Montevista, Compostela Valley –Danilo E. Villarojo, 59, was raised by a coconut farmer and grew up to be one himself.

Danilo tended a two-hectare lot in BarangayTapia, which he inherited from his father.

For most of his life, Danilo grew, harvested, and sold coconuts for a living, skills he also learned and mastered from his father.

He proudly shared that through hard work and perseverance as a coconut farmer, he was able to send his two children to school, both of whom became scholars and finished with undergraduate degrees in Education.

‘Pablo’ the antagonist

In December 2012, Typhoon Pablo struck, wiping away his humble coconut plantation. The foundation of his house stood as it was built on concrete, but the second floor, made from nipa,was washed away as well.

He was left with nothing but remnants of what was once the source of food for his family.

Though affected by the typhoon, Danilo was grateful that his entire family survived the calamity. The family managed with the little savings that they had.

A small company eventually approached him to buy his fallen coconut trees.

“At least kumita pa rin (At least I still earned),” he said. That was the last of his family’s livelihood.

Danilo continued working as a farmer and took several small jobs around the community, but they did not last long either.

Climax of life anew

In early 2014, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) enjoined a group of farmers from nearby villages  in Compostela Valley to participate in its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

The group of 120 members was formed from a mix of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program families and internally displaced survivors of ‘Pablo’.

The farmers were to be trained on organic farming, a technology foreign to them.

Through SLP, the ACES Natural Farming Institute (ACES) in Panabo, Davao would train them in organic farming as a sustainable community livelihood.

Danilo and his wife, Mila, took part in it.

Initially, Danilo was skeptical. He had no knowledge of organic farming, and more importantly, he had no more resources to invest. He felt too old to learn a new skill, let alone start a completely different livelihood.

He took on the challenge anyway. There was nothing left to lose, he felt.

An emerging leading man

The group called themselves the Tapia Organic Farmers Association (TOFA).

Soon after, they elected Danilo as their President, a role he was reluctant to accept.

“Iba-ibang ugali yan. Mahigit isandaan sila. Kailangan lahat ‘yan pakikisamahan mo (They all have different attitudes. There are more than one hundred of them.

You need to get along with everyone),” he said.

Upon serious discernment, he took on the lead role.

The production sequence

From April to May 2014, Danilo and the rest of the members of TOFA trained extensively on organic farming.

ACES taught them about appropriate methods, tools, and natural and biological materials that can be found within a farm. Danilo and his members learned about raising organic hogs, chickens, red tilapia, and vegetables such as camote and Chinese cabbages.

DSWD shouldered their training expenses and equipment, amounting to P10,000 per trainee. ACES also provided a counterpart of common service facilities and farming equipment. The local government of Montevista provided land for a communal organic farm, for their utility for the next 10 years.

ACES also agreed to purchase the first harvest of TOFA based on prices that the group would set. This would teach them to prepare marketing their products and train them on interacting with buyers.

“Sabi ko sa mga kasama ko na wala na kaming ginastos kaya kailangan pagsikapan namin ito . Kami rin ang makikinabang  (I told my fellow farmers that we didn’t spend anything that is why we have to work hard for. It will benefit us),” Danilo explained.

Included in their training was developing and preparing the land for their communal farm. From a barren land emerged their Sustainable Time-tested Agricultural Resource (STAR)  farm, ready for four ponds of 9,000 red tilapia fingerlings, chicken pens good for 500 hens, six hogs, and fertile soil for vegetables.

Premiering the community harvest

On August 30, Danilo and his members took part in a multi-stakeholder ceremony and first harvest.

On behalf of TOFA, Danilo received a check as payment for five hogs, weighing an average of 68 kg, which were sold at P120 per kilo, and a total of 69 kg of harvested red tilapia, they sold at P100 per kilo.

Danilo himself also caught the first hog for weighing. Although it was a feat for him, his members cheered him on for support.

Producing a sequel

While Danilo admits that he still has much to learn, he is willing to hone his new craft. This is the beginning of a promising future not just for Danilo but for the community he is now shepherding. He sees a purpose bigger than himself.

Through their new communal organic farm, a budding sustainable livelihood for the community, Danilo and the rest of the TOFA members can altogether write the success stories of their lives.

“Kaya pala namin ang pagbabago basta may umaalalay sa amin sa gobyerno  ( We can initiate positive change in our lives as long as there is a government that is ready to assist us),” Danilo ended.