 My name is Emi Ortega Anderson, your host for Pinoy Power Hawaii. We want to welcome you to another exciting edition of Pinoy Power Hawaii here on Think Tech Hawaii and today we're going to bring you more empowerment. I have a whole bunch of wonderful people that are joining our show today and we come to you live on Tuesdays from the beautiful, the beautiful session of Think Tech Hawaii here at the Pioneer Plaza building. Thank you again, Think Tech Hawaii for giving us the opportunity to empower others. Today we're going to do just that with the wonderful winning team of Rise Up Farmers. Without further ado, I'd like to introduce the president, founder of Rise Up Farmers, Alvin Ostria-Lasada. Yes, welcome. Thank you Ms. Emi for inviting us and it's our privilege to join your show and share the power to all our Filipino friends here in Hawaii and others. And together with me is Princess Dunaco and Joseph Duana. Okay, Princess and Joseph are joining us. And I consider them my co-founders in the company, in the project that we created. Wow, I'm really excited now, I'm so happy to be able to let the whole world know of this wonderful project that you got going. So tell us about how you got started. I am from the Philippines, I was born in Manila but grew up in the rural areas of Pampanga Since I was a kid, I really hoped that there would be a way to help our family. So my grandfather raised me as a farmer, he was a farmer and he tried his best to work hard but at the end of the day, he doesn't get the income he deserves as well as other farmers. So I from... You had a dream? Yeah, I studied Agricultural Engineering which is very rare in Philippines and then I got a scholarship here at Brigham Young University. Oh, how big were you? Wow! Yeah, and when I came there in 2016, I hoped that there would be a lot of people here in Hawaii which was 88 pesos. 88 pesos? I didn't buy food. So that's what I felt when I came here. But I used that inspiration to not only help myself but our people in Philippines. And now together with our team, we created RiseUp to innovate how farmers deal with agriculture because we believe that agriculture can really create prosperity in our country. Wow, you've done so much with a span of not even two years, yeah? My mouth is right but it's going three and you've come a long way and you are living, you're all living a dream. See what happens when with some education, a lot of passion in your heart to make a difference and that's what's happening with you. So I'm so excited because you had just gotten back from being recognized for the great deed that you have done. Yeah, a princess can talk more about the Enactus program that we are part of. Okay princess, you really look like a princess. Oh, thank you. Of Aladdin. Thank you, yes. Well Enactus, it stands for entrepreneurial action within us. It's an organization that encourages universities not only in the USA but around the world. To be part of social entrepreneurship. And so just last month we had our nationals for the competition here in the USA where different universities across the country presented their own ideas. They judge us based on the impact that we've done this year and so last month we competed with 98 other universities and we won again for the second time. Second time in a row. That's real sharpness. And the best thing, Tita, is we are representing also the Philippines. That's what we're talking about. That's what we're talking about. Similar other universities that's in Kansas City and in September we'll be advancing to the World Cup which is very ironic. Our project is in the Philippines and we will represent the United States. USA. But our eventual plan is to also impact farmers here in Hawaii. That is so awesome. Philippines at one time was like the center or rice granary of Asia, we were known for our rice production and we thought we were heading the right way by doing so and then all these modern technology came into place and then I was so disappointed. I went back to my old barrio where everybody was a farmer. We never had to worry about rice because our bodega, our nipahat was loaded with rice, you know? No shortes. And now, Palagong Iba, it's so different. So I'm so happy that you're all doing this that we would never go hungry in the Philippines as long as we have rice. It's different in America because they're like potatoes. And Joseph will talk more about that, like how are we using innovation so that young people can be part of this or this perpetuation of farmers? Yes, and mixing modern technology that are available. I think we're going to sleep and then be planting rice. I should have brought my palm here. Planting rice is never. So really it started because we saw the problem and it was a very personal thing for Elvin and his family. Yes, I feel his passion. That's what was happening with basically every other farmer in the Philippines. In the old system, they barely made any money because most of them didn't even know how to really deal with business. But you know, Joseph, no money, but we never go to bed hungry because we always had rice. Rice bagong, patis, manga. Yes. So we wanted to leverage that, the Filipino ability to innovate and to create better solutions for agriculture. And so we built rice up starting with a farm school that has grown to 30 farm schools now in Pampanga and Davao. So we were teaching farmers in the farm schools not just to innovate new farming systems, but to develop technologies and to include technology in their processes. Because like you said, technology came up and we kind of got left behind. You fly with it. We fly. But now we're trying to get ahead of the system so that our farmers can be ahead of the game. Yes. Well, thank God for your creative minds, the young minds with young, fresh ideas. How come you never thought of that? I think in the Philippines, because our culture is really unique and which we should also grow. However, the people of our country, because we are close to each other, they really embrace innovation. But we Filipinos love tradition. Sometimes we don't like innovation. But now, the era has changed and we have young people now who are with us empowered to be united in innovation. And we are happy that the government has finally seen that we need to change. I think it's a wake up call for the government. They should look at your module and what you've started and eventually if the whole government of the Philippines supported this, man, it would take our country to a new height. Yeah. Actually, we're so happy that the Philippine president, President III, has invited us in the palace and I talked with him and introduced what we're currently doing and he wants this project to be around. Well, he needs to wake up and rise up. Yeah, rise up. And give those that don't have a chance to really give them something that they could work towards since you have all the knowledge now and the tools, the creative minds and the people that are supporting you seems like everybody is noticing, no? Yeah. I want to be a part of that. When you offer me a percentage note, I should have really jumped at that. The opportunity is still there, right? Yes, it is still there. Yeah, and we want to work with our fellow Kababayans from different provinces. For example, in Ilocos Norte, that's one of our key priorities to be there and to help empower Ilocanos. Yes. Let me help my fellow Lawa Ganyos. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, and even here in Hawaii, if there are any farmers or Filipinos here that know people in the Philippines, as well as here in Hawaii, we would be willing to contact them and work with them. Yeah, let me introduce you to a great farmer who is dedicated. It will be his new baby, Uncle Francis Cristobal. He has a couple of acres further out by Hale Eva. He will get very, very excited because he's passionate about farming. He could do almost anything. He's got the tractors. He doesn't have the drone, but I suppose you're talking about upgrading. Yeah, yeah. His mindset, the luma, really old way of thinking. Nothing wrong with that. Yeah, nothing wrong with that. Just sharpen it a little bit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And talking about the drone, Tita, we also want to inform our Kababayans that last week, we are the first social enterprise who used drone in planting rice. What a combination! From 8 hours per hectare, the farmers used to do that. Now, it's just 20 minutes. 20 minutes? And you can do it in the dark? That is so exciting. So this will help the farmers to not have to bend over so much. Because we see that many times, the farmers are struggling especially in their older age. This is really going to help them. Yeah. And there's no shortage of water, right? Yeah. That's the beauty of it. There's a new method in the Philippines, Free Irrigation Act that gives farmers free access to irrigation. Yes. And we have a problem in the higher places. So we can innovate that too. So whenever we see a problem in rice up, we see opportunity. Oh, you used to drone to California. Yeah. And also in the Philippines now, especially in our rice up, we have 3,300 farmers that are part of the program. Compared to now. And growing. Yes, growing. There are many young people. They're seeing hope in farming now. Yes. The worst before farming, you used to have this stigma that farming is for the poor and it's not a very good business. But now, farming is good business. Oh, yeah. You guys really created some excitement. I want to go home and be a farmer in the Philippines. Looking over Bahacienda. Yes. You know the Avenger movie where they have the rice there. Yes. I'd like to be that one. So peaceful and nice. And in agriculture, we consider currently Tita, the agriculture sector only contributes 8.7% of our economy. But we believe that there's power in increasing the productivity so that the countryside, the rural areas, can have enough surplus. You know, we have a story in the Philippines. We have a lot of women who are sacrificing their families to work abroad. Yes. And then, we found an opportunity that we can increase prosperity in the rural area so that families don't have to live. Going abroad will be an option not a necessity. Wow. So that's one of our eventual goal in rice farming. This is really changing the game. Yeah. I'm so excited because like you said, a lot of OFWs and then it creates family separation, breaks up in the family because a lot can happen when families are separated because of distance. Sure, the money is there but not everything can be bought by money. Yes. Especially the presence of parents. Yes. And family unity. Yes. The family is always together. Yes. Families are forever de-backed. Yes. Yes. That's also our core values in rice farming. We start with the family. We believe that Filipino families deserves better. We want to end hunger. We want to create prosperity through entrepreneurship. And that's what we see now in the farmers' lives in Philippines. I'm so excited. And I just can't help it. Okay. We want to thank our first set of guests. Of course, Alvin Auschea. I like saying that name. Laceda, the president and CEO founder. Yes. And you, the princess. Really the princess. And Joseph. Really handsome. Anyway, we're talking about Pinoy Power and we certainly have that. We're going to return and tell you about the other side of our equation. Because rice up farmers is not just only about Filipinos. We have other powers or pertinent ingredient that makes up the whole. So we'll be back here on Pinoy Power Hawaii. Aloha. This is Winston Welch. I am your host of Out and About where every other week, Mondays at three, we explore a variety of topics in our city, state, nation and world and events, organizations, the people that fuel them. It's a really interesting show. We welcome you to tune in and we welcome your suggestions for shows. You got a lot of them out there and we have an awesome studio here where we can get your ideas out as well. So I look forward to you tuning in every other week where we've got some great guests and great topics. You're going to learn a lot. You're going to come away inspired like I do. So I'll see you every other week here at three o'clock on Monday afternoon. Aloha. I'm Wendy Lo and I'm coming to you every other Tuesday at two o'clock live from Think Tech Hawaii and on our show, we talk about taking your health back and what does that mean? It means mind, body and soul. Anything you can do that makes your body healthier and happier is what we're going to be talking about. Whether it's spiritual health, mental health, fascia health, beautiful smile health, whatever it means, let's take healthy back. Aloha. Welcome back to Pinoy Power, Hawaii. I am your host, Emmy Ortega Anderson. And today, we are sharing this very, very important empowerment. In fact, I'm so excited that I just can't wait to tell the whole world. And to do just that is the founder, our presidency of Rise Up Farmers, Alvin Ostra-Lasada. We have two good-looking brothers who is part of our extended power and they're going to tell us how they were able to succeed with this wonderful project of feeding the world and hunger. Okay, Alvin. Thank you. I want to introduce our friends, our Filipino friends. This is Paul Wilson. He's our faculty advisor in Bihui, Hawaii, who helps and supports us in our project. And James Assel. He's our chief media producer, so he produced all our videos and our branding at the chief. Assel, are you with Princess? Yeah. Are you both together? Yes. Wow, you're the prince for the princess. I'm sorry. Okay, great. This is a family affair. Yeah, our extended family, of course, with our brother here. Wow, what a great teacher. Yeah. It really goes to the students. We get asked a lot like what we're doing with our program with how Alvin had talked about Enactus and competing. Enactus is the national organization has asked us, you know, what are you doing? And we just tell them, we get out of the way. You know, because it's really very student-led. You're just there to kind of just guide. Yeah, they're where they need us and not get in the way and let them really change the world. To see what Rise Up is doing, we've had student organizations similar before, but Rise Up has really gotten some traction. So it's exciting to see what's happening. Yeah, Alvin is so passionate. It shows with his countenance. And also, Tita, I want to emphasize a key ingredient in our project, and I hope in the Philippines we have this. When I started doing the project here, I think the most important ingredient in any social enterprise or any project is mentorship opportunities. Mentorship. Yeah. If you want to start a business, you need someone who's already in the game or who has some expertise. And teachers like Brother Paul and others in B-W-Hawaii has provided tremendous support to us. And that's my hope in the Philippines, too, that young people can be mentored by successful businesses. Well, it's divine leadership, guided by the Holy Spirit, if I may say that, because I truly am inspired. And you've got to have the belief. The faith. Planting faith. Planting rice. They go together. Right? You're so good looking. You could just stand there and just nod your head, right? Okay? James loves the Philippines, too. He's been there for maybe... I know. He's married in Philadelphia. So, James, tell us. Tell us why. How did you get started? Okay, so actually, when I was first... First time I met Alvin was in 2016. And there was a competition that our school put on. And so, he needed somebody to help him create a video. So, that was the first ever concept to rice up. And so, we teamed up, and then Princess joined, and then we had more people follow, and we won a prize from it. And from that money, from the actual prize of the contest, we reinvested into the project, and then we just kept growing from there. We hired people in the Philippines, and we just expanded, created a brand, and then worked with lots of people. So, I think, coming from an outside perspective, me being American, I think it's just so exciting to see just a different perspective of how the Philippines is, and how America is, and how you can kind of learn from things from the Philippines, and from the great people there, and how you can also take some technology in America and some things that they do, and kind of implement it, and then join worlds and create something amazing. This is so amazing. Now, Brother Paul, my husband is an LDS. We are LDS. Okay, I converted. He has a saying, the whiter the rice, the quicker you're dead. You're familiar with that, right? Yes, I am. Are you just doing this with white rice? Because I'm into brown rice, white rice, bread rice, black rice. All kinds of rice. Yes. And also, we only call rice, I mean, we just chose the name rice up as a general term of rising up. Rising up. But we are also enabling farmers to create integrated farms with different crops, not only rice. Not only rice. Because we also have seen in our two years of operation, they earn more money when they plant other crops in their rice land. Yes. So from $7 to $1 a month before, they're now earning $500 to $700 a month. Wow. And that's an integrated farming system. So rice up is not only about rice, and different kinds of crops, and livestock, and different mechanism in technology. Yeah. I think to also put it into perspective, for those that are watching from the United States, $71 to $500 doesn't seem like a lot, but we calculated it to what it would be if it was here in the United States. And that's like a family making $900 and going to $5,000. So really rice up is taking these farmers out of poverty into the middle class. And that's what's making it so powerful and so popular, where people can see a future in it. I hear you, brother. Let me tell you. I understand. We're rising up. So I'd like to do more for our comrades in Lawak, because I go there frequently. That's where I grew up. In the rice field, five years old, I used to see an airplane. I used to go, oh, I didn't even know how to say airplane, but I wanted to ride that airplane from five years old. And it brought me to Hawaii because of the passion, the burning passion to make a difference. So I can totally relate. Yeah, and also we want to congratulate you as one of the best Lawaganos, right, Tita? That's a lot of time for it. This is why I want to bring this to Lawak and make all Lawaganos aware that there is hope. They can farm or be a farmer. I'd like to see more Bawang production. Yeah, garlic. You're the top producer of garlic there. Your garlic longanisa is the best. Brother Paul, have you had that? I haven't had that. Longanisa. Longanisa, yeah. The empanada was so good too. Oh, cool. Yes, yes. So actually, on July, we'll be there in Ilocos Norte. Okay. To work with that. And I believe this June, we will talk more about how can we establish the project in Ilocos Norte. Yeah. How about the schools? Because there are three districts that I support, always depending on help. And I do my big fundraising, but please. Yeah, we can do school gardens for young people, for the kids, so that they can have nutritious food in their schools. Yes. We can do that too. Yeah. I'd like to see Amorosa School, Cabesa, start with them. And if there's a start of money needed, I'll find it so that we could start with them. That's great. Sure, Tita. From July to September, I'll be in the Philippines. James will join me at the end of July. You're so lucky. And the team will join. The other team members will go there on August. So that when the World Cup comes in September, we'll report. We've done something new in Lawak City and other places in the Philippines. Let me be a part of that. Yeah. Okay. We believe in the power of Filipinas when we work together. Oh, yes, yes, yes. With divine intervention, I have faith that you will go much further than where you are now. So excited. So how could they become those that are waiting to want to jump on the ship on board? How could they? Can I start with you, Tita? Yes. It's a good day for all of you. We're far away to help you. We want to work with you in your provinces, in the Philippines. You can contact us at our website, www.RisaFarmers.org. And we have a Facebook page like us in our Facebook page. And you can contact me in my email, elvinlaseda, ELVINLACEDA at gmail.com. And our number is 808-732-7990. 232-7990. 808-327-990. And if you want to have a rise up in your local area, we will work with the local government. We'll start a farm school there. And we hope that we can at least have 25 farmers in one area to start the project with. So we can do that. That is so exciting. Yes. I'm sure a lot of people are doing the mangoes now. Yeah. It's really popular. Coconut. Lychee. Yeah. Yeah. Lychee. You like Lychee, right? So good. Lanzones. Lanzones. Yes. Let's do more Lanzones and just flood the world. Yeah. But, man, I want to congratulate you. What is that award again that you folks are making so much noise about? I think everyone is familiar about Walmart. And Walmart is one of the biggest supporter of Enactus. So Enactus is a worldwide network of students that are creating changes and impact throughout the world. And so every year each country chooses a national champion. And this year we are the national champion for the United States representing Hawaii and the Philippines. And we will represent the United States in the World Cup in September in San Jose, California. And our hope is to empower more farmers, not only the Philippines, but in Hawaii too. So we're calling all Hawaii farmers in Hawaii who are Filipinos to join us. Wow. Brother Paul, you got 10 seconds each because the program is coming to an end. Yeah. Well, yeah, we're working on Hawaii as well. And so there's a lot of opportunity and I encourage just, I mean, you look at these students, they're doing amazing things. And I encourage anyone that wants to really make a difference to get started. Yes. And what a great opportunity is to be here in Hawaii with so much support from our university and for the development of our future plans such as our app and other great projects that we have in the future. We are so excited. So it's a lot of good things coming along. There you go. Well, maraming, maraming salamat po. Thank you so very much for coming and sharing this wonderful empowerment. I invite you to come back often to visit us. Keep rising up. Ma rebegan. Thank you again. Thank you to, of course, think that Hawaii for giving us the opportunity to come to your homes every Tuesday live at 12 noon with Pinoy Power, Hawaii. Maraming, maraming salamat. Aki amanak iti opportunity dan ng entegyoko kakab sa tinggage yam. God bless everybody and mabuhai. Maraming salamat po.