THE national elections are over. The rainbow colors of the Duterte crimson, the Roxas yellow, the Binay orange, the Poe color mix of red, white and blue, and Santiago’s rose red are now consigned to history books and Wikipedia.
What matters now is what color can unite the country. Or in the case of Negros Island, in the era of climate change, I will go for the color green.
Green represents growth, harmony, freshness, and good health. As a political ideology, the color symbolizes a belief in environmental goals, and on achieving them through broad-based, grassroots, and participatory democracy.
Green should represent the Negrenses. So now, Kay Versoza-O’ Brien, the new president of Organic na Negros! Producers and Retailers Association (Onopra), is in effect batting for the green island instead of the Duterte crimson. We were together in the Onopra board until recently.
Kay is calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to save Region 18, the Negros Island Region (NIR), with the hashtag #SaveNIR. There is no way she can be construed as being a pro-Roxas yellow. As she noted, “I’m your supporter and I campaigned for you during election. Please hear us!”
NIR is the realization of every Negrense’s dream. The dream of taking back our identity that we Negrosanons are brothers and sisters, connected in blood and culture. This solidarity can be traced back to our ancient history and heritage.
For more than 20 years, our leaders, stakeholders and people have been united for one cause – to make Negros Island as one region.
Dear Mr. President, we at Onopra are asking for your kind consideration to retain Negros Island Region. We fought for so many years to finally reconnect with our history and culture that has, until now, been lost and forgotten. We are one island. Please do not divide us again. We have high hopes invested in your leadership and that you will consider the pleas of your people. If you dissolve NIR, you will also take away from us our identity, our morale, our hopes, and aspirations.
Onopra has diverse members comprising of more than 100 small organic farmers, cooperatives, indigenous people, private companies, restaurateurs, and manufacturers. We are constantly advancing in the area of organic agriculture with a current total devoted land area of 15,000 hectares, which is still expanding.
We stood up against chemical agriculture by banning GMO in our province, taking back control from corporations, oligarchs, and western influences. The main considerations in all our activities are the interests of the poor and rural communities, to protect our environment and to provide safe, healthy and nutritious food for all Negrenses and Filipinos.
We are hoping for you to reconsider against abolishing NIR. Please give us the opportunity to continue to be united at this juncture. We are the Negros Island Region: one island, one people, one dream!
Amen to that.
