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What if building a successful business could also mean restoring forests, empowering communities, and making a positive impact on the environment?
Pacita Juan sits down with social entrepreneur and sustainability advocate Rafael “Raf” Dionisio, founder of MAD Travel, now transitioning to MAD Earth. Raf shares how his early ambition to make money evolved into a bigger mission of using business as a force for good. From his work with Aeta communities in Zambales to planting nearly 150,000 trees, he discusses how sustainable tourism can create meaningful experiences while supporting environmental restoration and local livelihoods. He also shares lessons from his entrepreneurial journey, the importance of working with indigenous communities, and why protecting the environment and building a sustainable economy should go hand in hand.
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Rafael “Raf” Sison Dionisio is a multi-awarded social entrepreneur and four-time TEDx speaker dedicated to building a regenerative economy in the Philippines. Through MAD Travel and AVD Green Builds, he works with indigenous communities, farmers, and fisherfolk on ecosystem restoration, sustainable tourism, agroforestry, and low-carbon construction. His MAD team has planted over 129,000 trees and collected more than 12 tons of plastic waste. His recognitions include The Outstanding Young Men Award (TOYM 2025), the DENR Green Legacy Award, and the DOT Sustainable Tour Operator Award. Raf envisions a future where businesses help restore nature while creating sustainable livelihoods and economic opportunities for local communities.
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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.
For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.
What does it take to build a successful business while helping an entire industry grow? As we continue our Coffee Month celebration, we're recognizing individuals whose passion and dedication have helped shape the Philippine coffee industry. In this episode of Good and Green, Pacita Juan sits down with coffee entrepreneur and educator Cherry Cruz to talk about her unexpected journey from seafood trading to building a thriving coffee business. Cherry shares how her passion for learning led her from distributing international brands to roasting and promoting Philippine coffee, supporting local farmers, and educating the next generation of coffee professionals. She also reflects on the importance of grit, purpose, and building meaningful relationships, and why she believes the future of Philippine coffee holds exciting opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs alike.
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Cherry Cruz is the founder and CEO of Equilibrium Intertrade Corporation and the Barista and Coffee Academy of Asia. With nearly three decades of experience, she has helped develop the Philippine coffee industry through distribution, education, and quality improvement. She is a Q Processing Professional, SCA Q Arabica and Robusta Instructor, international coffee competition judge, and recipient of the Coffee Quality Institute's 2025 Educator of the Year and Lifetime Achievement awards.
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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.
For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.
October is Coffee Month, and we're celebrating individuals whose passion and dedication have helped shape the Philippine coffee industry!
In this episode of Good and Green, Pacita Juan sits down with coffee industry veteran Emmanuel “Manny” Torrejon to look back on his remarkable journey spanning more than four decades in coffee. From the Philippines' thriving coffee export years to the rise of specialty roasting, Manny shares his experiences, lessons learned, and enduring fascination with the coffee bean. He also discusses why the future of Philippine coffee lies in returning to the farms, exploring new varieties, and inspiring the next generation of coffee professionals. It's a conversation about lifelong passion, continuous learning, and giving back to an industry that has been such a big part of his life.
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Emmanuel “Manny” Torrejon is a coffee industry veteran whose career began in 1979 as a coffee trader. He founded CAFEX, Inc., an artisan coffee roasting company, in 1996 and later became President of Coffee Roastmasters Alliance, now UCC Ueshima Coffee Philippines, where he serves as Business Development Director. He is also a Director of the Philippine Coffee Board and ASEAN Coffee Federation, as well as a chef and restaurateur behind Manolo's Private Dining.
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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.
For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.
What does it take to make tourism truly sustainable for both visitors and the people who call a destination home?
In this episode of Good and Green, Pacita Juan speaks with Dr. Mary Anne Ramos Tumanan and Jerome Jay Cabugao about Batanes and its journey as the first Philippine destination to join the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories. They explore how research, community participation, and evidence based planning are helping Batanes address food security, tourism carrying capacity, cultural heritage, and other challenges unique to island communities. They also discuss the importance of indigenous Ivatan food and farming traditions, and how Slow Food can help preserve local culture while creating opportunities for farmers and producers.
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Dr. Mary Anne Ramos Tumanan is a professor at the College of Home Economics, University of the Philippines Diliman, with more than 29 years of experience in hospitality education. Her research focuses on sustainable tourism, including resident satisfaction, social carrying capacity, and food security. She initiated the multidisciplinary project that helped Batanes become the Philippines' first destination to join the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories.
Jerome Jay C. Cabugao is the Supervising Manpower Development Officer of the Provincial Government of Batanes and an accredited TESDA Trainer in Cookery. A member of the Batanes Culture and Arts Council, he researches, documents, and promotes indigenous Ivatan dishes and works to preserve the food traditions and cultural heritage of Batanes.
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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.
For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.
What does it take to turn locally grown cacao into world-class chocolate? In this episode of Good and Green, Pacita Juan speaks with Rex Puentespina of Malagos Chocolate about his family's journey from rehabilitating an existing cacao farm in Davao to producing some of the Philippines' most internationally recognized chocolate. Rex shares how farmer education, international competitions, scientific feedback, sustainable farming practices, and technology have helped them continuously improve their cacao and chocolate. He also explains what chocolate percentages really mean, why consumers should pay attention to ingredient lists, and how adding value to Philippine cacao can create greater opportunities for the country's farmers and chocolate industry.
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Rex Puentespina is a farmer and chocolate maker behind Malagos Chocolate, part of his family's group of agriculture-based businesses in Davao. A graduate of the University of Santo Tomas with a degree in Commerce, major in Economics, he leads the sales and marketing of Malagos Chocolate and has helped bring its tree-to-bar, single-origin Philippine chocolate to markets in Asia, Europe, and the United States. Under his family's stewardship, Malagos has earned numerous international recognitions for its cacao beans and chocolates while continuing to champion quality, sustainable farming, innovation, and value-added Philippine cacao products.
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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.
For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.
What if farming could do more than grow food? In this episode of Good and Green, Pacita Juan speaks with Tancho Baes about leaving a successful career in Canada to return to the Philippines and dedicate his life to serving marginalized communities. Through Hectares of Hope in Davao, Tancho is building a model that uses sustainable farming to create livelihoods, empower Indigenous and rural communities, and give families opportunities to thrive where they already live. He shares the challenges and lessons behind the initiative, from learning organic farming and finding markets for high-value crops to building trust, teaching financial literacy, and creating a model he hopes can be replicated in communities across the Philippines.
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Tancho Baes is a Certified Public Accountant, social entrepreneur, and Executive Director of Hope for the Nations. After spending 25 years in Canada, he returned to the Philippines following volunteer work during the Zamboanga siege and the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, experiences that inspired him to dedicate his life to serving marginalized communities. After four years of immersing himself in the urban poor communities of Davao, he founded Hectares of Hope, a social enterprise that uses sustainable farming, livelihood development, and financial empowerment to help rural and Indigenous families build better lives within their own communities.
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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.
For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.
What happens when one chapter of life comes to an unexpected end? In this episode of Good and Green, Chit Juan sits down with veteran journalist Ces Oreña-Drilon to talk about how she reinvented herself through sustainability, wellness, and entrepreneurship. From building a rammed earth farmhouse and cultivating herbs to creating natural wellness products through Provenciana, Ces shares how curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to keep learning helped her discover a new purpose. She also reflects on why every setback can become an opportunity to grow and create something meaningful.
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Ces Oreña-Drilon is an award-winning broadcast journalist with over four decades of experience in Philippine television. Today, she combines journalism with sustainability advocacy through her #Cestainability segment while leading Provenciana, a wellness enterprise that promotes native botanicals, natural products, and sustainable living. Through her work, Ces continues to inspire others to embrace resilience, innovation, and a deeper connection with nature.
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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.
For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.
What role does marine wildlife play in keeping our oceans and communities healthy? In this episode of Good and Green, Chit Juan speaks with Dr. AA Yaptinchay, marine wildlife conservationist and Founder of the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines, about protecting threatened species such as whale sharks, marine turtles, dugongs, dolphins, and sharks. They discuss how responsible marine tourism, stronger public awareness, and science-based conservation can protect biodiversity while creating sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities. Dr. AA also shares practical ways everyone can help, from respecting wildlife in their natural habitats to reducing plastic waste and supporting responsible tourism.
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AA Yaptinchay, DVM, MSc is a marine wildlife conservationist with more than 30 years of experience protecting some of the Philippines' most threatened marine species, including whale sharks, dugongs, marine turtles, dolphins, and sharks. A pioneer in responsible marine wildlife tourism, his work helped secure legal protection for whale sharks in the Philippines and has influenced national policies on marine conservation. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines (MWWP) and continues to champion science-based conservation, wildlife rescue, and sustainable tourism.
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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.
For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.
What if the best classroom was found in nature? In this episode of Good and Green, Chit Juan sits down with Sara Francesca Soliven-De Guzman, President of O.B. Montessori Center and steward of Preziosa Farms, to share how a school campsite evolved into a 16-hectare destination for experiential learning, regenerative agriculture, and environmental stewardship. Sara explains how hands-on experiences—from harvesting vegetables and caring for animals to planting native trees—help children and families develop a deeper appreciation for nature while inspiring future generations to live more sustainably.
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Sara Francesca Soliven-De Guzman is the President of O.B. Montessori Center and the steward of Preziosa Farms, a 16-hectare educational farm in Alfonso, Cavite. Building on her mother Dr. Preciosa Soliven's vision, she has transformed the farm into a destination for experiential learning, regenerative agriculture, and environmental stewardship. Through camping programs, farm experiences, native tree conservation, and sustainable design, Sara continues to inspire children, families, and communities to develop a deeper appreciation for nature and responsible living.
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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.
For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.
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 thriving farm that now supplies premium organic produce to some of Metro Manila's top restaurants.
Raffy shares the lessons he learned through years of trial and error, from finding the right market and diversifying crops to building a farm school, mentoring future farmers, and creating stronger partnerships with chefs. He also explains why healthy soil, regenerative agriculture, and continuous learning are essential to building farms that are both productive and sustainable for generations to come.
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Raphael "Raffy" Dacones is the Chief Farming Officer of Teraoka Farm, an organic farm in Mangatarem, Pangasinan. Under his leadership, the farm has become a national benchmark for sustainable agriculture, supplying premium organic produce to many of Metro Manila's leading restaurants. He also consults on farm development and leads Soil Studio, integrating agriculture, landscape design, and sustainability to create greener, more resilient spaces.
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Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.
For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.
From the publisher's feed
The Good and Green Podcast, hosted by sustainability advocate Chit Juan, was created for the purpose of helping social entrepreneurs overcome challenges and grow impactful ventures that drive…