Diega Torregosa (58) is a native of Trinidad, a town in the northern part of Bohol island. She is a neighbor of our field worker, Phadelyn Aniasco. On September 12th, she paid a visit to our field worker, Phadelyn Aniasco in her home in Trinidad to inquire about PSHF livelihood assistance. She would like to apply for a loan to redeem her farm and after a preliminary assessment, Phadelyn told Diega that we could indeed help her. Phadelyn proceeded to conduct an orientation for her and an interview.

 

Diega is married to Yudes (59) and they have four children: Aiza (35) is married and living separately; Mae Ann (33) is also married but she lives with the couple together with her own family and the youngest is Michael who is aged 20. The couple also had a son, Dino, who tragically died in August 2024 due to chronic kidney disease when he was just 30 years old.

 

Diega earns a living as a snack vendor making 150 pesos ($2.60) a day from her sales. As for Yudes, he works as a construction worker and as a farm labourer; 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 with Diega. They plant okra, string beans, squash and sweet potatoes for home consumption.

 

The family used to have an income from a one-hectare rice farm but sadly, it was pawned two years ago when Dino started to become ill and money was needed to pay for his dialysis, check-ups and laboratories. Diega would like to redeem the farm and she is now applying for a loan for this purpose. Of the 50,000 pesos loan, 30,000 pesos will be used for the redemption and the rest will be used to buy rice seedlings, 8 sacks of fertiliser and to pay the two labourers who will help Yudes and Michael with the weeding and planting.

 

The farm can be expected to yield 160 sacks of unmilled rice each year. Diega will set aside 25 sacks for home consumption and sell the rest. After deducting her expenses, Diega hopes to make a net income of 75,000 pesos ($1,300) a year from her sales of rice to the mill. This income will provide a great boost to the couple as Mae Ann and her two children Ziah (10) and Dennis (7) have been dependent on them ever since Mae Ann’s husband Danny became irresponsible due to drug addiction a year ago.

 

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. With the farm back, they will be able to use their income for other purposes such as sending Michael again to school. He was not able to enrol in college after he graduated from high school because his parents were burdened financially with his brother Dino’s medical expenses. Michael would like to pursue a degree in Criminology at Trinidad Municipal College.

 

We in the PSHF are happy to help Diega and we wish her many productive rice harvests in the future.

 

 

Analyn T. Gallibot

PSHF Bohol

September 2025