People who go to Baguio City, the summer capital of the Philippines, usually think of going to the famous Strawberry Farm Baguio. Actually, it is not located in Baguio itself but in La Trinidad, which is the capital of Benguet.
But in recent years, there’s another tourist attraction that has been hyped by social media. We are referring to the Northern Blossoms Flower Farm in Atok, Benguet. It is about two-hour away from Baguio City.
The two-hectare flower farm is owned by Mrs. Melany “Lany” Ganayan and her husband. The reason why they plant flowers is because they have a flower shop in Dimasalang, Manila. Among the flowers grown are cabbage roses, delphinium, everlasting, larkspurs, marigolds, matthiola, rice flowers, snapdragons and sunflowers, to mention a few.
“Cut flowers are our calling,” Lany told Rappler. “We can grow it, but the tourists visiting are coming here for God’s work. This place is naturally photographic.”
From a distance, visitors can get a glimpse of Mount Pulag and Mount Timbak which can serve as backdrop when taking photos.
Many people come to the flower farm to experience the spring and the flower boom that is very similar to Japan and South Korea. It has been dubbed by many tourists as the Netherlands’ Keukenhof of the Philippines.
Ezra Magusib, who has visited the place, said of the farm: “When we reached the place, the sight was astonishing: from the sea of clouds to the bed of flowers. The two mountains offer an awesome view. At the end of the tour, we were offered a complimentary snack of pan de coco and sweet potato. They also provided us with Cordilleran brewed coffee. Overall, the experience was spectacular.”
The Northern Blossoms Flower Farm is a fine example of farm tourism. Republic Act No. 10816, otherwise known as the Farm Tourism Development Act, defines farm tourism as “the practice of attracting visitors and tourists to farm areas for production, educational and recreational purposes.”
As a reason to visit, it is becoming increasingly popular in the country these days.
Any agriculture or fishery-based activity that brings people to be educated or trained on farming and related activities, or just provides a venue for outdoor recreation and family outings can be called farm tourism.
“There are many farm tourism activities that can be experienced when visiting rural farms,” explained Business Mirror in a feature on farm tourism. “Children and adults alike can feed animals, collect eggs, do nature-based arts and crafts, try horseback riding, hike, eat meals with freshly cut vegetables, pick fruits and harvest vegetables, try new varieties of fruit juice or wine, create community-based products, or even stay overnight in the area.”
The activities vary, depending on the farm that is visited.
“It ranges from very (sophisticated) tourist farms to very simple… farms,” pointed out Senator Cynthia Villar, author of Act No. 10816. “They are the same thing; it’s about being creative.”
The Philippines is the largest archipelago in the world with 7,641 islands, of which about 2,000 are inhabited. The total land area is estimated to be about 30,000 million hectares, with about 11 hectares classified as agricultural lands, according to Asia Research Media.
The Asian country has a maritime tropical climate with two distinct seasons–the rainy and dry seasons – making it an ideal place for farming. Located in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, volcanic activities also ensure the fertility of the soil.
Since 2018, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has been strengthening the development and promotion of farm tourism as a major tourist product. It supports stakeholders in innovating and diversifying farm sites around the country to include recreational and leisure activities for tourists in addition to food and wellness.
Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, when she was still the tourism secretary, described farm tourism as “a catalyst for sustainable tourism and inclusive development.”
As of 2019, more than 200 farms have been accredited as farm tourism sites. In 2020, DOT partnered with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization to make farm tourism sites more sustainable and help the tourism industry make a resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The UN World Tourism Organization says major trends driving recovery in travel and tourism include open-air activities, nature-based products, and rural tourism.
When it comes to farm tourism, name it and the Philippines has it, says Dr. Maria Celeste H. Cadiz, an expert on farm tourism from the Laguna-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).
“There are several benefits to farm tourism,” says Dr. Cadiz. “It provides additional income to the community; it promotes local products and culture…but most importantly, environmental problems like cutting of trees, monoculture, and the use of chemicals, among others, are addressed and talked about.”
Like other enterprises, farm tourism has its challenges, particularly from the point of view of the operator. These include difficulty in finding sufficient labor, whether to go organic or conventional, what kind of physical infrastructure, availability of internet, garbage facilities, good roads, and climate change.
But despite these, the Philippines is now among top farm tourism destinations in the world, according to local hotel marketing expert Rose H. Libongco.
“Farm tourism sites have boosted Philippines’ tourism potential and the country is now a top agri-tourism destination,” she said in a press statement circulated by Growth Publishing for SEARCA.
Foreign visitor arrivals in the sector are growing by more than 10 percent, according to a recent press statement, with the bulk of foreign tourists coming from Korea and Japan, 22.2 percent and 8.68 percent, respectively, with tourists from Australia, Canada, Taiwan and the UK all making up a significant added percentage of farm tourists.
Libongco noted that the Philippines is rich in natural resources and biodiversity, with a strong farming heritage reflected in folk songs.
As well, its innate hospitality and openness to visitors all make the sector attractive to visitors. As an example, La Union region–known as the country’s surfing capital - also includes grape farms in Bauang and a swag of family farms.
In Laguna, the Villa Socorro Farm is an agri-eco village that adopts best green business practices and is a participant in the Global Green Growth Institute. It practices rainwater harvesting and grows native saba bananas. People who visit can check out its plant-to-pack site and take-home farm products: corn pops (wasabi shoyu), banana crisps in caramelized sugar, “Sabanana” cider vinegar, “atsarampalaya” pickled bitter melon and Ilocos bagnet chicharron, all produced on site.
In Mindanao, the Malagos Garden Resort in Davao City is a case in point. It all started with the durian and coffee farm in Tagakpan. This was followed by lanzones, pomelo and orchid farms in Cabantian. It then constructed in 1994 a small restaurant and swimming pool and in 1997 an overnight accommodation and resort facilities.
Malagos Farm offers agriculture training–daily module, cacao module, and solid waste management. It planted narra trees for the bees and bignay to give habitat to birds. It offers a showcase of cultural events and experience tourism including tractor rides around the farm, Malagos farm fair, and interactive bird show.
Tourists can bring home farm products: orchids, tableya from cacao, virgin coconut oil, bignay wine, and dairy goat and cow products.
In Toril, there’s the Eden Nature Park and Resort. The once-barren piece of land now provides a relaxing alternative to the bustling city life of Davao with its cool weather and unpolluted air. But what makes it commendable is its vegetable gardens and greenhouses. Tomatoes, cucumbers, and spices are grown organically. Several varieties of lettuce are grown using state-of-the-art hydroponics technology. Some of these are harvested and served fresh at the Vista Restaurant.
Davao del Sur has two well-known agritourism destinations. Even before agritourism became popular, the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) in Kinuskusan, Bansalan has been one of the most popular destinations when it comes to farming.
Most people come to the center for the upland farming technologies and sustainable gardening schemes. The center is also known as the goat center of Davao del Sur. It has been the source of purebred Nubian and other dairy goats. Other livestock raised in the farm include sheep, rabbits, and swine.
MBRLC also raises ducks, chickens, and tilapia. During its season, fruits also abound durian, mangosteen, rambutan, lanzones, santol and mango. Cacao and coffee are also grown on the farm.
Not far from the center is the Lao Integrated Farm, Inc in barangay Eman. It is also one of the town’s top farm tourist attractions. People come to the place to learn how coconut sap is turned into sugar and syrup. Today, the farm is exporting its produce to other countries.
Benjamin Lao, one of the country’s outstanding farmers who owns the farm, practices organic farming in his farm. He also employs several people, mostly neighbors, to be his co-workers at the farm.
“The Philippines is an agricultural country, with two-thirds of its population involved directly and indirectly in agriculture,” said Senator Villar, also emphasizing the important contribution of the sector in national growth and development, and in bringing improved opportunities to an underdeveloped part of the community.
