29/10/2025
“The Secret Life of Ducks: How a Farm Taught Future Leaders to Fly”
October 29, 2025 | Jinayon Duck Farm, Purok 1, Trento, Agusan del Sur
No one expected that the sound of quacking could inspire lessons in leadership. But on October 29, 2025, the BSBA-OM 3 students of Mt. Carmel College, Inc. – San Francisco Branch found themselves discovering exactly that at Jinayon Duck Farm in Trento, Agusan del Sur.
Guided by their subject teacher, Mr. Dennis G. Patosa, DBA, and led by Class Representative Woj G. Lequido, the students embarked on an educational tour with the theme “Hatch the Plan, Lead the Clan.” What started as a simple farm visit turned into an unforgettable experience filled with teamwork, curiosity, and lessons drawn straight from nature.
Here’s something fascinating about ducks: scientists say they practice what’s called “team intelligence.” When ducks fly in a “V” formation, each bird benefits from the lift created by the one in front, allowing the group to travel about 71% farther than if they flew alone. And when the leader gets tired, another duck takes the front position. It’s a natural system of cooperation and shared leadership.
As the students observed the ducks move in organized groups, that concept suddenly felt familiar. Project Management, they realized, isn’t just about being in charge. It’s about knowing when to lead, when to follow, and how to keep everyone moving toward the same goal.
Inside Jinayon Duck Farm, this idea came to life. The students saw how every task, feeding schedules, incubation timing, and product distribution, was connected like pieces of a single plan. Each step mattered. Every role had a purpose. It was the same structure they learned in class, but here it was alive, breathing, and quacking.
Mr. Patosa shared a simple but striking observation: “Every egg that hatches on time is a project completed successfully.” Those words stayed with the students. It reminded them that even small victories require planning, patience, and follow-through.
Of course, the day wasn’t all serious. There were lighthearted moments too, students laughing as they tried to mimic duck calls and snapping photos with the flockr. But behind the laughter was quiet reflection. The facilitators guided everyone to see the bigger picture: that coordination, communication, and trust are just as vital on a farm as they are in business.
Before heading home, the group held a short recognition program to thank the facilitators and farm staff. Certificates were given, photos were taken, and smiles were shared. Yet the most meaningful takeaway wasn’t on paper. It was the realization that leadership doesn’t always wear a formal suit. Sometimes, it comes with feathers, mud, and the humbling rhythm of nature.
As the van rolled away from Jinayon Duck Farm, a calm understanding filled the air. Leadership, like life, is best learned through experience. The ducks had unknowingly become teachers, showing that success depends not just on intelligence or strength, but on rhythm, collaboration, and trust.
This educational tour, created under the subject Project Management, became more than an academic requirement. It was a lesson about real-world leadership and the beauty of shared effort. Just as ducks rely on formation flight to reach their destination, teams rely on unity to reach success.
The students of BSBA-OM 3 returned to Mt. Carmel College not only with notes and photos, but with a new sense of appreciation for structure, patience, and harmony. The very values that make both a flock and a project thrive.
And perhaps, if one listens closely enough, they might still hear the faint echo of that day: the soft rhythm of quacks whispering a truth that leaders often forget—
Lead when you must, follow when you should, and always fly together.
By: Woj G. Lequido
