Life of a farmer

MANILA, Philippines - When my wife Noribi was pregnant with our first baby, we felt more worried than excited since we would soon be parents facing the challenges of raising a child. We were born poor, with nothing to brag about, but we had no choice but to face the challenges that lay ahead.

To make ends meet, Noribi helped me by planting vegetables to sell. We took care of chickens and a pig that we could sell in case we needed money. Some of them got infected and eventually died because we could not afford to treat them.

I worked on Don Juan’s rice field, but there were times when he did not need my services so I had to look for other jobs. I was paid to pick coconuts from the tree. I could get 200 coconuts by just climbing the tree, but it was scary. What if I accidentally fell? Nobody would be there to take care of my family.

I got home late one night after working all day long in the rice field of Don Juan, hoping to make enough to buy food and pay all my debts at Inday’s little store. I was exhausted since I worked at the lower part of the mountain and had to hike all the way to the upper part where we lived. Heavy rain fell when I was a block away from home, where Noribi waiting for me.

“Noel, we don’t have husked rice anymore, and I already tried to borrow from Inday but she refused because we still owe her P500,” she said. I felt sad but at the same time, my nerves were set ablaze. I had come home late and we had no rice to eat. I went to my father’s house to ask for rice. Unfortunately, I got nothing.

All of a sudden I started to cry – reflecting how hard our life was being just a farmer in Barangay Pato-o, Odiongan, Romblon.

Then the special day came. Noribi gave birth to our first baby and we named him Noriel. Noribi decided to devote her time to taking care of our baby. Being the head of the family, I promised her that I would be more determined to earn money. The everyday hardships did not stop me from dreaming of a brighter future. I just needed to figure out the key to success.

As time passed, my baby Noriel grew into a boy with a strong body. He was able to help me in every kind of job. We used to smash up big stones and sell them for P300 per truckload. We shoveled and refined sand and we sold it for P350. We chopped and burned tree branches to convert into charcoal to sell for P150 per sack.

As Noriel grew older, Noribi accepted laundry jobs twice a week and she was paid P200 per day. I worked as a carpenter, a chainsaw operator, a motorcycle driver and even a helper when there was a need. We were all working together to make sure Noriel could make it all the way to college.

As a family we would always give thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ. We attended Sunday mass regularly. We kept our faith strong. I believe prayers can move mountains. But sometimes I would doubt since some of my prayers remained unanswered. I just kept the faith alive and I believed that God had better plans for us.

Noriel never got any awards or recognitions during his elementary and high school days, but we were still very proud of him. We admired his determination and perseverance to pass every school year.

Then, the moment we were waiting for finally came along – Noriel made it through college. I cannot explain the feeling I had watching my son marching at his graduation with a degree in Electrical Radio Technology from Romblon State College. When his name was called, my hands started shaking and I began to cry. 

I will always treasure that moment. Now I can brag to the whole world that even a farmer like me can send a child to college. Noriel is now working in Manila and has his own family. He has established a good reputation and has a good salary. I am currently living a happy and more relaxed life with Noribi, still here in Barangay Pato-o, Odiongan, Romblon.

Noel Perez is just one of more than a thousand farmers in Odiongan. Like him, farmers struggle everyday to survive. Unfortunately, not all succeed like Noel; most of them still live in poverty. How ironic that in a place like Barangay Pato-o, with lush highlands and abundant waters, farmers remain poor.

To improve the lives of provincial communities while sustaining the beauty of the environment, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Tourism, Ateneo de Manila University, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. and ABS-CBN Foundation’s Bantay Kalikasan launched the Green Initiative. 

Through the Green Initiative, farmers like Noel and all those in the community can participate in putting up ecotourism and agriculture efforts to protect the environment while generating income.

Aside from Odiongan and other parts of Romblon, the Green Initiative also targets to improve selected areas in Bicol.

The conviction is that if tourism, agriculture and environmental protection happen in one place – and these efforts are supported by the media and private sector investments – the results will be phenomenal.

For more information on the Green Initiative, call 415-2272 local 3792.