Fifty-one year old Ernesto Ibajay is a native of Trinidad, a town in the northern part of Bohol island. He is married to Annabelle (43) and they have 5 children; Jubelle (24), Billy (23), Mary Rose (21) and twins, John and James (10). Ernesto was referred to us by our livelihood loan recipient Ellein Gerasmio, who is a family friend. Ernesto would like to apply for a loan to redeem his rice farm.

 

Ernesto works as a construction worker and a farm labourer whatever job is available. He is paid 500 pesos ($8.70) for a typical day’s work, however, he is not hired every day; in a good month he has 15 days of work. On his vacant days, he tends the family’s vegetable garden which proceeds are for family’s consumption. As for Annabelle, she earns a living as snack vendor making an average income of 200 pesos ($3.50) a day from her sales.

 

The family used to have an income from a one-hectare rice farm but sadly it was pawned ten years ago when Annabelle gave birth to John and James. She had complications and needed to deliver the twins via caesarean. The farm was pawned to a relative which happily did not gave the couple a term for redemption. However, in November, Ernesto was told by the relative that the money is now needed and is given up until January next year to redeem it. Over the decade, Ernesto never had the chance to save for its redemption because of increasing family’s expenses especially children’s education.

 

Of the 60,000 pesos loan, 40,000 pesos will be used for the redemption and the rest will be used to buy rice seedlings, 7 sacks of fertiliser and to pay the two labourers who will help Ernesto with the weeding and planting. The farm can be expected to yield 160 sacks of unmilled rice each year. Ernesto will set aside 30 sacks for home consumption and sell the rest. After deducting his expenses, Ernesto hopes to make a net income of 75,000 pesos ($1,300) a year from his sales of rice to the mill. In the first two years after the farm’s redemption, most of the income will go to repaying the PSHF loan but the family will be self sufficient in rice from the very first harvest. This will make a huge difference as so much of the couple’s income goes to buying rice.  

 

Ernesto and Annabelle are very proud to say that Jubelle will be graduating next year from his degree in Criminology and that Billy and Mary Rose are also doing well in college who are both taking a degree in office administration. For a couple who only finished high school, seeing their children through college is a great achievement. With the farm back, Ernesto and Annabelle sees its income as a big help to pay for future educational needs.

 

We in the PSHF are happy to help Ernesto to redeem his farm which holds so much sentimental value being his parents inheritance to him and we wish him many productive rice harvests in the future.

 

 

Analyn T. Gallibot

PSHF Bohol

December 2025