Mindoro Farm School Forum Highlights Role of Rural Education in Sustainable Development

The Roxas Family Farm School (RFFS) in Oriental Mindoro, Philippines, marked its 25th anniversary by hosting the National Family Farm School Forum on July 6, bringing together Church leaders, educators, government officials, development organizations, farmers, and youth advocates to discuss the role of rural education in sustainable development.

Held under the theme “Advancing Holistic Family Farm School: A Tool for Sustainable Rural Development,” the forum highlighted the importance of empowering young people through education that connects farming, family life, community engagement, and care for creation.

In a recorded message to participants, Bishop Gerry Alminaza, president of Caritas Philippines, called for stronger government and multi-sectoral support for Family Farm Schools (FFS), saying rural communities play an important role in shaping the country’s future.

“The future of the country will also be shaped in rural communities where young people learn to care for the land, strengthen their families, and become faithful stewards of God’s creation,” Bishop Alminaza said.

Caritas Philippines is a partner of the Pilipinas Association of Rural Families for Education and Development (PARFED), which promotes the Family Farm School model in the Philippines.

Congratulating PARFED for its decades of service to farming communities, Bishop Alminaza said the program goes beyond preparing students for employment.

“You have shown that education is not only about preparing young people for employment. It is about forming persons who know their roots, love their communities, and recognize that the land entrusted to them is both a gift and a responsibility,” he said.

The bishop described agriculture as “a vocation that serves the common good” and said Family Farm Schools help young people remain connected to their communities while contributing to sustainable development.

The forum also marked the silver jubilee of the Roxas Family Farm School, one of the Philippines’ pioneering Family Farm Schools. Established in 2001, the school nearly closed in 2004 due to financial difficulties but continued through the support of parents, volunteers, and donors.

PARFED President and RFFS/FFS Executive Director Mina Ballesteros recalled working without salary for two years to help sustain the school. From an initial enrollment of 16 students, RFFS has grown to 267 learners and produced 541 graduates. It now has classrooms, organic demonstration farms, laboratories, and a library.

The school follows the “Alternancia Learning System,” which combines classroom education with home- and community-based learning. Students apply their lessons by working with their families on farm enterprises.

Ballesteros said continued financial support remains necessary, especially for teacher salaries and operations. She expressed hope that the forum would encourage greater recognition of agriculture as a dignified and sustainable vocation and strengthen support for Family Farm Schools across the country.