“Baslan ang government nga nitabang namo ma uplift mi.” Mila Oclarit was all praises as she spoke of how the Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center X turned her life around through the implementation of the Farm Business School (FBS) in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.
Milagros Oclarit was once a housewife who occasionally cooks and sells kakanin products, such as kuntsinta, suman, and biko, at a military camp where her husband works as a soldier.
Back in 2015, then-43-year-old Mila, who simply had a keen interest in cooking was invited by Gemma G. Cania, the Municipal Agriculturist of the Municipal Agriculture Office Manolo, to join the Farm Business School program. Curious to what she proposes, and due to her love for cooking, she joined the pioneering batch of FBS.
Hesitant and unconfident as she was, she ventured first on corn products that did not work well for her. However, that did not stop her from reaching her hopes of success. No matter the failures that came her way, she now relishes in the result of her hard work and persistence, all thanks to peanuts. Mila currently markets crunchy roasted peanuts with a variety of flavor like salted, sugar-coated, chili, and salted-spicy, as well as peanut butter; and peanut roll – which she cooks using wok over firewood. She puts her products on sale all around Manolo Fortich, in particular at the Department of Trade and Industry’s Go Negosyo; Riley’s Cafe; FBS Organic Showroom; and Damilag Pasalubong. Adding that, she is oftentimes invited to display her products during trainings conducted by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Department of Agriculture (DA).
She emphasized that everything she has now came with a price. To get to where she is, attending trainings, seminars, and workshops, which she thought to be time-consuming, is a must. On the other hand, Mila currently experiences the lack of raw materials due to the rising demand of her products and due to rat infestation. As resourceful as she is, she purchases the peanut harvest of her neighbors and those close to her with peanut plantation just to catch up with her growing market. This truly tested her skill in maximizing her utilities and resources, and proved her remarkable commitment in bettering her business venture at the age of 50.
Mila enumerated variables in achieving success, (1.) Determination (2.) Prayer (3.) Kakugi (Hard work) (4.) Sakripisyo (Sacrifice). She, too, was all praises as she talked about how the Farm Business School gave her the confidence as an entrepreneur. Specifying the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) as the backbone of her achievements.
She hopes for the future to endow her a production area of her own, and to be FDA-certified. She also longs to venture into coconut products soon.
