WEEK 1 REFLECTION PAPER

My NSTP during this semester was quite challenging and taskful. Challenging
because I am not really a patient person and I’m not that good when it comes to
teaching something like planting. Taskful because there were lot of things to do and
accomplish that made me tire every Saturday. On the contrary from what I had
expected, it gave me fun and bit of excitement throughout.

The different problems I have identified is that the residents of Barangay San
Guillermo, Talisay, Batangas is severely challenging by the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are numerous people have lost their jobs and livelihoods during the COVID-19
crisis and largely because of economic ripple effects and the closure of businesses
amid a coronavirus-related shutdown. As I presented my planned project to my
beneficiary in San Guillermo Talisay Batangas, I’ve realized that we need to share our
knowledge to others and by through NSTP-CWTS, we can give them the help that
they need. I have also realized that these plans that I presented to my chosen
beneficiary are not easy to accomplish because it requires patience and hardwork,
but because of the willingness to help for their betterment and through God, I can
accomplish all of this plans.

All of my plans are active and enjoyable to my chosen beneficiary. My project

started on January 18 - May 22, 2021 from 8:00 - 10:00 AM (Every Saturday). The
first Saturday morning is lecture about starting a business. I started my first week by
giving a lecture first to my beneficiary to teach new knowledge and skills, promote
reflection, and stimulate further work and learning. The first step I proposed in
response to the concerns of this barangay that I have enumerated is to give them the
explanation on how they can make money growing plants at home, by growing
plants and selling them right from their own home.
 The three most significant learning that I got from the activity are being
responsible, and it really bid me to be more independent in my resourceful in
everything I do. Having this activity really develop my individual personality and give
me the willingness to help, creative, and resourceful because it helps me to
communicate with others effectively and most of all it helps me to become a better
person. In my project I learned how to be dependent and to become close with
other people and it build me a good relationship with others especially with the
partnership, we build.

These are the value to me personally because it helps me to understand give

importance and appreciate all the things that I have. It gives me an inspiration to
preserve and to be more effective in everything I do. It gives me a knowledge of how
the society works, how to deal other people and how they live their life.

I would like to react or comment on the activity because it is my right to react

and express my feeling and thoughts, because it is my part to contribute and say
something as a student about this activity that really help to become a better person
someday and to become a good role model that the next generation will be good. It
is my first time to have a community extension service because before I get lazy, get
bored when I hear that words but now, I know what is the meaning of it. That
helping others and give time can help me to be a good citizen. The course NSTP-
CWTS let me learn and experience all of these at the same time. And for the next
term, I will assure that all of the proposed plans will be carried out to them. As a
token of appreciation.
 WEEK 2 REFLECTION
My most challenging experience and at some point, interesting experience was
teaching the proper way of planting to my chosen beneficiary for the second week of
the project. During the activity, I started out with teaching on how to plant fruit
bearing trees which is grapes and mulberry; the advantages of planting this kind of
plants and also on how to take care of the plants until they were ready enough to
grow and then sell them right from their own home. The teaching part was so
interesting, and I was so eager to go out to teach into the field and plant our own
fruit bearing trees.

We set out at around eight o'clock in the morning until ten o’clock in the field
where we were to carry out the exercise; me and my beneficiary carried the tools
such, as fork, spade, plastic pots and the plant cuttings of grapes and mulberry trees
were also carried along.

The first step I did was cutting off the stem of plants to start the propagation.
We used plant cuttings to reach maturity at an earlier age because it already has a
small plant that can make the fruit bearing trees to grow easily and faster to sell
them right after a month. In this way, the new plant grown from a cutting will
frequently mature faster than a plant grown from a seed. The journey to these
activities was fun and interesting.
 After showing on how the plant cuttings put in the plastic pots with soil, my
chosen beneficiary will try the planting process we did this week next week to start
the planned project to help my beneficiary to have a source of income by planting
and selling different kinds of fruit bearing trees from home.
 WEEK 3 REFLECTION
After a week of preparation for the project ‘Plant to Profit’ my chosen
beneficiary will now try to apply all of her learnings about the proper way of
planting. We all know that we can start your own spare-time plant business with
very little money. Most can be started with just a few hundred pesos, and almost no
financial risk. Growing plants is a simple business that anyone with a bit of common
sense can do. The total project cost for this project is only 500 pesos.

With this project, growing trees for profit is an ideal part-time or full-time
business for anyone who would like to be their own boss and enjoys being outdoors
working with plants. Trees are a valuable and renewable resource that can be raised
in a small backyard or acreage. During good times or bad, having a ‘back-up’ business
in your spare-time is a great way to secure yourself from the ups and downs of the
economy and the job market. Just like during this pandemic where many people
have lost their jobs due to business disruptions caused by the COVID-19. I chose this
kind of source of income for my beneficiary because a fruit bearing trees growing
business can bring you with a solid income working just a few hours a week. If you
opt to turn it into a full-time business, your earnings can grow as fast as your trees.

We all know that Philippines is one of the richest country when it comes to
agriculture, and most Filipinos are supporting their daily needs through agriculture
because they can get food and earn money. This project is important because it is
the Filipinos’ main employment and everyone are engaged in it, even children. Most
of Filipinos should be wealthy with the use of our agriculture.
 To start the planting process, the first step we did was cutting off a section of
stem of the fruit bearing trees so that they produce the best-tasting fruit. Although
fruit trees can be planted from seed, I still chose to used plant cuttings in order to
make sure the tree that we grow will grow easily and produce fruit.

For the second part, we prepare the ground for the plastic pots with soil to plant
the plant cuttings of grapes and mulberry. We used shovel to fetch the soil from the
ground and put it into the plastic pots. In this case, we make sure that the roots are
surrounded by loose soil so that they are not challenged by compressed earth.
 The last part of the process in planting the fruit bearing trees is to water the
roots. Thoroughly we water the area so that the soil fills in around the plant cuttings
that planted in the plastic pots.

After the activity, we planted a total of 10 grapes and 20 mulberries. The fruit
bearing trees are put together in a one place to start the growing process and to
produce the nutrients they need.
 WEEK 4 REFLECTION
After a week of preparation of the project, the planted fruit bearing trees are
now ready to sell and make it as a source of income especially during this pandemic.
It will help my chosen beneficiary to have a source of income even at home. To start
the selling of the plants, I decided to create a Facebook page to post the grapes and
mulberries and start earning. Before I create my Facebook page, I’m not expecting to
gain a lot of followers but after a few days of creating my page, it reached a total of
596 followers and 562 likes.
 The Facebook page is a great way to connect with other people and I used this
tool to sell our plants. We all know that we are not still safe to go out and not
allowed to do many activities due to the spread out of coronavirus. As a result of
that, global health crisis rendered many residents unemployed and the pandemic
may keep more resident’s poor and jobless. With this activity, my chosen beneficiary
can make money growing plants at home, by growing plants and selling them right
from their own home.

The project ‘Plant to Profit’ is successful because the project is able to generate
profits and repay the funds which were used while working on it. The computed
total profit for this project is ₱5,800.00. The customers ordered 10 grapes which
costs ₱280.00 each pot and 10 pieces of mulberries at a cost of ₱300.00 each pot. It
was a great experience to do this activity in NSTP because I experienced to have a
satisfied customer and it makes me feel good knowing someone is satisfied with the
ordered products or the plants they ordered. Aside from that, we create good
relations and build solid contracts due to the trust and satisfaction acquired from the
project.
GRAPES
MULBERRIES
 At first, I thought that NSTP was just an extra baggage in our curriculum for
which students were required to attend but I was wrong, I’ve learned many things
from NSTP and it served as an eye-opener not just for me but also for the majority of
my fellow school mates. As a first-year student of Olivarez College Tagaytay, the
most important thing that I’ve learned in the exposure was being involved in the
community. I’ve learned how to help other people who are in need and how to
understand each family’s status in life.

Having this kind of activity was truly a tiring task, however, the feeling of
happiness, fulfillment and achievement after the activity was unexplainable
especially when you see the happy faces of your beneficiaries, with regards to the
values that I’ve learned in the project, I’ve learned how to be productive and
punctual with all the task.

I’ve also learned that I should exercise my patience dealing with the people in
the community for example. My fondest memory in my NSTP project was when I got
the chance to meet my chosen beneficiary. I really treasured that moment because it
made me feel that she shared a part of her live to me. I’m very proud that I’m one of
the students who experienced it. It made me realize that I’m really blessed. My NSTP
project was successful, my beneficiary has learned a lot from me and also, I’ve
learned from her too.