All throughout the history of its etymology, the word bitter bears a negative connotation.

Bitter indicates severe pain, grief, or regret, which is often associated with love and relationship. Hence, the term “bitter lover”. Bitter also implies being angry and unhappy because of an unfair and unpleasant treatment. Also, being bitter means exhibiting intense animosity towards another person, place, thing, or any other entity. Such is the word bitter.

But the farmers, particularly the ampalaya growers, from San Ildefonso in Bulacan say and hear the word bitter in a different light. For them, bitter is the taste that brings advancement and stability to their lives. For them, bitter is the taste of success, the taste of growth, the taste of progress. This is because ampalaya, or bitter gourd, is the primary source of health and wealth of the farmers in San Ildefonso.

And now that the Philippine Rural Development Project or PRDP has recently issued the No Objection Letter 1 (NOL1) to the Improvement of Bubulong Malaki-Bulusukan-Bubulong Munti-Bohol na Mangga Farm-to-Market Road, the ampalaya growers in San Ildefonso are on the brink of achieving their life-long aspiration and desire: a better road that will lead to a better life.

The 9.8 kilometer-long farm-to-market road, which is worth P98,467,000.00, aims to service the ampalaya growers of Bubulong Malaki, Bulusukan, Bubulong Munti, and Bohol na Mangga. And among the beneficiaries of this I-BUILD subproject is Mr. Miguel Hizon, a member of the Bulusukan Farmers and Vegetables Cooperative.

Ka Miguel has 2,500 square meters of farm land dedicated to ampalaya. By average, Ka Miguel’s quarter hectare of a land produces 100 kilograms of Bonito ampalayas. Aside from ampalaya, he also cultivates palay, cassava, and other high-value crops. Since he started farming decades ago, Ka Miguel has been braving the rugged and jagged road in Bulusukan, in which he traverses from his farm in Bulusukan to Cloverleaf Market in Balintawak, wherein he delivers his ampalayas and other farm produce.

“Mula pa man noon, natutuhan na naming pagtiisan ‘yung bakong-bakong daan,” narrates Ka Miguel. “Dahil wala kaming ibang pagpipilian, pinagtitiyagaan na lang naming daanan ‘yun para i-deliver ang aming mga ampalaya at iba pang ani.” (Since we started farming, we had no other choice but to go through that rugged road in order for us to deliver our ampalaya and other crops.)

Aside from Cloverleaf Market, Ka Miguel and his fellow farmers deliver their ampalaya in Batangas, wherein the amplaya will be processed as a herbal medicine and tea. And now that the improvement of the farm-to-market road along their barangay is nearing its implementation, Ka Miguel and his fellow farmers will no longer need to suffer and endure the rugged and jagged road.

“Kaya naman malaki ang pasasalamat namin sa PRDP, sa pagpapasaayos ng daan dito sa aming bayan. Makakatulong ito lalong lalo na sa pagpapabilis ng aming pagbibiyahe. Hindi na rin masisira at matatagtag nang husto ang aming mga ani dahil idadaan na namin ito sa isang patag na kalsada,” shares Ka Miguel. (That is why we are thankful for PRDP, for the improvement that will be done here in our town. This will be a big help especially in the transportation of our crops. Now, our crops will be safe from damages because we will transport it through a smooth road.)

Aside from lessening the damages to the crops, the improvement of the farm-to-market road in Bubulong Malaki, Bulusukan, Bubulong Munti, and Bohol na Mangga will help decrease the transportation and hauling cost of the farmers by 50%, as attested by Ka Miguel.

“Sa kasakalukuyan, gumagastos kami ng tatlong piso kada kilo sa transportation ng aming mga ampalaya kapag nagdadala kami sa Cloverleaf sa Balintawak. Pero kapag naisaayos na ang farm-to-market road, mapapangalahati nito hindi lang ang oras ng byahe kundi pati na rin ang gastos sa pagbibyahe ng aming mga ani.” (As of now, we spend 3 pesos for every kilo of amplaya that we transport to Cloverleaf in Balintawak. But the improved farm-to-market road will cut in half not only the transport duration, but also the transportation cost.)

It is with subprojects like these that PRDP proves that it is true to its objectives of increasing the annual real-farm incomes of household beneficiaries, increasing the income of targeted beneficiaries of enterprise development, increasing the value of annual marketed output, and increasing the number of farmers and fishers with improved access to the services of the Department of Agriculture.

It is true that the word bitter will always bear a negative connotation. But for Ka Miguel and the other ampalaya growers of Bubulong Malaki, Bulusukan, Bubulong Munti, and Bohol na Mangga, bitter shall be the sweetest word for them now that their ampalaya and other crops will be catered and offered to more people, all thanks to PRDP. (Mark Erron H. San Mateo, InfoACE RPCO3)

Ka Miguel Dizon checks his amplaya in his 2,500 square meter farm in Bulusukan, San Ildefonso, Bulakan. By average, Ka Miguel harvests 100 kilos of ampalaya per season.