Located in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, PeacePond Organic Farm represents sustainable agriculture and community spirit. This thriving sanctuary is the brainchild of the dynamic husband-and-wife team, Jesus Antonio “Jet” Orbida and Checcs Osmeña-Orbida.
Checcs and Jet are far more than mere landowners; they are the visionary leadership behind the PeacePond Farmers Association. As president and executive director, respectively, their synergistic partnership is driven by a profound commitment to environmental stewardship and food sovereignty.
This shared passion has been the catalyst for a remarkable transformation, turning a simple plot of earth into a thriving, replicable model of ecological farming that serves as both a sanctuary and an inspiration.
The couple established PeacePond in 2004, developing a five-hectare seaside space in Barangay Enclaro, Binalbagan. This area serves as the home of the PeacePond Farmers Association (PFA), a community focused on three advocacies: organic farming, solid waste management, and regenerative agriculture.
The last one is key, as it involves restoring soil health and improving local biodiversity. Their goal is not just to farm but to revive the land while producing abundant, high-quality, and nutritious food. This approach supports both the environment and the community.
“Before I ventured into organic farming, my wife, Checcs, was already deeply involved in her advocacy on solid waste management, long before I was, even back when we were still in Manila. I retired from my career as a broadcast journalist in 2003, while she also retired from her career in the film and music industry,” Jet explained.
“Our original vision was to transform PeacePond into a wellness resort. But along the way, things took a different direction. I found myself drawn to farming, then aquaculture, and eventually to organic farming, where I finally settled. My wife, meanwhile, remained steadfast in her waste management advocacy,” he added.
Together, they realized that they were still pursuing wellness and well-being—just without the “resort” part of the dream.
Her advocacy evolved into a small-scale facility for repurposing and recycling plastics and sachets. Over time, PeacePond became a recognized demonstration site for Organic Integrated Farming under the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Training Institute. Since 2017, it has also been accredited by the Department of Tourism as the only DOT-accredited farm tourism site in the Southern Negros tourism circuit—and the only DOT-accredited establishment in their hometown, the Municipality of Binalbagan,” Jet Orbida shared.
The PeacePond Farmers Association cultivates a variety of organic produce, including corn, lettuce, basil, papaya, cucumber, squash, and turnips. A significant part of their product line comes from coconut trees grown on their farm, where they produce coco sugar, virgin coconut oil (VCO), and natural vinegar. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, they innovated further by creating kabkab (cassava fritters), coco cider vinegar, and tauge (mung bean sprouts) using recycled PET bottles.
A flagship initiative that encapsulates their innovative spirit is the “Blastik Project” program (Balik Plastic Bottle Project). This project creatively addresses the pervasive issue of plastic pollution by allowing community members to exchange plastic waste for fresh, organic produce from the farm. This simple yet powerful idea provides a tangible incentive for waste management, cleanses the local environment, and ensures families have access to healthy food, creating a closed-loop system that benefits both people and the planet.
PeacePond embodies the Filipino spirit of bayanihan by innovating with what’s available, not expensive tech. They transform scrap metal, bicycles, and discarded bottles into practical tools and livelihoods, seeing value in waste and building community pride.
Through their tireless work, Checcs and Jet Orbida have made PeacePond a living classroom. They empower fellow farmers and community members by showcasing that a sustainable future is not only possible but already within reach. Their story is one of profound dedication, proving that with vision and collective effort, we can cultivate a more peaceful and productive world.
