Worm

Episode on July 23, 2007 Monday late night after Saksi Earthworms are among the planet's lowest life forms; thus, they get no respect. They gross out nearly everybody. Naughty children torture them. The word worm, or bulate, is used with derision. But they have a kinder, gentler side, as worm lovers tell I-Witness’ Howie Severino. The bulate boys Howie meets in this documentary are championing a "worm revolution." In a world heavily dependent on chemicals to grow food, earthworms may in fact be the key to a healthier and safer planet, and a more affordable food supply. Earthworms harm no one, they turn rotting waste into rich organic fertilizer, and revive dead soil. Advocates call their favorite creatures vermi, and grow and multiply them in vermi-composts. One of these verminians, Tony de Castro, is a Filipino-American who decided to resettle in the Philippines and make worms his life's calling. After receiving his own supply of worms from Tony and resettling them in his home, Howie goes on a journey in search of places where vermi crusaders are actively planting the seeds of the worm revolution. Naturally, Howie and his team head for a province called Compostela Valley in Mindanao, thinking that it might have something to do with compost. As the name promises, Howie finds farmers there composting with the aid of earthworms. One fruit farmer has a thousand kilos of worms producing tons of compost fertilizer for his trees. The worm trail leads all the way to Congress, where a bulate boy gains access to the President’s State of the Nation Address. Will worms end up on the national agenda? This unusual documentary by Howie Severino airs on I-Witness this Monday late night over GMA-7.

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Bulate! Kadiri ang tingin ng karamihan sa mga bulate. Ang popular na paniniwala, sila’y mga peste na kailangang patayin. Ngayong Lunes sa I-Witness matutuklasan ni Howie Severino na ang mga bulateng inaapi, may natatangi palang silbi. Makikilala ni Howie ang mga taong tila inalay na ang kanilang buhay sa mga bulate. Isa na rito si Tony de Castro na umuwi sa Pilipinas mula Amerika para maipalaganap ang mabuting balitang hatid ng mga bulate. Sa tulong ng milyong-milyong bulate, nabuhay muli ni Tony ang tuyong lupain sa Tanay, Rizal. Matapos makatanggap ng isang kilong bulate mula kay Tony, si Howie ay dadayo ng Compostela Valley upang mas maunawaan ang silbi ng mga bago niyang alaga. Mula sa Mindanao, isasama si Howie ng isa pang maka-bulateng mama sa SONA ng Pangulo sa Kongreso. Makumbinsi kaya nila ang mga makapangyarihan na bigyang pansin ang mga bulate? Panoorin sas ika-23 ng Hulyo, Lunes ng gabi pagkatapos ng Saksi, ang isa na namang kakaibang dokumentaryo mula kay Howie Severino.