Good and Green

Great farming doesn't begin with the harvest. It begins with healthy soil. In this episode of Good and Green , Chit Juan sits down with Raphael "Raffy" Dacones, Chief Farming Officer of Teraoka Farm, to share his journey from studying architecture and working in Japan to becoming one of the country's leading advocates for organic farming. What started as curiosity grew into a t...

What happens when you leave the corporate world and start over on a remote island? In this episode of Good and Green, Chit Juan talks with Ichay and Raul Bulaong about their decision to leave city life behind and build a new life in Coron, Palawan. What began as a search for a simpler lifestyle evolved into a series of purpose-driven businesses focused on sustainability, fair trade, and community...

Sustainable tourism becomes more meaningful when it is rooted in community, culture, and care for the environment. In this episode of Good and Green , Chit Juan talks with Jeannie Javelosa about how Banahaw Circle Nature Retreat grew from a personal connection to Mount Banahaw into a thriving community-based tourism initiative in Dolores, Quezon. Jeannie shares how the retreat supports local farme...

Sustainability is no longer just a trend in tourism and hospitality. It is becoming part of how future professionals think, work, and serve. In this episode of Good and Green , Chit Juan talks with Dr. Harold Bernardo Bueno, Dean of the Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management at FEU Manila, about how sustainability, food systems, and education intersect in today’s tourism industry. Drawing...

Filipino food is deeply rooted in family, tradition, and everyday life. In this episode of Good and Green, Chit Juan sits down with food advocate and author Nancy Reyes-Lumen, also known as the “Adobo Queen,” to explore why adobo continues to be one of the most powerful symbols of Filipino identity. As part of a multigenerational food family, Nancy shares how recipes are passed down, adapted, and...

As Good and Green continues its celebration of Filipino Food Month, this second special episode goes deeper into the stories behind what we eat. Chit Juan sits down with independent food scholar and book designer Ige Ramos to explore how decades of fieldwork, writing, and cultural research shaped his understanding of Filipino foodways. Their conversation touches on ethical food writing, the value...

Filipino food tells the story of who we are, and there’s no better time to reflect on that than during Filipino Food Month. In this episode of Good and Green, Chit Juan sits down with cultural heritage worker and food historian Felice Prudente Sta. Maria to explore the roots of Filipino cuisine, from pre-colonial ingredients and food traditions to the ways colonial influences were transformed into...

Sustainability becomes more powerful when it is passed down through generations. Chit Juan sits down with Badjie and Bea Trinidad, daughter and granddaughter of zero-waste pioneer Annie Guerrero, to talk about how one woman’s practical, disciplined way of living became a lasting family legacy. From the founding of CCA Manila to embedding green practices into culinary education and everyday life, t...

As part of our Women’s Month series highlighting impactful women in sustainability, Chit Juan sits down with Pastry Chef Gel Salonga-Datu of Ted’s Hospitality Group and the Slow Food Community Laguna. Chef Gel shares how reviving heirloom recipes, supporting local farmers and artisans, and organizing the Sa Pantalan Food and Heritage Festival helped build a thriving community around Laguna’s food...

Luxury means nothing without nature. In this episode, Chit Juan speaks with Janet Oquendo, General Manager of Banwa Private Island, about returning home to Palawan after decades of opening world-class resorts across Morocco, Venice, Turkey, Bhutan, and beyond. From protecting thriving reefs to building a culture of environmental care within her team, Janet shares how true luxury eco-tourism is not...

What does it really take to build a business that lasts for decades? In this episode of Good and Green, Chit Juan sits down with franchising pioneer Armando “Butz” Bartolome to unpack how entrepreneurship has evolved and why values, credibility, and responsibility matter more than ever. Drawing from over 35 years of mentoring Filipino entrepreneurs, Butz shares insights on balancing speed with cau...

What started as a simple search for a healthier chocolate drink for her children became something much bigger. In this episode, Chit Juan sits down with chemist and entrepreneur Melanie “Mel” Medrano, founder of Cacaomistry, to talk about how science, motherhood, and sustainability came together to create a Filipino origin based cacao brand rooted in clean ingredients, local sourcing, and social i...

Chit Juan sits down with the co-founders of ARTFARM Sustainable Solutions to explore how a small family-run farm in Bay, Laguna evolved into a certified organic and Slow Food-recognized enterprise. From surviving a natural disaster to building a regenerative, technology-enabled, and community-driven farming model, this conversation offers insight into resilience, innovation, and how sustainable fa...

In this New Year episode, Chit Juan shares a gentle reflection on welcoming 2026 with intention and purpose. She talks about simple ways we can shift our habits, broaden our experiences, and make the coming year more meaningful for ourselves and others. This short conversation is an invitation to start the year with clarity, curiosity, and a renewed sense of what it means to live good and green. W...

In this Christmas episode, Chit Juan reflects on the meaning of giving during the holidays and invites listeners to revisit the idea of presents beyond material gifts. She talks about offering the gift of time, creating a “job jar” of thoughtful favors, sharing causes and advocacies, and finding moments to be truly present with the people who matter. Chit reminds us that time is finite, but choosi...

Organic farming is gaining new momentum in Southeast Asia, and the Philippines is beginning to feel that shift.  Chit Juan talks with Marco Schlüter, Director for Strategy and International Affairs at Naturland, about how organic markets emerge, what helps farmers transition successfully, and why restaurants and retailers play a crucial role in expanding access to organic products. Marco draws fro...

In this episode of Good and Green, host Chit Juan speaks with Ann Dumaliang of the Masungi Georeserve Foundation about the delicate balance between nature conservation and human activity. Ann shares how the Masungi team transformed a once-threatened landscape into a thriving model for geotourism, reforestation, and environmental protection. She and Chit discuss the importance of building systems—n...

Chit Juan talks with sustainability and supply chain leader Christian Schmidradner about ten years of the Philippine Sustainability Movement and how it all started with Sustainable Seafood Week. Christian shares how his work in traceable seafood supply chains led to a nationwide campaign for responsible sourcing and collaboration among government, business, and communities. He explains the importa...

What does it take to leave a stable career abroad and rebuild life from the ground up back home? In this inspiring episode, Chit Juan talks to Anatista Perez, a former OFW and civil engineer who returned to the Philippines to build Don Narciso Café-Restaurant in Claveria, Misamis Oriental. From failed ventures to finding purpose in coffee, Anatista shares how she turned setbacks into stepping ston...

In celebration of National Coffee Month, this October series of Good and Green episodes features inspiring stories from Filipino coffee advocates and entrepreneurs. In this episode, Chit Juan sits down with Imelda Dagus, founder and CEO of Dennis Coffee Garden, the first heritage coffeehouse brand rooted in the Kahawa Sug tradition of the Sulu Archipelago. Imelda shares how she transformed her fam...

How do we bring dead soil back to life? In this episode, sustainability advocate Chit Juan sits down with Nicolo Aberasturi, President of Banhaw Agriculture and a longtime champion of regenerative farming in the tropics. Together, they unpack how small farms can thrive by working with nature — not against it — and how compost, ruminants, and indigenous wisdom all play a role in soil health and foo...

What does it take to scale organic farming from a single farm to a million kilos of produce annually? In this episode of the Good and Green Podcast, Chit Juan talks to Mike Melendres, founder of Organic Options, Earthman, and Biotech JP. From a modest farm in 2001 to a vertically integrated business promoting food safety, farmer training, and agricultural innovation, Mike shares how his journey ha...

Seeds are at the heart of farming and food security. In this episode of the Good and Green Podcast, host Chit Juan talks with Julius Barcelona, Chief Operating Officer of Harbest Agribusiness Corporation and Vice President of the Philippine Seed Industry Association. Julius explains why seeds are the foundation of agriculture, the differences between open-pollinated, hybrid, and transgenic seeds,...

Chit Juan sits down with Carlomagno “Carlo the Farmer” Aguilar to talk about how growing your own food can change both consumer and farmer mindsets, reduce waste, and make farm-to-table truly work in the Philippines. Carlo shares his mission to localize food production, empower communities, and bring fresh, sustainable food closer to home. From backyard gardens to island-to-island farming solution...

Chit Juan speaks with Reena Gamboa about the vibrant and growing Slow Food movement in the Philippines. Reena shares how her community’s deep-rooted pride in Ilonggo food culture laid the foundation for their leadership role in hosting Terra Madre Asia and the Pacific, a biennial event gathering farmers, chefs, food advocates, and producers from across the region and beyond. Reena gives us a previ...