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Banahaw Creations: A Venture Report
No full textBanahaw Creations is a culturally inspired food venture born out of a deep personal connection to Filipino traditions and a strong academic foundation in agribusiness. The brand was established by Queen Anne Xyza A. Salayo, a senior BS Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship student from the University of the Philippines- Los Baños. The inspiration for the business emerged from a heartfelt memory of her grandfather, who regularly enjoyed leftover rice—known as bahaw—after long hours of farm labor in Lucban, Quezon. This simple yet meaningful practice, once seen as a modest tradition, has now become the emotional and strategic cornerstone of a promising food enterprise.
The flagship product, Pangsapaw sa Bahaw, is a line of Filipino-inspired fried rice seasoning pastes created to transform leftover rice into flavorful, ready-to-eat meals. With six signature flavors—Chicken Adobo, Beef Caldereta, Pork Kinulob, Mixed Seafoods, Festive Java, and Savory Garlic—the product is rooted in both culinary heritage and modern convenience. These pastes are made from locally sourced ingredients and preserved through pressure canning and vacuum sealing, allowing them to be stored safely while maintaining rich, authentic taste. The product offers a practical solution to everyday cooking needs while championing food sustainability by reducing waste.
Launched in September 2024, Banahaw Creations quickly gained traction through student expos, online platforms, and word-of-mouth marketing. It successfully expanded its offerings in March 2025 with the introduction of BaChao Fan, a Chinese-style ready-to-eat rice meal. The business was designed to address a combination of cultural, economic, and environmental challenges, such as rising food costs, growing food waste, and the disconnection between agricultural production and modern meal habits. Banahaw Creations directly sources ingredients from farmers and wet markets in Lucban and Lucena, supporting local livelihoods and reducing its environmental footprint.
The venture differentiates itself in the marketplace through its unique positioning as the first Filipino-inspired fried rice seasoning paste brand. While indirect competitors like Knorr, Maggi, and Mama Sita’s offer general-purpose seasonings, none are specifically created to complement bahaw or cater to the emotional and cultural context of Filipino rice consumption. Banahaw Creations fills this gap by offering a product that is affordable, meaningful, and versatile, designed to bring comfort, flavor, and practicality to the everyday Filipino kitchen.
Its market segmentation focuses on students, working professionals, parents, and overseas Filipino workers who seek affordable yet tasty meal solutions. By leveraging both physical and digital distribution channels—including bazaars, partner stores, Facebook page, and reseller partnerships—the brand has achieved impressive reach even in its early stages. Sales performance from September to December 2024 surpassed expectations, fueled by bulk orders, repeat buyers, and creative promotional campaigns. Customer feedback consistently highlights the product’s taste, convenience, and connection to Filipino values.
One of the most impactful and unexpected factors that boosted the entrepreneur’s mindset was her involvement in the Youth Farmers Challenge (YFC) Program under the Department of Agriculture. While originally joined for the grant, the learning experience and the program helped sharpen her entrepreneurial instincts, which challenged her to think more strategically, and pushed her to be more professional in running a venture.
The possibility of receiving a grant was a great motivator, but what truly inspired her was the realization that she could pursue her passion for food and creativity while earning from it. This sparked a deeper sense of responsibility, not just to meet expectations but to go beyond them and prove to herself and to others that we could build something meaningful and sustainable from our ideas.
Banahaw Creations is more than just a food product; it is a social enterprise built on sustainability, innovation, and community empowerment. The founder actively trains and employs out-of-school youth and single mothers, demonstrating the brand’s commitment to inclusive growth. As it looks toward national and global expansion, Banahaw Creations aims to formalize operations, secure FDA and Halal certifications, and develop a dedicated commissary kitchen and logistics network.
With a clear vision, strong core values, and a growing customer base, Banahaw Creations stands out as a heartfelt, homegrown innovation that reimagines the way Filipinos see, prepare, and celebrate rice. The brand hopes to become a household name that bridges tradition with transformation, proving that even the simplest of food, like bahaw, can spark a business rooted in purpose, pride, and progress
Three New Varieties of Hoya ilagiorum (Kloppenburg, Siar & Cajano)
Get PDFThree new varieties of Hoya were registered to the Germplasm and Technology Release and Registration Office of the Institute of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture and Food Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños and the National Seed Industry Council, Bureau of Plant Industry, Department of Agriculture in 2020 and 2023, respectively. These are open-pollinated (OP) segregants of Hoya ilagiorum (Kloppenburg, Siar & Cajano) that were generated in 2010. Evaluation of OP seedlings started in 2012 and the selection of promising segregants yielded 3 varieties, namely ‘Moonlight’, ‘Sunkissed’, and ‘Starburst’. ‘Moonlight’ has a dainty creamy yellow inflorescence consisting of 31 to 112 individual flowers forming a semi-globose to globose umbel akin to a full moon during anthesis, thus the name. ‘Sunkissed’, with its striking leaves, also has a semi-globose to globose umbel composed of 37 to 73 individual flowers, each with a shiny and highly reflexed corolla in varying shades of yellow with brownish-pink edges. ‘Starburst’ has 21 to 81 individual flowers forming a semi-globose umbel. The corolla has 2 color combinations that are visible even prior to flower opening — the principal color is creamy yellow with a thick, reddish outline along the edges of the lobes, forming a band-like pattern. These are the first varieties under the genus Hoya that are officially registered in the Philippines
Assessing the Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic and Education on Labor Productivity in the Philippines
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns over labor productivity and learning poverty in the Philippines. This study analyzed the effects of the pandemic and education on workforce productivity in the Philippines using a descriptive analysis and econometric techniques.
Analyzing data for 17 regions from 2005 to 2022, this study found that the National Capital Region (NCR) consistently had the highest workforce productivity while Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) recorded the lowest. Looking into the educational composition of their labor force reveals an improvement in the quality of labor. By 2022, not only did the number of educated workers increase, but the share of workers with secondary and tertiary qualifications also rose. The econometric analysis revealed that secondary education is the only level of education that has a statistically significant effect on labor productivity. It also found the surprising result that the COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact on labor productivity
5 - Gender Equality
No full text5 - Gender Equalityhttps://www.ukdr.uplb.edu.ph/un-sdgs_images/1004/thumbnail.jp
14 - Life Below Water
No full text14 - Life Below Waterhttps://www.ukdr.uplb.edu.ph/un-sdgs_images/1013/thumbnail.jp
Influence of Disaster Experience on Farmers’ Livelihood Strategies Under Extreme Climate Events in Guizhou Province, China
No full textExtreme climate events have emerged as a critical challenge to global agricultural production and farmers’ livelihoods. Climate change not only directly impacts crop yields and quality but also compels farmers to adjust their livelihood strategies to address escalating climate risks. This study aimed to investigate how disaster experiences influence farmers’ choice of livelihood strategies, focusing on post-disaster adjustments to cope with climate risks. Using survey data from 1,066 farmers in Guizhou Province, China, ordinary least squares (OLS) and logit models were employed to explore the influence of disaster experience on livelihood strategies, analyzing the mediating role of risk attitudes and the moderating effects of social networks. Results revealed that farmers with repeated disaster experiences are more inclined to adopt diversified livelihood strategies, particularly nonagricultural ones. The study also found that disaster experience indirectly drives livelihood transformation by altering farmers’ risk attitudes. Characteristics of social networks, such as scale, trust, and reciprocity, were also observed to significantly moderate livelihood strategy choices, with stronger social network support facilitating diversification. These findings suggest that enhancing knowledge exchange among farmers and promoting the development of local cooperatives and social networks can improve farmers’ adaptive capacity and livelihood resilience under extreme climate conditions
Growth Performance and Yield of Two Bioguma Sorghum Varieties Cultivated During the Rainy Season [RESEARCH NOTE]
No full textSorghum is a cereal crop with significant potential, considering its benefits as a food, feed, or bioethanol source. Aside from being a drought-tolerant plant, sorghum can grow in different land conditions, with varieties Bioguma 1 and 2 considered to have high yield potential. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the growth and yield of these 2 sorghum varieties using a randomized block design with 3 replicates. The results showed that Bioguma 1 had a significantly better growth performance and produced a higher yield compared with Bioguma 2. Considering its higher disease resistance, growth, and yield, Bioguma 1 could be used as the mother plant for a ratoon system. This ratoon system would allow sorghum to be harvested twice a year, requires fewer inputs, and shortens the second harvest period
Designing a Model to Empower Rural Communities for Self-Sufficiency in Zanjan Province, Iran
No full textIn this research, empowerment is conceptualized as the process through which rural villagers organize themselves to enhance their self-sufficiency, assert their right to independent decision-making, gain control over resources, and address and overcome poverty. This study aimed to develop an empowerment model for rural communities in Zanjan Province, Iran, focusing on achieving self-sufficiency and assessing the model using structural equation modeling. The study compared the main components of the model using the post-event technique and validated the variables of self-sufficiency in rural communities through a descriptive-correlational design and structural equation modeling. The sample comprised 384 villagers selected via stratified random sampling with proportional allocation. Data analysis involved descriptive and analytical statistics, including structural equation modeling, confirmatory factor analysis, and multiple regression using SPSS 25 and AMOS 24 software. The findings highlight financial circumstances as the most influential latent variables mediating empowerment and empowerment itself, which demonstrates the greatest impact on self-sufficiency. Overall, fostering a sense of security and trust is urgently needed for the empowerment of rural communities
Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Enteric Methane Emission of Growing Dairy Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis L.)
No full textThis study assessed the impact of probiotics on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and enteric methane emission of 4 growing dairy buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis L.) with similar body weight, age, and sex. The animals were allocated into 4 treatments following a Latin Square design: control/no probiotic supplement (Trt 1); with 5 mL of probiotic supplement (Trt 2); with 10 mL of probiotic supplement (Trt 3); and with 15 mL of probiotic supplement (Trt 4). The growers were offered the dietary treatments at the start of the adaptation phase up to the end of the experimental phase per period. Animals were fed the control diet during the wash-out phase. Results showed that growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and enteric methane emissions were the same across treatments (p \u3e 0.05). However, significant correlations (p \u3c 0.05) were found between total methane emissions and nutrient intake, nutrients digested, and coefficient of digestion. These variables were used to develop the model: CH4 = 135.9897NDFi + 240.27082CPi – 121.3028OMi + 89.60728 (R2 = 0.4138, RMSE = 22.35), where NDFi, CPi, and OMi represent neutral detergent fiber intake, crude protein intake, and organic matter intake, respectively. The relationship between the quantity of nutrients digested and methane synthesis highlights their importance in developing prediction models for enteric methane emissions, particularly in country-specific estimations
Gendered Differences in the Implementation of a Rice-based Enterprise Program in Sariaya, Quezon Province, Philippines
Get PDFThis study examined gendered differences in the experiences of local farmers in Sariaya, an agricultural municipality in Quezon Province, Philippines. Using the Harvard Analytical Framework, this paper aimed to provide insights into how gender influences the experiences of local farmers under the Rice Business Innovation System (RiceBIS) Community Program of the Department of Agriculture - Philippine Rice Research Institute (DAPhilRice). A qualitative approach was employed using data from focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify emerging themes on the different gendered differences in the roles, resource access, needs, and challenges of local farmers in the implementation of the RiceBIS Community Program. The findings showed differentiated roles between men and women in both production and leadership in organizations, which are attributed to the cultural gender roles within the traditional Filipino household. Women’s roles were mainly budget management and record-keeping while men were mostly involved in primary decisionmaking. Their participation and involvement in the RiceBIS Community Program have paved the way for both men and women in the community to recognize the benefits of being affiliated with a farmers’ organization. Among these benefits is better access to various government interventions such as seed and fertilizer subsidies, agricultural machinery grants, and capacity-building programs. However, challenges persist in the local rice industry even with the continued implementation of the RiceBIS Community Program in the area. These challenges are predominantly associated with market forces, institutional actor dynamics, and technological and climatic factors. Men and women identified different but fundamentally complementary approaches in responding to these challenges. Despite being mainly exploratory, the findings of the study contribute to the improvement of the design and implementation of the different components of the RiceBIS Community Program in the area. Specifically, this study serves as a basis for program implementers and stakeholders in co-designing evidence-based strategies that would ensure gender equity while promoting partnership, strengthening capacity, and engaging farmers in rice-based enterprises in the community