Harvest season should symbolize abundance — bundles of rice stacked high, fruits ripening under the sun, and the promise of a fruitful yield. Yet, for many Filipino farmers, it marks the start of another struggle. Prices drop, middlemen take their cut, and farmers are left with barely enough. And through it all, the burden is theirs alone. This weight is carried season after season, year after year, not by choice, but because the system was never built for them.

But what if the system worked differently?

37 stories above, Jun’s journey back to his roots

Agrabah Ventures is the answer to this “what if.” Behind this venture is Mr. Joselito “Jun” Ocol, a man shaped by two worlds: the corporate world, where he reached the peak of success, and his humble childhood in Bicol, surrounded by farmers and fishermen’s children.

One day, Jun stood in his Makati office — 37 stories above the ground — reflecting on his achievements. Though financially stable, something was missing. A vision of his childhood in Bicol surfaced, where life had been simpler and more grounded. He realized that while he had achieved corporate success, the lives of farmers remained trapped in uncertainty, victims of a system beyond their control.

The answer became clear. The next step wasn’t about climbing higher the corporate ladder, it was about using the lessons he had learned from his time in business to reach back. 37 stories up to the very ground the farmers had tilled for generations. And so, Agrabah Ventures was born: a system built for farmers, not against them.

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The ‘Agrabah’ model 

In business, companies conduct market research before launching products, supply chains move based on demand forecasting, and investors fund based on data. Yet, for decades, Filipino farmers have operated without any of these. “Why should farming be any different?” Jun thought. 

Agrabah’s market-first approach ensures that before planting a seed, farmers already have a purchase order for their harvest. This guarantee protects them from price crashes at harvest time, eliminating the uncertainty that plagues their work. Farmers now plant with confidence, knowing their crops will have a market.

These purchase orders have also transformed into proof of income — documents that allow farmers to access loans and financial services that were previously unavailable due to lack of traditional documentation.

After the harvest, farmers traditionally face logistical hurdles — renting trucks and transferring crops multiple times, which adds cost and food waste. Agrabah solves this by building a network of truckers that go directly to farms, eliminating middlemen and reducing waste.

Most recently, Agrabah drafted the Metro Naga Zero Carbon Policy, which already opened a secondary market for farmers through carbon credits. For the first time in the Philippines, farmers are earning additional revenue by selling carbon credits to MSMEs looking to offset their emissions.

It’s an initiative in motion, with a potential for nationwide adoption. What was once an untapped opportunity is now a groundbreaking initiative, with Agrabah paving the way for farmers to benefit from sustainability.

The heart of Agrabah is kapwa 

Agrabah’s business model was shaped by deep immersion in farmers’ lives, whether by pitching a tent outside their homes or sharing a drink with them. This reflects kapwa, a Filipino concept of shared identity and dignity. [READ: The myth of ‘kapwa’]

For farmers, kapwa is crucial — not just in how we engage with them, but also in how they receive us. Too often, social enterprises fail because they impose solutions without truly listening. But when we live alongside farmers, earn their trust, and become part of their community, they share their stories, struggles, and hopes.

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It’s in this space of mutual trust that we offer solutions — not as impositions, but as a kaloob — a gift of care and respect. In return, farmers offer their loob — their trust and willingness to work with us. This exchange forms the foundation for real, lasting change.

Jun’s exit strategy, then, is the natural next step in this journey. It is not just a decision to step back but an embodiment of kapwa: to live and be one with the community he has worked to support. It is the culmination of everything Agrabah stands for — an active, ongoing participation in the lives of farmers, not from a distance, but from within.

And so, just as Agrabah has sown seeds of trust and collaboration today, Jun’s presence in the community will continue to nourish these roots, ensuring that they grow into the bountiful harvest of tomorrow. In every Agrabah community, there will always be a seat, a glass, and a loob waiting to be shared and understood together, so there will be a bountiful tomorrow. – Rappler.com

Patch Aure, Alexa Abary, Melka Antipolo, Hannah Sharmae Prado, and Sharky Roxas are part of a research team seeking to explain how Filipino values and dynamic capabilities lead to social sustainability outcomes. patrick.aure@dlsu.edu.ph