Dr. Levy del Rosario: In Pursuit Of A Dream
by Willie "Tatang" Vergara

Quite recently, Brod Levy del Rosario sparked a series of discussions that may herald a “New Chapter” in the life of our beloved fraternity. From the ideas that he has been sharing, drawing from his very own experience as an agricultural entrepreneur, many well-informed brods from all over the world came out to offer their respective viewpoints, visions, experiences and concepts, too.

It has been a few months since these “rapid-fire” exchanges had transpired. These discussions were constructive, inspiring, interesting and substantive, and were indubitably based on wisdom derived from individual experiences and aspirations. Lest the bright ideas that came out will turn out to be simply “a bubble of joy” or just a temporary ride in “a beautiful balloon”, we might as well put on record the highlights of such discussions with the hope that something will come to fruition, if not soon, maybe at some later time when these random ideas finally reach a solid meeting point. At the very least, it is the hope that those ideas will not just be relegated to the dustbin of history.

Before we go on, it may be good for us to know more about Brod Levy, the central figure in these recent discussions:

He was Cum Laude in B.S. in Animal Husbandry at the Araneta University and later graduated Veterinary Medicine and Surgery in U.P. Diliman, finishing among the top ten in the Philippine Veterinary Examining Board in 1967. He was UP Vet Med College Councilor from 1966-1967, a most coveted elective post among Vet Med students up to this time.

Prior to his stint as Owner and Operator of his two animal clinics (the other is a satellite) from 1989-present, he was employed as Veterinary Medical Officer – APHIS, USDA, Indiana. Since 1984 – present, he also owns and operates 3D Enterprises, where he invented and marketed a licensed product “Flea Blanket and Spray” to kill fleas in dogs, cats and dwelling in USA.

So much for Levy's career as a Vet Doctor. He doubles up as an agriculturist, and an excellent one at that. For the past decade now, he has been operating from his home in Indiana his own agri-business conglomerate in Bagac, Bataan, although he visits his Bagac business twice a year. In a few years since he established this conglomerate, he has already received two awards: (a) In 2009, a Small Business Award granted by the provincial government under Governor Tet Garcia, and (b) One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) Award by the Philippine Department of Trade and Industries. The fraternity had bestowed Brod Levy an Award of Merit during the induction ceremony for the new fraternity officers in Quezon City last November 2012. Of late, he was nominated Outstanding Alumnus of the University of the Philippines, backed by no other than National Scientist Dr. Ted Topacio. An article about Levy’s outstanding accomplishments in providing employment as well as giving hope to the rural poor was aptly described by fellow Veterinarian Dr. Winston Acevedo in his article - "Dr. Levy del Rosario, DVM - Nominee as Outstanding UP Alumnus 2012-2013". This award will perhaps come at a later time, for the main proponent that could make this accolade possible at this time was called by his Creator a few months back.

Dr. Levy, DVM and Dr. Josephine, MD as farmer entrepeneurs

For the sake of accurate reporting, although at the risk of being repetitive, allow me to quote Brod Levy himself about what he is doing and what he has done so far during this past decade. Here goes:
   1. Spearheading the development, cultivation, processing and marketing cashew nuts that provide hundreds of jobs in Bataan. My

       70-ha land (divided into 6 farms) supports these businesses year-round since 2002.
   2. My organization provides micro-credit (with zero interests_ to small cultivators, workers and processors at harvest time.)
   3. The cashew trees are the principal crop while the cattle and goats graze underneath. The cattle eat the cashew apple but not

       the nuts. At the other farm, the cattle grace under the coconut trees. The hog farm (without cages) is separate from the other

      animals but close to the broiler chickens raised on grass. Double and triple croppings is my scheme to maximize land use.
  4. At one farm of 8 ha we cultivate saba bananas to be processed into crackers or chips year-round. The waste of this business

      go to the pigs, goats and cattle. They also eat the “runty” ripe and unripe fruits.
  5. Our 9-ha. coconut farm provides the animals copra as alternate feed besides the ipil-ipil we raise along the fence line.
  6. Lately, we started processing and marketing venison, pork and broil and beef @ PhP10-PhP20 per kilo cheaper than the

      regular price to give the people a break. Free alternate feeds afford us the chance to do this.
  7. Our modest outlet store carries all our raw and finished products besides the usual groceries.
  8. Land, water and forest conservation is our cardinal rule in everything we do. Hence, we plant at least 1,000 trees, especially

      cashew, coconut and ipil trees every year.
  9. Our market is principally Bataan, Pampanga, Olongapo and Metro Manila. At times we could not meet the demand.
10. Our organization provides financial assistance for schooling of local needy children, 15 at a time.
11. All profits are plowed back into the business to support expansion and more employment.
 

Following are some pictures of Brod Levy’s facility, workers and products:

                                                  Cashew                                                                        Mango

Banana ("saba")

Workers manually washing and sorting cashew nuts, workers de-shelling w machines cleaned, dry nuts

Female workers removing cashew kernel skins then sorting them. Cooking oven at background.

The smiling factory workers pose for a shot

Company workers and families waiting for free annual buffet on company yard

R&R of company employees and their families at the beach

As stated in the beginning paragraph, many knowledgeable brods joined the discussions. The dialogues not only inspired ideas involving specific agricultural endeavors and productive land use but also about helping fellow Filipinos in terms of rural employment and uplifting the quality of life – thoughts that range from the mundane to the spiritual. Such, indeed, has become a very appropriate topic for this year 2013 which theme is about “The Good and Noble Men in Nation-Building”.

Predictably so, our Makati-based businessman elder Brod Orly Pena ’48 would not miss a beat. He took the chance of reiterating his decade-long advocacy for a Beta Sigma Business Development Center, upon which would result in the conduct of various financially sound endeavors for the fraternity’s coffers. His thoughts were shared with many brods in many occasions, including TOYM awardee Brod Atong Labadan on matters relating to agricultural projects. Brod Orly’s vision is for the fraternity to be engaged in profitable businesses that will eventually support a secretariat and other undertakings like scholarship programs and helping brothers in need in a proactive manner. Of late, he proposed the putting up of a think-tank that will pursue the ideas advanced in these recent dialogues.

Brod Benild Pires ’64 of Victoria, Canada, drawing from his own experience in the success of the Victoria, B.C. non-profit Filipino-Canadian Association, advanced the idea of setting up a foundation that will invite donations and bequests for a capital fund. He emphasized however the importance of “accountability and transparency (as) key to the foundation’s success.” He was Chair of the Foundation for the last two years, and was trustee for six years and suggested a few organizational guidelines should the frat enter “a new chapter.” The hiring of relatives and friends is often not a good idea for the implementation of a program or project, he said. “The toughest matter… is keeping one’s self-interest and ego in check”, he added, “and … “we should set firm principles to guide us through…” Brod Levy vigorously agreed to Benild’s ideas, as he himself had his own personal experience of having to let go his relatives who could not commit themselves to the business. “If any agricultural development, or business for that matter, back home doesn’t incorporate strict discipline, it is doomed,” Levy said. “Even a social business advocated by Mr. Yunus of India emphasizes profitable operation for sustenance”, he added.

World Bank expert Brod Ed Quisumbing '55, himself one of Beta Sigma’s TOYMs (agriculture), had encouraging words for Brod Levy. “I cannot stop thinking of the wonderful work you are doing in Bataan, and the transformation of the land from a barren and harsh landscape into a productive one,” Brod Ed said. He proceeded to mention that our fraternity is so abundant with knowledgeable brods who can further enrich the ideas that have come about – Brod Levy Perez '58 who returned from the US to establish a farm in Mendez, Brods Anggie Angliongto '55 and Vic Ramos 62a, and so many others who could provide expert advice on the financing aspect – Secretary Procy Alcala, Secretary Mon Paje, former Usec Orly Sacay, to name a few. He also named others who might be interested in pursuing the idea: Brods Pong Lustre, Butch Tadena, Joey Onias, Ben Albarece and Sonny Pagador.

Davao businessman Brod Anggie ’57, shared that there is currently a DENR program that has mapped out a list of idle public lands and that DENR is welcoming private organizations to lease such lands for 25 years, plus another 25 years for planting high value crops like cacao, coffee and fruit trees. “We have rich aggie resources in the frat who can put their heads together to make it a model farm,” he said. Brod Levy added, “It would be a pity if our assets in all fields of endeavor are not tapped maximally at the critical time when a healthy, financial well-being of the group is on call… while many more are seeing the dawning of the century of uncertainly… We have to strike while the iron is hot.”

Some brods were quick to provide some caveats in the midst of all the enthusiastic exchanges, specifically on getting the fraternity involved in such projects. Brod Johnny Singh threw in a pragmatic observation. He asked, “If were to get involved in this, what is in it for me? Will it change my life, or it just for civic action to help our countrymen, and we end up with nothing except for the prestige that we did something for our folks?” This was indirectly answered by Brod Benild, mentioning Jesus teaching: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. “The key phrase that sets the bar here, according to Benild is, “… as thyself.” On the technical/marketing side, Brod Vic Ramos warns that Palm Oil is discouraged because it requires mono-cropping, thus bio-diversity of our forests are sacrificed, aside from the requirement of very large areas. Brod Rene de Rueda that those involved should really have a passion of business and possess true business acumen. Brod Ben Albarece talked about fluctuating international markets for certain products i.e. our copra being a victim of a huge US lobby for soya.

Younger brods – Ben Albarece, Alan Posadas and Elmer Reyes all contributed their respective inputs to the discussions based on their own experience in other agricultural concerns, mentioning that these are auspicious times to pursue these endeavors. Ben A roundly supports the growing of coconut, saba bananas, and cashew, having run the aggie outfit of RamCar from 1985-1996. “For cashew, it was growing so naturally in elevations at 500 feet above sea level… and was doing so well at the same elevation in Cagayan de Oro City Airport…”

At press time, Brod Levy is working to nail down favorable terms of long-term lease to develop 250-1000 ha. of Indigenous People (IP) land located 50 minutes drive from Manila. He feels the probability of this lease being realized is 70-85%. Details will be announced once negotiations are consummated, including the
invite to interested brods.

So there, Brothers. Are we now on our way towards making a template for success? Are we truly serious in carrying on with such dialogues? Will this proposed 'think-tank' eventually be organized? At the very least, Brod Levy by his example and experience has shown us that an agri-business with deep social orientation can be successful even if managed from afar… that after all, what is so important is the passion, dedication and drive to pursue a vision with the help of the right people who equally share that vision.

POSTCRIPT: There were many other brods who contributed to the discussions. However, I was unable to capture everything about this topic. My sincere apologies for my inability in writing a comprehensive article.

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