In one sad instance, a farmer with his shirt soaked in sweat and disappointment sold a basket of tomatoes for barely the cost of a fast-food meal. It took him months to get those fruits red and ripe. And yet, a middleman with a clean polo and a beat-up calculator decided they were worth just that—a measly few hundred pesos. It’s a common sight, but true. This country has made farming an occupation of quiet despair.

It’s not just the tomatoes. It’s the onions, the garlic, the rice, the corn, the string beans, and the peanuts. It’s the unspoken humiliation of harvesting crops under the sun only to hand them over for a price that can’t even cover half the cost of fertilizer. The middlemen arrive like vultures with clipboards, buying low with the finesse of seasoned gamblers, then selling high to urban markets where housewives unknowingly feed their children food bought at the price of someone else’s misery. In this elaborate play of supply and demand, the farmer is never the hero. He’s the stagehand, forgotten as the curtain falls.

This is why so many of our farmers are giving up—not because they are lazy, not because they don’t love the land, but because the arithmetic of survival simply doesn’t add up anymore. When you spend thousands to grow something only to earn a pittance, how long before common sense overtakes passion? So, they abandon hectares of fertile land, not in protest, but in surrender. They stop planting for the market and plant only for their tables—kamote, kangkong, gabi—enough to keep the children full but never enough to sell. And who could blame them? In this business, the only ones who profit are those who never held a plow.

And so, we import tons and tons of garlic from China, rice from Thailand, and onions from India. It’s a bitter irony, isn’t it? A country with soil so generous and rain so forgiving, yet we can’t even feed ourselves. We sit on a gold mine and beg for copper coins. Each import is a nail in the coffin of our agricultural pride. They say it’s because our products are not competitive, but who made them so? Who allowed this erosion of value at the farm gate? We didn’t need a foreign solution. We needed a local conscience.

What’s worse is that the government knows all of this. The problem has been discussed in Senate hearings, debated in barangay halls, and dissected in university studies. And still, nothing substantial has been done. No laws with teeth, no policies that shield the small farmer from abusive pricing schemes. It’s like watching a man drown while politicians argue about the color of the life jacket. Why aren’t middlemen being regulated? Why aren’t there price floors that guarantee farmers a dignified return? Why must it always be the farmers who take the loss?

The root of the issue lies not in production but in protection. We have always known how to grow things; it’s how to sell them fairly that has remained elusive. And until we fix the links between the field and the fork, farmers will continue to farm in fear—fear of rain, pests, low prices, and worse, of being forgotten. There is no pride in growing food if your own children go hungry. There is no glory in feeding the nation if the nation won’t even lift a finger when you cry foul.

Maybe the farmer’s story doesn’t trend on social media because it lacks spectacle. There’s no drama in brown hands sowing seeds at dawn, no catchy slogan in watching your earnings dissolve at the palengke. But this is the quiet tragedy that eats at the bones of our nation. We talk of food security, yet starve the very people who make that possible. We dream of progress, but allow the engines of that progress to rust in silence.

The government doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel; it just needs to grease the one we already have. Support price mechanisms, co-operative marketing systems, stricter laws against trader manipulation—these aren’t new ideas, they’re just ideas waiting for a spine to implement them. If we can build roads to the farms, we can build systems to protect those who till them. And maybe then, our lowly farmers can come home with more than calluses on their palms and defeat in their pocket.

Life is a tapestry woven with countless threads of decisions, some seemingly insignificant, others carrying profound weight. From the mundane – what to eat for breakfast – to the life-altering – career paths, relationships, and even moral choices – the choices we make shape our reality. While we can’t escape the constant barrage of decisions, we can learn to navigate this complex landscape more effectively, making choices that lead to greater fulfillment and a more meaningful life.

The Illusion of Control: Recognizing Our Limitations

We often assume we have complete control over our decisions, but this is a dangerous illusion. Our choices are influenced by a myriad of factors: past experiences, biases, emotions, and even the environment we inhabit. Recognizing these limitations is the first step towards making better decisions.

Understanding Our Biases: The Hidden Influences

Our minds are wired with cognitive biases, mental shortcuts that can lead us astray. Confirmation bias, for example, makes us selectively seek out confirming evidence and ignore contradictory evidence. Availability bias leads us to overestimate the likelihood of events that are easily recalled, even if they are statistically less likely.

Being aware of these biases is crucial. By acknowledging their influence, we can take steps to mitigate their impact and make more objective decisions.

The Power of Reflection: Learning from Past Choices

Every decision, whether good or bad, offers a valuable learning opportunity. Taking the time to reflect on our choices, analyzing the factors that led to them, and understanding their consequences allows us to identify patterns and make better choices in the future.

Seeking Diverse Perspectives: Expanding Our Horizons

Our own perspective is often limited by our experiences and biases. Seeking out diverse perspectives, engaging in thoughtful conversations with people who hold different views, and considering multiple options can broaden our understanding and lead to more informed decisions.

The Value of Deliberation: Weighing the Options

Making hasty decisions often leads to regret. Taking the time to deliberate, carefully weighing the pros and cons of each option, and considering the potential long-term consequences can help us make more thoughtful and strategic choices.

The Importance of Intuition: Trusting Our Inner Voice

While rational analysis is crucial, intuition also plays a vital role in decision-making. Our gut feeling, often based on unconscious processing of information, can provide valuable insights. Learning to trust our intuition, while remaining mindful of its limitations, can lead to more fulfilling and aligned choices.

The Art of Letting Go: Embracing Imperfection

Not every decision will be perfect, and that’s okay. Learning to accept the possibility of making mistakes, embracing imperfection, and adapting to new information is essential for growth and resilience.

Making Better Decisions: A Practical Approach.

Here are some practical strategies for making better decisions:
– Define your goals: What are you trying to achieve with this decision? Having a clear understanding of your goals will help you prioritize options and make choices that align with your values.

– Gather information: Research, gather data, and seek out diverse perspectives to ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of the situation.

– Consider the consequences: What are the potential outcomes of each option? Think about the short-term and long-term implications of your choices.

– Seek feedback: Talk to trusted friends, mentors, or experts to get an outside perspective on your decision.

– Trust your intuition: While remaining mindful of its limitations, allow your gut feeling to guide you.

– Take action: Don’t overthink it. Once you’ve gathered information, considered the options, and trusted your intuition, take action and move forward.

– Reflect and learn: After making a decision, take the time to reflect on the process and the outcome. What worked well? What could you have done differently? Use this reflection to inform your future choices.

The Journey of Decision-Making: A Lifelong Pursuit

Making better decisions is not a destination; it’s a lifelong journey of learning, growth, and self-discovery. By embracing the principles outlined above, we can navigate the complex landscape of choices with greater confidence and clarity, making decisions that lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Conclusion

The ability to make wise choices is a skill that can be cultivated and refined over time. By recognizing our limitations, understanding our biases, seeking diverse perspectives, and embracing the power of reflection, we can make better decisions that lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful life. Remember, every decision, no matter how small, is an opportunity to learn and grow. Embrace the journey, trust your intuition, and make choices that align with your values and your vision for the future.
————–
If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts on the column, feel free to send an email to jca.bblueprint@gmail.com. Looking forward to connecting with you!