NEW LAND OWNER. Department of Agrarian Reform-Bicol (DAR-5) Regional Director Reuben Theodore Sindac (left), in a photo opportunity with Cresenciano Colagong, holding his new land title during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas in Legazpi City on June 25, 2024. Colagong was among the beneficiaries when President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. distributed land titles during his visit to Camarines Sur on June 7, 2024. (Photo courtesy of DAR Bicol)
LEGAZPI CITY – Despite age weathering his body, 84-year-old Cresenciano Colagong proudly stood his ground as he held the land title for the agricultural lands in Polangui, Albay he has long tilled for more than three decades.
His daughter, Aireen Colagong-Tigue, could not hold back tears as she watched her father achieve his lifelong dream.
"Almost half of my father's life was spent waiting for this legal title that will prove our ownership of the land," the 47-year-old former teacher said in the vernacular.
"We didn't even expect it, but we really prayed hard for it," she added, her voice quivering.
As one of the more than 2,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Bicol who received their land titles when President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led its distribution during his visit to Camarines Sur on June 7, Cresenciano considered the transfer certificate of title a precious gift he could leave behind for his family.
"When I die, I can be assured that my family will live comfortably, knowing that I will be passing on something of great value to them," the elderly farmer said.
Married to the land
Colagong's foray into farming was borne out of a need to provide for his family.
In 1988, he started developing the 5,931-square-meter and 1,026-square-meter lands then owned by Lazaro Magistrado.
"These lands used to be a sugarcane plantation. I have vivid memories of patiently waiting and picking up the sugarcanes that fell off the trucks as they were being loaded," Aireen fondly recalled.
"Back then, we could only plant vegetables, sweet potatoes, and corn along the edges because we did not own the property."
"I never imagined that this land would be ours one day," she added.
A retired tailor and master cutter at a local tailoring shop, the octogenarian farmer said the agrarian reform program, which enabled him to directly own the lands he tilled, helped him increase his agricultural yield and improve the family's living conditions.
"Our main income came from the palay that my father sold. His earnings covered our expenses for school fare as well as boarding house fees when my older brother attended high school at the University of Northeastern Philippines in Iriga and my sister's dormitory fees at Camarines Sur State Agriculture College (now Central Bicol State University of Agriculture) in Pili," his daughter added.
Growing up, Aireen said farming became a family affair for the Colagongs.
"My mother and I grew vegetables while other siblings also helped on the farm. At Grade 4, I learned how to sell sweet potatoes, corn, and other vegetables in the nearby market to support our daily needs," she said.
Having witnessed her parents' devotion to the farm firsthand, she revealed that their strong desire for their children to obtain a college degree kept them going despite the odds.
"My father and mother would till the land from dawn to dusk. If not for their sacrifices, we would not be where we are today," she said.
Harvesting dreams
From the fruit of his labor, the elderly Colagong was able to produce four professionals: an engineer now based in Australia, a teacher at a public school, an accountant who also owns a souvenir store and a former teacher who now runs a mini-grocery and online store.
Looking back at his journey, the proud farmer said all the sacrifices were definitely worth it. And now that he has finally received the land title he had long aspired for, he could not ask for more.
"I am very grateful to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. because I have been waiting for this opportunity since 1988. This 2024, one of my prayers was answered, and I am very blessed to finally receive this land title," Cresenciano proudly said. (PNA)
