Reserved, meek and humble. This is my first impression on Mr. Henry V. Maquera, co-owner of the Maquera Agri Farm which is a certified Learning Site for Agriculture (LSA) of ATI-RTC-CAR in Barangay Luyong, Luna, Apayao when we visited him to document his story. It was my first time to visit his farm so I was very excited to see what it has to offer. When we arrived at his place, we were greeted with a smile at the entrance by Mr. Henry, together with his wife Mrs. Evelyn Cariaga Maquera. His holding area is situated on top of a hill surrounded by various greeneries and flowering plants that gave the vibes of a wedding venue. Since the day is gloomy, the team hurried to document the components of his farm, then we settled for the interview. According to Sir Henry, he named the farm Maquera’s Agri Farm so that whatever glory the farm may achieve someday, all his siblings will also be honored. Let’s explore his story.
Their Humble Beginnings
Mang Henry is the son of Mr. Felicisimo Maquera and Lolita Valdez. His father is a backhoe operator in the 1950s and his mother is a proud housewife. Mang Felicisimo is also a former barangay captain for 20 years during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Originally from Sanchez Mira, Cagayan, Mr. Felicisimo’s family migrated to Apayao where her mother, Lolita was born. It is here where his parents met and molded a family.
Since life in the countryside is difficult, Aling Lolita sold her inheritance (1 ha. land) to be able to establish a rice mill, which is the first in the locality during that time. This became the main source of their livelihood. As their rice mill progressed, his father invested on a 4x4 truck so that they can capture and serve more clients. Through this, they were able to expand their landholdings. According to him, because of his father’s ingenuity, they were able to expand their area by just bartering products with the locals and by providing loans to those who need it. Through this scheme, little by little, they were able to buy 7.8 ha. of land. As a result of their thriving business, they were able to study in prestigious school like the Far Eastern University (in 1982), where he took his BS Electrical Engineering, that is part of his dreams.
Their Greatest Challenge – The Great Migration
During the time where insurgency was very strong in the countryside, particularly in Apayao, his family decided to migrate to Manila in 1986. They sold their rice mill since the New People’s Army are interfering with their business already. They sometimes ask for revolutionary tax and influence/urge other clients not to honor or pay their debt in the rice mill. When they left, the farm was left to their neighbors to till. Unfortunately, the farm deteriorated and became unproductive. Their neighbors cannot even give them a share in their harvest.
The money from the sale of the rice mill was used to buy tricycle and erect a house, in Manila. During that time, the earnings they get from the tricycle is more than enough. However, since all of them (siblings) are schooling that time, their earning is just enough for the family to provide for their daily needs. It is at this time, that Mang Henry made a difficult decision to quit school for her two younger siblings to continue and finish their courses. He became a full-time tricycle driver to help his father provide for the family.
He considered this as the greatest challenge in his life.
Home Sweet Home
When insurgency in Apayao subsided in 1992, their family decided to go back in Luna, Apayao. Again, they started to develop from scratch. Through the resilient nature of his father (being educated in CLSU – as 2nd year undergraduate) and with the help of his friends, they were able to slowly bring back the productivity of their farm. His father borrowed the needed resources to till their land. Neighbors, who tilled their land during their migration gave them something they can start with such as their initial stocks of animals (chicken, cow). Mang Henry recalled that they really worked very hard because they cannot even hire labor to help them during that time. However, they were committed to develop and bring back the productivity of their farm particularly the rice area and livestock production venture. Slowly but surely, they were able to improve the productivity of their farm again.
Engagement with the Government
Sir Henry is not fond of attending trainings. However, he was left with no choice when the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPVet) of Apayao, Office of Municipal Agriculturist of LGU-Luna (OMAg-Luna) and ATI-RTC-CAR chose his farm to be the venue of the 5-month (May-September) Farmer Livestock School (FLS) in 2018. During the training, wherein they meet once a week, he learned a lot about small ruminant production. Driven by his passion and curiosity to learn, he never missed a single class. As a reward, he was one of the first to be given 5 heads of sheep composed of 1 male and 4 females. Using his learnings in the FLS, he multiplied his stock into 27 heads. According to him, he found luck in the FLS because he was able to breed 2-3 heads per doe, leading to their rapid increase in number.
The training made him appreciate the support given by our government to farmers like him. It was the start of his active engagement with the government particularly the OPVet and the OMAg-Luna, Apayao and other national government agencies such as ATI, DOST and TESDA.
Assistance received from the government
After his engagement in the FLS-GEM, blessings after blessings poured unto him. Aside from support from the LGUs, ATI and TESDA, he was also provided a soft loan by DOST in the form of Solar Irrigation Facility, which he now uses to supply water to the farm for both crops and livestock. He was also given shredder which he uses to shred grasses both for his livestock and for composting. His various fowls (chickens, ducks and turkey) were given by OPVet and OMAg-Luna. An incubator was also provided by OPVet to sustain the production of his fowls. Recently, BSWM also provided a rotary composter.
Moreover, when he became the president of LAOPA, they were chosen as one of the recipients of DA-CAR’s INSPIRE Project. With the help of Office of Agricultural Services of LGU-Luna in processing the needed requirement, it was awarded to them in January 23, 2024. The project costs P4.5M for the building and P950,000.00 for the piglets, feeds and pro-biotics. Initially, they were able to use P200,000.00 to buy and grow 15 heads of piglets. During the CARAA, 10 heads were sold which was valued at P158,000.00. As of the interview, there are still 5 fatteners left worth 110 kilos.
His LSA Journey
As Mr. Maquera opened his door to opportunities and partnerships, he joined the Luna Apayao Organic Practitioners Association (LAOPA), with organic crop production as his point of entry. Through his active participation in the association, he was endorsed by the OMAg-Luna to become a Learning Site for Agriculture (LSA). However, during the validation, the assessors saw it more fit that livestock should be his focus-commodity instead of organic vegetable production. Finally, in 2018, he was officially recognized by ATI-RTC-CAR as LSA.
His efforts and commitment as a LSA were rewarded in 2022 when he was recognized as one of the “Best Entrepreneur” and the “Highest Number of Clients” served under the livestock category during the 1st Regional Extension Modalities Summit conducted on November 21, 2022 at ATI-RTC-CAR. In 2023, he was again recognized as Outstanding LSA under organic agriculture category during the 2nd LSA summit.
His status as an active LSA, led him to process his accreditation as Farm School of TESDA, offering competency in organic vegetable production. Presently, Mr. Henry has already conducted 2 batches of NC II on Organic Agriculture Production with 42 combined graduates. Recently, the Office of the Congressman Leah Begtang Bulut in collaboration with TESDA and the PLGU of Apayao, conducted the Training on Organic Hog Production in his farm through the Special Training for Employment Program (STEP) of TESDA in his farm with 20 participants.
The Farm
The farm has a total area of 7.8 ha. Of this, 3 ha. was given by his father as his share for being the one who helped him established the farm, the rest was divided among his 3 other siblings. However, since his siblings no longer live in Apayao, they gave him the freedom to use it while they do not need it yet. The farm has a little bit of everything. Aside from the INSPIRE project erected on their farm, he also has 8 cows, 3 carabaos and various fowls and his Babuyang Walang Amoy. He also has an area for rice, corn, organic vegetable production and coconut production.
Aside from the Babuyang Walang Amoy as one of his showcased technologies in the farm, Mang Henry also practices the zero-farm-waste management technology that he also learned from the FLS. It involves recycling biomass (farm wastes) and turning them into compost to be applied as fertilizers for his crops. He also has a greenhouse where he demonstrates year-round cultivation of organic vegetables. He also practices open-grazing for his ruminants except when it rains. With the addition of the swine multiplier farm, Mr. Maquera can now boast of showcasing modern swine housing as one of his technologies to offer, together with the members of LAOPA.
I was very curious to know how much the farm earns, however, Mang Henry did not divulge his estimated income. He humbly said that it is enough to feed them and be able to send his 4 children (Mary Grace, Mark Kenneth, Maureen Joy, Mark Paul) to college without incurring debts (anyway, he was not awarded as best entrepreneur for nothing).
Future plans
Mr. Maquera sees his farm to be a farm resort someday as also envisioned by his son, Mark Paul. In fact, it was already been used as a venue for a wedding ceremony. Mark Paul values the sacrifices and hard-work that his father made to develop the farm and raised the family from it. He used this as his inspiration to help him because he too, has a passion for agriculture. In fact, he quit his job to help his father manage the farm. He realized that instead helping others develop their farm, he will focus on developing and sustaining their farm instead.
Today, Mang Henry together with his family work hand in hand to manage the farm. As reflected in their farm’s FB page, his wife and his daughter in law help in the promotion and marketing of their products. They are also training already his grandchildren to appreciate farming.
Giving Back to the Community
According to Mang Henry, he was very happy when ATI gave them fund to erect his holding area. He honestly never thought that he would receive an assistance for being an LSA. He thought that being an LSA is all about the responsibility to be a model farm and serve his fellow farmers. When the holding area was finished, Mang Henry claims that many of his neighbors come to visit and have chit-chats with him. It is during these times that he shares with them his learnings from his trainings and the services/programs of the government.
Moreover, he also helps them by serving as a bridge between the government and his fellow farmers to air their concerns or lobby for assistance. Many farmers go to him for help in updating their RSBSA registration or ask assistance on how they could also avail of the assistance given to him.
This is probably one of the reasons why he was awarded as having the highest number of clients served during the first extension modalities summit in 2022.
When asked about his role model, Mang Henry emotionally mentioned his father Mang Felicisimo. According to him, his father has all the qualities of an ideal father. His father taught him to learn how to get along well with people (pakikisama) which is a trait that helped them overcome their challenges and bounce back from scratch. Without the help of his father’s friends and neighbors whom his father helped in their times of needs, they would not have overcome the greatest challenge in their lives. He considers this as his guiding principle in life.
When I stalked on the farm’s Facebook Page, I stumbled upon a very good quote they posted that I believe reflects one of the family’s values….
“It is not the things we get, but the hearts we touch, that will measure our success in life.” Indeed!
Mang Henry endured challenges and setbacks in his life while prioritizing the needs of his siblings and his family in general (and even neighbors) over his needs. He embodies strength in adversity, often driven by empathy and a commitment to support others…a testament to his self-less resilience. (MRA)
Story by:
