The Namon-ao Story

Namon-ao, Kapangan

“My hands are not as thick as before because of the blisters and my back does not ache that much anymore ” came the happy comment from Manang Carmen Bistolio, one of the beneficiaries of the rice mill and warehouse in Namon-ao, Gadang, Kapangan. With seven children to feed and no educational degree to use for employment, Carmen and her husband Esteban work very hard in the fields because it is the only source of income for them. Because her children were still very young to help in pounding, Carmen has to allot at least two hours a day for the task with the help of her husband if he is finished working in the fields. Along with other beneficiaries of the project, Carmen is now very happy that the dreaded pounding days is over. What’s more? She can do other productive chores now with her two hours that she saved from pounding. They also get extra money from the “tuyo” of the palay that is processed by the rice mill. Even the children of the other beneficiaries are happy that they can do other activities like spending more time with their books or doing other chores instead of pounding every day.

Designed to make life easier for the farming people of Namon-ao, the integrated project of CBDP consisting of rice mill and warehouse was provided and was in full operation in 2004. It was then turned over to the Namon-ao Farmer’s organization that operates the project up to the present. The rice mill is serving at least 50 families from Namon-ao and other sitios of Gadang with a fee of 30.00 per can of milled rice.

During the turn-over of the project, a contract with the diocese was made wherein 20% of the project cost will be repaid back to the diocese in 5 years time. They are now in their fourth year and are looking forward to finishing the payments so that 100% of the income will be theirs. The organization also, with its Episcopalian members, had been voluntarily giving 10% of the net income of the rice mill as tithes to the church. With the 30% (20% to the diocese and 10% tithes) being deducted from its income monthly, it still has a savings of 20,000.00 pesos from the unused maintenance budget. This money now is safely deposited at the Rural Bank of Kapangan. They are planning on buying a palay thresher and blower with this money. Ideas of building a cooperative is being raised by some of the members as well.

(The warehouse on the other hand, is being used as multi-purpose building. It has become a venue for community activities like meetings and Sunday services because the nearest church and the barangay hall is kilometres away from the community.

Manong Esteban Bistolio, the president of the farmer’s organization, proudly says that “we have no choice but to till the fields because there are no other source of income. But we will do everything we can to make the work easier”,