Mindanaotoday.com | For nextgen farmer April Malatamban, farming is where her heart is
By: Noemi Beth Macario
“AS much as you want to plan your life, it has a way of surprising you with unexpected things that will make you happier than you originally planned. That is called God’s will.” – Christian adage
Country road
Like any typical youth growing up in the province, April Malatamban dreamed of going to the city.
Who would want to choose a rural life compared to urban life? To her it was a no-brainer.
Growing up in Bukidnon, life was simple but quite backward.
Her father, Jesus or Tommy as he commonly called was a Police Major while her mother, Francis, was a high school Math teacher.
She doesn’t consider their family rich, but she grew up with her needs being provided.
And though she thinks that their family was better-off than most in their community, she still dreamed of escaping the barrio life and live in the city.
The detour
April dreamed of becoming an Electronics Engineer and working abroad.
She studied BS Information Technology at Bukidnon State University in Malaybalay City for two years; BS Electronics and Communications Engineering at Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City for four years and finally transferred to Cebu Technological University and enrolled in BS Information Technology for two years.
She was studying in College for 10 years already and has not graduated from any of the courses she took.
Ashamed that her parents are forever footing her studies, her wandering soul drove her to apply in Singapore for a job in electronics.
She ended up working as a domestic helper.
For the six years that she worked there, however, she proudly said that she was able to buy a one-hectare rice field in her hometown.
After Singapore, she went back to Cebu City to visit her friends. She then got a job and worked there.
She enjoyed her work and the dynamism of working in a city.
The U-turn
While working in Cebu, her parents were urging her to come back home.
Her father has already retired and was active in attending trainings conducted by the Agricultural Training Institute, city and provincial agriculture offices, and the Department of Agriculture- Regional Field Office 10.
Tommy became a known advocate of organic farming and a producer of organic black rice.
He was one of the pioneers in their area who went into organic farming.
His hard work was not in vain as he was awarded as Outstanding Organic Farmer of the Province and Most Outstanding Small Farmer during the Regional Organic Agriculture Achievers Award in 2016.
It was also around this time that April’s father again requested her to come back home to help him.
After sometime, April relented. She felt that she is not getting anywhere in the city with her income, just enough to meet her active lifestyle.
Upon arrival from Cebu, April immediately joined agricultural trainings since she does not have any knowledge of farming, particularly organic farming.
She learned and immediately introduced other sources of income such as vegetables, fisheries, livestock and processing of their farm produce.
The farm and their products are slowly making a name.
Her mother is already considering early retirement to help in the farm.
However, before her retirement was finalized, April’s father died.
It was very painful for them and the responsibility of running their farm fell on Apil’s shoulders. Her Mom then officially retired to help her.
The super highway
In 2018, April’s mother won as the Outstanding Rice Farmer while April was awarded as Malaybalay City Agripreneur.
They were again awarded as Most Outstanding Farm Family in 2020. It was no mean feat as April and her mom Francis were new to farming.
The awards were bittersweet because they reaped the dreams and hardwork of their patriarch, Tommy.
April and her mother have many more dreams. They want to expand their farm and establish a Food Processing Center for a complete farm-to-plate offering.
They would also like to expand their present products of rice polvoron, rice coffee and rice ice cream to include rice vinegrette, rice wine, bottled atsara and tilapia sardines.
The possibilities are endless especially as they are being exposed by ATI to other farms.
For April, the decision to go back home was a divine providence inspired decision.
It provided time, albeit short, for her to spend with her father and learn the ropes running his beloved farm and imbibe his dreams.
She was only given around two years to do the crash course, but passed with flying colors.
The awards April and Francis received are a testament of the legacy that Tommy has bestowed.
April’s search for happiness has led her way back home. (ATI-10)
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