Earthworms are among the planet’s lowest life forms; thus they get no respect. They gross out nearly everybody. Children torture them. The word worm, or bulate, is used with derision.

But they have a kinder, gentler side, as worm loverstell I-Witness’ Howie Severino.

The bulate boys Howie meets in this documentary are championing a “worm revolution.” In a world heavily dependent on chemicals to grow food, earthworms may infact be the key to a healthier and safer planet, and amore affordable food supply. Earthworms harm no one, they turn rotting waste into rich organic fertilizer, and revive dead soil.

Advocates call their favorite creatures vermi, and grow and multiply them in vermi-composts. One of these verminians, Tony de Castro, is a Filipino-American who decided to resettle in the Philippines and make worms his life’s calling.

After receiving his own supply of worms from Tony and resettling them in his home, Howie goes on a journey in search of places where vermi crusaders are actively planting the seeds of the worm revolution.

Naturally, Howie and his team head for a province called Compostela Valley in Mindanao, thinking that it might have something to do with compost. As the name promises, Howie finds farmers there composting with the aid of earthworms. One fruit farmer has a thousand kilos of worms producing tons of compost fertilizer for his trees.

The worm trail leads all the way to Congress, where a bulate boy gains access to the President’s State of the Nation Address. Will worms end up on the nationa lagenda?

Bulate: the documentary
Howie Severino’s I-Witness documentary
Airing Monday: July 23, 2007, after Saksi GMA7

Executive Producer: Ella Marie C. Evangelista
Director: JJ Villamarin
Cinematography: Kikoy Rapadas
Field Producer: Mavie Almeda

Visit Howie’s blog, “Sidetrip“

[via Sylvia Mayuga]