Alex's Journey: Public servant turned farmer
It started when the "Red Lady" entered Alex's life
Raising hogs.
When God closes a door, windows are opened. Such proved very true to Alex Alcarde Centena, public servant of some two decades in an Iloilo town located on the south-central side of the province. Meet him now.
Alex, the former mayor of the Municipality of Calinog, accomplished in his political life now even more 'made' as a man. This public servant has turned into a farmer. A very successful one from the looks of it, with crops, livestock and produce far beyond everybody's expectations. But that is going ahead of the story, Alex's story. Here's his journey from political battlefields to where he once discovered his other passion, the field of farming.
His political career started in his teenage years as Kabataang Barangay Federation president for seven years. When peers in Calinog were playing, Alex was looking for sources so the playing can be brought to greater heights – sponsored tournaments, skills training and team-building programs among others.
Raising cattle.
When other peers were helping families tend farmlands, Alex was involved in a government that is focused on enhancing capabilities of these farmlands.
Then came his opportunity to serve Calinog by becoming the town's highest official for three consecutive terms or a total of nine years. And the rest is history. For his political life that is, that changed in June 2007 when he had his much-needed break from politics.
Losing no time upon his 'graduation' from public office, Mayor Alex diverted his energy, time and attention to more productive use.
The journey begins with the 'Red Lady'
Loving every minute of being a farmer.
Like his political ventures, farming, though already an "innate-love", was one that Alex planned thoroughly.
A promising project proposal matched with sufficient starting capital, Alex began his stint into papaya production in a portion of the family's three-hectare property.
July 2007 saw the start massive land preparation in the village of Cabagiao, the most expensive phase of the project Several workers were tasked to do the drainage canals around the plots aimed at taking care of "waterlogging" problem that could destroy his crop.
It was then that the "Red Lady" entered Alex's life - that is, the Red Lady Papaya-kind.
Centena with his farm workers and
their produce.
Why the choice of Red Lady over other papaya varieties? Alex said this kind is more productive, has sizes that are more marketable yet more so, "Red Lady Papaya trees grow only several feet, making it easier for us during harvest."
A total of 4,500 Red Lady trees were planted. And since the family is also into rice farming. The Centenas have an arrocera (rice mill) – heaps of rice stalks were piled underneath every tree to help kill the weeds which he in turn feeds to his herd of sheep and cows.
The plantation uses almost 100 percent organic fertilizer from pig, horse, cow, goat and sheep manure; turkey, duck, geese and guinea fowl droppings; and chicken dung, animals that a number of each he also maintains in his sizable farm. In addition, rice hull from the arrocera's operation is also made up into charcoal and thrown into the manure mix for use as fertilizer. Zero-waste management at work.
To further maximize the plantation site, papaya rows were interspersed with ginger, squash, red and green bell pepper and onions. Integrated farming at work.
The Plantation
With the Red Lady Papaya.
The first harvest early this year netted about 300 kilos a week of papayas and gone in days from buyers in Iloilo and Boracay Island. The selling price was P20 to P30 per kilo. Thus, in his second cropping this month with expected production of at least 700 kilos a week, there are no more worries because this early, "volume-buyers" are placing the "volume-orders."
And there's more. Passing on the good produce of his harvest, ready-to-plant Red Lady papaya seedlings are made available for only P50 each (US $1) with free consultation on how to better plant it.
"Free delivery within Panay Island too for a minimum purchase of seedlings," The News Today (TNT) was told.
And in addition, Alex has also started mass production of organic fertilizer "a lot cheaper than commercial ones available in the market."
Alex Alcarde Centena. His new journey already reaping major harvests literally and figuratively speaking. And he is just warming up.
For more details on Alex's ready-to-plant seedlings and organic fertilizer, interested parties may reach him through 0919-6922233 or (33) 3471544 and (33) 5342136.