Of Bad Timing and Changed Plans

Merry Wives of Manila

Entrelazar: Mga Hibla ng Simbuyo

In one of my major courses last semester, we got to immerse with a community of farmers in Majayjay, Laguna. The main objective of the course was to encourage participation among the stakeholders, in this case the farmers. This is to involve them in the production process and not just merely be sources of data for journalistic pieces.

This immersion actually broke the typical “farmer stereotype”. I have learned that the dirty work our farmers go through actually pays off. Would you believe I’ve talked to a millionaire farmer? He has three houses, a jeepney, and a car plus he contributed money for the construction of their community church! (And no, he’s NOT the one in the last photo.) Our farmers actually earn around 300,000 pesos in a month from just two harvests of tomatoes from their half a hectare of land. That does not even include the other vegetables they reap. Imagine how much they earn in a year!

Even though they earn so much money, I am humbled by their simple way of living. Still. They don’t wear fancy clothes nor use a smartphone and their houses are not as big as mansions.

Pakikipagkapwa

"Every end is a new beginning.”