties should be placed as a priority approach for

agricultural intervention in Kihan and even other upland rice farming

communities of Sarangani Province.

4. Blaan devotion to cultural ritual is closely tied to their traditional upland rice

agricultural system. Preserving the Blaan tribe traditional knowledge in their

upland rice farming needs to be embodied in the decisions about government

agricultural projects that affect their upland communities. There is a need for co-

management agreements wherein Blaan upland rice traditional knowledge and

available technological knowledge are used together that can significantly

improve the management of upland ecosystem resources for household food

security. Different levels of Government in Sarangani (Provincial, Municipal,

Barangay) need to assist the Blaan indigenous peoples by combining traditional

and scientific knowledge in cooperative ventures. This will help the participating

stakeholders of these ventures to understand how to manage the population wild

stocks of their upland rice under different regimes such as the current natural

traditional management styles and future project transformation of toward market-

economy-based management.

5. It is also implied that the different levels of LGUs (Sarangani Provincial

Government, Municipality of Malapatan and Barangay Kihan) specifically need

to protect the intellectual property rights (IPR) for the Blaan traditional upland

rice genetic resources.

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SEPE, JONATHAN. 2000.The Impact of the Green Revolution and Capitalized Farming
In: http://eclectic.ss.uci.edu/~drwhite/Anthro129/JonathanSepe.htm

TOLEDO, ALVARO, BARBARA BURLINGAME. 2006. Biodiversity and Nutrition: A

Common Path Toward Global Food Security and Sustainable
Development. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. Volume 19,
Issue 6-7. pp 477-483.

UPLAND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. 2000. Existing Land Use of 4 UDP Pilot

Areas in Barangay Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani Province.

WORLD BANK. 2001. Philippines Poverty Assessment: Main Report. Volume I.

Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Unit. East Asia and the
Pacific Region

UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM. 1992. Convention on Biological

Diversity Text and Annexes. Geneva, Switzerland

http://www.asiarice.org

http://www.asiarice.org/sections/whatsnew/othersf.html

http://www.asiarice.org/sections/chapters/philippines/ARF-Phil-Prog.html

http://www.asiarice.org/sections/chapters/philippines/ARF-Phil-About.html
 91

http://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/filipiniana/viewessay.asp?aid=32&art_id=32&pg=1

http://www.idrc.ca/es/ev-6234-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

http://www.idrc.ca/es/ev-6109-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

http://www.irri.org/media/articles/pdfs/Trends.pdf

http://library.thinkquest.org/C003235/blaan.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/lumad?cat=technology

http://www.masipag.org/

http://www.ncca.gov.ph

http://www.ncip.gov.ph/resources/ethno_detail.php?ethnoid=47)

http://www.oryza.com/global/organicrice)

http://www.sarangani.gov.ph
APPENDICES
 93

Table 1. Survey Questionnaire (Visayan Version) Para sa mga Upland Rice Farmers

Sitio:_______________ Barangay:________________ Municipality:________________

I. Farmer and Farm Profile

A. Personal Data

Pangalan: _________________________________ ( ) Lalaki ( ) Babae

Edad: _________________________________ Tribo: ____________________

Edukasyon: _________________________________Gidaghanun sa mga anak:______

Gidaghanun sa mga paryentes nga nagpuyo kauban ninyo: ________________________

Gisalihan nga mga grupo o asosasyon: ____________________________________

____________________________________

Sukad kanus-a?: ____________________________________

B. Farm and Farming Activities

Pila ka ektarya nga yuta imo gina-uma? ____________________________________

Panag-iya ba nimo kini o gi-arkilahan?

( ) Panag-iya ( ) Arkila ( ) Gauma para sa uban

Klase sa yuta sa imong uma: ____________________________________

Bukid ba kini o patag?: ( ) Bukid ( ) Patag

Pila ka na ka tuig naga-uma?:

( ) 3-5 ka tuig ( ) 6-10 ka tuig ( ) 11-15 ( ) 16 pataas

Pila ka sakop sa imong pamilya ang naga-uma usab? ________________________

 94

Kung adunay babaye, unsa man ilang buluhaton sa uma?

________________________________ ______________________________

________________________________ ______________________________

Unsa pay lain ninyong panginabuhian?

( ) Tindahan ( ) Babuyan ( ) Manukan

( ) Patahian ( ) Native nga produkto ( ) Uban pa

II. Cropping System and Variety Diversity

A. Crop and Variety Diversity

Gawas sa humay, unas pa’y lain nga pananum ang Makita sa inyong uma?

( ) mais ( ) gulay ( ) prutas ( ) lubi

( ) mani ( ) kakaw ( ) uban pa ________________________

Listahan sa mga klase-klaseng pananum:

Gulay Prutas

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

Lagutmon (Rootcrops) Uban pa

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________
 95

Gina-unsa ninyo ang abot sa inyong mga pananom?

( ) Kunsumo ( ) Baligya ( ) Para sa selebrasyon ( ) Uban pa

Unsay mga tumong sa pagtanum ug humay?

( ) Kunsumo ( ) Gamiton para sa selebrasyon ( ) similya para sa

sunod nga tingtanum ( ) Ibaligya sa mga panahon nga kinahanglan ( ) Uban pa

Unsang klase nga umay ang inyong ginatanum?

( ) Moderno ( ) Traditional ( ) Sagol

Pila ka porsyento sa tibuok yuta ninyo ang ginatamnan alang-alang niining klse?

( ) Moderno _________ ( ) Traditional___________ ( ) Sagol_________

Nagno man? ___________________________________________________________

Unsay mga kinaiya o kalidad ang dapat aduna sa usa ka klase nga humay?

( ) Lami kan-on ( ) Dali maharbes ( ) Paspas ug mutubu

( ) Mulahutay kung ting El Nino ( ) Mulahutay sa mga insekto

( ) Daghan ug maani ( ) Uban pa ________________________

Unsay inyong naandan nga sistema sa pag grupo sa mga humay?

( ) Baligya ug pang kunsumo ( ) Makalahutay sa peste ug sakit

( ) Pilit ug dili pilit ( ) Gitanum sa ting-init o ting-ulan

B. Mechanization and other Farming Practices

Asa mo nagatanum sa inyong humay?

( ) Taas sa bukid o sa bakilid ( ) Sa patag ( ) Pareho

Sa unsa nga panahon buot nimo itanum ang mga humay?

Sa unsa nga bulan o mga bulan?_____________________ Ngano man?______________

 96

Nagagamit ba kamo ug abono? ( )Oo ( ) Wala

Kung Oo, unsa man nga klase?

( ) Hinimo sa mga kumpanya ( ) Organic ( ) Pareho

Kapila ka beses nimo gina-butang ang abuno? ______________________________

Unsang klase sa patubig ang inyong ginagamit?

( ) Uga ug dili na diligan (dry fallow) ( ) Basa sa ulan (rainfed)

( ) Basa na daan ug dili na hilabtan (flooded fallow)

Unsang sistema ang inyong ginagamit sa pagpreparar o pagbungkal sa yuta iha tamnan?

( ) kinamot, gamitan ug pala ug hand hoe

( ) Mag-gamit ug baka o karabaw uban sa comb harrow

( ) Power tiller (kulig-lig, bao-bao)

C. Harvesting and Marketing of the Produce

Pagkahuman ug tanum sa humay, mga pila ka bulan kada klase nga humay ang hulaton

una maka-sanggi?

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

Segun sa hektarya nga inyong natamnan, mga pila ka sako kada klase nga humay ang

inyong maani?

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________
 97

Gina-unsa ninyo ang inyong harvest nga humay?

( ) Ginatago sa granary ( ) Ibaligya dayon ( ) Pang kunsumo

( ) Ginatago hangtud nga mutaas ang presyo ( ) Uban pa ____________

Kinsay nagapalit sa inyong humay?

( ) Seed Store ( ) NFA ( ) Uban pa __________________

Dili ba lisod magbaligya sa inyong giani? ____________________________________

Paghuman ug harbes sa humay, unsay inyong ginahimo aron dili madaut?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

D. Seed Flow, Selection and Storage

Asa gikan ang inyong mga similya sa humay?

( ) Hinatag ( ) Kaugalingon ( ) Pinalit sa Mercado

( ) Barter ( ) Inutang o hinulam ( ) Bayad serbisyo

( ) Ubang luagr ( ) Kooperatiba sa mag-uuma ( ) Uban pa ____________

Nagatago ba kamo ug similya sa humay para sunod nga tingtanum?

( ) Oo ( ) Wala Ngano man? __________________

Mga pila ka tuig ninyo maingon nga ang similya sa humay maayo pa itanum? _________

Unsa ang sistema sa pagtago sa similya sa humay para sa sunod nga tingtanum?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Dili ba madaut ang humay sa ing-ani nga sistema sa pagtago?

( ) Madaut ( ) Dili madaut

 98

Dali lang ba para ninyo ang magkuha ug similya sa humay? ( ) Oo ( ) Dili

Nagbag-o ba kada tuig ang sistema sa pagkuha ug similya sa humay?

( ) Oo ( ) Dili

Kung dili tinuig, kanus-a man? __________________________________________

Unsa may rason nga mag bag-o ang sistema sa pagkuha ug mga similya sa humay?

( ) Ang kadaghanun sa similya dili igo sa mga magtatanum sa isa ka komunidad

( ) Dili dayon makuha ang mga similya

( ) Dali lang mangita ug similya

( ) Uban pa: __________________________________________

Unsay inyong basehan sa pagpili ug similya sa humay?

( ) Makalahutay sa peste ug sakit ( ) Pwede itago ug dugay

( ) Ang mga gastuhonon sa pagpanguma ( ) Lami kan-on

( ) Taas ang presyo kung ibaligya

Kinsa ang nagapili sa mga similya sa humay para itanum sa uma?

( ) Mag-uuma ( ) Organisasyong Lokal ( ) Gobyerno

( ) Asawa ( ) Barangay Chieftain ( ) Uban pa ______

Makaabot ba kaninyo ang similya gikan sa ubang lugar?

________________________________________________________________________

III. Genetic Erosion and Conservation of Traditional Upland Rice

A. Traditional Upland Rice

Mga pila ka klase nga tradisyunal nga humay ang ginatanum dinhi sa inyong lugar gikan

pa niadtong unang panahon? __________________________________________

 99

Unsa ang mga pangalan ani nga mga klase sa humay u gang ilang mga kinaiya?

Tradisyunal nga ngalan sa humay Mga kinaiya sa humay

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

Unsa nga mga tradisyunal nga humay ang gusto ninyo ampingan para sa umaabot nga

mga tuig?

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

Unsa may rason nganong ampingan kini nga mga humay?

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

Unsa ang mga klase nga humay ang wala na ginagamit karon?

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

Unsa ang mga rason nganong wala na ginagamit kini nga mga klase sa humay?

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________
 100

Kapila ka beses mo mag ilis ug klase sa humay nga itanum? __________________

Kinsa man ang naga-ingon kaninyo nga mag-ilis ug humay nga itanum? _____________

B. Rice Resource Allocation

Gikan pagharbes, mga pila ka bulan bag-o mahurot ang inyong humay? ______________

Mga unsang bulana mahurot ang inyong hinarbes nga humay? __________________

Kung mahurot na ang inyong humay, unsa na ang inyong pangkunsumo?

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

Sa tibuok nga naharbes, unsa nga sistema ang pangbahinbahin ani ug pila ka porsiyento

kada bahin?

( ) Pan kunsumo _____________% ( ) Similiya __________%

( ) Pang regalo _____________% ( ) Gamit sa selebrasyon __________%

( ) Reserba _____________% ( ) Dowry __________%

( ) Pangbayad sa hulam nga similya apil tubo _____________%

C. Hybrid Rice

Unsa nga mga hybrid rice ang naa kaninyo ug inyong gitanum?

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

Asa kini gikan nga mga hybrid rice? ____________________________________

 101

Mas maayo ba kini kumpara sa tradisyunal rice?

( ) Oo Ngano man? __________________________________________

( ) Dili Ngano man? __________________________________________

Unsay epekto aning hybrid rice sa inyong kultura o sa sistema sa pagtanum sa tradisyunal

nga humay? _____________________________________________________________

IV. Government Intervention ad Cultural Aspects of Traditional Rice

Unsa nga mga problema ang inyong naagian sa pagtanum ug tradisyunal ng humay?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Unsa ang hinungdan ani nga mga problema?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Unsa nga hinabang gikan sa pamunuan ni Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez ang inyong

gusting maangkon mahitungod sa pagpalambo sa tradisyunal nga humay sa inyong luagr?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Ang paglambo bas a tradisyunal nga humay makatabang sa pagsulbad sa kakulanagn sa

pagkaon dinhi sa inyong lugar?

( ) Oo Sa unsa nga pama-agi? ___________________________________

( ) Dili Ngano man? ____________________________________

 102

Makatabang ba ang pagpalambu sa tradisyunal nga humay sa pagpreserba sa inyong

kultura?

( ) Oo Sa unsa nga pama-agi? ___________________________________

( ) Dili Ngano man? ____________________________________

Unsa nga mga impluwensya gikan sa bisaya ang napausab sa inyong naandan nga

pagpatanum ug tradisyunal nga humay?

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

Maayo ba kini nga impluwensya? ( ) Oo ( ) Dili

Kung Oo, unsa nga pama-agi? __________________________________________

Kung dili, ngano man? __________________________________________

Unsa nga mag kalamidad o mga sakit ang niatake sa inyong gitanum nga tradisyunal nga

humay?

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

Pirmi ba kini mahitabo? ( ) Oo ( ) Dili

Unsay inyong gihimo para masulbad ni? ____________________________________

Wala bay commercial fertilizer ug pesticide nga gigamit sa pagtanum ug tradisyunal nga

humay?

( ) Naa Unsa kini nga fertilizer?__________________________________

( ) Wala Ngano man? ____________________________________

 103

Kinahanglan ba nga mapreserba ang inyong kultura, labi na ang pagtanum sa tradisyunal

nga humay u gang mga ritwal nga apil niini? ( ) Oo ( ) Dili

Unsa ang imong mahimo para mapreserba ang pagtanum sa tradisyunal nga humay u

gang mga tradisyon nga nahiapil niini hangtud sa umaabot pa nga mga henerasyon?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Unsay matabang sa gobyerno para mapreserba ang pagtanum ug tradisyunal rice apil na

ang mga ritwal ug tradisyun niini?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
Table 2. Farmer and Farm Profile

# of Other Organization
Educational
# Name of Farmer Gender Age Tribe Sitio Dependent( Depen-
Level
s) dents Affiliation
1 Batol Latil Male 53 Blaan Sol-Kili None 6 - -
High School
2 Bernabe Nonggod Female 26 Blaan Cana-an Graduate - -
3 Ruben P. Domato Male 53 Blaan Banlas None 6 13 -
4 Condrado Salaway Male 45 Blaan Banlas None 9 - -
5 Kyuga Lukina Male 60 Blaan Banlas None 13 - -
6 Diana Baro Female 60 Blaan Lower Klabong None 4 - -
7 Andan Dala Female 70 Blaan Nabol None 5 - Church-Based
8 Dodong Malngan Male 30 Blaan Nabol Grade 2 - -
9 Besing Salway Male 38 Blaan Sol-Kili None 6 - Church-Based
10 Gaes Taguse Male 60 Blaan Sol-Kili None 8 - -
11 Benito Balbino Male 30 Blaan Banlas Grade 5 5 - Church-Based
12 Samian Colano Male 48 Blaan Banlas Grade 3 2 - Church-Based
13 Weng Tabon Female 75 Blaan Banlas None 10 - Church-Based
Elementary
14 Renato Salway Male 30 Blaan Banlas Graduate 4 - Church-Based
Elementary
15 Bernardo Angos Male 43 Blaan Banlas Graduate 12 - Church-Based
Elementary
16 Capistrano Dominguez Male 60 Blaan Banlas Graduate 9 - Church-Based
Elementary
17 Danny Sambo Male 31 Blaan Banlas Graduate 8 - Church-Based

104
18 Tomas Lukina Male 5 Blaan Banlas Grade 2 5 1 -
Table 2 Continued…

# of Other Organization
Educational
# Name of Farmer Gender Age Tribe Sitio Dependent Depend
Level
s ents Affiliation
Elementary
19 Marcelo Lagallo Male 36 Blaan Banlas Graduate 7 - Church-Based
Non-formal
20 Felipe Sumbo Male 33 Blaan Banlas Education 3 - -
Elementary
21 Dambong Sucal Male 30 Blaan Banlas Graduate 4 - Church-Based
22 Saron S. Bayang Male 55 Blaan Banlas None 9 - Church-Based
Elementary
23 Terson Parasan Male 36 Blaan Banlas Graduate 5 - Church-Based
Literacy
24 Mulan Lagalcan Male 60 Blaan Klalang Program 9 - Church-Based
25 Peter L. Colano Male 39 Blaan Klalang First year HS 7 - Brgy. Council
Elementary
26 Ruben Lukina Male 39 Blaan Klalang Graduate 9 - -
27 Ruben Sulaw Male 40 Blaan Klalang None 5 - -
28 Mulaw Dayag Male 65 Blaan Klalang None 8 3 -
High School Women's,
29 Jocelyn Bagan Female 29 Blaan Proper Graduate 4 - Church-based
30 Felipe Wata Male 40 Blaan Proper None 6 - -
31 Emily T. Palawan Female 45 Blaan Centro None 5 4 Church-Based
32 Linda Colano Female 55 Blaan Centro None 5 - Church-Based
Elementary

105
33 Armando B. Mandalo Male 29 Blaan Upper Klabong Graduate 4 19 -
Table 2 Continued…

# of Other Organization
Educational
# Name of Farmer Gender Age Tribe Sitio Dependent Depend
Level
s ents Affiliation
High School
34 Elpedio V. Caliwag Male 42 Blaan Upper Klabong Graduate 9 - -
35 Martin Mandalo Male 47 Blaan Upper Klabong None 6 16 -
36 Gualan Laminggo Male 55 Blaan Lower Klabong None 8 4 -
High School
37 Susan Dala Female 26 Blaan Lower Klabong Graduate 2 -
Elementary
38 Florencio Colano Male 30 Blaan Lower Klabong Graduate 2 3 -
39 Nene Salway Female 55 Blaan Katnog None 2 - Church-Based
40 Andan Baro Female 68 Blaan Lower Klabong None 3 - -
41 Salan Yano Male 60 Blaan Limbunga None 8 - Church-Based
42 Moc Bagit Female 56 Blaan Limbunga None 1 5 Church-Based

106
Table 3. Farm Profile, Role of Women and other Sources of Income

Type of # of family
# of Soil # of Role of Women in Other
Planting Land
# Name of Farmer Hectares Upland Years in members Upland Rice Sources of
Season Ownership
Cultivated or Farming Farming Income
Lowland in farming
Sari-Sari
Household chores,
Clay- Store,
1 Batol Latil 1/2 ha. March-April Owned 16 2 planting, harvesting,
loam piggery,
post-harvest activities
poultry
Weeding, planting, Indigenous
2 Bernabe Nonggod 3 has. March-April Owned Lowland 6-10
post-harvest activities handicraft
Indigenous
Seed selection, handicraft,
3 Ruben P. Domato 3 has. March-May Owned Lowland 16
planting piggery,
poultry
Household chores,
Upland, Piggery,
4 Condrado Salaway 2 has. March-April Owned 6-10 1 planting, harvesting,
lowland poultry
post-harvest activities
Household chores, Backyard
Upland,
5 Kyuga Lukina 2 has. March-April Owned 6-10 5 planting, harvesting, piggery,
lowland
post-harvest activities poultry
Cooking, harvester,
do household chores,
6 Diana Baro 1/2 ha. March-May Owned Lowland 16 1 Poultry
assist post harvest

107
activities
Table 3 Continued…

Type of # of family
# of Soil # of Role of Women in Other
Planting Land
# Name of Farmer Hectares Upland Years in members Upland Rice Sources of
Season Ownership
Cultivated or Farming Farming Income
Lowland in farming
Clay- Household chores,
Poultry,
7 Andan Dala 1 ha. March-May Owned loam, 16 4 planting, harvesting,
piggery
rolling post-harvest activities
Cooking, harvester,
Clay-
household chores, Piggery,
8 Dodong Malngan 1 ha. March-April Owned loam, 6-10
assist post harvest Poultry
rolling
activities
Cooking, harvester,
Clay-
household chores, Piggery,
9 Besing Salway 3/4 ha. March-April Owned loam, 6-10
assist post harvest poultry
lowland
activities
Cooking, harvester,
Clay-
household chores,
10 Gaes Taguse 1/2 ha. March-April Owned loam, 16 1 Poultry
assist post harvest
rolling
activities
Clay- Poultry,
Cooking, planting,
11 Benito Balbino 1/2 ha. March-May Owned loam, 6-10 2 backyard
seed banking

108
lowland gardening
Table 3 Continued…

Type of # of family
# of Soil # of Role of Women in Other
Planting Land
# Name of Farmer Hectares Upland Years in members Upland Rice Sources of
Season Ownership
Cultivated or Farming Farming Income
Lowland in farming
Clay- Planting, cooking, pre-
Poultry,
12 Samian Colano 1/4 ha. March-April Owned loam, 16 harvest activities,
gardening
lowland seedbanking
Planting, cooking, pre-
Piggery,
13 Weng Tabon 2 has. March-May Owned Upland 16 harvest activities,
poultry
seedbanking
Sari-Sari
Store,
Clay-
Cooking, planting, piggery,
14 Renato Salway 2 has. April-May Owned loam, 6-10
harvesting poultry,
lowland
indigenous
products
Sari-sari
store,
Clay-
indigenous
loam,
15 Bernardo Angos 1/2 ha. March Owned 6-10 2 Planting, harvesting products,
upland,
piggery,
lowland
tailoring,

109
poultry
Table 3 Continued…

Type of # of family
# of Soil # of Role of Women in Other
Planting Land
# Name of Farmer Hectares Upland Years in members Upland Rice Sources of
Season Ownership
Cultivated or Farming Farming Income
Lowland in farming
Clay-
Capistrano loam, Piggery,
16 5 has. March-May Owned 11-15 9 Harvesting, planting
Dominguez upland, poultry
lowland
Clay-
loam, Piggery
17 Danny Sambo - March-April Owned 6-10 6 Harvesting, planting
upland, poultry
lowland
Clay-
loam, Planting, weeding, Piggery,
18 Tomas Lukina 1/4 ha. March-May Owned 11-15
upland, seedbanking poultry
lowland
Clay-
Poultry,
19 Marcelo Lagallo 1 ha. March Owned loam, 6-10 Planting, harvesting
piggery
upland
Clay-
loam, Seed selection,
20 Felipe Sumbo - March-May Owned 3-5 -
upland, planting

110
lowland
Table 3 Continued…

Type of # of family
# of Soil # of Role of Women in Other
Planting Land
# Name of Farmer Hectares Upland Years in members Upland Rice Sources of
Season Ownership
Cultivated or Farming Farming Income
Lowland in farming
Planting of vegetables Piggery,
21 Dambong Sucal 4 has. March-April Owned Upland 6-10
and rice, harvesting poultry
Piggery,
Upland, Planting of vegetables poultry,
22 Saron S. Bayang 11 has. May Owned 11-15 9
lowland and rice, harvesting indigenous
products
Piggery,
Upland, poultry,
23 Terson Parasan 8 has. May Owned 6-10 1 Planting, harvesting
lowland indugenous
products
Indigenous
Clay-
Planting, post-harvest products,
24 Mulan Lagalcan 2 has. March-May Owned loam, 16 2
activities piggery,
upland
poultry
Indigenous
Seed selection,
25 Peter L. Colano 2 has. March-May Owned Upland 11-15 products,
planting, winnowing
poultry
Clay- Poultry,
Weeding, planting,
26 Ruben Lukina 1/4 ha. March-May Owned loam, 3-5 corn

111
post-harvest activities
upland production
Table 3 Continued…

Type of # of family
# of Soil # of Role of Women in Other
Planting Land
# Name of Farmer Hectares Upland Years in members Upland Rice Sources of
Season Ownership
Cultivated or Farming Farming Income
Lowland in farming
Clay-
Weeding, planting, Piggery,
27 Ruben Sulaw 1/4 ha. March-May Owned loam, 11-15
post-harvest activities poultry
upland
Clay- Sari-sari
Planting, weeding,
28 Mulaw Dayag 3/4 ha. March-April Owned loam, 16 Store,
harvesting
upland poultry
Sari-sari
Store,
29 Jocelyn Bagan 4 has. April Owned Lowland 6-10 2 Planting
piggery,
poultry
Upland, Household chores, Piggery,
30 Felipe Wata 2 has. April-May Owned 16 3
lowland planting poultry
Clay-
Planting, weeding, Piggery,
31 Emily T. Palawan 1/4 ha. March-May Owned loam, 16 2
harvesting poultry
lowland
Clay-
loam, Planting, pre-harvest Piggery,
32 Linda Colano 1/2 ha. March-May Owned 16 2
upland, activities poultry

112
lowland
Table 3 Continued…

Type of # of family
# of Soil # of Role of Women in Other
Planting Land
# Name of Farmer Hectares Upland Years in members Upland Rice Sources of
Season Ownership
Cultivated or Farming Farming Income
Lowland in farming
Indigenous
products,
33 Armando Mandalo 3 has. April Owned Upland 5 5 Planting, harvesting
piggery,
poultry
Indgenous
Vegetable farming, products,
34 Elpedio V. Caliwag 4 has. March Owned Upland 16
planting piggery,
poultry
Indigenous
Vegetable farming, products,
35 Martin Mandalo 3 has. April Owned Upland 16 5
planting piggery,
poultry
Clay-
Cooking, planting,
loam, Piggery,
36 Gualan Laminggo 1 ha. March-May Owned 16 weeding and other pre-
upland, poultry
harvest activities
lowland
Seed selection, Sari-sari
37 Susan Dala 1 ha. March-April Lease Lowland 16
planting store
Seed selection, Piggery,
38 Florencio Colano 1 ha. April-May Owned Lowland 16 1

113
planting poultry
Table 3 Continued…

Type of # of family
# of Soil # of Role of Women in Other
Planting Land
# Name of Farmer Hectares Upland Years in members Upland Rice Sources of
Season Ownership
Cultivated or Farming Farming Income
Lowland in farming
Clay- Cooking, planting and
Piggery,
39 Nene Salway 1/2 ha. March-May Owned loam, 16 2 other pre-harvest
poultry
upland facilities
Planting, weeding,
Indigenous
40 Andan Baro 2 has. May Lease Lowland 16 1 seed selection and
products
seed banking
Clay- Indigenous
Seed selection,
loam, products,
41 Salan Yano 1 1/2 has. March-May Owned 16 3 planting weeding,
upland, piggery,
household chores
lowland poultry
Sari-sari
Clay- Planting, weeding and
Store,
42 Moc Bagit 1 ha. March-May Owned loam, 16 1 other pre-harvest
piggery,
lowland activities
poultry

114
Table 4. Summary of Traditional Upland Rice Varieties Documented in Bry. Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani Province

Name of Variety Maturity Characteristics

1. Afu 3-4 mos Diminishing variety, fragrant, palatable
2. Agmasi 3-4 mos. Yellowish grain, palatable
3. Aknugo ibid 2 ½ mos. – 3 mos. Extremely diminishing variety, fragrant, palatable
4. Alag 3 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable
5. Amihan 3 mos. Germinates fast, drought tolerant
6. Amik 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, fragrant, palatable
7. Baka 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable
8. Balngolan 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable
9. Banatan 3-4 mos. Palatable, fragrant, diminishing variety
10. Bansalan 3-4 mos. Palatable, fragrant, diminishing variety
11. Bantong 3-4 mos. Whitish grain, palatable, diminishing variety
12. Basag 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable
13. Bigko 3-4 mos. Drought tolerant, fragrant, diminishing variety
14. Binatan 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable
15. Blanak 3-4 mos. Dark brown grain, good aroma, palatable
16. Balsok ful 3-4 mos. Diminishing, palatable, fragrant
17. Blawen var 1 3-4 mos. Golden grains with black tip
18. Blawen var 2 3-4 mos. Whitish big grains, high yielding
19. Blawen var 3 3-4 mos. High yielding, yellowish big grains
20. Bulabed var 1 3-4 mos. Palatable, fragrant
21. Bulabed var 2 3-4 mos. Small robust grains, easy to pound
22. Buling katiil 3-4 mos. Fragrant, palatable, diminishing variety
23. Dinorado 4 months Germinates fast, drought tolerant, chaff easily separates from grain when
pounded, not glutinous, palatable, fragrant

115
24. Falak 4 mos. Tiny but robust grains, diminishing variety, used for special occasion
Table 4 Continued…

Name of Variety Maturity Characteristics

25. Fanaral 4 mos. Fragrant, palatable, diminishing variety
26. Fanda Bulaw 4-5 mos. Vigorous growth, palatable, fragrant, long growing period, pale white grains
27. Fantig 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable
28. Fantilanen 3 mos. Germinates fast, fragrant easily pounded, high viability, drought tolerant,
palatable, yellow brownish grains
29. Fitam Kwat 4-5 mos. Drought tolerant, long storage life, long growing period, easily pounded,
palatable, fragrant, big grains with black tips, long awns, high yielding
30. Fungol 4 mos. Vigorous growth, fragrant, palatable
31. Gulo 3-4 mos Yellowish white grains, palatable, diminishing variety
32. Haytin 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable, fragrant
33. Hinumay 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, fragrant, palatable
34.Ikong balos 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, slender and hairy grains, palatable
35. Kabang fafak 4-5 mos. Diminishing variety, big grains, palatable
36. Kantuna 5 mos. Fragrant, palatable
37. Kalubid 3-4 mos. Big pale yellow grains, fragrant
38. Kanadal 3-4 mos. Long panicle, white grains, long awns
39. Kanone 3 mos. Palatable, fragrant, short growing period
40. Kifan kili (named after 3-4 mos. Tiny and very slender, used for rituals and celebrations, hard to pound as it will
the size and shape of the crush the whole rice grain
41. Kinsinas 3-4 mos. Big grains, pale yellow grains, long panicles
42. Kuto kura 4-5 mos. Fragrant, tiny like the size of the horse flea, diminishing variety, used for special
occasions
43. Labwari 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable, fragrant
44. Lafinig 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable

116
45. Lamot magayo 3-4 mos Not attractive to maya birds because it has pointed ends
Table 4 Continued…

Name of Variety Maturity Characteristics

46. Larangan 3 mos. Short growing period, high viability, fragrant, palatable, long storage life, easily
pounded
47. La ereng 4 mos. Slender yellowish grains, palatable
48. Lumabet 3 mos. Drought tolerant, good for making porridge, small grains, fragrant
49. Magles var 1 5 mos. Fragrant, golden brown grains with black tip
50. Magles var 2 5 mos. Robust, yellowish grains, palatable
51. Manabang 3 mos. + Vigorous growth, fragrant, high yielding, palatable, short growing
52. Maglub 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable
53. Manabang mayeng 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, fragrant, palatable
54. Manumbay 4 mos. Short seed storage life, palatable
55. Matutong 4-5 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable
56. Mayaman 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable, fragrant
57. Mlabat 3-4 mos. Fragrant, pale yellow color, big grains
58. Mlabon 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable, fragrant
59. Mlatoh 4-5 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable, fragrant
60. Mlikat alfa 4-5 mos. Diminishing variety, fragrant, palatable
61. Mlikat blantan 4-5 mos. White grains, glutinous, fragrant, used for porridge especially children
62. Mlikat blawen 3 mos. Glutinous, vigorous growth, used for celebration and rituals, fragrant, palatable,
short growing period, high yielding, golden brown grains
63.Mlikat blokok 4-5 mos. Glutinous, palatable, fragrant, rises when cooked, diminishing variety
64. Milkat bulen 4-5 mos. Glutinous, palatable, diminishing variety
65. Mlikat blawen 3 mos. Glutinous, vigorous growth, used for celebrations and rituals, fragrant,
palatable, short growing period, high yielding, golden brown grains
66. Mlikat buling 4-5 mos. Glutinous, palatable, diminishing variety

117
67. Mlikat byad 5 mos. Glutinous, palatable
Table 4 Continued…

Name of Variety Maturity Characteristics

68. Mlikat fnu 5 mos. Glutinous, palatable, diminishing variety
69. Mlikat fule 4 mos. Golden brown and white grains, palatable
70. Mlikat kablak 4 mos. glutinous, drought tolerant, diminishing variety
71. Mlikat kambing 4 mos. Glutinous, palatable, diminishing variety
72. Mlikat knumi 4 mos. With long awns, yellowish colored grains, robust grains, glutinous
73. Mlikat labas 4-5 mos. Diminishing variety, glutinous, palatable, fragrant, good for sweetened snacks
74. Mlikat lagfisan 5 mos. Glutinous, considered as soldier rice, plays significant role in the rice field and
for celebrations, grains are black and tiny but robust
75. Mlikat lanifil 4 mos. Glutinous, palatable, diminishing variety
76. Mlikat lasang 4 mos. Glutinous, palatable, diminishing variety
77. Mlikat luyong 5 mos. Glutinous, fragrant, palatable, fragrant, diminishing variety
78. Mlikat malah 5 mos. Glutinous, fragrant and spicy rice, diminishing variety
79. Mlikat samlaka 5 mos. Glutinous and fragrant, pale white colored grains, easy to pound, palatable
80. Mlikat spikit 5 mos. Robust yellowish grains, palatable, fragrant, very sticky/glutinous rice
81. Mlikat tabe 5 mos. Robust grains, burgundy stripped grains to some black portions, fragrant,
palatable, glutinous
82. Mlikat tele 5 mos. Glutinous, diminishing variety
83. Mlitaw 4 mos. Glutinous, palatable
84. Mnamat 4 mos. Glutinous, palatable
85. Mto kulang 5 mos. Vigorous growth when cooked, palatable, fragrant
86. Muslim 5 mos. Grains are heavy, long growing period, not easily pounded, fragrant, golden
brown to burgundy colored grains
87. Nabol 5 mos. Glutinous, big and roust grains, dark brown colored grains

118
88. Nalek 4 mos. Palatable
Table 4 Continued…

Name of Variety Maturity Characteristics

89. Natik 4 mos. Palatable
90. Nlakon 4 mos. Fragrant
91. Nomoy 4 mos. Long panicles
92. Olli 4-5 mos. Palatable, fragrant
93. Pilit mantika 5 mos. Glutinous, big grains
94. Pilit tapul 4 mos. Long viability of seeds, very good for sweetened snacks, pale greenish colored
grains, high yielding, palatable
95. Saba 4 mos Palatable, diminishing variety
96. Safat 3 mos. Easily pounded, high yielding, fragrant, short growing period, drought resistant,
with long awns, pale white to yellow colored grains, fragrant
97. Salban 4-5 mos. Diminishing variety
98. Samfang 4 mos. High yielding, palatable, easy to pound
99. Samlan kulanu 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable
100. Samlon 3-4 mos. Diminishing variety, palatable
101. Sampaguita 4 mos. Difficult to pound
102. Sufe 4-5 mos. Diminishing variety
103. Tabwen 5 mos. Diminishing variety
104. Tagansule 4-5 mos. Diminishing variety
105. Tindah 4 mos. Drought resistant, palatable, big grains, fragrant, high yielding
106. Tine sugen 3 mos. Short growing period, fragrant
107. Ubo 3 mos. Short growing period, slightly rounded, golden grains, fragrant

119
108. Yos 4-5 mos. Fragrant, diminishing variety
Table 5. State of Traditional Upland Rice Varieties
# Name of farmer
1 Batol Latil
2 Bernabe Nonggod
3 Ruben P. Domato
4 Condrado Salaway
5 Diana Baro
Cultivars that needs Identified Non-
Name of Cultivars
to be preserved available Cultivars
Tindah, mdatok, fantilanen, blawen, magleg, lumabet,
lagfisan, mlikat fule, kanone, mlikat tabe, fitam kwat, katiil, Muslim, manabang, Kuto kura, mlikat
kabang fafak, aknugo-ibid, blanak, fanda bulaw, manabang, fantilanen, mlikat tabe, kambing, salban, safe,
samfang, lampinig, tabwen, bantong, baka, manabang lumabet, larangan, kabang fafak, katiil,
mayeng, mnamat, bukay kwat, salban, dinurado, kuto kanone, tindah aknugo-ibid, mnamat
kura, mlikat kambing, kalubid
Fitam kwat, manabang, mlikat kablak, kanone, falak,
Fitam kwat, tindah,
tindah, kuto kura, bansalan, malabat, pongol, bolabed, Kuto kura, mlikat
manabang, ameyan, la
fanda bulaw, kantuna, blawen, samlaka, ameyan, buling kambing, kabang fafak
ereng, buling katiil
katiil
Fitam kwat, manabang, mlikat kablak, kanone, falak,
Fitam kwat, tindah, kuto kura, kifan kili,
tindah, kuto kura, bansalan, malabat, pongol, bolabed,
manabang, ameyan aknugo ibid
fanda bulaw, kantuna, blawen, samlaka, ameyan
Manabang, bantong, mlikat tabe, asucena, fantilanen, Larangan, manabang,
klanon, blanak, magleg, ubo, katiil, maltoh, fitam kwat, bantong, asucenas, Fungol, katiil, fanda
muslim, mayaman, kambulol, fungol, sfikit, fanda bulaw, buling katiil, mlikat bulaw, ubo
sufe sfikit
Fitam kwat, kaltone, muslim, mlatoh, manabang, larangan, Fitam kwat, larangan,
tine sugen, bitaw, tindah, samblon, mlikat balwen, kaltona, muslim, Kaltona, mulsim
samfang, fantilanen, magles manabang
120
Table 5 Continued…

Cultivars that needs Identified Non-

# Name of farmer Name of Cultivars
to be preserved available Cultivars
Manumbay, bulabed, fitam kwat, samfang, sugen, muslim,
kantone, fanda bulaw, ubo, alag, lamot mgayo, nlakon,
Fitam kwat, nlakon,
mlikat tabe, mlikat kablak, mlikat samlaka, mlikat kambing, Bigko, yos, amik, kuto
6 Kyuga Lukina bulabed, manumbay,
mlikat luyong, falak, amik, magles, mlabat, kuto kura, kura, bigko, falak
manabang, larangan
fantilanen, fantig, mlabon, blawen, katiil, blanak, bigko,
yos
Fitam kwat, larangan, muslim, manabang, fantilanen, Magles, manabang,
Kambulol, katiil, buling,
tindah, fanda bulaw, lagfisan, magels, blawen, basag, fantilanen, basag,
7 Andan Dala falak, fanaral, haytin,
mlitaw, kanone, lumabet, gulo, blanak, katiil, kambulol, tindah, fitam kwat,
hinumay
bantong, la ereng, sfikit muslim
Tindah, muslim, manabang, blanak, enurado/murado,
bulabed, manumbay, fitam kwat, larangan, mlikat salmaka, Umay, manumbay,
Tindah, muslim,
8 Dodong Malngan mlikat blawen, mlikat tabe, mlikat alfo, mlikat kablak, bulabed, samfang, mlikat
blanak, larangan
samfang, fantig, basag, umay, lagfisan, fitam kwat, alfo
kantona
Buling katiil, bukay
Buling katiil, bukay kwat, mlikat fule, tindah, larangan, baka, balngolan, banatan,
9 Besing Salway kwat, mlikat fule,
blawen, bantong, manabang, fitam kwat, lumabet, baka aknugo ibid
muslim
Lumabet, tindah, fantilanen, muslim, blawen, fitam kwat,
Ubo, mlatoh, mlikat
nlakon, katiil, basag, samfang, sufe, fanda bulaw, mlatoh, Fantilanen, lumabet,
10 Gaes Taguse samlaka, kifan kili, basag,
manabang, mlikat salmaka, mlikat tabe, mlikat lagfisan, tindah, kanadal, mlitaw
balsok ful

121
tine sugen, ubo, magles, larangan, kanone
Table 5 Continued…

Cultivars that needs Identified Non-

# Name of farmer Name of Cultivars
to be preserved available Cultivars
Mlikat samlaka, blasok
Muslim, fitam kwat, larangan, fantlanen, manumbay, Larangan, muslim, fol, labwari,
11 Benito Balbino manabang, tindah, blasok fol, ubo, fanda bulaw, matutong, fitam kwat, mlikat lafinig,maglub,
mlikat blawen, mlikat luyong, mlikat samlaka samlaka, mlikat blawen manabang mayeng,
matutong, mayaman
Ubo, nlakon, haytin,
Fitam kwat, larangan, manabang, tindah, mantong,
Larangan, fitam kwat, hinumay, ikong balos,
kanone, blawen, mlikat sfikit, mlikat blokok, malikat fule,
12 Samian Colano manabang, kanone, mlikat bulen, mlikat
mlikat samlaka, mlikat lagfisan, fantilanen, nlakon, fanda
blawen buling, mlikat kambing,
bulaw, ubo, mlatoh, muslim
mlikat lanifil
Lumabet, tindah, fantilanen, muslim, blawen, fitam kwat, Ubo, mlatoh, mlikat
Buling katiil, bukay
nlakon, katiil, basag, samfang, sufe, fanda bulaw, mlatoh, samlaka, mlikat lasang,
13 Weng Tabon kwat, mlikat fule,
manabang, mlikat salmaka, mlikat tabe, mlikat lagfisan, mlikat lanifil, mlikat
muslim, tindah
tine sugen, ubo, magles, larangan, kanone malah, mlikat luyong
Fitam kwat, manabang, tindah, larangan, pilit, samfang, Fitam kwat, manabang,
14 Renato Salway enurado, fanda bulaw, manumbay, katiil, fungol, bantong, tindah, larangan, pilit, afu, agmasi, saba, safat
blawen, kantone tindah
15 Bernardo Angos Enurado, fantilanen, amihan, pilit fitam kwat, fungol lafinig
16 Capistrano Dominguez Enurado, fantilanen larangan, bulabed amik, gulo
17 Danny Sambo kanadal, kalubid larangan, manabang labwari, mlikat labas

122
Table 5 Continued…

Cultivars that needs Identified Non-

# Name of farmer Name of Cultivars
to be preserved available Cultivars
Bantong/mantong, manabang, fitam kwat, blawen,
18 Tomas Lukina Fitam kwat, larangan mlikat tele, mlikat blokok
kanone/manone
Larangan, manabang,
19 Marcelo Lagallo Manabang, fitam kwat maglub
lagfisan, fitam kwat
fitam kwat, manabang,
20 Felipe Sumbo Mlikat blawen, tindah, nabol fantig, mlikat bulen
kanone
Larangan, Tindah,
21 Dambong Sucal Enurado, fantilanen saba, salban
fantilanen
Tindah, muslim,
22 Saron S. Bayang Enurado, fantilanen, amihan, pilit, larangan, fitam kwat tagansule, ubo, yos
blanak, larangan
23 Terson Parasan Pilit, larangan, fitam kwat larangan, fitam kwat sufe, samlon, tine sugen
Larangan, fitam kwat, kanone, lumabet, fantilanen,
manabang, bulaw, sugen, mantong, fanda bulaw, nlakon, Larangan, fantilanen,
Blanak, mlatoh, samlon,
fungol, manumbay, fali fule, mlikat blawen, lagfisan, fitam kwat, lagfisan,
24 Mulan Lagalcan ubo, yos, amik, agmasi,
bulabed, ubo, muslim, mlikat samlaka, lamot magayo, mlabat, manabang,
lamot magayo
mlatoh, samlon, tindah, mlikat loyong, blanak, magles, fanda bulaw
katiil
Larangan, kanoni,
25 Peter L. Colano Larangan, kanone, fitam kwat, lumabet, muslim saba, salban
fitam kwat, lumabet

123
Table 5 Continued…

Cultivars that needs Identified Non-

# Name of farmer Name of Cultivars
to be preserved available Cultivars
Larangan, fitam kwat, mantong, kanone, fanda bulaw,
Larangan, fitamkwat,
26 Ruben Lukina bansalan, tindah, lagfisan, fantilanen, mlikat blawen, tine Magles, tine sugen
mantong, tindah
sugen, magles
Larangan, fitam kwat, lagfisan, manabang, mantong, Larangan, fitam kwat,
27 Ruben Sulaw Mlatoh, lfa
bulabed manabang, lagfisan
Larangan, fitam kwat, fantilanen, mlabat, manumbay, Fitamkwat, ubo,
28 Mulaw Dayag bulabed, mlikat balantan, lfa, ubo, lagfisan, tindah, fantilanen, mlabat, Blanak, lagfisan, lfa
manabang, buling katiil, blanak, mantong, kanone manumbay, manabang
Larangan, blawen,
Larangan, blawen, lumabet, tindah, muslim, safat, mlikat
29 Jocelyn Bagan fitam kwat, tindah, Muslim, mlikt blawen
blawen, fitam kwat
mlikat blawen, muslim
Ubo, fitam kwat, larangan, fantilanen, manabang, kanone,
matutung, mayaman, mlabet, bulabed, asucenas, mlatoh, Fitam kwat, larangan,
binaton, saba, fanda bulaw, lumabet, yos, bansalan, nlakon, manabang, fantilanen, yos, nlakon, amik, mlikat
30 Felipe Wata
alpa, amik, apu, sampang, muslim, mlikat tabo, mlikat kanone, mlabat, fanda labas, afu, mlikat lasang
lagfisan, mlikat samlaka, mlikat lasang, mlikat linda, bulaw
mlikat labas

124
Table 5 Continued…

Cultivars that needs Identified Non-

# Name of farmer Name of Cultivars
to be preserved available Cultivars
Fantilanen, manabang, larangan, fanda bulaw, fitam kwat, Larangan, manabang,
ubo, mlikat fnu, mlikat
31 Emily T. Palawan sugen, ubo, lumabet, muslim, kantona, magles, mlikat tabe, fantilanen, lagfisan,
tabe
mlikat lagfisan, mlikat samlaka, mlikat fnu, lagfisan fitam kwat

Larangan, kanone, fantilanen, fitam kwat, tindah, muslim, Larangan, manabang,

mlikat alfo, ubo, basag,
32 Linda Colano mlatoh, kantona, lumabet, mlikat tabe, lagfisan, mlikat fnu, fantilanen, kanone,
mlikat fnu
mlikat lfo, manabang, ubo, basag, fanda bulaw, blanak mlikat lagfisan

Larangan, manabang, blanak, kanone, fantilanen, blawan,

mlikat lagfisan,
fitam kwat, kaltuna, muslim, samfang, ule, mliaw, fanda
33 Armando B. Mandalo larangan, manabang, alfa, tagnsule, samfang
bulaw, blawen, fungol, matutong, lumabet, lagfisan, alfa,
fantilanen
tagansule, bulabed, hinumay, kalube, tindah, samlan

Larangan, fitam kwat, fanda bulaw, kaltuna, muslim,

larangan, manabang, blawen, muslim, mlikta
34 Elpedio V. Caliwag blanak, matutong, manabang, kanone, enurado, blawen,
mlikat lagfisan, kanone tele, sufe, tabwen
manumbay, fantilanen

Larangan, manabang, fantilanen, lumabet, kaltona, fitam

Kaltona, fitam kwat,
kwat, muslim, tindah, bansalan, manumbay, samfang, alfa, tagnsule, samfang,
35 Martin Mandalo muslim, larangan,
kanone, fanda bulaw, samlon, alag, nomoy, lagfisan, samlon, nabol
manumbay, fantilanen
magles, alfa, bulabed, fungol, tagansuli, mlitaw, nabol

125
Table 5 Continued…

Cultivars that needs Identified Non-

# Name of farmer Name of Cultivars
to be preserved available Cultivars
Larangan, fitam kwat, manabang, fantilanen, muslim, Larangan, fitam kwat,
nlakon,mlatoh, mlikat
36 Gualan Laminggo mlatoh, mlikat tabe, mlikat lagfisan, mlikat samlaka, mlikat lagfisan,
tabe
lumabet, nlakon, kanone, magles, blawen manabang
Kanadal, mitaw,
37 Susan Dala Larangan, fitam kwat, fantilanen, kanadal, mitaw, mlikat Kantona, muslim
larangan, manabang
Larangan, lumabet,
38 Florencio Colano Larangan, lumabet, fitam kwat, mlikat saba, salban, safat
fitam kwat, mlikat
Fitam kwat, fantilanen, kanone, larangan, mlikat lagfisan,
Mlatoh, nlakon, falak,
39 Nene Salway mlikat samlaka, ,likat garong, mgles, mlatoh, tindah, Fitam kwat, larangan
fantig
lumabet, kanone, manabang
Fungol, larangan,
Larangan, manabang, bitaw, fanaral, fitam kwat, kanone, Fungol, lumabet,
40 Andan Baro manabang, fantilanen,
fantilanen, lagfisan fantilanen
kanone, matutong
Fitam kwat, nlakon, kanone, fantilanen, larangan, mlabat,
Fitam kwat, mlikat mlatoh, lfa, natik, nalik,
41 Salan Yano mlikat garong, mlikat samlaka, mlikat lagfisan, mlikat tabe,
lagfisan, larangan olli, nomoy
tindah, muslim, mlatoh
Fitam kwat, fantilanen, kanone, larangan, manabang,
Larangan, Manabang,
mlikat tabe, mlikat garong, mlikat lagfisan, bulabed, ubo, mlikat garong,
42 Moc Bagit mlikat lagfisan, fitam
manumbay, mlabat, lumabet, mlatoh, matutong, tindah, matutong,
kwat, fanda bulaw
fanda bulaw, ubo

126
Table 6. List of Traditional Upland Rice Varities Collected in Brgy. Kihan, Malapatan, Sarangani Province

Name of Variety Maturity to Characteristics

harvest
1. Agmasi 3-4 mos. Yellowish grain, palatable
2. Bansalan 3-4 mos. Palatable, fragrant, diminishing variety
3. Bantong 3-4 mos. Whitish grain, palatable, diminishing variety
4. Blanak 3-4 mos. Dark brown grain, good aroma, palatable
5. Blawen var 1 3-4 mos. Golden grains with black tip
6. Blawen var 2 3-4 mos. Whitish grains, big grains, high yielding
7. Blawen var 3 3-4 mos. Yellowish grains, big grains
8. Bukay kwat 4-5 mos. With long awn, yellowish grains
9. Bulabed 3-4 mos. Palatable, fragrant, easy to pound
10. Buling katiil 3-4 mos. Fragrant, palatable, diminishing variety
11. Dinorado or 4 months Germinates fast, drought tolerant, chaff easily separates from grain when pounded, not
Muraro glutinous, palatable, fragrant
12. Falak 4 mos Tiny but robust grains, diminishing variety, used for special occasion
13. Fanda Bulaw 4-5 mos. Vigorous growth, palatable, fragrant, long growing period, pale white grains
14. Fantilanen 3 mos. Germinates fast, fragrant easily pounded, high viability, drought tolerant, palatable, yellow-
brownish grains
15. Fitam Kwat 4-5 mos. Drought tolerant, long storage life, long groing period, easily pounded, palatable, fragrant, big
grains with black tips, long awns, high yielding
16. Fungol 4 mos. Vigorous growth, fragrant, white grains with brown in the middle
17. Gulo 3-4 mos. Yellowish-white grains, palatable, diminishing variety
18. Kantuna 5 mos. Fragrant, palatable
19. Kalubid 3-4 mos. Big pale yellow colored grains, fragrant
20. Kanadal 3-4 mos. Long panicle, white grains, long awns

127
21. Kanone 3 mos. Palatable, fragrant, short growing period
Table 6 Continued…

Name of Variety Maturity to Characteristics

harvest
22. Kifan kili (named 3-4 mos. Tiny and very slender, used for rituals and celebrations, hard to pound as it will crush the
after the size and whole rice grain
23. Kinsinas 3-4 mos. Big grains, pale yellow grains, long panicles
24. Larangan 3 mos. Short growing period, high viability, fragrant, palatable, long storage life, easily pounded,
yellowish grains
25. La ereng 4 mos. Slender yellowish grains, palatable
26. Lumabet 3 mos. Drought tolerant, good for making porridge, small grains, fragrant
27. Magles var 1 5 mos. Fragrant, golden brown grains with black tip
28. Magles var 2 5 mos. Robust yellowish grains, palatable
29. Manabang 3 mos. + Vigorous growth, fragrant, high yielding, palatable, short growing
30. Manumbay 4 mos. Short seed storage life, palatable
31. Mlabat 3-4 mos. Fragrant, pale yellow color, big grains
32. Mlikat blawen 3 mos. Glutinous, vigorous growth, used for celebration and rituals, fragrant, palatable, short growing
period, high yielding, golden brown grains
33. Mlikat fule 4 mos. Golden brown and whit grains, palatable
34. Mlikat kablak 4 mos. Glutinous, drought tolerant, burgundy stripped grains and robust grains, diminishing variety
35. Mlikat knumi 4 mos. With long awns, yellowish color, robust grains, glutinous
36. Mlikat lagfisan 5 mos. Glutinous, considered as soldier rice, plays significant role in the rice field and for
celebrations, grains are black and tiny but robust grains
37. Mlikat samlaka 5 mos. Glutinous and fragrant, pale white color of grains, easy to pound, palatable
38. Mlikat spikit 5 mos. Robust yellowish grains, palatable, fragrant, very sticky/glutinous rice
39. Mlikat tabe 5 mos. Robust grains, burgundy stripped grains to some black portion, fragrant, palatable, glutinous

128
Table 6 Continued…

Name of Variety Maturity to Characteristics

harvest
40. Muslim 5 mos. Grains are heavy, long growing period, not easily pounded, fragrant, golden bron to burgundy
colored grains
41. Mlikat luyong 5 mos. Big grains, high yielding, palatable, fragrant
42. Pilit tapul 4 mos. Long viability of seeds, pale greenish color of the grains, high yielding, palatable
43. Nabol 5 mos. Glutinous, big and robust grains, dark brown colored grains
44. Tindah 4 mos. Drought resistant, palatable, big grains, fragrant, high yielding
45. Samfang 4 mos. High yielding, palatable, easy to pound
46. Safat 4 mos. Drought resistant, with awns after harvest, pale white-to- yellow colored grains, palatable,
fragrant

129
Table 7. Purpose of Upland Rice Planting and Preferred Qualities of Upland Rice

Type of Rice Purpose of Upland Rice

# Name of Farmer Preferred Quality of Upland Rice
Planted Planting
Consumption,
Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought and
1 Batol Latil Traditional Celebrations, Seed
pests, bigger volume of harvests and fast-growing, storability
Banking
Consumption, Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought,
2 Bernabe Nonggod Traditional commercial for sale to palatability, storability, fragrant, rises when cooked, easy to
fellow farmers thresh
Consumption, seed Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought and
3 Ruben P. Domato Traditional
banking pests, bigger volume of harvests and fast-growing, storability
Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought and
Consumption, special
4 Condrado Salaway Traditional pests, bigger volume of harvests and fast-growing, fragrant,
occasion, for seeds
rises when cooked, easy to thresh
Consumption, special Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought and
5 Kyuga Lukina Traditional
occasion, seeds pests, bigger volume of harvests and fast-growing, storability
Consumption, special Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought and
6 Diana Baro Traditional
occasion, seeds pests, bigger volume of harvests and fast-growing
Consumption, special Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought and
7 Andan Dala Traditional
occasion, seeds pests, bigger volume of harvests and fast-growing
Consumption, special Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought and
8 Dodong Malngan Traditional
occasion, seeds pests, bigger volume of harvests and fast-growing
Consumption, special Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought and
9 Besing Salway Traditional

130
occasion, seeds pests, bigger volume of harvests and fast-growing
Table 7 Continued…

Type of Rice Purpose of Upland Rice

# Name of Farmer Preferred Quality of Upland Rice
Planted Planting
Consumption, special Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to dorught and
10 Gaes Taguse Traditional
occasion, seeds pests, bigger volume of harvest
Consumption, Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought and
11 Benito Balbino Traditional Commercial, pests, bigger volume of harvests and fast-growing, easy to
Celebration, Seed thresh
Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought and
Consumption, special
12 Samian Colano Traditional pests, bigger volume of harvests and fast-growing, storability,
occasion, seeds
drought tolerance, easy to thresh, fragrant
Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought and
Consumption, special
13 Weng Tabon Traditional pests, bigger volume of harvests and fast-growing, storability,
occasion, seeds
drought tolerance, fragrant, easy to thresh
Consumption, special Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought and
14 Renato Salway Traditional
occasion, seeds pests, bigger volume of harvests and fast-growing
Consumption, seed Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought and
15 Bernardo Angos Traditional
banking pests, bigger volume of harvests and fast-growing
Consumption,
Capistrano Nutritious, short-term cropping, fragrant, easy to thresh, rises
16 Mixed commercial for sari-sari
Dominguez when cooked
stores
Consumption,
Resistant to pests, high yielding, palatability, rises when
17 Danny Sambo Mixed commercial for sale in
cooked, fragrant, drought tolerant

131
sari-sari stores
Table 7 Continued…

Type of Rice Purpose of Upland Rice

# Name of Farmer Preferred Quality of Upland Rice
Planted Planting
Consumption, Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought, fast-
18 Tomas Lukina Traditional
seedbanking growing variety, bigger volume of harvest, fragrant
Consumption, Nutritious, short-term cropping, fast-growing variety, bigger
19 Marcello Lagallo Traditional
seedbanking volume of harvest
Consumption,
20 Felipe Sumbo Mixed Nutritious, fast-growing variety, storability, drought tolerance
seedbanking
Consumption,
21 Dambong Sucal Mixed Nutrititious, short-term cropping, resistant to weather
seedbanking
Consumption,
seedbanking, commercial Nutrititious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought, bigger
22 Saron S. Bayang Mixed
for sale with fellow volume of harvest, rises when cooked, fragrant
farmers
Consumption,
Nutritious, fast-growing variety, short-term cropping,
23 Terson Parasan Mixed commercial for sale in
resistant to weather/climate, easy to thresh, fragrant
sari-sari stores
Consumption, Nutritious, fast growing variety, short-term cropping,
24 Mulan Lagalcan Traditional
commercial, seedbanking resistant to drought and pests, easy to thresh and fragrant
Consumption,
25 Peter L. Colano Traditional Nutritious, resistant to insects and pests, fragrant
seedbanking

132
Table 7 Continued…

Type of Rice Purpose of Upland Rice

# Name of Farmer Preferred Quality of Upland Rice
Planted Planting
Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought, resistant
26 Ruben Lukina Traditional Consumption to insects and pests, bigger volume of harvests, fast growing
variety, fragrant
Consumption, Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought, fast-
27 Ruben Sulaw Traditional
seedbanking growing variety
Consumption,
28 Mulaw Dayag Traditional Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought weather
seedbanking
29 Jocelyn Bagan Mixed Consumption Nutritious, short-term cropping, bigger volume of harvest
Consumption, Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to weather, resistant
30 Felipe Wata Traditional
seedbanking to insects and pests, fast-growing variety
Consumption,
31 Emily T. Palawan Traditional Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to weather
seedbanking
Nutritious, short-term cropping resistant to drought, resistant
Consumption, special
32 Linda Colano Traditional to insects and pests, fast-growing varieties, bigger volume of
occasion
harvest
Consumption,
33 Armando B. Mandalo Traditional Nutritious, short-term cropping, fast-growing varieties
seedbanking
Consumption,
34 Elpedio V. Caliwag Traditional Nutritious, bigger volume of harvests, fast-growing varieties
seedbanking
Traditional, Consumption,
35 Martin Mandalo Nutritious, short-term cropping, fast-growing varieties

133
mixed seedbanking
Table 7 Continued…

Type of Rice Purpose of Upland Rice

# Name of Farmer Preferred Quality of Upland Rice
Planted Planting
Consumption, special Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought weather,
36 Gulan Laminggo Traditional
occasion, seed banking resistant to insects and pests, fast growing variety
Traditional, Consumption, Nutritious, resistant to weather, resistant to insects and pests,
37 Susan Dala
mixed commercial, seedbanking bigger volume of harvests, rises when cooked
Consumption, seed
Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought, resistant
38 Florencio Colano Traditional barter with fellow
to insects and pests, storability, drought tolerance
farmers, seedbanking
Consumption, special Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought weather,
Traditional
39 Nene Salway occasion, seed banking resistant to insects and pests
Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought, fast-
40 Andan Baro Traditional Consumption
growing variety, high yileding, storability
Consumption, Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought, resistant
41 Salan Yano Traditional
seedbanking to insects and pests, fragrant
Consumption, special Nutritious, short-term cropping, resistant to drought, resistant
42 Moc Bagit Traditional
occasion to insects and pests, high yielding, rises when cooked

134
Table 8. Seed Flow, Selection and Storage

Is Seed- Seed Is it
Point of Who does
keeping Mortality Seed Keeping efficient Ways of sourcing
# Name of Farmer Origin of the Seed
practiced Rate (in System (yes or seeds for planting
Seedlings Selection
? years) no?)
Through the barangay
Personally Traditional way of
Farmer, council (provision of
1 Batol Latil owned and Yes One year seed keeping Yes
housewife upland rice to other
barter (tidal), lihub, fol
growers
Traditional way of
Personally
2 Bernabe Nonggod Yes One year seed keeping Yes Farmer Personally kept seeds
owned
(Ttirdadailt)ional way of
Personally
3 Ruben P. Domato Yes One year seed keeping Yes Farmer Personally kept seeds
owned
(Ttirdadailt)ional way of
Personally
4 Condrado Salaway Yes One year seed keeping Yes Farmer Personally kept seeds
owned
(Ttirdadailt)ional way of
Personally
5 Kyuga Lukina Yes One year seed keeping Yes Farmer Personally kept seeds
owned
(Ttirdadailt)ional way of
Personally
6 Diana Baro Yes One year seed keeping Yes Farmer Personally kept seeds
owned
(tidal )

135
Table 8 Continued…

Is Seed- Seed Is it
Point of Who does
keeping Mortality Seed Keeping efficient Ways of sourcing
# Name of Farmer Origin of the Seed
practiced Rate (in System (yes or seeds for planting
Seedlings Selection
? years) no?)
Traditional way of
Personally
7 Andan Dala No One year seed keeping Yes Housewife Personally kept seeds
owned
(Ttirdadailt)ional way of
Personally
8 Dodong Malngan Yes One year seed keeping Yes Housewife Personally kept seeds
owned
(Ttirdadailt)ional way of
Personally
9 Besing Salway Yes One year seed keeping Yes Housewife Personally kept seeds
owned
(Ttirdadailt)ional way of
Personally Farmer,
10 Gaes Taguse Yes One year seed keeping Yes Personally kept seeds
owned housewife
(tidal )
Personally Traditional way of
11 Benito Balbino owned and Yes One year seed keeping Yes Housewife Personally kept seeds
barter (tidal )
Through the barangay
Traditional way of
Personally council (provision of
12 Samian Colano Yes One year seed keeping Yes Housewife
owned upland rice to other
(tidal), lihub, fol
growers

136
Table 8 Continued…

Is Seed- Seed Is it
Point of Who does
keeping Mortality Seed Keeping efficient Ways of sourcing
# Name of Farmer Origin of the Seed
practiced Rate (in System (yes or seeds for planting
Seedlings Selection
? years) no?)
Personally
owned and Traditional way of Through the barangay
13 Weng Tabon handed Yes One year seed keeping Yes Farmer council (provision of
through (tidal), lihub, fol upland rice by UDP)
generation
Traditional way of
Personally Farmer,
14 Renato Salway Yes One year seed keeping Yes Personally kept seeds
owned housewife
(tidal )
Stored in sack and Through the barangay
USM- Farmer,
15 Bernardo Angos Yes One year put it in granary - council (provision of
Kabacan housewife
(fol ) upland rice by UDP)
Through the barangay
Stored in sack and
Capistrano Personally Farmer, council (provision of
16 Yes One year put it in granary -
Dominguez owned housewife upland rice to other
(fol )
growers
Through the barangay
Stored in sack and
Personally Farmer, council (provision of
17 Danny Sambo Yes One year put it in granary -
owned housewife upland rice to other
(fol )
growers

137
Table 8 Continued…

Is Seed- Seed Is it
Point of Who does
keeping Mortality Seed Keeping efficient Ways of sourcing
# Name of Farmer Origin of the Seed
practiced Rate (in System (yes or seeds for planting
Seedlings Selection
? years) no?)
Through the barangay
Stored in sack and
council (provision of
18 Tomas Lukina Personally Yes One year put it in granary - Housewife
upland rice to other
(fol )
growers
Through the barangay
Traditional way of
Personally Farmer, council (provision of
19 Marcelo Lagallo Yes One year seed keeping Yes
owned housewife upland rice to other
(tidal), lihub, fol
growers
Through the barangay
Traditional way of
Personally council (provision of
20 Felipe Sumbo Yes One year seed keeping Yes Farmer
owned upland rice to other
(tidal )
growers
Through the barangay
Personally Barangay
Stored in granary council (provision of
21 Dambong Sucal owned, Yes One year Yes Chieftain,
(tidal), lihub, fol upland rice to other
cooperative farmer
growers
Through the barangay
Personally
Stored in sack, fol, Farmer, council (provision of
22 Saron S. Bayang owned, Yes One year Yes
tidal housewife upland rice to other

138
barter
growers
Table 8 Continued…

Is Seed- Seed Is it
Point of Who does
keeping Mortality Seed Keeping efficient Ways of sourcing
# Name of Farmer Origin of the Seed
practiced Rate (in System (yes or seeds for planting
Seedlings Selection
? years) no?)
Through the barangay
Personally
Stored in sack, Farmer, council (provision of
23 Terson Parasan owned, Yes One year Yes
baskets, tidal housewife upland rice to other
barter
growers
Traditional way of
Personally
24 Mulan Lagalcan Yes One year seed keeping Yes Housewife Personally kept seeds
owned
(tidal )
Personally
Traditional way of Given through the
owned and
seed keeping Upland Development
25 Peter L. Colano some were Yes One year Yes Farmer
(tidal ), lihub , fol , Program, an EU funded
given by co-
basket project
farmers
Traditional way of
Personally
26 Ruben Lukina Yes One year seed keeping Yes Housewife Payment of farm labor
owned
(Ttirdadailt)ional way of
Personally
27 Ruben Sulaw Yes One year seed keeping Yes Housewife Personally kept seeds
owned
(Ttirdadailt)ional way of
Personally
28 Mulaw Dayag Yes One year seed keeping Yes Housewife Personally kept seeds
owned
(tidal )

139
Table 8 Continued…

Is Seed- Seed Is it
Point of Who does
keeping Mortality Seed Keeping efficient Ways of sourcing
# Name of Farmer Origin of the Seed
practiced Rate (in System (yes or seeds for planting
Seedlings Selection
? years) no?)
Given through the
Traditional way of
Personally Upland Development
29 Jocelyn Bagan Yes One year seed keeping Yes Farmer
owned Program, an EU funded
(tidal )
project
Traditional way of
Personally Farmer, Given by other farmers
30 Felipe Wata Yes One year seed keeping Yes
owned housewife and relatives
(tidal )
Traditional way of Barter of products
Personally Farmer,
31 Emily T. Palawan Yes One year seed keeping Yes especially during
owned housewife
(tidal ) harvest time
Personally
Payment of farm labor
owned, Traditional way of
Farmer, and barter of products
32 Linda Colano barter, Yes One year seed keeping Yes
housewife especially during
payment of (tidal )
harvest time
workforce
Traditional way of Barter of products
Armando B. Personally
33 Yes One year seed keeping Yes Farmer especially during
Mandalo owned
(tidal ) harvest time
Traditional way of Through the
Elpedio V. Personally Farmer,
34 Yes One year seed keeping Yes government
Caliwag owned housewife

140
(tidal ) programs/projects
Table 8 Continued…

Is Seed- Seed Is it
Point of Who does
keeping Mortality Seed Keeping efficient Ways of sourcing
# Name of Farmer Origin of the Seed
practiced Rate (in System (yes or seeds for planting
Seedlings Selection
? years) no?)
Personally
owned and Traditional way of
Barter of products
payment for seed keeping Farmer,
35 Martin Mandalo Yes One year Yes especially during
the (tidal ), lihub , fol , housewife
harvest time
workforce basket
rendered
Personally
owned, Traditional way of
Barter of products
barter and seed keeping
36 Gualan Laminggo Yes One year Yes Housewife especially during
payment of (tidal ), lihub , fol ,
harvest time
workforce basket
rendered
Personally
Traditional way of Barter of products
owned and
seed keeping especially during
37 Susan Dala some were Yes One year Yes Farmer
(tidal ), lihub , fol , harvest time from other
given by co-
basket co-farmers
farmers
Given through the
Traditional way of
Personally Farmer, Upland Development
38 Florencio Colano Yes One year seed keeping Yes
owned housewife Program, an EU funded

141
(tidal )
project
Table 8 Continued…

Is Seed- Seed Is it
Point of Who does
keeping Mortality Seed Keeping efficient Ways of sourcing
# Name of Farmer Origin of the Seed
practiced Rate (in System (yes or seeds for planting
Seedlings Selection
? years) no?)
Personally
Traditional way of Payment of the services
owned,
seed keeping rendered and some
39 Nene Salway barter, Yes One year Yes Housewife
(tidal ), lihub , fol , were given by co-
payment of
basket farmers
workforce
Traditional way of Farmer, Handed through
40 Andan Baro Barter Yes One year Yes
seed keeping (tidal) housewife generation and gifts
Personally
Traditional way of
owned,
seed keeping Farmer, Handed through
41 Salan Yano barter, Yes One year Yes
(tidal ), lihub , fol, housewife generation and gifts
payment of
basket
workforce
Personally
Payment of the services
owned, Traditional way of
rendered and some
42 Moc Bagit barter, Yes One year seed keeping Yes Housewife
were given by co-
payment of (tidal ), fol , basket
farmers
workforce

142
Table 9. Traditional Upland Rice Allocation in Brgy. Kihan

Percentage of Upland Rice Harvest Allocation (%)

# Name of Farmer Payment Gift/
Consumption Seed Keeping Celebration Reserved Dowry Others
s Offers
1 Batol Latil 45% 15% 15% 5% 10% 10% 0% 0%
2 Bernabe Nonggod 50% 10% 5% 0% 10% 25% 0% 0%
3 Ruben P. Domato 50% 10% 5% 0% 10% 25% 0% 0%
4 Condrado Salaway 50% 15% 15% 5% 5% 10% 0% 0%
5 Kyuga Lukina 50% 10% 10% 5% 5% 20% 0% 0%
6 Diana Baro 50% 15% 15% 5% 5% 10% 0% 0%
7 Andan Dala 60% 20% 0% 5% 10% 5% 0% 0%
8 Dodong Malngan 60% 20% 0% 5% 10% 5% 0% 0%
9 Besing Salway 60% 10% 10% 0% 5% 15% 0% 0%
10 Gaes Taguse 50% 15% 15% 5% 15% 0% 0% 0%
11 Benito Balbino 30% 50% 0% 5% 10% 5% 0% 0%
12 Samian Colano 40% 20% 15% 5% 10% 10% 0% 0%
13 Weng Tabon 40% 10% 25% 5% 10% 10% 0% 0%
14 Renato Salway 70% 10% 0% 5% 10% 5% 0% 0%
15 Bernardo Angos 50% 10% 15% 0% 10% 15% 0% 0%
16 Capistrano Dominguez 45% 15% 10% 5% 15% 10% 0% 0%
17 Danny Sambo 50% 20% 5% 0% 10% 15% 0% 0%
18 Tomas Lukina 50% 15% 15% 5% 5% 10% 0% 0%
19 Marcelo Lagallo 75% 10% 0% 5% 10% 0% 0% 0%
20 Felipe Sumbo 40% 5% 25% 0% 10% 20% 0% 0%

143
21 Dambong Sucal 30% 10% 20% 0% 15% 25% 0% 0%
Table 9 Continued…

Percentage of Upland Rice Harvest Allocation (%)

# Name of Farmer Payment Gift/
Consumption Seed Keeping Celebration Reserved Dowry Others
s Offers
22 Saron S. Bayang 40% 5% 25% 0% 10% 20% 0% 0%
23 Terson Parasan 50% 10% 25% 0% 5% 10% 0% 0%
24 Mulan Lagalcan 70% 10% 0% 10% 10% 0% 0% 0%
25 Peter L. Colano 60% 20% 0% 0% 10% 10% 0% 0%
26 Ruben Lukina 75% 25% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
27 Ruben Sulaw 75% 10% 0% 5% 10% 0% 0% 0%
28 Mulaw Dayag 50% 5% 5% 0% 5% 35% 0% 0%
29 Jocelyn Bagan 50% 10% 25% 0% 5% 10% 0% 0%
30 Felipe Wata 50% 10% 25% 0% 5% 10% 0% 0%
31 Emily T. Palawan 45% 10% 25% 0% 5% 15% 0% 0%
32 Linda Colano 75% 15% 5% 0% 5% 0% 0% 0%
33 Armando B. Mandalo 50% 10% 15% 0% 10% 15% 0% 0%
34 Elpedio V. Caliwag 60% 10% 15% 0% 5% 10% 0% 0%
35 Martin Mandalo 75% 5% 15% 0% 0% 5% 0% 0%
36 Gualan Laminggo 50% 25% 0% 10% 10% 0% 0% 5%
37 Susan Dala 60% 5% 15% 0% 5% 5% 0% 10%
38 Florencio Colano 40% 10% 15% 0% 5% 10% 0% 20%
39 Nene Salway 50% 20% 0% 5% 0% 10% 0% 15%
40 Andan Baro 75% 20% 0% 5% 0% 0% 0% 0%
41 Salan Yano 50% 25% 0% 10% 10% 0% 0% 5%

144
42 Moc Bagit 75% 10% 0% 10% 5% 0% 0% 0%
Table 10. Volume of Harvest and Traditional Post-harvest Practices
Volume Harvested per Ha. per
# Name of Farmer
Variety (in sacks)
5 sacks per variety depending on
1 Batol Latil
the size of farm
2 Bernabe Nonggod Depending on the farm size
3 Ruben P. Domato Depending on the farm size
4 Condrado Salaway Depending the size of farm
5 Kyuga Lukina Depending on the farm size
3 sacks depending on the farm
6 Diana Baro
size
3 sacks depending on the farm
7 Andan Dala
size
8 Dodong Malngan Depending on the farm size
9 Besing Salway Depending on the farm size
10 Gaes Taguse Depending on the farm size
11 Benito Balbino Depending on the farm size
Post-Harvest Marketing Practices in Preserving the
Practices Harvests
Dried and stored in granary
Stored in Granary
Stored in granary, Dried and stored in granary
commercial
Stored in granary, Dried and stored in granary
commercial
Stored in granary (fol ) for Dried and stored in granary
consumption
Stored in granary (fol ) for Dried and stored in granary
consumption
Stored in granary (fol ) for Dried and stored in granary
consumption
Stored in granary (fol ) for Dried and stored in granary
consumption
Stored in granary (fol ) for Dried and stored in granary
consumption
Stored in granary (fol ) for Dried and stored in granary
consumption
Stored in granary (fol ) for Dried and stored in granary
consumption
Stored in granary and for Dried and stored in granary
145
consumption
Table 10 Continued…

Volume Harvested per Ha. per Post-Harvest Marketing Practices in Preserving the
# Name of Farmer
Variety (in sacks) Practices Harvests
Stored in granary for
12 Samian Colano Depending on the farm size consumption and Dried and stored in granary
seedbanking
Stored in granary for
13 Weng Tabon Depending on the farm size consumption and Dried and stored in granary
seedbanking
Stored in granary for
14 Renato Salway Depending on the farm size commercial and Dried and stored in granary
consumption
Solely for consumption Dried and stored in granary
15 Bernardo Angos Depending on the farm size
for consumption
Capistrano Consumption Dried and store in sack to be
16 Depending on the farm size
Dominguez stored in granary
Consumption Dried and store in sack to be
17 Danny Sambo Depending on the farm size
stored in granary
Stored in granary for Dried and store in sack to be
18 Tomas Lukina Depending on the farm size
consumption stored in granary
Stored in granary for Dried and stored in granary
19 Marcelo Lagallo Depending on the farm size
consumption for consumption
Dried and stored for Dried and stored for
20 Felipe Sumbo Depending on the farm size consumption and consumption and

146
commercial commercial
Table 10 Continued…

Volume Harvested per Ha. Post-Harvest Marketing Practices in Preserving the

# Name of Farmer per Variety (in sacks) Practices Harvests

Dried and stored in sack Dried and stored in sack

21 Dambong Sucal -
for consumption
Stored in granary for Dried and stored tidal
22 Saron S. Bayang -
consumption
Stored in granary for Dried and stored in sack
23 Terson Parasan -
consumption
3 sacks depending on the farm Stored for consumption Dried and stored in sack
24 Mulan Lagalcan
size and in "fol "
Dried and stored in sack,
25-35 sacks depending on the Stored in granary for
25 Peter L. Colano while the seeds will be
farm size consumption
stored in Bamboo (tidal )
3-5 sacks depending on the farm Stored in sack Traditional way of milling
26 Ruben Lukina
size and will be stored in sack
2-3 sacks depending on the farm Stored in granary (fol or -
27 Ruben Sulaw
size tidal ) for consumption
5-20 sacks depending on the farm Store for consumption Traditional way of milling
28 Mulaw Dayag
size and will be stored in sack
Stored in "tidal " and other
2-4 sacks depending on the farm Stored in granary for
29 Jocelyn Bagan traditional way of
size consumption
preserving their harvest

147
Table 10 Continued…

Volume Harvested per Ha. per Post-Harvest Marketing Practices in Preserving the
# Name of Farmer
Variety (in sacks) Practices Harvests
Stored in granary for next
Stored in granary for
30 Felipe Wata Depending on the farm size planting season and for
consumption
consumption
Solely for consumption
20-25 sacks depending on the Dried and stored in sack or
31 Emily T. Palawan with the traditional post
farm size in "tidal "
harvest facilities (tidal )
2-3 sacks depending on the farm Solely for consumption and Dried and stored in sack or
32 Linda Colano
size seedbanking in "tidal "
Armando B. 5-7 sacks depending on the farm Stored in granary for Dried and stored in sack or
33
Mandalo size consumption in "tidal "
Stored in granary for Stored for whatever
34 Elpedio V. Caliwag 20 sacks per hectare
consumption purposes
10-20 sacks depending on the Stored in granary for Dried and stored in sack
35 Martin Mandalo
farm size consumption
Stored in granary for
2-3 sacks depending on the farm Dried and stored in granary
36 Gualan Laminggo consumption and special
size (fol ) and in tidal
occasion
Traditional way of
10 sacks depending on the farm Stored in granary for
37 Susan Dala preserving through the
size consumption
"tidal "
Stored in granary for Traditional way of
4-5 sacks depending on the farm
38 Florencio Colano consumption and other preserving through the

148
size
incidental purposes "tidal "
Table 10 Continued…

Volume Harvested per Ha. per Post-Harvest Marketing Practices in Preserving the
# Name of Farmer
Variety (in sacks) Practices Harvests
10-12 sacks depending on the Stored in granary for Dried and stored in granary
39 Nene Salway
farm size consumption (fol ) and in tidal
5-7 sacks depending on the farm Stored in sacks for Dried and stored in granary
40 Andan Baro
size consumption (fol ) and in tidal
3-4 sacks depending on the farm Stored in sacks for Dried and stored in granary
41 Salan Yano
size consumption (fol ) and in tidal
Stored in granary for
5-7 sacks depending on the farm Dried and stored in granary
42 Moc Bagit consumption and other
size (fol ) and in tidal
incidental purposes

149
Table 11. Diversity of other Crops in Upland Rice Farms

Other Crops Planted Utilization of

# Name of Farmer
Vegetables Root Crops Fruits Others Harvests
Munggo, String beans, Banana, Jackfruit,
Camote, cassava, Coffee, Consumption
1 Batol Latil eggplant, camote taps, green Star apple,
ube Abaca Celebration
onions, tomatoes, ginger Pineapple
Mango, lansones,
Eggplant, string beans, Camote, gassava, sesame Consumption,
2 Bernabe Nonggod durian, jackfruit,
munggo, okra, garlic ube, gabi (taro) seeds commercial
marang
Banana, mango,
Eggplant, string beans, Camote, gassava, Consumption,
3 Ruben P. Domato jackfruit, marang, abaca
mongoe, okra, malunggay ube, gabi seeds
durian
Banana, mango, Consumption,
Eggplant, string beans, horse Camote, cassava,
4 Condrado Salaway jackfruit, papaya, coconut special
raddish, tomatoe, alugbati gabi, ube
guava occasion, seeds

Mango, lansones,
Camote, cassava, Consumption,
Eggplant, okra, ampalaya, rambutan,
5 Kyuga Lukina ube, gabi, onions, coconut special
string beans, bell pepper jackfruit,
squash, upo occasion, seeds
pineapple

Consumption,
Eggplant, squash, okra, green Camote, cassava, Banana, guyabano,
6 Diana Baro breadfruit special
onions, tomatoe gabi, ube pineapple, mango
occasion, seeds

150
Table 11 Continued…

Other Crops Planted Utilization of

# Name of Farmer
Vegetables Root Crops Fruits Others Harvests
Banana, mango,
Eggplant, string beans, Consumption,
Camote, cassava, papaya, pineapple, sesame
7 Andan Dala squash, bell pepper, okra, special
gabi, ube star apple, seeds
green onions, tomatoe occasion, seeds
lansones
Consumption,
Eggplant, string beans, Papaya, mango,
Cassava, camote, Coffee, special
8 Dodong Malngan mongoe, okra, green onions, star apple,
gabi Abaca occasion,
tomatoe avocado, pineapple
seedbanking
Consumption,
Eggplant, string beans, green Camote, cassava, Pomelo, jackfruit, special
9 Besing Salway cacao
onions, tomatoe, alugbati gabi mango, avocado occasion,
seedbanking
Eggplant, string beans, Mango, pomelo, Consumption,
Camote, cassava, Glutinous
10 Gaes Taguse squash, bell pepper, okra, avocado, guava, commercial,
gabi, ube corn
green onions, tomatoe, ginger pineapple seedbanking
Eggplant, string beans, bell Gabi, camote, Banana, mango, Coffee,
11 Benito Balbino Consumption
pepper, okra, takway cassava, jackfruit, guyabano Abaca
Banana, mango, Consumption,
Eggplant, green onions, okra, Gabi, camote,
12 Samian Colano pineapple, star apare commercial,
squash, tomatoe cassava,
apple, pomelo seedbanking

151
Table 11 Continued…

Other Crops Planted Utilization of

# Name of Farmer
Vegetables Root Crops Fruits Others Harvests
Consumption,
String beans, eggplant, bell Cassava, camote,
13 Weng Tabon Papaya, banana kayos special
pepper, onions gabi
occasion
Consumption,
Raddish, string beans, green Cassava, gabi, ube, Banana, mango, sesame
14 Renato Salway special
onions, okra, pechay camote, bisol sunkist seeds
occasion
Jackfruit, papaya,
Eggplant, okra, takway, Cassava, camoe, Glutinous Consumption,
15 Bernardo Angos mango, lansones,
alugbati gabi, ube corn commercial
pineapple
Lansones, star
Capistrano Squash, eggplant, string Cassava, camote, apple, mango, Coffee,
16 Consumption
Dominguez beans, ampalaya, bread fruit gabi, potato, ube jackfruit, papaya, Abaca
pineapple, pomelo
Ginger, green onions, bisol, Camote, ube, Glutinous
17 Danny Sambo tambis, durian Consumption
biking, alugbati cassava corn
Banana, mango, Consumption,
Eggplant, green onions, Camote, cassava, Glutinous
18 Tomas Lukina jackfruit, avocado, to fund farming
string beans, squash ube, gabi corn
pineapple activities
Rambotan,
Eggplant, string beans, Camote, ube, Glutinous Consumption,
19 Marcelo Lagallo lansones, mango,
mongo, takway cassava corn commercial

152
jackfruit
Table 11 Continued…

Other Crops Planted Utilization of

# Name of Farmer
Vegetables Root Crops Fruits Others Harvests
Consumption,
Banana, mango,
Eggplant, string beans, okra, wild commercial,
20 Felipe Sumbo Camote jackfruit, guava,
horse raddish bamboo special
pineapple
occasion
Banana, mango,
String beans, eggplant, Camote, cassava, sesame Consumption,
21 Dambong Sucal avocado, jackfruit,
turmeric gabi seeds commercial
pineapple
Banana, jackfruit, kawat
Eggplant, string beans, horse Cassava, camote, Consumption,
22 Saron S. Bayang star apple, (wild
raddish, okra, ube commercial
pineapple, guava spinach)
Banana, mango,
Eggplant, string beans, okra, Cassava, camote, papaya, pineapple, sesame Consumption,
23 Terson Parasan
horse raddish ube star apple, seeds commercial
lansones
Eggplant, string beans, okra, Pomelo, mango, Consumption,
Camote, gabi, ube, sesame
24 Mulan Lagalcan horse raddish, green onions, jackfruit, papaya, special
casssava seeds
tomatoe, squash pineapple occasion
kawat
String beans, eggplant, okra, Consumption,
25 Peter L. Colano Cassava, camote Banana, mango (wild
horse raddish commercial
spinach)
Eggplant, string beans, okra, Banana, star apple,
Camote, cassava, wild
26 Ruben Lukina squash, green onions, mango, jackfruit, Consumption
gabi, ube bamboo

153
tomatoes lansones
Table 11 Continued…

Other Crops Planted Utilization of

# Name of Farmer
Vegetables Root Crops Fruits Others Harvests
Jackfruit, papaya,
String beans, ampalaya, Camote, cassava,
27 Ruben Sulaw mango, lansones, Sugarcane Consumption
eggplant, malunggay ube,
pineapple
Banana, mango, Consumption,
String beans, eggplant, Camote, cassava, wild
28 Mulaw Dayag pineapple, star special
tomatoe, green onions gabi, ube bamboo
apple occasion
Banana, mango,
Eggplant, string beans, Cassava, camote, wild Consumption,
29 Jocelyn Bagan jackfruit, durian,
squash, ginger, onions ube bamboo commercial
lansones
Consumption,
Eggplant, string beans, Cassava, gabi, ube, Glutinous commercial,
30 Felipe Wata Mango
squash, okra, takway camote corn special
occasion
Okra, eggplant, string beans,
Camote, cassava, Mango, banana, sesame
31 Emily T. Palawan ampalaya, squash, garlic, Consumption
gabi, ube pomelo, star apple seeds
okra
Eggplant, string beans, green Consumption,
Camote, cassava, Mango, santol,
32 Linda Colano onions, okra, bell pepper, Sugarcane special
ube, gabi pineapple
squash occasion
Squash, eggplant, string Camote, cassava, Banana, mango, Glutinous
33 Armando B. Mandalo Consumption
beans, ampalaya, raddish ube star apple corn
Eggplant, string beans,
34 Susan Dala Cassava Papaya, mango Sugarcane Consumption

154
pepper, horse raddish
Table 11 Continued…

Other Crops Planted Utilization of

# Name of Farmer
Vegetables Root Crops Fruits Others Harvests
String beans, upo, okra, Cassava, camote, Santol, mango, sesame
35 Elpedio V. Caliwag Consumption
eggplant, horse raddish gabi, ube avocado, pineapple seeds
Eggplant, string beans, Cassava, camote, Banana, mango,
36 Martin Mandalo Sugarcane Consumption
squash, petchay, lemon grass ube santol, pomelo
Eggplant, green onions, Consumption,
Banana, guyabano, Coffee,
37 Gualan Laminggo tomatoe, okra, ginger, cassava special
pomelo, star apple Abaca
squash, kangkong occasion
Eggplant, okra, string beans,
38 Florencio Colano Camote, cassava Papaya, mango Sugarcane Consumption
tomato, okra, ginger, upo
Eggplant, string beans, upo, Consumption,
Camote, cassava, Mango, pineapple,
39 Nene Salway okra, squash, green onions, Sugarcane special
gabi, ube pomelo
patola, ginger occasion, seeds
Jackfruit, star
Upo, patola, eggplant, Camote, cassava,
40 Andan Baro apple, pineapple, Sugarcane Consumption
sesame, biking, alugbati gabi
mango
Eggplant, upo, tomatoe, Cassava, camote, Mango, jackfruit, Consumption,
41 Salan Yano Sugarcane
green onions, ginger, squash ube, gabi pomelo seeds
Eggplant, string beans, upo,
Cassava, camote, Mango, pineapple,
42 Moc Bagit okra, squash, green onions, cacao Consumption
ube, gabi pomelo, jackfruit

155
patola, ginger
 156

Plate 1. First meeting of the research team with the Brgy. Council of Kihan

Plate 2. (L-R) Dr. James Namocatcat, Lean Marx de Gracia, Bae Betty Katug,
Jezrel Barnizo, Josephine Carino-Turner and Jestoni Badilla
 157

Plate 3. The steep slope of Brgy. Kihan showing the decimated forest cover

Plate 4.Vast cogonal area dominating the upland ecosystem of Brgy. Kihan
 158

Plate 5. Forest patches along one of the streams of Brgy. Kihan

Plate 6. Upland rice farm of Dodong Kila from Sitio Limbunga

 159

Plate 7.Upland Rice patches of Sitio Katnog showing some forest

patches along creeks

Plate 8.Traditional farm with upland rice patches in Sitio Kyondog

 160

Plate 9. View of Sitio Amlitos with corn area and an irrigated lowland rice

Plate 10. View of upland rice patches (yellowish area) from Sitio Limbunga
 161

Plate 11. Panoramic view of Sitio Klalang and some upland rice farms

Plate 12. Panoramic view of Sitio Banlas with some upland rice farms
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Plate 57. Collected traditional upland rice varieties placed in plastic bags

Plate 58. Collected traditional upland rice varieties placed in bluyot

 174

Plate 59. Tidal used by the Blaan to store different upland rice varieties

Plate 60. Bundles of different upland rice varieties hanged for next
planting season
 175

Plate 61. Storage house called Fol for upland rice harvest

Plate 62. Placement of upland rice harvest for further air drying inside the fol
 176

Plate 63.Use of lihub (tree bark) as another seed storage technique

Plate 64. Upland rice storage using sacks, lihub and indigenous baskets
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Plate 65. A coconut shell used to store diminishing upland rice seeds

Plate 66. Blaan women during harvest season

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Plate 67. Almugan, bird of omen among the Blaan tribe

Plate 68. Bot tne representation during the first Upland Rice Festival in Kihan
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Plate 69. Lamgi re-enactment during the first Upland Rice Festival

Plate 70. Upland rice elnigo owned by Sargen Yano with a fol
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Plate 71. Upland rice harvest with an old female farmer and researcher

Plate 72. Upland rice harvest for sun drying in Sitio Banlas
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Plate 73.Blaan fish trap called bubu

Plate 74.Indigenous corn milling implement used by the Blaan tribe