At 34, youthful-faced Father Osias Ibarreta Jr. seems both wise beyond his years and ahead of his time. A linguist, with a fondness for quoting stanzas of classical English verse in mid-conversation, the smiling priest’s eyes widen as he describes his vision of the Philippines’ future. To get there, these days he preaches sustainable agriculture as the long-term salvation of his congregation – the much beleagred Filipino farmer.
As Executive Director of the Social Action Center of Tarlac (SACOT), one of a network of 88 diocesan centers forming the social action and development arm of the Catholic Church in the Philippines, Father Osias is a leading advocate of combating rural poverty with a bevy of holistic, environmentally-friendly farming practices, and for empowering farmers to thrive rather than simply survive.
