Joy Barcoma pushes for dignity of farming: 'Make it a livable profession'

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

January 14, 2026 | 1:14pm

MANILA, Philippines — Miss Philippines Earth 2025 Joy Barcoma strongly believes in "dignifying farming" to encourage young people to take farming as a profession. 

Joy posted a photo of farmers on Facebook with the text: "Almost all of our FARMERS are aged yet they still work hard under the sun just to provide. They feed us and the nation, it's a call for help to our younger generation, rise YOUNG FARMERS rise!!!"

"We must first dignify farming and not romanticize it as sacrifice alone, but recognize it as skilled, essential, and nation-building work," Joy said.

"If we want young people to choose farming, then it should be a livable profession. One that offers fair income, security, access to land, technology, education, and dignity. Because feeding the nation should never mean living in poverty," she added.

The Bacoor beauty bested 35 other environmental guardians at the coronation in Okada Manila in August 2025. The Disaster Preparedness and Resilience advocate was crowned by outgoing queen Irha Mhel Alfeche. She was was also named Miss Megaworld Hotels and Resorts.

Joy was predicted early on to be the Silver Edition winner for her eloquence. The Broadcast Communication graduate from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines showed her gift of the gab during the question-and-answer (Q&A) portions at the coronation night.

She represented the Philippines at the Miss Earth 2025 competition and finished as a runner-up.

RELATED: Disaster resilience advocate: Meet Joy Barcoma, Miss Philippines Earth 2025