In 1994, a winning Miss Universe question was asked, “What is the essence of being a woman?” Is it by achieving beyond one’s age? Is it by facing numerous trials and forging through? Is it by being a mother and nurturing one’s family? Is it being an inspiration and to others? Or is it by empowering other women as well? What does one have to do to make a difference? In 2024, thirty years later, a woman tells her tale to answer, what truly is the essence of being a woman.

Youthful, motivated, and unstoppable, Veberly Jubilo Uyaan is the owner of Vel Seirra Integrated Farm – formerly La Sierra Mushroom Farm, the head of a mushroom enterprise, resource speaker for the youth, elderly, and women, a leader of an association for the women of the community, a loving wife, and a mother of two. At twenty-eight years old, has the agricultural stage with fruitful blaze as she persisted to grow her enterprise as a young woman, as a leader, an inspiration, and a mother.

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀. . .

During the pandemic, when the world faced an unexpected darkness, Veberly was one of those that was affected by the shutting down of borders, leading her to quit her job and start other ventures. “Noong una po, nag-istart po kaming magluto-luto ng iba’t-ibang putahe. Pero dahil po hindi bumabalik ang aming puhunan, doon na po nagsimula ang aming pag venture ng mushroom production.” With that in mind, Veberly continued with the venture however, they felt the cold air of the community when people refused to buy her mushrooms due to the stigma.

“Nahirapan kaming ibenta sa kanila,” Veberly reminisced the dark times during the beginning of her mushroom venture. Fortunately for her, mushrooms thrive in the dark. Using their previously failed venture, they spun things around. “Doon po sa experience na ‘yon, naisipan po naming kapag may occasions, lutuin ang mushrooms sa iba’t-ibang putahe gaya ng mushroom tempura para sa mga bata, at the same time meron po kaming mushroom sisig at dinakdakan,” which they gave to guests, allowing them to have the power of the word of mouth to spread the yummy goodness of the mushroom produce.

𝗙𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀. . .

The Vel Seirra Integrated Farm started from 100 fruiting bags which gave a yield of 1-2 kilos or 400 pesos every day. But it still was not enough and that was when Veberly joined the provincial and regional Young Farmers’ Challenge where their investment paid off from 500 fruiting bags to 5000 fruiting bags produced monthly.

This innovative venture also led her to win awards such as the GO Negosyo Most Inspiring MSME, Provincial Young Farmers’ Challenge Awardee, Regional Young Farmers’ Challenge Awardee, a Finalist in the National Young Farmers’ Challenge, on top of being guest of honor speakers at events for the youth, senior citizens, and women.

The Vel Seirra Integrated farm now has the capability to produce 5000 to 8000 fruiting bags per month. She has ventured to value-adding such as the mushroom kropek, mushroom wine, mushroom binagoongan, mushroom chili garlic oil, mushroom polvoron, and blue ternate juice. Her farm also includes crop production of high value crops, organic farming using vermi compost, and herbs as a new addition.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁. . .

“Unti-unti na po naming nababawasan ang mga agricultural wastes ng ating paligid, kung saan dati sinusunog po ng mga farmers pero dahil sa pamamagitan ng venture na’to, cinocollect po naming ang mga raw materials tulad ng garami o rice straw, at saw dust na galing sa furniture shop na dating sinusunog at tinatapon sa mga tabing ilog.” Not only does she help in minimizing community waste, she also provides trainings and seminars for people like her who would like to venture into agri-businesses. “Dito sa aming community, nagkaroon na din po ako ng impact kung saan nagkaroon po ng trabaho yung aming mga mothers sa aming paligid na dati umaasa lang po sa kanilang mga asawa sa source of income. Pero dahil sa enterprise na ito, nadagdagan po ang kanilang income kung saan nakakapagbigay na po sila ng baon ng kanilang mga anak.”

And to prove to be more fruitful, Veberly also spearheaded an association of the youth called Samahan ng mga Kabataan dito sa Balaoan where she teaches the youth how to start in their mushroom production. Not only that, she also gathered an association for women and mothers called the Vel Seirra Lakas Kababaihan ng Talipugo, Balaoan, wherein she encourages fellow women in venturing into agri-business and helps them start up their enterprise. It was no wonder then that her farm also became an agricultural learning site as approved by the Agricultural Training Institute.

In her young life of twenty-eight years, Veberly Uyaan became a pioneer of innovative mushroom farming, setting standards, achieving various awards, becoming a resource speaker for the youth, the elderly, men, women, and mothers alike, serving as an inspiration, and above all, being a loving wife and mother to her husband and children. In 1994, the universe’s question was asked, “What is the essence of being a woman?” Her testament would say, with persistence, passion, and drive, the essence of being an empowered, inspirational, outstanding rural woman, is all of the above. As Veberly Uyaan vehemently stated,

“𝘏𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪 𝘬𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘦, 𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘶𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘺𝘢 𝘬𝘢 ‘𝘳𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘰, 𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘬𝘢 𝘴𝘢 𝘪𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘢𝘯, 𝘬𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘪𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘯𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘰.”

❅