Organic products in the Philippines

As a foodie who got tired of the poor quality of restaurant food in the whole country, I started cooking my own Indian, Vietnamese, Chinese and Italian food, as well as our own versions of North American and European food, and growing my own veggies at home.
Why?
In general, the meat and produce in the supermarkets of the Phils suck (don't even consider buying them in Robinson's and SM. Let your nose tell you what's going on).

There are a few 'organic' public markets in some places (one in Dumaguete), but there's some untruth in this: until recently, pinoy didn't know that they have largely been growing organic all along. Without money to fertilize and perhaps even water properly, nor know that full sunlight and certain soil types are needed for gulay (legumes0, almost everything is organic. But now that it's becoming a fad, I've witnessed that growing methods haven't greatly changed, but prices are rising rapidly, even obscenely if there are enough 'chinoy' and 'foreigners' around to buy them.

Given that I usually cannot get good pechay (bok choy), and other leggy gulay, I've started to grow my own at home. As for the soil that some veggies grow in, I shudder to think how toxic some soils are (leftover cement alone will kill whole papaya trees).

My advice?

If you are able, grow your own at home, and cook for yourself. Go to a tropical plant sales place to buy your soil, and get the seeds in the local supermarts and even Ace Hardware, and see how it goes?

Sorry if this seems pessimistic overall, but if you choose to carefully look around, perhaps I speak the truth.

I suppose, many poducts bought in the Philippines, especially in the provinces, and away from Supermarkets, are genuine Organic Products? As most Farmers cannot afford to buy Chemicals for there Crops.

There is a Myth about Organic Produce. They are not free from Pesticides. Maybe origionally they were, but as demand grew. The Chemical companies developed Pesticides (Mostly pre-emergence)
which after large payments to the Regulating Authorities. Were allowed to be used on so called Organic, or Bio Products.

I am almost Seventy years old now. I worked with Pesticides all my life. I have never been seriousley Sick. Hardly ever seen a Doctor. In Fifty years I had less than 10 Days off Work due to illness.

Perhaps we all need more Pesticides??

Agree with the others. A lot of produce here is naturally grown, but you have to think about what is in the soil in urban areas. In Cebu you see the fresh produce being brought into the city from the mountains where its grown every day - veggies, flowers, etc. Fresh as can be if you buy at the farmers market. Most of the meat and poultry is naturally free range, haha. Just wash everything well and steam the veggies.