The farmers and people of Isabela were so lucky when the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos unflinching leadership build up the Magat Dam found in the boundary of Ifugao and Isabela despite oppositions from the so called “Makamasa.”
Magat Dam is a large rock-fill dam in the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The dam is on the Magat River, a major tributary of Cagayan River. Construction of the dam started in 1975 and was completed in 1982. Magat Dam is one of the largest dams in the Philippines. It is a multi-purpose dam which is used primarily for irrigating about 85,000 hectares (210,000 acres) of agricultural lands,[1] flood control, and power generation through the Magat Hydroelectric Power Plant. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magat_Dam#cite_note-ifc-1)
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| Magat Dam |
Before the construction of the dam, the lands of Isabela were just waiting for rain to be planted of rice once a year.
I still remember as a kid in Dagupan, Tabuk Kalinga when many farmers from nearby places of Isabela, like, San Manuel, San Mateo, San Ramon, and as far as Alicia, Kawayan were coming during harvest time of palays, and planting season of rice. In the 70s and 80s, almost all farm works were done physically hence manpower was badly needed.
It only stopped when Magat Dam was already operational in the early 80s.
However, the farmers of Isabela seemed were not ready to do fulltime farming, because just a few years after their lands were awarded to them, they started to give it up in exchange of loan to the Igorot of Mountain Province. Instead of paying up their loans they asked for more money until they can no longer afford to pay back their loans, therefore, they have no other recourse but give up their land after the Igorot farmer paid-up the remaining balance of the market value of the farm.
But why are the Isabela farmers are losing their farms through loans?
The most common reason we hear from them is “They are financially in need because their children are going to college hence in need of big amount of money.”
The bigger question is why they are not able to reclaim their lands?
One reason is because of the high interest of the loan which is according to the people I spoke with is 10% per month. Probably, the price did not pierce their thoughts because they usually borrow a smaller amount of loan. Say, Php20,000. In their mind, its worth “is only” Php2,000 a month which will only be Php6, 000 – Php8, 000 in three to four months at harvest time. But because they have loans from the department stores which they cannot ask to give them more time to pay, they then leave the Igorot farmer who is always ready to wait until they can pay (or no longer pay). Of course, the Igorot farmer is happy when the other party cannot pay yet because it means, just a matter of time when they will ask him to lend them more money with conditions he will work the farm but no more interest until such time the Isabela farmer can pay the capital.
However, the bigger reason why they are not able to get back their lands is due to “Financial mismanagement” due to lifestyle extravagance.
I observed this when I went there to visit the farm of my in-laws.
As mentioned, the Isabela farmers love to live a good life. When you visit their homes, many of them have almost complete appliances: Refrigerator, sound system, brand new television which are not paid in cash but are being paid monthly.
Let’s say, we don’t care about their life style, but when you look at the homes of some of them, I am sure you will say to yourself, “Isn’t the home more important to make it better and safer, and to have place for those appliances?”
What’s more is, barely a month, after a very good harvest, when you think they should have enough to last until the next harvest season, they are knocking at your door begging you to loan them rice to cook for their food.
It’s not believable but that’s the common reason why most Filipinos are struggling in life. The Isabela farmer is just but an example how most Filipinos’ life become a struggle and worst make them poor. Children forgot their parents sacrifices to have their own lands and left it for them to have something they can take care to improve their lives. Children (In the lowlands) today forgot or was not taught by their parents the importance of hard-work and sacrifice to attain what you want and needs in life.
