MANILA, Philippines (5th UPDATE) – Looking for concrete ways to directly support our hardworking farmers from home? Social enterprise Rural Rising is here to help; its advocacy is to “spur the rural economy” by bridging the gap between urban customers and farmers around the country through bulk rescue buys of locally-grown gulay and fruits, delivering them from various provinces to customers in Metro Manila.

Rural Rising founders Ace and Andie Estrada are committed to fostering “rural prosperity” by bringing the best of our countrysides straight to the city through agri-entrepreneurship. They’re in direct contact with different farmers from the farthest-flung regions who regularly appeal for help when there is not enough demand for an oversupply of their produce. In the end, the fruits of their labor spoil and they end up taking home nothing.

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Support local farmers! For P699, stuff a box with as many fruits, veggies as you can

Because of this problem, Rural Rising holds rescue buys of various produce at affordable, farm-gate prices. We’ll be regularly updating this list as more rescue buys are announced, but for now, here’s how you can support our local farmers with these ongoing buys!

NOTE: The produce can be picked up from RuRi’s two pick-up points: RuRi South (Old Transport Terminal Bldg., Alabang Town Center, Theater Dr., Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa) or RuRi House (72 Maayusin Street, UP Village, Diliman, Quezon City.)

Ongoing! Meyer Lemons Rescue Buy 

RuRi is selling one last lemon harvest from the Tuba, Benguet farmers as lemon season ends, and they’re including a free bottle of honey with each order (until supplies last)!

It’ll cost P499 for 10 kilos of Meyer lemons, with a dispatch date on November 7. You can order your haul online.

Ongoing! White Corn Rescue Buy

The white, sweet, chewy, and waxy corn from Binalonan, Pangasinan are ready for dispatch on November 6! These Pearly White Corn beauties cost P599 for 10 kilos, and can be ordered online.

Ongoing! Gourmet Tuyo and Tablea Buy

It might sound like an odd match, but it’s a RuRi-approved comfort food combo – Gourmet Tuyo Flakes and Native Chocolate poured over hot rice! It’s tuyo from Dipolog City pickled with cubes of Benguet carrots, and tablea from Manong Juanito in Pangasinan. 

You can get a bottle of homemade tuyo and three rolls of tablea chocolate for P450. You can order here.

Atis Rescue Buy

The farmers of Brgy. Olo olo, Lobo, Batangas are in need of buyers for their fresh batch of custard apple, or more known by its Filipino name, atis.

For only P499, you will already get three kilos of atis. You can place your order here, although the dispatch date is yet to be confirmed.

Lanzones Rescue Buy

Camiguin lanzones are known for their sweet taste and small size. RuRi explained that the island’s “sulfur rich volcanic soil” is what makes these produce grow out to be the sweetest in the Philippines. That’s why getting four kilos of Camiguin lanzones for P999 is already a steal!

You can place your order here, and await its dispatch on August 20 to 21.

Hybrid Thai Mangoes Rescue Buy

RuRi traveled all the way to Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija to get a fresh batch of the iconic Thailand-Carabao mangoes.

Don’t judge the fruit by its cover – it might look spotty from the outside. However, once the fruit ripens, it has a taste like no other! These Thai mangoes are available for P635 for five kilos. The dispatch will be on Tuesday, August 23, and can be picked up at the RuRi house or at RuRi South.

Galintuja Dragonfruit Sale

The dragonfruit farmers of Brgy. Galintuja, Ma. Aurora, Aurora, who are mostly elderly, are bringing their harvest to RuRi’s collection center in an appeal for help. For P550, RuRi is offering Metro Manila customers five kilos of good- quality dragonfruit, that will be dispatched three to four days after the placing of orders on the website.

Customers can pick up any of their produce loots at the RuRi House (72 Maayusin Street, UP Village, Diliman, Quezon City) or at RuRi South (Old Transport Terminal Bldg., Alabang Town Center, Theater Dr., Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa).

You can also help our farmers with monetary donations via GCash at 0917 501 7787 (Armando II). 

‘Hinagpis ng Kamatis’ Rescue Buy

Rural Rising is helping out tomato farmers from Tinoc, Ifugao – specifically, from Brgy. Ap-apid – who been hard-hit by a sudden hailstorm. As of Tuesday, July 5, for just P325, customers can get up to 10 kilos of fresh tomatoes via online link.

Lemons Rescue Buy

As of Friday, August 19, Rural Rising re-opened their rescue buy initiative for the farmers of Tabaan Sur, Tuba, Benguet. For the low price of P399 for 10 kilos, buyers can get their hands on green, freshly-harvested lemons. You can add them to your cart and place an order through this website.

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Help the Benguet farmers! Get 10 kilos of lemons for just P400

Okra Rescue Buy

A distressed farmer from Arayat, Pampanga is struggling with kilos of okra that are in danger of spoiling, so Rural Rising is offering customers 200 pieces of the nutritious vegetable for just P200 (you can also ask for more). You can take your purchase home or donate it to other communities nearby – just order via Rural Rising’s website.

The dispatch date to Metro Manila will be on Friday, July 8.

Semini Watermelons Rescue Buy

Last June 27, Rural Rising held a rescue buy of watermelons from the farmers of Magumbali in Candaba, Pampanga. For P240, customers could get five kilos worth of pakwan.

Aside from rescue buys, Rural Rising’s agriculture initiatives include the Box-All-You-Can event in Ayala Malls, where customers can stuff one box with as many local gulay and fruits as they can for just P699 under 10 minutes, directly sourced from different farming communities around the country. So far, Rural Rising has held this at Nuvali, Market! Market!, UP Town Center, Glorietta, and Alabang Town Center. Upcoming locations include AyalaMalls Marquee in Angeles, Pampanga (August 6-7) and Alabang Town Center (July 8-10).

Rural Rising also recently helped out Guimaras farmers by hosting a Mango Eat-All-You-Can event at P200 per head at Market! Market! last June 12. – Rappler.com