The Farmer Who Thought He Lost Everything

A Dream Built on a Mountain

In 2018, Rogelio “Roger” Santos, a 34-year-old man from Nueva Écija, dreamed of escaping poverty through pig farming.

He rented a vacant lot high on a mountain in the town of Carranglan and decided to build a small pig farm.

Roger poured everything into it.

He spent his savings, took out a loan from the Philippine Land Bank, built pig pens, installed a deep well, and bought 30 piglets.

The day he carried the first litter up the mountain, he proudly told his wife, Marites, who was 31 at the time:

“Just wait for me. In a year, we’ll finally be able to build our own house.”

For Roger, that mountain wasn’t just land.

It was hope.

But reality wasn’t like the success stories shown on television.

Less than three months later, African swine fever spread across Luzon.

Pig farms collapsed one after another.

Some farmers were forced to burn their entire pigsties just to stop the virus from spreading. Thick smoke hung over the mountains for weeks.

Marites became terrified.

“Let’s sell them while they’re still alive,” she pleaded.

But Roger refused.

“This will pass,” he said stubbornly.
“We just have to hold on a little longer.”

The stress slowly destroyed him.

Sleepless nights. Endless worry.

Eventually Roger collapsed from exhaustion and was hospitalized in Cabanatuan. He spent more than a month recovering at his in-laws’ home.

When he finally returned to the mountain, the sight crushed him.

Half the pigs were gone.

Feed prices had doubled.

The bank had begun calling about the loan.

Every night, as rain pounded on the tin roof of the pig pens, Roger felt like his entire life was collapsing.

Then one night, after another call from a creditor, he sat on the floor and whispered:

“I’m finished.”

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