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Pablo Bansag, fondly called by the community as "Blo" is a native of Bulongan, Toledo City, Cebu. While in his tender age, his parents migrated to Davao, so he lived with his aunt, Dionita Tango-an in Bulongan. He went to school as a working student but due to dire economic situation, he reached first year high school only.

Like a proverbial wandering Jew in the olden times, after dropping from school in 1975, he joined his parents in Davao helping till an awarded land until 1977. "Blo" came home in Bulongan in 1978 and worked as a househelper of a staff in Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation without salary but with free board and lodging. The following year, he married Rita Vergara, He was employed in Atlas Mining as a skilled welder until the company closed in 1994. Using the proceeds from his separation in Atlas, the spouses Bansag put up a small sari-sari store with an initial capital of P 20,000.00 in Bulongan. To augment their meager income, "Blo" purchased a chain saw and went into the business of cutting trees until 1998.

The same year, Rita was awarded by Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) three (3) parcels of land totalling 1.1 hectares on the property formerly owned by the Barba Estate. These awarded lots were devoted to corn, banana and vegetables production are situated at Anopog, Pinamungajan, Cebu about 1.5 kilometers from Bulongan.

For Pablo Bansag, attending his farm is a worthy undertaking that he’s thankful with DAR programs.

Success Stories

Sheer Hard Work and Determination: Turning a Dream into a Reality

Manuel Bartolaba

In 2004, an 11M irrigation project in the agrarian reform community (ARC)-Anopog in Pinamungahan town was realized through the Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Program (ARISP) Phase II , a foreign assisted project and funded by Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) . Pablo took the opportunity to irrigate their farmland. Before irrigation, their principal farm crop was corn and banana as auxiliary crop. After irrigation, the vegetable proproduction became a profitable venture. This was also the result of the various trainings and seminars Pablo attended on vegetable production provided by ARISP II.

Their cornland around 4,000 square meters earned P 8,000 per harvest, while the vegetable farmland planted with squash, tomatoes, pepper, eggplants, and ampalaya with an area around 6,000 square meters will give them an income of P 100,000.00 annually. The 10 kilograms of banana produced were used for consumption. His total production cost is P 55,000 for farm maintenance and improvement.

Determinedly steadfast to improve their financial condition so as to provide a better future for their children, "Blo" persistently worked hard on the farm. And, approximately using the meager income derived from these awarded lots, he successfully ventured in other business.

He started his own piggery business in 2006, with 12 piglets at a cost of P1,200 per piglet as his capital . From one cage unit costing him P 8,000.00, now a P 300,000.00 improvement for his nine cage units with GI sheets roofing had made the backyard piggery into a worth investment. The Bansag's now owns a piggery that started with few heads but now has 120 heads classified into piglets, medium and ready for market. They can dispose 40 heads twice a month at P 7,000.00 per head at approximately 60 kilograms per head. His expense for every pig was 4 sacks of feeds from start to market @ P 1, 200.00 per sack. He market the pigs in Lutopan, Toledo City and Tabunok, Talisay City, Cebu

They own a two-storey house in Bulongan, a multicab and a motorcycle that “Blo” uses to attend to his farm and other business activities. Pablo is also engaged in spraying mango business for hire which he started in the year 1995. It gave him an additional annual income P 60,000.00. Their sari-sari store with its P 200,000.00 improvements has daily gross sales P 3,000.00 and its annual gross sales would total around P 980,000.00.

The couple is blessed with three children namely Marie Geraldine, the oldest at 27 years old and a computer science graduate, Cheryl, 18 years old just graduated in high school and youngest, Jessica, 10 years old Grade IV pupil.

Pablo is an active member of the Agrarian Reform Farmer Beneficiaries Association (ARFBA) of Anopog, Pinamungajan since 1998 and vowed to strengthen their farmers’ organization as a cohesive force to alleviate poverty and full rural development. He thanked the DAR Office for the wonderful opportunity afforded to his family to own the land, emancipating him from the bondage of poverty and helplessness. For Pablo, the best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today.

As the saying goes “At the end of the tunnel there is light.” A peasant dream slowly ripened into a reality for spouses Pablo and Rita Bansag. Sure enough, happiness lies within the reach of those who reach beyond themselves, and, a dream come true”

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