Success story of Roglen San Jose

The Success story of  Roglen B. San Jose

By Judith Longid-DAR, Kalinga

 

“Once a farmer, forever  a farmer”, Manong Kokoy said. His deep seated eyes looked directly on the horizon as the burning rays of the sun strikes his farm. Sweats came out from our bodies as we roam around not minding the mid-day heat. Pointing towards the north in the green fields, he uttered in excitement, “Those grains will fill our tables-the harvest seems to be plenty. Unlike the past cropping period, this one is very good”. “these plants  rejoice with me because the land to where they are planted is  already titled under my name” he added with a joke(referring to the CLOA title given to him last July 19, 2019).

 He narrated that  the lot was originally owned by a relative who migrated from Mountain Province to Kalinga, then to  Nueva Vizcaya. Manong Kokoy’s grand parents bought this sometimes in the 1980’s but the papers were not perfected. In the 1990’s, his grandfather  availed of a loan for   farming equipment from the Rural Bank of Rizal using the lot with the consent of the original landowner.  He was not able to pay his amortizations until it was foreclosed. Nevertheless, they continuously cultivated the land. “DAR was our saving grace. They  rescued us at the right time. They did all the documentation, processed all the papers, worked on our  behalf until the individual titles reached our hands.  The CLOAs are  the greatest legacy of the government to us”,  manong Kokoy added.

Manong Kokoy as he is fondly named by friends and relatives, is Roglen B. San Jose, born in the peaceful village  of Tadian, Mountain Province on July 29, 1962. At . nine years old, his parents  took him to Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga and  permanently resided there. At the age of 23, he worked at NIA-CRIPP in Bulanao, Tabuk. It was during those times that  Aida Bugnay  was a student of  St. William’s Academy and she  used to walk  from Conner, Apayao, to her school in Kalinga. They got married in 1991 and  blessed with three children. The first child is a nurse in Finland, the second is with them in the farm and the third is an employee of the Bureau of Customs in Manila.

While we spoke, I could see the    house    surrounded with a U-shaped pond  full of fish.  Two floating rubberized plastic barrel about 4 1/2 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter cut in half, serve as fishing boats. A self-made bridge was securely constructed above the fishpond to  access  the other side of the farm.

This other side of the  farm is planted with different fruit bearing and non-fruit bearing trees. On its west is a wide tract of agricultural land planted with commercial corn. He said, the DAR also titled it to his brothers but he manages it all.

As he invited us for lunch, we gratefully sat on a table outside the house  under the trees. It was  facing a sloping mountain with patches of plains. The top of the mountain  is a small plateau. While enjoying the  amazing view, Manong Kokoy mentioned that said  mountain is good for horse riding especially  nowadays when recreation is needed in this busy world. A reality he said he must face on the coming years. Upon reaching my 70s, “I will  go horse riding to drive the herds of cows I have there,  when I get tired of walking. There is no retirement in farming.

  He related that, “It was twenty years ago when we started developing this farm. We began with a small nipa hut here (pointing to where his concrete bungalow house lies now). This lot was idle before, no crops nor trees growing, just a wide tract of cogon grass. Only a small portion over there (pointing to where the corn was planted) was tilled by our parents and a few patches of rice land”.

 “There was no wide rice fields in here but there was a promising source of water. Because I work with the NIA that time, I gained the trust of my boss. I worked diligently with him. With all courage, I often asked favor to borrow his bulldozer and he allowed me to use it. With my family, we were able to improve this lot through the help of the equipment. More rice fields were made and this once empty pond  gradually turned into fishpond”. He told us.

  Mr. San Jose was also instrumental  in the propagation of bananas in Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga. He started the idea of planting bananas after seeing that wild bananas thrive well in a place, then domesticated bananas can also flourish there. He began by going as far as Paracelis, Mountain Province to get good varieties of subual (banana suckers) from his friends and relatives and planted it here. True enough, his  bananas easily reproduced and he was able to propagate it. From this, the banana suckers were distributed all over Liwan.

He likewise related that the Department of Agrarian Reform’s assisted cooperatives helped them a lot. He disclosed that he  and  his wife  are  active members of the Rizal Multi-Purpose Cooperative (RIZAMPCO) and Bulanao Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC), both  DAR assisted cooperatives in Kalinga. Both of them  are also members of the Tabuk Multi-Purpose cooperative, the biggest billionaire cooperative in the province where many members are DAR farmer-beneficiaries.

 He recounts that during emergencies, when they are short of money to keep the farm moving, the cooperatives are there ready to serve them. They borrow, they pay and vise-versa. They also had access to the income-generating projects of the RIZAMPCO . He proudly said that, “Adda met a ti mainaynayon diay share capital mi nga tinawen” (an amount is being added to our share capital yearly) referring to the dividend and patronage refund they annually receive from their active participation in the coops.

 In partnership with the DAR, Manong Kokoy they were given assistance by other stake holders such as the barangay food terminal from the Department of Agriculture. They further  able to acquire a water refilling station.

 

Manong Kokoy said that  the farming equipment given by DAR to the cooperative was a big help in his farm because the equipment are hired to coop  members, with substantial  discounts  and proceeds go to the coop,   as stated in their policy.

He learned many things through trainings offered by DAR and other implementing agencies. Through these learnings, he said his knowledge is enhanced and skills were improved. He is also a member of the LinkSFarm (linking small holder farmers to the market).

To date, his farm machineries lay in his compound, ready when needed. He owns a dump truck and two jeepneys that are used for hauling products from the farm. For family service, he has the Pajero. There is also  a tricycle, a single motorcycle and other farm implements.

He said, that through all the  assistance from the government especially DAR, a farmer’s interest in farming is nurtured and hope arises, saying, “Farming is a business. If you want to become a successful farmer, you need courage even if hope seems grim. You need to take risks, and you learn to love the heat of the sun. A farmer produce not just for himself also but for the others”.

 Manong Kokoy see his farm as a fulfilment of his dreams. He  looks ahead  for  his seeds to continue to be nourished and be cherished even after this life.

The Success story of  Roglen B. San Jose

By Judith Longid-DAR, Kalinga

 

“Once a farmer, forever  a farmer”, Manong Kokoy said. His deep seated eyes looked directly on the horizon as the burning rays of the sun strikes his farm. Sweats came out from our bodies as we roam around not minding the mid-day heat. Pointing towards the north in the green fields, he uttered in excitement, “Those grains will fill our tables-the harvest seems to be plenty. Unlike the past cropping period, this one is very good”. “these plants  rejoice with me because the land to where they are planted is  already titled under my name” he added with a joke(referring to the CLOA title given to him last July 19, 2019).

 He narrated that  the lot was originally owned by a relative who migrated from Mountain Province to Kalinga, then to  Nueva Vizcaya. Manong Kokoy’s grand parents bought this sometimes in the 1980’s but the papers were not perfected. In the 1990’s, his grandfather  availed of a loan for   farming equipment from the Rural Bank of Rizal using the lot with the consent of the original landowner.  He was not able to pay his amortizations until it was foreclosed. Nevertheless, they continuously cultivated the land. “DAR was our saving grace. They  rescued us at the right time. They did all the documentation, processed all the papers, worked on our  behalf until the individual titles reached our hands.  The CLOAs are  the greatest legacy of the government to us”,  manong Kokoy added.

Manong Kokoy as he is fondly named by friends and relatives, is Roglen B. San Jose, born in the peaceful village  of Tadian, Mountain Province on July 29, 1962. At . nine years old, his parents  took him to Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga and  permanently resided there. At the age of 23, he worked at NIA-CRIPP in Bulanao, Tabuk. It was during those times that  Aida Bugnay  was a student of  St. William’s Academy and she  used to walk  from Conner, Apayao, to her school in Kalinga. They got married in 1991 and  blessed with three children. The first child is a nurse in Finland, the second is with them in the farm and the third is an employee of the Bureau of Customs in Manila.

While we spoke, I could see the    house    surrounded with a U-shaped pond  full of fish.  Two floating rubberized plastic barrel about 4 1/2 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter cut in half, serve as fishing boats. A self-made bridge was securely constructed above the fishpond to  access  the other side of the farm.

This other side of the  farm is planted with different fruit bearing and non-fruit bearing trees. On its west is a wide tract of agricultural land planted with commercial corn. He said, the DAR also titled it to his brothers but he manages it all.

As he invited us for lunch, we gratefully sat on a table outside the house  under the trees. It was  facing a sloping mountain with patches of plains. The top of the mountain  is a small plateau. While enjoying the  amazing view, Manong Kokoy mentioned that said  mountain is good for horse riding especially  nowadays when recreation is needed in this busy world. A reality he said he must face on the coming years. Upon reaching my 70s, “I will  go horse riding to drive the herds of cows I have there,  when I get tired of walking. There is no retirement in farming.

  He related that, “It was twenty years ago when we started developing this farm. We began with a small nipa hut here (pointing to where his concrete bungalow house lies now). This lot was idle before, no crops nor trees growing, just a wide tract of cogon grass. Only a small portion over there (pointing to where the corn was planted) was tilled by our parents and a few patches of rice land”.

 “There was no wide rice fields in here but there was a promising source of water. Because I work with the NIA that time, I gained the trust of my boss. I worked diligently with him. With all courage, I often asked favor to borrow his bulldozer and he allowed me to use it. With my family, we were able to improve this lot through the help of the equipment. More rice fields were made and this once empty pond  gradually turned into fishpond”. He told us.

  Mr. San Jose was also instrumental  in the propagation of bananas in Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga. He started the idea of planting bananas after seeing that wild bananas thrive well in a place, then domesticated bananas can also flourish there. He began by going as far as Paracelis, Mountain Province to get good varieties of subual (banana suckers) from his friends and relatives and planted it here. True enough, his  bananas easily reproduced and he was able to propagate it. From this, the banana suckers were distributed all over Liwan.

He likewise related that the Department of Agrarian Reform’s assisted cooperatives helped them a lot. He disclosed that he  and  his wife  are  active members of the Rizal Multi-Purpose Cooperative (RIZAMPCO) and Bulanao Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC), both  DAR assisted cooperatives in Kalinga. Both of them  are also members of the Tabuk Multi-Purpose cooperative, the biggest billionaire cooperative in the province where many members are DAR farmer-beneficiaries.

 He recounts that during emergencies, when they are short of money to keep the farm moving, the cooperatives are there ready to serve them. They borrow, they pay and vise-versa. They also had access to the income-generating projects of the RIZAMPCO . He proudly said that, “Adda met a ti mainaynayon diay share capital mi nga tinawen” (an amount is being added to our share capital yearly) referring to the dividend and patronage refund they annually receive from their active participation in the coops.

 In partnership with the DAR, Manong Kokoy they were given assistance by other stake holders such as the barangay food terminal from the Department of Agriculture. They further  able to acquire a water refilling station.

 

Manong Kokoy said that  the farming equipment given by DAR to the cooperative was a big help in his farm because the equipment are hired to coop  members, with substantial  discounts  and proceeds go to the coop,   as stated in their policy.

He learned many things through trainings offered by DAR and other implementing agencies. Through these learnings, he said his knowledge is enhanced and skills were improved. He is also a member of the LinkSFarm (linking small holder farmers to the market).

To date, his farm machineries lay in his compound, ready when needed. He owns a dump truck and two jeepneys that are used for hauling products from the farm. For family service, he has the Pajero. There is also  a tricycle, a single motorcycle and other farm implements.

He said, that through all the  assistance from the government especially DAR, a farmer’s interest in farming is nurtured and hope arises, saying, “Farming is a business. If you want to become a successful farmer, you need courage even if hope seems grim. You need to take risks, and you learn to love the heat of the sun. A farmer produce not just for himself also but for the others”.

 Manong Kokoy see his farm as a fulfilment of his dreams. He  looks ahead  for  his seeds to continue to be nourished and be cherished even after this life.

The Success story of  Roglen B. San Jose

By Judith Longid-DAR, Kalinga

 

“Once a farmer, forever  a farmer”, Manong Kokoy said. His deep seated eyes looked directly on the horizon as the burning rays of the sun strikes his farm. Sweats came out from our bodies as we roam around not minding the mid-day heat. Pointing towards the north in the green fields, he uttered in excitement, “Those grains will fill our tables-the harvest seems to be plenty. Unlike the past cropping period, this one is very good”. “these plants  rejoice with me because the land to where they are planted is  already titled under my name” he added with a joke(referring to the CLOA title given to him last July 19, 2019).

 He narrated that  the lot was originally owned by a relative who migrated from Mountain Province to Kalinga, then to  Nueva Vizcaya. Manong Kokoy’s grand parents bought this sometimes in the 1980’s but the papers were not perfected. In the 1990’s, his grandfather  availed of a loan for   farming equipment from the Rural Bank of Rizal using the lot with the consent of the original landowner.  He was not able to pay his amortizations until it was foreclosed. Nevertheless, they continuously cultivated the land. “DAR was our saving grace. They  rescued us at the right time. They did all the documentation, processed all the papers, worked on our  behalf until the individual titles reached our hands.  The CLOAs are  the greatest legacy of the government to us”,  manong Kokoy added.

Manong Kokoy as he is fondly named by friends and relatives, is Roglen B. San Jose, born in the peaceful village  of Tadian, Mountain Province on July 29, 1962. At . nine years old, his parents  took him to Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga and  permanently resided there. At the age of 23, he worked at NIA-CRIPP in Bulanao, Tabuk. It was during those times that  Aida Bugnay  was a student of  St. William’s Academy and she  used to walk  from Conner, Apayao, to her school in Kalinga. They got married in 1991 and  blessed with three children. The first child is a nurse in Finland, the second is with them in the farm and the third is an employee of the Bureau of Customs in Manila.

While we spoke, I could see the    house    surrounded with a U-shaped pond  full of fish.  Two floating rubberized plastic barrel about 4 1/2 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter cut in half, serve as fishing boats. A self-made bridge was securely constructed above the fishpond to  access  the other side of the farm.

This other side of the  farm is planted with different fruit bearing and non-fruit bearing trees. On its west is a wide tract of agricultural land planted with commercial corn. He said, the DAR also titled it to his brothers but he manages it all.

As he invited us for lunch, we gratefully sat on a table outside the house  under the trees. It was  facing a sloping mountain with patches of plains. The top of the mountain  is a small plateau. While enjoying the  amazing view, Manong Kokoy mentioned that said  mountain is good for horse riding especially  nowadays when recreation is needed in this busy world. A reality he said he must face on the coming years. Upon reaching my 70s, “I will  go horse riding to drive the herds of cows I have there,  when I get tired of walking. There is no retirement in farming.

  He related that, “It was twenty years ago when we started developing this farm. We began with a small nipa hut here (pointing to where his concrete bungalow house lies now). This lot was idle before, no crops nor trees growing, just a wide tract of cogon grass. Only a small portion over there (pointing to where the corn was planted) was tilled by our parents and a few patches of rice land”.

 “There was no wide rice fields in here but there was a promising source of water. Because I work with the NIA that time, I gained the trust of my boss. I worked diligently with him. With all courage, I often asked favor to borrow his bulldozer and he allowed me to use it. With my family, we were able to improve this lot through the help of the equipment. More rice fields were made and this once empty pond  gradually turned into fishpond”. He told us.

  Mr. San Jose was also instrumental  in the propagation of bananas in Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga. He started the idea of planting bananas after seeing that wild bananas thrive well in a place, then domesticated bananas can also flourish there. He began by going as far as Paracelis, Mountain Province to get good varieties of subual (banana suckers) from his friends and relatives and planted it here. True enough, his  bananas easily reproduced and he was able to propagate it. From this, the banana suckers were distributed all over Liwan.

He likewise related that the Department of Agrarian Reform’s assisted cooperatives helped them a lot. He disclosed that he  and  his wife  are  active members of the Rizal Multi-Purpose Cooperative (RIZAMPCO) and Bulanao Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC), both  DAR assisted cooperatives in Kalinga. Both of them  are also members of the Tabuk Multi-Purpose cooperative, the biggest billionaire cooperative in the province where many members are DAR farmer-beneficiaries.

 He recounts that during emergencies, when they are short of money to keep the farm moving, the cooperatives are there ready to serve them. They borrow, they pay and vise-versa. They also had access to the income-generating projects of the RIZAMPCO . He proudly said that, “Adda met a ti mainaynayon diay share capital mi nga tinawen” (an amount is being added to our share capital yearly) referring to the dividend and patronage refund they annually receive from their active participation in the coops.

 In partnership with the DAR, Manong Kokoy they were given assistance by other stake holders such as the barangay food terminal from the Department of Agriculture. They further  able to acquire a water refilling station.

 

Manong Kokoy said that  the farming equipment given by DAR to the cooperative was a big help in his farm because the equipment are hired to coop  members, with substantial  discounts  and proceeds go to the coop,   as stated in their policy.

He learned many things through trainings offered by DAR and other implementing agencies. Through these learnings, he said his knowledge is enhanced and skills were improved. He is also a member of the LinkSFarm (linking small holder farmers to the market).

To date, his farm machineries lay in his compound, ready when needed. He owns a dump truck and two jeepneys that are used for hauling products from the farm. For family service, he has the Pajero. There is also  a tricycle, a single motorcycle and other farm implements.

He said, that through all the  assistance from the government especially DAR, a farmer’s interest in farming is nurtured and hope arises, saying, “Farming is a business. If you want to become a successful farmer, you need courage even if hope seems grim. You need to take risks, and you learn to love the heat of the sun. A farmer produce not just for himself also but for the others”.

 Manong Kokoy see his farm as a fulfilment of his dreams. He  looks ahead  for  his seeds to continue to be nourished and be cherished even after this life.

The Success story of  Roglen B. San Jose

By Judith Longid-DAR, Kalinga

 

“Once a farmer, forever  a farmer”, Manong Kokoy said. His deep seated eyes looked directly on the horizon as the burning rays of the sun strikes his farm. Sweats came out from our bodies as we roam around not minding the mid-day heat. Pointing towards the north in the green fields, he uttered in excitement, “Those grains will fill our tables-the harvest seems to be plenty. Unlike the past cropping period, this one is very good”. “these plants  rejoice with me because the land to where they are planted is  already titled under my name” he added with a joke(referring to the CLOA title given to him last July 19, 2019).

 He narrated that  the lot was originally owned by a relative who migrated from Mountain Province to Kalinga, then to  Nueva Vizcaya. Manong Kokoy’s grand parents bought this sometimes in the 1980’s but the papers were not perfected. In the 1990’s, his grandfather  availed of a loan for   farming equipment from the Rural Bank of Rizal using the lot with the consent of the original landowner.  He was not able to pay his amortizations until it was foreclosed. Nevertheless, they continuously cultivated the land. “DAR was our saving grace. They  rescued us at the right time. They did all the documentation, processed all the papers, worked on our  behalf until the individual titles reached our hands.  The CLOAs are  the greatest legacy of the government to us”,  manong Kokoy added.

Manong Kokoy as he is fondly named by friends and relatives, is Roglen B. San Jose, born in the peaceful village  of Tadian, Mountain Province on July 29, 1962. At . nine years old, his parents  took him to Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga and  permanently resided there. At the age of 23, he worked at NIA-CRIPP in Bulanao, Tabuk. It was during those times that  Aida Bugnay  was a student of  St. William’s Academy and she  used to walk  from Conner, Apayao, to her school in Kalinga. They got married in 1991 and  blessed with three children. The first child is a nurse in Finland, the second is with them in the farm and the third is an employee of the Bureau of Customs in Manila.

While we spoke, I could see the    house    surrounded with a U-shaped pond  full of fish.  Two floating rubberized plastic barrel about 4 1/2 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter cut in half, serve as fishing boats. A self-made bridge was securely constructed above the fishpond to  access  the other side of the farm.

This other side of the  farm is planted with different fruit bearing and non-fruit bearing trees. On its west is a wide tract of agricultural land planted with commercial corn. He said, the DAR also titled it to his brothers but he manages it all.

As he invited us for lunch, we gratefully sat on a table outside the house  under the trees. It was  facing a sloping mountain with patches of plains. The top of the mountain  is a small plateau. While enjoying the  amazing view, Manong Kokoy mentioned that said  mountain is good for horse riding especially  nowadays when recreation is needed in this busy world. A reality he said he must face on the coming years. Upon reaching my 70s, “I will  go horse riding to drive the herds of cows I have there,  when I get tired of walking. There is no retirement in farming.

  He related that, “It was twenty years ago when we started developing this farm. We began with a small nipa hut here (pointing to where his concrete bungalow house lies now). This lot was idle before, no crops nor trees growing, just a wide tract of cogon grass. Only a small portion over there (pointing to where the corn was planted) was tilled by our parents and a few patches of rice land”.

 “There was no wide rice fields in here but there was a promising source of water. Because I work with the NIA that time, I gained the trust of my boss. I worked diligently with him. With all courage, I often asked favor to borrow his bulldozer and he allowed me to use it. With my family, we were able to improve this lot through the help of the equipment. More rice fields were made and this once empty pond  gradually turned into fishpond”. He told us.

  Mr. San Jose was also instrumental  in the propagation of bananas in Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga. He started the idea of planting bananas after seeing that wild bananas thrive well in a place, then domesticated bananas can also flourish there. He began by going as far as Paracelis, Mountain Province to get good varieties of subual (banana suckers) from his friends and relatives and planted it here. True enough, his  bananas easily reproduced and he was able to propagate it. From this, the banana suckers were distributed all over Liwan.

He likewise related that the Department of Agrarian Reform’s assisted cooperatives helped them a lot. He disclosed that he  and  his wife  are  active members of the Rizal Multi-Purpose Cooperative (RIZAMPCO) and Bulanao Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC), both  DAR assisted cooperatives in Kalinga. Both of them  are also members of the Tabuk Multi-Purpose cooperative, the biggest billionaire cooperative in the province where many members are DAR farmer-beneficiaries.

 He recounts that during emergencies, when they are short of money to keep the farm moving, the cooperatives are there ready to serve them. They borrow, they pay and vise-versa. They also had access to the income-generating projects of the RIZAMPCO . He proudly said that, “Adda met a ti mainaynayon diay share capital mi nga tinawen” (an amount is being added to our share capital yearly) referring to the dividend and patronage refund they annually receive from their active participation in the coops.

 In partnership with the DAR, Manong Kokoy they were given assistance by other stake holders such as the barangay food terminal from the Department of Agriculture. They further  able to acquire a water refilling station.

 

Manong Kokoy said that  the farming equipment given by DAR to the cooperative was a big help in his farm because the equipment are hired to coop  members, with substantial  discounts  and proceeds go to the coop,   as stated in their policy.

He learned many things through trainings offered by DAR and other implementing agencies. Through these learnings, he said his knowledge is enhanced and skills were improved. He is also a member of the LinkSFarm (linking small holder farmers to the market).

To date, his farm machineries lay in his compound, ready when needed. He owns a dump truck and two jeepneys that are used for hauling products from the farm. For family service, he has the Pajero. There is also  a tricycle, a single motorcycle and other farm implements.

He said, that through all the  assistance from the government especially DAR, a farmer’s interest in farming is nurtured and hope arises, saying, “Farming is a business. If you want to become a successful farmer, you need courage even if hope seems grim. You need to take risks, and you learn to love the heat of the sun. A farmer produce not just for himself also but for the others”.

 Manong Kokoy see his farm as a fulfilment of his dreams. He  looks ahead  for  his seeds to continue to be nourished and be cherished even after this life.

The Success story of  Roglen B. San Jose

By Judith Longid-DAR, Kalinga

 

“Once a farmer, forever  a farmer”, Manong Kokoy said. His deep seated eyes looked directly on the horizon as the burning rays of the sun strikes his farm. Sweats came out from our bodies as we roam around not minding the mid-day heat. Pointing towards the north in the green fields, he uttered in excitement, “Those grains will fill our tables-the harvest seems to be plenty. Unlike the past cropping period, this one is very good”. “these plants  rejoice with me because the land to where they are planted is  already titled under my name” he added with a joke(referring to the CLOA title given to him last July 19, 2019).

 He narrated that  the lot was originally owned by a relative who migrated from Mountain Province to Kalinga, then to  Nueva Vizcaya. Manong Kokoy’s grand parents bought this sometimes in the 1980’s but the papers were not perfected. In the 1990’s, his grandfather  availed of a loan for   farming equipment from the Rural Bank of Rizal using the lot with the consent of the original landowner.  He was not able to pay his amortizations until it was foreclosed. Nevertheless, they continuously cultivated the land. “DAR was our saving grace. They  rescued us at the right time. They did all the documentation, processed all the papers, worked on our  behalf until the individual titles reached our hands.  The CLOAs are  the greatest legacy of the government to us”,  manong Kokoy added.

Manong Kokoy as he is fondly named by friends and relatives, is Roglen B. San Jose, born in the peaceful village  of Tadian, Mountain Province on July 29, 1962. At . nine years old, his parents  took him to Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga and  permanently resided there. At the age of 23, he worked at NIA-CRIPP in Bulanao, Tabuk. It was during those times that  Aida Bugnay  was a student of  St. William’s Academy and she  used to walk  from Conner, Apayao, to her school in Kalinga. They got married in 1991 and  blessed with three children. The first child is a nurse in Finland, the second is with them in the farm and the third is an employee of the Bureau of Customs in Manila.

While we spoke, I could see the    house    surrounded with a U-shaped pond  full of fish.  Two floating rubberized plastic barrel about 4 1/2 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter cut in half, serve as fishing boats. A self-made bridge was securely constructed above the fishpond to  access  the other side of the farm.

This other side of the  farm is planted with different fruit bearing and non-fruit bearing trees. On its west is a wide tract of agricultural land planted with commercial corn. He said, the DAR also titled it to his brothers but he manages it all.

As he invited us for lunch, we gratefully sat on a table outside the house  under the trees. It was  facing a sloping mountain with patches of plains. The top of the mountain  is a small plateau. While enjoying the  amazing view, Manong Kokoy mentioned that said  mountain is good for horse riding especially  nowadays when recreation is needed in this busy world. A reality he said he must face on the coming years. Upon reaching my 70s, “I will  go horse riding to drive the herds of cows I have there,  when I get tired of walking. There is no retirement in farming.

  He related that, “It was twenty years ago when we started developing this farm. We began with a small nipa hut here (pointing to where his concrete bungalow house lies now). This lot was idle before, no crops nor trees growing, just a wide tract of cogon grass. Only a small portion over there (pointing to where the corn was planted) was tilled by our parents and a few patches of rice land”.

 “There was no wide rice fields in here but there was a promising source of water. Because I work with the NIA that time, I gained the trust of my boss. I worked diligently with him. With all courage, I often asked favor to borrow his bulldozer and he allowed me to use it. With my family, we were able to improve this lot through the help of the equipment. More rice fields were made and this once empty pond  gradually turned into fishpond”. He told us.

  Mr. San Jose was also instrumental  in the propagation of bananas in Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga. He started the idea of planting bananas after seeing that wild bananas thrive well in a place, then domesticated bananas can also flourish there. He began by going as far as Paracelis, Mountain Province to get good varieties of subual (banana suckers) from his friends and relatives and planted it here. True enough, his  bananas easily reproduced and he was able to propagate it. From this, the banana suckers were distributed all over Liwan.

He likewise related that the Department of Agrarian Reform’s assisted cooperatives helped them a lot. He disclosed that he  and  his wife  are  active members of the Rizal Multi-Purpose Cooperative (RIZAMPCO) and Bulanao Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC), both  DAR assisted cooperatives in Kalinga. Both of them  are also members of the Tabuk Multi-Purpose cooperative, the biggest billionaire cooperative in the province where many members are DAR farmer-beneficiaries.

 He recounts that during emergencies, when they are short of money to keep the farm moving, the cooperatives are there ready to serve them. They borrow, they pay and vise-versa. They also had access to the income-generating projects of the RIZAMPCO . He proudly said that, “Adda met a ti mainaynayon diay share capital mi nga tinawen” (an amount is being added to our share capital yearly) referring to the dividend and patronage refund they annually receive from their active participation in the coops.

 In partnership with the DAR, Manong Kokoy they were given assistance by other stake holders such as the barangay food terminal from the Department of Agriculture. They further  able to acquire a water refilling station.

 

Manong Kokoy said that  the farming equipment given by DAR to the cooperative was a big help in his farm because the equipment are hired to coop  members, with substantial  discounts  and proceeds go to the coop,   as stated in their policy.

He learned many things through trainings offered by DAR and other implementing agencies. Through these learnings, he said his knowledge is enhanced and skills were improved. He is also a member of the LinkSFarm (linking small holder farmers to the market).

To date, his farm machineries lay in his compound, ready when needed. He owns a dump truck and two jeepneys that are used for hauling products from the farm. For family service, he has the Pajero. There is also  a tricycle, a single motorcycle and other farm implements.

He said, that through all the  assistance from the government especially DAR, a farmer’s interest in farming is nurtured and hope arises, saying, “Farming is a business. If you want to become a successful farmer, you need courage even if hope seems grim. You need to take risks, and you learn to love the heat of the sun. A farmer produce not just for himself also but for the others”.

 Manong Kokoy see his farm as a fulfilment of his dreams. He  looks ahead  for  his seeds to continue to be nourished and be cherished even after this life.

The Success story of  Roglen B. San Jose

By Judith Longid-DAR, Kalinga

 

“Once a farmer, forever  a farmer”, Manong Kokoy said. His deep seated eyes looked directly on the horizon as the burning rays of the sun strikes his farm. Sweats came out from our bodies as we roam around not minding the mid-day heat. Pointing towards the north in the green fields, he uttered in excitement, “Those grains will fill our tables-the harvest seems to be plenty. Unlike the past cropping period, this one is very good”. “these plants  rejoice with me because the land to where they are planted is  already titled under my name” he added with a joke(referring to the CLOA title given to him last July 19, 2019).

 He narrated that  the lot was originally owned by a relative who migrated from Mountain Province to Kalinga, then to  Nueva Vizcaya. Manong Kokoy’s grand parents bought this sometimes in the 1980’s but the papers were not perfected. In the 1990’s, his grandfather  availed of a loan for   farming equipment from the Rural Bank of Rizal using the lot with the consent of the original landowner.  He was not able to pay his amortizations until it was foreclosed. Nevertheless, they continuously cultivated the land. “DAR was our saving grace. They  rescued us at the right time. They did all the documentation, processed all the papers, worked on our  behalf until the individual titles reached our hands.  The CLOAs are  the greatest legacy of the government to us”,  manong Kokoy added.

Manong Kokoy as he is fondly named by friends and relatives, is Roglen B. San Jose, born in the peaceful village  of Tadian, Mountain Province on July 29, 1962. At . nine years old, his parents  took him to Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga and  permanently resided there. At the age of 23, he worked at NIA-CRIPP in Bulanao, Tabuk. It was during those times that  Aida Bugnay  was a student of  St. William’s Academy and she  used to walk  from Conner, Apayao, to her school in Kalinga. They got married in 1991 and  blessed with three children. The first child is a nurse in Finland, the second is with them in the farm and the third is an employee of the Bureau of Customs in Manila.

While we spoke, I could see the    house    surrounded with a U-shaped pond  full of fish.  Two floating rubberized plastic barrel about 4 1/2 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter cut in half, serve as fishing boats. A self-made bridge was securely constructed above the fishpond to  access  the other side of the farm.

This other side of the  farm is planted with different fruit bearing and non-fruit bearing trees. On its west is a wide tract of agricultural land planted with commercial corn. He said, the DAR also titled it to his brothers but he manages it all.

As he invited us for lunch, we gratefully sat on a table outside the house  under the trees. It was  facing a sloping mountain with patches of plains. The top of the mountain  is a small plateau. While enjoying the  amazing view, Manong Kokoy mentioned that said  mountain is good for horse riding especially  nowadays when recreation is needed in this busy world. A reality he said he must face on the coming years. Upon reaching my 70s, “I will  go horse riding to drive the herds of cows I have there,  when I get tired of walking. There is no retirement in farming.

  He related that, “It was twenty years ago when we started developing this farm. We began with a small nipa hut here (pointing to where his concrete bungalow house lies now). This lot was idle before, no crops nor trees growing, just a wide tract of cogon grass. Only a small portion over there (pointing to where the corn was planted) was tilled by our parents and a few patches of rice land”.

 “There was no wide rice fields in here but there was a promising source of water. Because I work with the NIA that time, I gained the trust of my boss. I worked diligently with him. With all courage, I often asked favor to borrow his bulldozer and he allowed me to use it. With my family, we were able to improve this lot through the help of the equipment. More rice fields were made and this once empty pond  gradually turned into fishpond”. He told us.

  Mr. San Jose was also instrumental  in the propagation of bananas in Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga. He started the idea of planting bananas after seeing that wild bananas thrive well in a place, then domesticated bananas can also flourish there. He began by going as far as Paracelis, Mountain Province to get good varieties of subual (banana suckers) from his friends and relatives and planted it here. True enough, his  bananas easily reproduced and he was able to propagate it. From this, the banana suckers were distributed all over Liwan.

He likewise related that the Department of Agrarian Reform’s assisted cooperatives helped them a lot. He disclosed that he  and  his wife  are  active members of the Rizal Multi-Purpose Cooperative (RIZAMPCO) and Bulanao Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC), both  DAR assisted cooperatives in Kalinga. Both of them  are also members of the Tabuk Multi-Purpose cooperative, the biggest billionaire cooperative in the province where many members are DAR farmer-beneficiaries.

 He recounts that during emergencies, when they are short of money to keep the farm moving, the cooperatives are there ready to serve them. They borrow, they pay and vise-versa. They also had access to the income-generating projects of the RIZAMPCO . He proudly said that, “Adda met a ti mainaynayon diay share capital mi nga tinawen” (an amount is being added to our share capital yearly) referring to the dividend and patronage refund they annually receive from their active participation in the coops.

 In partnership with the DAR, Manong Kokoy they were given assistance by other stake holders such as the barangay food terminal from the Department of Agriculture. They further  able to acquire a water refilling station.

 

Manong Kokoy said that  the farming equipment given by DAR to the cooperative was a big help in his farm because the equipment are hired to coop  members, with substantial  discounts  and proceeds go to the coop,   as stated in their policy.

He learned many things through trainings offered by DAR and other implementing agencies. Through these learnings, he said his knowledge is enhanced and skills were improved. He is also a member of the LinkSFarm (linking small holder farmers to the market).

To date, his farm machineries lay in his compound, ready when needed. He owns a dump truck and two jeepneys that are used for hauling products from the farm. For family service, he has the Pajero. There is also  a tricycle, a single motorcycle and other farm implements.

He said, that through all the  assistance from the government especially DAR, a farmer’s interest in farming is nurtured and hope arises, saying, “Farming is a business. If you want to become a successful farmer, you need courage even if hope seems grim. You need to take risks, and you learn to love the heat of the sun. A farmer produce not just for himself also but for the others”.

 Manong Kokoy see his farm as a fulfilment of his dreams. He  looks ahead  for  his seeds to continue to be nourished and be cherished even after this life.

The Success story of  Roglen B. San Jose

By Judith Longid-DAR, Kalinga

 

“Once a farmer, forever  a farmer”, Manong Kokoy said. His deep seated eyes looked directly on the horizon as the burning rays of the sun strikes his farm. Sweats came out from our bodies as we roam around not minding the mid-day heat. Pointing towards the north in the green fields, he uttered in excitement, “Those grains will fill our tables-the harvest seems to be plenty. Unlike the past cropping period, this one is very good”. “these plants  rejoice with me because the land to where they are planted is  already titled under my name” he added with a joke(referring to the CLOA title given to him last July 19, 2019).

 He narrated that  the lot was originally owned by a relative who migrated from Mountain Province to Kalinga, then to  Nueva Vizcaya. Manong Kokoy’s grand parents bought this sometimes in the 1980’s but the papers were not perfected. In the 1990’s, his grandfather  availed of a loan for   farming equipment from the Rural Bank of Rizal using the lot with the consent of the original landowner.  He was not able to pay his amortizations until it was foreclosed. Nevertheless, they continuously cultivated the land. “DAR was our saving grace. They  rescued us at the right time. They did all the documentation, processed all the papers, worked on our  behalf until the individual titles reached our hands.  The CLOAs are  the greatest legacy of the government to us”,  manong Kokoy added.

Manong Kokoy as he is fondly named by friends and relatives, is Roglen B. San Jose, born in the peaceful village  of Tadian, Mountain Province on July 29, 1962. At . nine years old, his parents  took him to Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga and  permanently resided there. At the age of 23, he worked at NIA-CRIPP in Bulanao, Tabuk. It was during those times that  Aida Bugnay  was a student of  St. William’s Academy and she  used to walk  from Conner, Apayao, to her school in Kalinga. They got married in 1991 and  blessed with three children. The first child is a nurse in Finland, the second is with them in the farm and the third is an employee of the Bureau of Customs in Manila.

While we spoke, I could see the    house    surrounded with a U-shaped pond  full of fish.  Two floating rubberized plastic barrel about 4 1/2 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter cut in half, serve as fishing boats. A self-made bridge was securely constructed above the fishpond to  access  the other side of the farm.

This other side of the  farm is planted with different fruit bearing and non-fruit bearing trees. On its west is a wide tract of agricultural land planted with commercial corn. He said, the DAR also titled it to his brothers but he manages it all.

As he invited us for lunch, we gratefully sat on a table outside the house  under the trees. It was  facing a sloping mountain with patches of plains. The top of the mountain  is a small plateau. While enjoying the  amazing view, Manong Kokoy mentioned that said  mountain is good for horse riding especially  nowadays when recreation is needed in this busy world. A reality he said he must face on the coming years. Upon reaching my 70s, “I will  go horse riding to drive the herds of cows I have there,  when I get tired of walking. There is no retirement in farming.

  He related that, “It was twenty years ago when we started developing this farm. We began with a small nipa hut here (pointing to where his concrete bungalow house lies now). This lot was idle before, no crops nor trees growing, just a wide tract of cogon grass. Only a small portion over there (pointing to where the corn was planted) was tilled by our parents and a few patches of rice land”.

 “There was no wide rice fields in here but there was a promising source of water. Because I work with the NIA that time, I gained the trust of my boss. I worked diligently with him. With all courage, I often asked favor to borrow his bulldozer and he allowed me to use it. With my family, we were able to improve this lot through the help of the equipment. More rice fields were made and this once empty pond  gradually turned into fishpond”. He told us.

  Mr. San Jose was also instrumental  in the propagation of bananas in Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga. He started the idea of planting bananas after seeing that wild bananas thrive well in a place, then domesticated bananas can also flourish there. He began by going as far as Paracelis, Mountain Province to get good varieties of subual (banana suckers) from his friends and relatives and planted it here. True enough, his  bananas easily reproduced and he was able to propagate it. From this, the banana suckers were distributed all over Liwan.

He likewise related that the Department of Agrarian Reform’s assisted cooperatives helped them a lot. He disclosed that he  and  his wife  are  active members of the Rizal Multi-Purpose Cooperative (RIZAMPCO) and Bulanao Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC), both  DAR assisted cooperatives in Kalinga. Both of them  are also members of the Tabuk Multi-Purpose cooperative, the biggest billionaire cooperative in the province where many members are DAR farmer-beneficiaries.

 He recounts that during emergencies, when they are short of money to keep the farm moving, the cooperatives are there ready to serve them. They borrow, they pay and vise-versa. They also had access to the income-generating projects of the RIZAMPCO . He proudly said that, “Adda met a ti mainaynayon diay share capital mi nga tinawen” (an amount is being added to our share capital yearly) referring to the dividend and patronage refund they annually receive from their active participation in the coops.

 In partnership with the DAR, Manong Kokoy they were given assistance by other stake holders such as the barangay food terminal from the Department of Agriculture. They further  able to acquire a water refilling station.

 

Manong Kokoy said that  the farming equipment given by DAR to the cooperative was a big help in his farm because the equipment are hired to coop  members, with substantial  discounts  and proceeds go to the coop,   as stated in their policy.

He learned many things through trainings offered by DAR and other implementing agencies. Through these learnings, he said his knowledge is enhanced and skills were improved. He is also a member of the LinkSFarm (linking small holder farmers to the market).

To date, his farm machineries lay in his compound, ready when needed. He owns a dump truck and two jeepneys that are used for hauling products from the farm. For family service, he has the Pajero. There is also  a tricycle, a single motorcycle and other farm implements.

He said, that through all the  assistance from the government especially DAR, a farmer’s interest in farming is nurtured and hope arises, saying, “Farming is a business. If you want to become a successful farmer, you need courage even if hope seems grim. You need to take risks, and you learn to love the heat of the sun. A farmer produce not just for himself also but for the others”.

 Manong Kokoy see his farm as a fulfilment of his dreams. He  looks ahead  for  his seeds to continue to be nourished and be cherished even after this life.

The Success story of  Roglen B. San Jose

By Judith Longid-DAR, Kalinga

 

“Once a farmer, forever  a farmer”, Manong Kokoy said. His deep seated eyes looked directly on the horizon as the burning rays of the sun strikes his farm. Sweats came out from our bodies as we roam around not minding the mid-day heat. Pointing towards the north in the green fields, he uttered in excitement, “Those grains will fill our tables-the harvest seems to be plenty. Unlike the past cropping period, this one is very good”. “these plants  rejoice with me because the land to where they are planted is  already titled under my name” he added with a joke(referring to the CLOA title given to him last July 19, 2019).

 He narrated that  the lot was originally owned by a relative who migrated from Mountain Province to Kalinga, then to  Nueva Vizcaya. Manong Kokoy’s grand parents bought this sometimes in the 1980’s but the papers were not perfected. In the 1990’s, his grandfather  availed of a loan for   farming equipment from the Rural Bank of Rizal using the lot with the consent of the original landowner.  He was not able to pay his amortizations until it was foreclosed. Nevertheless, they continuously cultivated the land. “DAR was our saving grace. They  rescued us at the right time. They did all the documentation, processed all the papers, worked on our  behalf until the individual titles reached our hands.  The CLOAs are  the greatest legacy of the government to us”,  manong Kokoy added.

Manong Kokoy as he is fondly named by friends and relatives, is Roglen B. San Jose, born in the peaceful village  of Tadian, Mountain Province on July 29, 1962. At . nine years old, his parents  took him to Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga and  permanently resided there. At the age of 23, he worked at NIA-CRIPP in Bulanao, Tabuk. It was during those times that  Aida Bugnay  was a student of  St. William’s Academy and she  used to walk  from Conner, Apayao, to her school in Kalinga. They got married in 1991 and  blessed with three children. The first child is a nurse in Finland, the second is with them in the farm and the third is an employee of the Bureau of Customs in Manila.

While we spoke, I could see the    house    surrounded with a U-shaped pond  full of fish.  Two floating rubberized plastic barrel about 4 1/2 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter cut in half, serve as fishing boats. A self-made bridge was securely constructed above the fishpond to  access  the other side of the farm.

This other side of the  farm is planted with different fruit bearing and non-fruit bearing trees. On its west is a wide tract of agricultural land planted with commercial corn. He said, the DAR also titled it to his brothers but he manages it all.

As he invited us for lunch, we gratefully sat on a table outside the house  under the trees. It was  facing a sloping mountain with patches of plains. The top of the mountain  is a small plateau. While enjoying the  amazing view, Manong Kokoy mentioned that said  mountain is good for horse riding especially  nowadays when recreation is needed in this busy world. A reality he said he must face on the coming years. Upon reaching my 70s, “I will  go horse riding to drive the herds of cows I have there,  when I get tired of walking. There is no retirement in farming.

  He related that, “It was twenty years ago when we started developing this farm. We began with a small nipa hut here (pointing to where his concrete bungalow house lies now). This lot was idle before, no crops nor trees growing, just a wide tract of cogon grass. Only a small portion over there (pointing to where the corn was planted) was tilled by our parents and a few patches of rice land”.

 “There was no wide rice fields in here but there was a promising source of water. Because I work with the NIA that time, I gained the trust of my boss. I worked diligently with him. With all courage, I often asked favor to borrow his bulldozer and he allowed me to use it. With my family, we were able to improve this lot through the help of the equipment. More rice fields were made and this once empty pond  gradually turned into fishpond”. He told us.

  Mr. San Jose was also instrumental  in the propagation of bananas in Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga. He started the idea of planting bananas after seeing that wild bananas thrive well in a place, then domesticated bananas can also flourish there. He began by going as far as Paracelis, Mountain Province to get good varieties of subual (banana suckers) from his friends and relatives and planted it here. True enough, his  bananas easily reproduced and he was able to propagate it. From this, the banana suckers were distributed all over Liwan.

He likewise related that the Department of Agrarian Reform’s assisted cooperatives helped them a lot. He disclosed that he  and  his wife  are  active members of the Rizal Multi-Purpose Cooperative (RIZAMPCO) and Bulanao Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC), both  DAR assisted cooperatives in Kalinga. Both of them  are also members of the Tabuk Multi-Purpose cooperative, the biggest billionaire cooperative in the province where many members are DAR farmer-beneficiaries.

 He recounts that during emergencies, when they are short of money to keep the farm moving, the cooperatives are there ready to serve them. They borrow, they pay and vise-versa. They also had access to the income-generating projects of the RIZAMPCO . He proudly said that, “Adda met a ti mainaynayon diay share capital mi nga tinawen” (an amount is being added to our share capital yearly) referring to the dividend and patronage refund they annually receive from their active participation in the coops.

 In partnership with the DAR, Manong Kokoy they were given assistance by other stake holders such as the barangay food terminal from the Department of Agriculture. They further  able to acquire a water refilling station.

 

Manong Kokoy said that  the farming equipment given by DAR to the cooperative was a big help in his farm because the equipment are hired to coop  members, with substantial  discounts  and proceeds go to the coop,   as stated in their policy.

He learned many things through trainings offered by DAR and other implementing agencies. Through these learnings, he said his knowledge is enhanced and skills were improved. He is also a member of the LinkSFarm (linking small holder farmers to the market).

To date, his farm machineries lay in his compound, ready when needed. He owns a dump truck and two jeepneys that are used for hauling products from the farm. For family service, he has the Pajero. There is also  a tricycle, a single motorcycle and other farm implements.

He said, that through all the  assistance from the government especially DAR, a farmer’s interest in farming is nurtured and hope arises, saying, “Farming is a business. If you want to become a successful farmer, you need courage even if hope seems grim. You need to take risks, and you learn to love the heat of the sun. A farmer produce not just for himself also but for the others”.

 Manong Kokoy see his farm as a fulfilment of his dreams. He  looks ahead  for  his seeds to continue to be nourished and be cherished even after this life.

The Success story of  Roglen B. San Jose

By Judith Longid-DAR, Kalinga

 

“Once a farmer, forever  a farmer”, Manong Kokoy said. His deep seated eyes looked directly on the horizon as the burning rays of the sun strikes his farm. Sweats came out from our bodies as we roam around not minding the mid-day heat. Pointing towards the north in the green fields, he uttered in excitement, “Those grains will fill our tables-the harvest seems to be plenty. Unlike the past cropping period, this one is very good”. “these plants  rejoice with me because the land to where they are planted is  already titled under my name” he added with a joke(referring to the CLOA title given to him last July 19, 2019).

 He narrated that  the lot was originally owned by a relative who migrated from Mountain Province to Kalinga, then to  Nueva Vizcaya. Manong Kokoy’s grand parents bought this sometimes in the 1980’s but the papers were not perfected. In the 1990’s, his grandfather  availed of a loan for   farming equipment from the Rural Bank of Rizal using the lot with the consent of the original landowner.  He was not able to pay his amortizations until it was foreclosed. Nevertheless, they continuously cultivated the land. “DAR was our saving grace. They  rescued us at the right time. They did all the documentation, processed all the papers, worked on our  behalf until the individual titles reached our hands.  The CLOAs are  the greatest legacy of the government to us”,  manong Kokoy added.

Manong Kokoy as he is fondly named by friends and relatives, is Roglen B. San Jose, born in the peaceful village  of Tadian, Mountain Province on July 29, 1962. At . nine years old, his parents  took him to Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga and  permanently resided there. At the age of 23, he worked at NIA-CRIPP in Bulanao, Tabuk. It was during those times that  Aida Bugnay  was a student of  St. William’s Academy and she  used to walk  from Conner, Apayao, to her school in Kalinga. They got married in 1991 and  blessed with three children. The first child is a nurse in Finland, the second is with them in the farm and the third is an employee of the Bureau of Customs in Manila.

While we spoke, I could see the    house    surrounded with a U-shaped pond  full of fish.  Two floating rubberized plastic barrel about 4 1/2 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter cut in half, serve as fishing boats. A self-made bridge was securely constructed above the fishpond to  access  the other side of the farm.

This other side of the  farm is planted with different fruit bearing and non-fruit bearing trees. On its west is a wide tract of agricultural land planted with commercial corn. He said, the DAR also titled it to his brothers but he manages it all.

As he invited us for lunch, we gratefully sat on a table outside the house  under the trees. It was  facing a sloping mountain with patches of plains. The top of the mountain  is a small plateau. While enjoying the  amazing view, Manong Kokoy mentioned that said  mountain is good for horse riding especially  nowadays when recreation is needed in this busy world. A reality he said he must face on the coming years. Upon reaching my 70s, “I will  go horse riding to drive the herds of cows I have there,  when I get tired of walking. There is no retirement in farming.

  He related that, “It was twenty years ago when we started developing this farm. We began with a small nipa hut here (pointing to where his concrete bungalow house lies now). This lot was idle before, no crops nor trees growing, just a wide tract of cogon grass. Only a small portion over there (pointing to where the corn was planted) was tilled by our parents and a few patches of rice land”.

 “There was no wide rice fields in here but there was a promising source of water. Because I work with the NIA that time, I gained the trust of my boss. I worked diligently with him. With all courage, I often asked favor to borrow his bulldozer and he allowed me to use it. With my family, we were able to improve this lot through the help of the equipment. More rice fields were made and this once empty pond  gradually turned into fishpond”. He told us.

  Mr. San Jose was also instrumental  in the propagation of bananas in Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga. He started the idea of planting bananas after seeing that wild bananas thrive well in a place, then domesticated bananas can also flourish there. He began by going as far as Paracelis, Mountain Province to get good varieties of subual (banana suckers) from his friends and relatives and planted it here. True enough, his  bananas easily reproduced and he was able to propagate it. From this, the banana suckers were distributed all over Liwan.

He likewise related that the Department of Agrarian Reform’s assisted cooperatives helped them a lot. He disclosed that he  and  his wife  are  active members of the Rizal Multi-Purpose Cooperative (RIZAMPCO) and Bulanao Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC), both  DAR assisted cooperatives in Kalinga. Both of them  are also members of the Tabuk Multi-Purpose cooperative, the biggest billionaire cooperative in the province where many members are DAR farmer-beneficiaries.

 He recounts that during emergencies, when they are short of money to keep the farm moving, the cooperatives are there ready to serve them. They borrow, they pay and vise-versa. They also had access to the income-generating projects of the RIZAMPCO . He proudly said that, “Adda met a ti mainaynayon diay share capital mi nga tinawen” (an amount is being added to our share capital yearly) referring to the dividend and patronage refund they annually receive from their active participation in the coops.

 In partnership with the DAR, Manong Kokoy they were given assistance by other stake holders such as the barangay food terminal from the Department of Agriculture. They further  able to acquire a water refilling station.

 

Manong Kokoy said that  the farming equipment given by DAR to the cooperative was a big help in his farm because the equipment are hired to coop  members, with substantial  discounts  and proceeds go to the coop,   as stated in their policy.

He learned many things through trainings offered by DAR and other implementing agencies. Through these learnings, he said his knowledge is enhanced and skills were improved. He is also a member of the LinkSFarm (linking small holder farmers to the market).

To date, his farm machineries lay in his compound, ready when needed. He owns a dump truck and two jeepneys that are used for hauling products from the farm. For family service, he has the Pajero. There is also  a tricycle, a single motorcycle and other farm implements.

He said, that through all the  assistance from the government especially DAR, a farmer’s interest in farming is nurtured and hope arises, saying, “Farming is a business. If you want to become a successful farmer, you need courage even if hope seems grim. You need to take risks, and you learn to love the heat of the sun. A farmer produce not just for himself also but for the others”.

 Manong Kokoy see his farm as a fulfilment of his dreams. He  looks ahead  for  his seeds to continue to be nourished and be cherished even after this life.

The Success story of  Roglen B. San Jose

By Judith Longid-DAR, Kalinga

 

“Once a farmer, forever  a farmer”, Manong Kokoy said. His deep seated eyes looked directly on the horizon as the burning rays of the sun strikes his farm. Sweats came out from our bodies as we roam around not minding the mid-day heat. Pointing towards the north in the green fields, he uttered in excitement, “Those grains will fill our tables-the harvest seems to be plenty. Unlike the past cropping period, this one is very good”. “these plants  rejoice with me because the land to where they are planted is  already titled under my name” he added with a joke(referring to the CLOA title given to him last July 19, 2019).

 He narrated that  the lot was originally owned by a relative who migrated from Mountain Province to Kalinga, then to  Nueva Vizcaya. Manong Kokoy’s grand parents bought this sometimes in the 1980’s but the papers were not perfected. In the 1990’s, his grandfather  availed of a loan for   farming equipment from the Rural Bank of Rizal using the lot with the consent of the original landowner.  He was not able to pay his amortizations until it was foreclosed. Nevertheless, they continuously cultivated the land. “DAR was our saving grace. They  rescued us at the right time. They did all the documentation, processed all the papers, worked on our  behalf until the individual titles reached our hands.  The CLOAs are  the greatest legacy of the government to us”,  manong Kokoy added.

Manong Kokoy as he is fondly named by friends and relatives, is Roglen B. San Jose, born in the peaceful village  of Tadian, Mountain Province on July 29, 1962. At . nine years old, his parents  took him to Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga and  permanently resided there. At the age of 23, he worked at NIA-CRIPP in Bulanao, Tabuk. It was during those times that  Aida Bugnay  was a student of  St. William’s Academy and she  used to walk  from Conner, Apayao, to her school in Kalinga. They got married in 1991 and  blessed with three children. The first child is a nurse in Finland, the second is with them in the farm and the third is an employee of the Bureau of Customs in Manila.

While we spoke, I could see the    house    surrounded with a U-shaped pond  full of fish.  Two floating rubberized plastic barrel about 4 1/2 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter cut in half, serve as fishing boats. A self-made bridge was securely constructed above the fishpond to  access  the other side of the farm.

This other side of the  farm is planted with different fruit bearing and non-fruit bearing trees. On its west is a wide tract of agricultural land planted with commercial corn. He said, the DAR also titled it to his brothers but he manages it all.

As he invited us for lunch, we gratefully sat on a table outside the house  under the trees. It was  facing a sloping mountain with patches of plains. The top of the mountain  is a small plateau. While enjoying the  amazing view, Manong Kokoy mentioned that said  mountain is good for horse riding especially  nowadays when recreation is needed in this busy world. A reality he said he must face on the coming years. Upon reaching my 70s, “I will  go horse riding to drive the herds of cows I have there,  when I get tired of walking. There is no retirement in farming.

  He related that, “It was twenty years ago when we started developing this farm. We began with a small nipa hut here (pointing to where his concrete bungalow house lies now). This lot was idle before, no crops nor trees growing, just a wide tract of cogon grass. Only a small portion over there (pointing to where the corn was planted) was tilled by our parents and a few patches of rice land”.

 “There was no wide rice fields in here but there was a promising source of water. Because I work with the NIA that time, I gained the trust of my boss. I worked diligently with him. With all courage, I often asked favor to borrow his bulldozer and he allowed me to use it. With my family, we were able to improve this lot through the help of the equipment. More rice fields were made and this once empty pond  gradually turned into fishpond”. He told us.

  Mr. San Jose was also instrumental  in the propagation of bananas in Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga. He started the idea of planting bananas after seeing that wild bananas thrive well in a place, then domesticated bananas can also flourish there. He began by going as far as Paracelis, Mountain Province to get good varieties of subual (banana suckers) from his friends and relatives and planted it here. True enough, his  bananas easily reproduced and he was able to propagate it. From this, the banana suckers were distributed all over Liwan.

He likewise related that the Department of Agrarian Reform’s assisted cooperatives helped them a lot. He disclosed that he  and  his wife  are  active members of the Rizal Multi-Purpose Cooperative (RIZAMPCO) and Bulanao Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC), both  DAR assisted cooperatives in Kalinga. Both of them  are also members of the Tabuk Multi-Purpose cooperative, the biggest billionaire cooperative in the province where many members are DAR farmer-beneficiaries.

 He recounts that during emergencies, when they are short of money to keep the farm moving, the cooperatives are there ready to serve them. They borrow, they pay and vise-versa. They also had access to the income-generating projects of the RIZAMPCO . He proudly said that, “Adda met a ti mainaynayon diay share capital mi nga tinawen” (an amount is being added to our share capital yearly) referring to the dividend and patronage refund they annually receive from their active participation in the coops.

 In partnership with the DAR, Manong Kokoy they were given assistance by other stake holders such as the barangay food terminal from the Department of Agriculture. They further  able to acquire a water refilling station.

 

Manong Kokoy said that  the farming equipment given by DAR to the cooperative was a big help in his farm because the equipment are hired to coop  members, with substantial  discounts  and proceeds go to the coop,   as stated in their policy.

He learned many things through trainings offered by DAR and other implementing agencies. Through these learnings, he said his knowledge is enhanced and skills were improved. He is also a member of the LinkSFarm (linking small holder farmers to the market).

To date, his farm machineries lay in his compound, ready when needed. He owns a dump truck and two jeepneys that are used for hauling products from the farm. For family service, he has the Pajero. There is also  a tricycle, a single motorcycle and other farm implements.

He said, that through all the  assistance from the government especially DAR, a farmer’s interest in farming is nurtured and hope arises, saying, “Farming is a business. If you want to become a successful farmer, you need courage even if hope seems grim. You need to take risks, and you learn to love the heat of the sun. A farmer produce not just for himself also but for the others”.

 Manong Kokoy see his farm as a fulfilment of his dreams. He  looks ahead  for  his seeds to continue to be nourished and be cherished even after this life.

The Success story of  Roglen B. San Jose

By Judith Longid-DAR, Kalinga

 

“Once a farmer, forever  a farmer”, Manong Kokoy said. His deep seated eyes looked directly on the horizon as the burning rays of the sun strikes his farm. Sweats came out from our bodies as we roam around not minding the mid-day heat. Pointing towards the north in the green fields, he uttered in excitement, “Those grains will fill our tables-the harvest seems to be plenty. Unlike the past cropping period, this one is very good”. “these plants  rejoice with me because the land to where they are planted is  already titled under my name” he added with a joke(referring to the CLOA title given to him last July 19, 2019).

 He narrated that  the lot was originally owned by a relative who migrated from Mountain Province to Kalinga, then to  Nueva Vizcaya. Manong Kokoy’s grand parents bought this sometimes in the 1980’s but the papers were not perfected. In the 1990’s, his grandfather  availed of a loan for   farming equipment from the Rural Bank of Rizal using the lot with the consent of the original landowner.  He was not able to pay his amortizations until it was foreclosed. Nevertheless, they continuously cultivated the land. “DAR was our saving grace. They  rescued us at the right time. They did all the documentation, processed all the papers, worked on our  behalf until the individual titles reached our hands.  The CLOAs are  the greatest legacy of the government to us”,  manong Kokoy added.

Manong Kokoy as he is fondly named by friends and relatives, is Roglen B. San Jose, born in the peaceful village  of Tadian, Mountain Province on July 29, 1962. At . nine years old, his parents  took him to Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga and  permanently resided there. At the age of 23, he worked at NIA-CRIPP in Bulanao, Tabuk. It was during those times that  Aida Bugnay  was a student of  St. William’s Academy and she  used to walk  from Conner, Apayao, to her school in Kalinga. They got married in 1991 and  blessed with three children. The first child is a nurse in Finland, the second is with them in the farm and the third is an employee of the Bureau of Customs in Manila.

While we spoke, I could see the    house    surrounded with a U-shaped pond  full of fish.  Two floating rubberized plastic barrel about 4 1/2 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter cut in half, serve as fishing boats. A self-made bridge was securely constructed above the fishpond to  access  the other side of the farm.

This other side of the  farm is planted with different fruit bearing and non-fruit bearing trees. On its west is a wide tract of agricultural land planted with commercial corn. He said, the DAR also titled it to his brothers but he manages it all.

As he invited us for lunch, we gratefully sat on a table outside the house  under the trees. It was  facing a sloping mountain with patches of plains. The top of the mountain  is a small plateau. While enjoying the  amazing view, Manong Kokoy mentioned that said  mountain is good for horse riding especially  nowadays when recreation is needed in this busy world. A reality he said he must face on the coming years. Upon reaching my 70s, “I will  go horse riding to drive the herds of cows I have there,  when I get tired of walking. There is no retirement in farming.

  He related that, “It was twenty years ago when we started developing this farm. We began with a small nipa hut here (pointing to where his concrete bungalow house lies now). This lot was idle before, no crops nor trees growing, just a wide tract of cogon grass. Only a small portion over there (pointing to where the corn was planted) was tilled by our parents and a few patches of rice land”.

 “There was no wide rice fields in here but there was a promising source of water. Because I work with the NIA that time, I gained the trust of my boss. I worked diligently with him. With all courage, I often asked favor to borrow his bulldozer and he allowed me to use it. With my family, we were able to improve this lot through the help of the equipment. More rice fields were made and this once empty pond  gradually turned into fishpond”. He told us.

  Mr. San Jose was also instrumental  in the propagation of bananas in Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga. He started the idea of planting bananas after seeing that wild bananas thrive well in a place, then domesticated bananas can also flourish there. He began by going as far as Paracelis, Mountain Province to get good varieties of subual (banana suckers) from his friends and relatives and planted it here. True enough, his  bananas easily reproduced and he was able to propagate it. From this, the banana suckers were distributed all over Liwan.

He likewise related that the Department of Agrarian Reform’s assisted cooperatives helped them a lot. He disclosed that he  and  his wife  are  active members of the Rizal Multi-Purpose Cooperative (RIZAMPCO) and Bulanao Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC), both  DAR assisted cooperatives in Kalinga. Both of them  are also members of the Tabuk Multi-Purpose cooperative, the biggest billionaire cooperative in the province where many members are DAR farmer-beneficiaries.

 He recounts that during emergencies, when they are short of money to keep the farm moving, the cooperatives are there ready to serve them. They borrow, they pay and vise-versa. They also had access to the income-generating projects of the RIZAMPCO . He proudly said that, “Adda met a ti mainaynayon diay share capital mi nga tinawen” (an amount is being added to our share capital yearly) referring to the dividend and patronage refund they annually receive from their active participation in the coops.

 In partnership with the DAR, Manong Kokoy they were given assistance by other stake holders such as the barangay food terminal from the Department of Agriculture. They further  able to acquire a water refilling station.

 

Manong Kokoy said that  the farming equipment given by DAR to the cooperative was a big help in his farm because the equipment are hired to coop  members, with substantial  discounts  and proceeds go to the coop,   as stated in their policy.

He learned many things through trainings offered by DAR and other implementing agencies. Through these learnings, he said his knowledge is enhanced and skills were improved. He is also a member of the LinkSFarm (linking small holder farmers to the market).

To date, his farm machineries lay in his compound, ready when needed. He owns a dump truck and two jeepneys that are used for hauling products from the farm. For family service, he has the Pajero. There is also  a tricycle, a single motorcycle and other farm implements.

He said, that through all the  assistance from the government especially DAR, a farmer’s interest in farming is nurtured and hope arises, saying, “Farming is a business. If you want to become a successful farmer, you need courage even if hope seems grim. You need to take risks, and you learn to love the heat of the sun. A farmer produce not just for himself also but for the others”.

 Manong Kokoy see his farm as a fulfilment of his dreams. He  looks ahead  for  his seeds to continue to be nourished and be cherished even after this life