A Lad's Pail of Seeds

Take this pail of seeds and multiply them…” Ka Dinggo says.

A lone, young lad, took the longest ride of his life from Casiguran, Aurora to Hacienda Quezon in San Luis, Aurora. He spent about twelve hours on the road; traversing over a hundred kilometer of unpaved, one-way road laid on the eastern coast of Luzon.

It was May 13, 1969. The lad was Carling, the eldest of the four siblings of Luisa and Francisco Porbido. Life was hard for the Porbidos. Tatay Francisco made a living from collecting tuba (coco wines) every other day and selling them. Nanay Luisa was a plain home maker. At twelve, Carling left home with the hope of being able to help his parents make both ends meet. He could not bear the fact that he was another mouth to feed to his impoverished and luckless parents with 3 other children to look after and provide for.

Carling on his coconut farm in San Luis, Aurora

It was 6:00 o’clock in the morning. He arrived at San Luis jeepney station. A skinny, six-foot-two, man in his mid-30s fetched Carling at the station. “Tatay Dinggo! andito po ako” a small voice exclaimed excitedly. “Carling! andiyan ka na pala.” Ka Dinggo replied. Carling threw himself to Ka Dinggo and embraced him tightly.

In Hacienda Quezon, Carling’s started life anew.   

Carling lived with Ka Dinggo. He spent his tender years as farm worker in Ka Dinggo’s farm and discontinued going to school. Ka Dinggo was then a positioner in the Hacienda Quezon. He tilled a 3-hectare rice farm.  

Three years later, Ka Dinggo shared a half hectare of his farm to Carling. “Carling!” Ka Dinggo called over. “Bakit po? Tatay Dinggo? Carling replied. “sa’yo na ang isang balde ng binhing ito, itanim mo sa kalahating ektarya doon sa bukid ko.” Carling, teary eyed, took the pail of seeds, embraced and thanked Ka Dinggo.

With a pail of seeds, he opened a rice puddy. Out of the income shelled from the said puddy, he started saving money. Soon enough, he acquired a position rights over another 3-hectare of landholdings in Hacienda Quezon. Aside from rice, he also grew peanut, banana and cash crops.

In 1974, Carling settled down. He married Elita “Ely” Flora. Ka Dinggo gave him a carabao as a wedding present. This farm animal inspired him even better. He continued on planting rice, banana and cash crops.  A year after, Ely gave birth to her eldest. She named her Myra.

Come 1987, Carling grew 300 citrus trees. Six years later, he had his first harvest from citrus farm. He earned P 300,000.00 initially.

In 1991, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, covered under Compulsory Acquisition the Avaceña Estate (popularly known as Hacienda Quezon), parcel of agricultural land with a total area of 673 hectares. Fortunately, the farmland that Carling has been tilling was part of this Estate.

Carling was awarded with 3 hectare farmland. His daughter Myra was also awarded another 2 hectares of farm lot. Carling cultivated both landholdings.                        

The Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOA) he received in 1991 and the P 300,000.00 income he generated from his first harvest of citrus became the springboard of his success. Aside from farming, he engaged into wholesale trading. His participation in the supply chain of coconut, rice and other crops opened new windows of opportunities. He developed access to market networks, informal lenders and expertise in trading.

In every step to success Ely’s help was indispensable. Carling and Ely are business partners for life. Each enterprise they ventured into, they performed unique tasks. In farming, Carling decides on types of crops, seed variety, brand of inputs, labor quantity and the like. In trading, Carling negotiated with buyers and haulers. Both in farming and trading, Ely acted as custodian and manager of funds.

From 1991 onwards, the enterprising farming couple, seasoned by experience and challenges, started to reap the fruits of their labor. They acquired properties, sent their children to school, generated revolving capital and had a more decent life.

Despite the fact that both of them did not reach secondary education, Carling and Ely has high regard for education.

“Sa panahon ngayon, pag hindi ka nag-aral mahirap makahanap ng trabaho.” Carling remarked.

Their investment on education was fruitful. Today, Myra is already married and lives in Cabanatuan City. Babylyn lives with her family in Australia. Hyacinth is a licensed nurse and currently employed in a private hospital in Aurora. Raymar, the only son, is also married and lives in Barangay Nonong, San Luis, Aurora. Carling is grooming Raymar and her wife as successors of farming and wholesaling business of the family.  

Carling has already harvested from the pail of seeds afforded to him by Ka Dinggo and had a decent life for his family. As a recipient of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and responsible steward of land resource, Carlings achieved such success in life.  

 “ Kung hindi ako nabigyan ng lupa hindi ko mararating ang buhay ko ngayon…” Says Carling.