Pozorrubio Orchidarium Farm

The Philippine Orchid Society held a field trip last April 19 to 22, 2008 . The group went to several provinces up in the Northern Regions of the country. The tour was called Baguio, Benguet , La Union , Pangasinan and Tarlac tour.

Pozorrubio is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Pangasinan. According to the latest census, it has a population of 63,689 people in 11,288 households. Often the town’s name is mistakenly written as “Pozzorubio” but the correct spelling is “Pozorrubio“.

group photo

The name were said to derived from old Hispanic name Pozo ( meaning well) rubio ( blonde  color) referring to the type of soil in the area.  Some people would say that the term was used in reference to the color of dried tobacco leaves – a large portion of the municipality was used as a tobacco plantation during the Spanish regime.

The municipality is politically divided into 34 barangays. The farm was located in Barangay Alipangpang beside the main highway , The town main livelihood is farming .

Mrs. Remedios Rodis- Santelices

The owner Mrs. Remedios ” Remy ” Rodis- Santelices is a lifetime member , a former board of director of the Philippine Orchid Society , Philippine Horticultural Society among others.

semi-terete vanda

She was born in the town and thus she named her farm ” Pozorrubio Orchidarium Farm” the farm according to Mrs. Santelices  had contributed somehow to the fame of the town . The farm would conduct  annual sale which buyers from all over Northern Luzon  would come and buy orchids , ornamental plants, ferns , hoyas among others.

Hoya meliflua- an endemic species from the Philippines

Her clientele includes local government officials, governors , generals , wholesalers, landscapers, ordinary hobbyists and even passers-by .

The group was treated with an assortment of native Pangalatok kakanins like Pangasinan puto,  biko and kutsinta.

a blooming sized Cymbidium finlaysonianum variety alba/flava

While the group hurriedly bought rare orchids like Cymbidium finlaysonianum variety alba ,Grammatophyllum multiflorum variety citrinum , various Hoya species , Platycerium grande ferns, Platycerium coronarium , Platycerium bifurcatum , Asplenium nidus , Asplenium musifolium among others.

This rare yellow  form of Cymbidium  finlaysonianum command a handsome price tag

She had several varieties of ferns which quickly germinate in the orchid  media pots.

Her farm would had several  cut flower orchid  varieties like Dendrobium, Vandas, Mokaras, Kagawaras, strap leaf Vanda.

Mrs. Santelices used to host a popular late afternoon agricultural show on IBC channel 13 during the early 1990’s together with Mr. Zacarias Sarian and Ka Philip  ” Ipe” Daffon.

She also operates a retail outlet within  Greenhouse 3, Manila Seedling Bank and in Project 8.

Gintong Talulot Orchid &Ornamental Farm

Gintong Talulot Orchid and Ornamental farm had several farms and outlets within southern Tagalog provinces.

Cattleya hybrids, Kagawaras, Mokaras, Epidendrums

Some of the collections are semi-terete Vandas, strap leaf Vandas, Mokaras, Kagawaras, Cattleya hybrids , native orchids like Dendrobium anosmum, Dendrobium aphyllum , Vanda lamellata . Ornamental plants like Hoya pubicalyx , Hoya obscura are also grown.

The farm also produces cut-flower which were supplied in nearby towns and provinces. The retired former professor in UPLB said that they started growing orchids as a mere hobby in the mid- 1970’s and through hard work and perseverance . They were able to send their children in school and was able to purchase some properties in Laguna, Cavite and Quezon and turned them into productive cut-flower farms.

rows of  planted  cut flower orchid varieties

The proprietors are active members of the

Los  Baños Orchid Society, Philippine Orchid Society.