No matter what you have achieved, you won’t find true success unless you follow your passion. You also need to seek help from others to succeed.
This is what Feljun M. Maestro wants to prove: success can be achieved not just through education but by loving what you do. At just 30 years old, he set out to affirm that true success is rooted in passion for one's work. Hailing from Barangay Makalas in Romblon, Romblon, Feljun holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminology and is both a Registered Criminologist and a Licensed Professional Teacher.
Yet, despite Feljun’s impressive credentials and potential career paths in criminology and education, he chose a different route. Driven by a deep passion for agriculture, he dedicated himself to transforming this passion into a thriving farming venture.
After graduating and passing the board exams, Feljun focused on farming on his family's one-hectare property owned by his father.
“Ng bata pa ako, lumaki na talaga ako sa bukirin kaya nahilig ako sa farming. Pagkatapos kong mag-graduate, tinanong ko ang sarili ko kung ano ang gusto kong gawin sa buhay. Hanggang sa may dumating na taga-Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) sa MIMAROPA, sina Ma’am Roseanne D. Nilo, at ipinakilala nila sa amin ang organic farming. Maraming training at seminar ang naganap dito sa amin at doon ko na-realize na mas gusto ko ang farming kaysa magtrabaho”, he shared.
After the training, he was selected as one of the beneficiaries of the Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA) Livelihood Project of ATI in 2018 in the Municipality of Romblon. This program is one of ATI’s extension interventions aimed at building and promoting a culture of resilience in agriculture to maintain and sustain farmers’ productivity despite the challenges of climate change.
Feljun is supported by his family in his farming activities. He doesn’t face much difficulty managing the farm because his older brother helps him. Feljun finances the operations, while his brother handles the fertilizing, watering, and other farm tasks.
Upon learning about organic farming from ATI's training, Feljun started growing rice, bitter melon, eggplant, long beans, watermelon, and okra on his farm. ATI also provided him with two pigs and 50 broiler chickens along with feed as support for the Climate Change project. This marked the beginning of his farming venture.
But not everything was easy for him. When the price of pork dropped significantly, he suffered losses. Due to the high cost of feed, he sold his pigs and shifted to poultry production. He decided to focus on what he learned from the training in poultry production. Now, starting from 50 chickens, his flock has grown to 3,000 broiler chickens.
To deepen his knowledge of organic farming, Feljun continues to attend training sessions at ATI. In 2018, he participated in four sessions on organic farming and mushroom production and also earned the Organic Agriculture Production NC II certification.
With the additional knowledge gained from training, he also focused on vegetable farming. With the help of the Municipal Agriculture Office of Romblon, he planted vegetables that were different from those grown by other farmers.
“Sa paggugulayan, malaki rin ang kita kung tama ang teknolohiyang ginagamit mo. Kailangan ding gumamit ka ng marketing strategy. Kung ang iba ay nagtatanim ng isang klase ng gulay, huwag mong gayahin; magtanim ka ng mga gulay na hindi kaparehas ng sa kanila”, he explained.
However, he lost his motivation in 2021 because he thought his farm would no longer be profitable due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was about to apply for a job, but his plans were thwarted when the government issued a lockdown. Thus, he decided to persist with vegetable farming and broiler production. Seeing that he was still earning, he continued with what he was doing.
“Ang strategy ko lang ay mag-focus sa goal. Halimbawa kapag may bagyo, magsisimula ulit akong magtanim. Kasi hindi ka matatawag na farmer kung susuko ka agad sa buhay. Malugi ka man o kumita, tuloy-tuloy lang dapat ang pagpa-farm”, he shared.
Feljun’s main challenges in farming include business losses and financial constraints. He mentioned that poultry farming is expensive, with many costs associated with the health issues of chickens and broilers. These health-related costs, combined with the general expenses of running a farm place a considerable financial burden on him.
Even though he faces difficulties, he continues farming because his family, especially his parents, is his inspiration and has been his partner in farm work. Their unwavering support and shared efforts on the farm have been a constant source of motivation for him. Farming has taught him patience, knowledge, and resourcefulness. These qualities have not only contributed to his success but have also shaped his character.
“Without resourcefulness in farming, you will surely fail. May plano sana akong mag-establish ng malaking piggery, ngunit hindi ko pa kaya dahil malaki ang puhunan doon. Pero hindi pa rin ako nawawalan ng pag-asa; maaabot ko rin ang pangarap na ito,” he stressed.
Because of his efforts, he has reaped the rewards of his hard work. Feljun’s estimated monthly earnings range from Php 40,000 - Php 50,000, although this amount is not consistent, especially during peak seasons. During these times, broiler chickens are highly profitable, and selling vegetables also yields significant income.
“Noong bata pa ako, marami kaming tanim na sitaw at dinadala namin ito sa palengke para maibenta. Pero ngayon, mga mamimili na ang pumupunta sa farm namin araw-araw para bumili. Sa pagpa-farm, kailangan maging mapagpasensya, matalino, at madiskarte. Kasi kung wala kang diskarte sa pagpa-farm, malulugi ka talaga,” he said.
With the ongoing success of his poultry production, he was able to earn enough income to construct four new broiler buildings. He has also been able to buy land for investment and machinery such as a plucker machine for chickens and a palay thresher. He operates these machines himself, having learned how to use them from tutorial videos and his own research.
“Sa umpisa, talagang mahirap mag-market ng produkto, pero kapag na-build mo ang tiwala ng mga customers, makukuha mo na ang kanilang loob para bumili sa’yo. Relationship build-up, iyon talaga ang kailangan”, he claimed.
For his broiler chickens, they handle the delivery to various suppliers, ensuring that the product reaches different markets efficiently. However, when it comes to crops and vegetables, buyers personally come to their farm to see the firsthand quality and freshness of the products.
Feljun advises his fellow farmers to keep going despite many challenges. He said that challenges are inevitable; they come to test your life and resolve. He stresses the value of having faith and putting one's trust in the Lord in trying times, knowing that people can overcome any obstacle they face with perseverance.
The knowledge he has gained and practiced through years of farming has been instrumental to his success. As a successful farmer, he relies heavily on his rich experiences and interest in learning. Moving through each challenge with optimism and resilience, he understands that the knowledge and skills he has acquired over time will guide him.
Story by:
