He rented a mountain to raise 30 pigs, then abandoned it for 5 years; one day he returned and was frozen by what he saw…
In 2018, Rogelio “Roger” Satos, a determined farmer from Nueva Ecija, believed that the mountains surrounding Carragla could change his life and lift his family, who were struggling to get ahead, out of poverty.
Roger had grown up watching his parents struggle against endless economic difficulties, so when he learned that there was an empty hillside available to rent, he saw an opportunity instead of a risk.
The land was quiet, covered with tall grasses and scattered trees, far from the busy center of the city, but perfect for building a small farmhouse.
With a mixture of cautious emotion, Roger visited the zoo next to the landowner, Mag Tio, a friendly and affable farmer who had lived next to the mountain for decades.
Mag Tipo explained that nobody had used that part of the mountain for years because transporting supplies along the dirt road was difficult.
But Roger didn’t see twenty-seven. Instead, he saw space, fresh air, and a place where pigs could be raised without the overcrowding of urban farms.
After a week of reflection and conversations with his wife Marites, Roger signed a modest rental agreement for a part of the hillside.
That night he returned home with tired eyes but his heart full of hope, already imagining rows of pigpens and a promising future.
Marites watched him as he sketched plans on old paper, moving the pencil rapidly as he calculated feed costs, growth cycles, and anticipated market prices.
Roger withdrew the small savings he had carefully accumulated over the years working odd jobs and construction contracts throughout the province.
Even that money wasn’t enough to get the farm going, so reluctantly he applied for a loan from the Lord Bank of the Philippines.
The approval came two weeks later, which brought relief, but also a great responsibility that would soon follow him everywhere.
With the funds already available, Roger began to buy materials: bamboo posts, galvanized roof sheets, cement blocks and pipes for a deep well system.
For almost two months, he climbed the mountain every morning before dawn, carrying tools and supplies along the narrow path of land.
The neighbors would occasionally approach to watch him work, shaking their heads with curiosity and murmuring about the ambitious young farmer.
But Roger ignored his doubts and focused solely on finishing the pig pens before the rainy season arrived.
At the end of July, several robust corrals stood on the hillside, their roofs glistening in the afternoon sun as the breeze blew gently through the surrounding trees.
Roger installed this deep well pump so that the animals always had clean water, even during dry weeks.
One afternoon, standing on the hillside, he admired with pride the small farmhouse and imagined dozens of healthy pigs growing there.
The last step was to buy his first litter of piglets, which he acquired from a breeder who lived in a nearby town.
Treiпsta lechoпes chilloпes llegaroп eп Ѕп pequeqЅeño camióп, coп sus cúerpos rosados пkυietos y cυriosos mieпtras Roger los gυiaba cυidadosameпste hacia los corrales.
That afternoon he called Marites from the mountain, his voice full of emotion and pride.
—Wait for me —he said confidently, while watching the little pigs explore their new home.
“Within a year, we will finally build our own house,” Roger promised, convinced of every word he uttered.
During the first few weeks, everything seemed to fit perfectly to his liking.
The lambs adapted quickly, feeding well and growing stronger day by day under Roger’s attentive care.
He would wake up before dawn to clean the corrals, refill the water tanks and mix the feed while the fresh mountain air enveloped the barn.
By mid-morning, the animals would calm down, giving Roger time to repair the fences or check the water pump.
Sometimes he sat on a wooden stool outside the corrals, calculating the profits in a small notebook.
If everything went according to plan, he calculated that the pigs could reach market weight in six months.
That would allow him to pay off the first part of his bank loan and, at the same time, save money for the future.
Roger felt hope for the first time in many years.
However, success stories rarely tell how quickly fortune can change.
One afternoon, a fellow farmer visited the mountain with worrying news that was spreading through the nearby provinces.
Cases of African swine fever had been detected in several areas of Luzon.
At first, Roger dismissed the warning, believing that the outbreak would die out far from Carragla.
But after a few weeks, the commotion began to spread among pig farmers throughout the region.
The local government announcements urged farmers to improve hygiene and closely monitor animals for possible symptoms.
Uпa graпja cercaпa iпformó de qυe хпos cerdos eпfermos mυrieroп repeпtiпameпte siп хпa explicacióп clara.
Another farm lost almost its entire flock in a matter of days.
The authorities initiated strict vigilance while the veterinary teams investigated possible infections.
Fear invaded Roger’s mind as he listened to those reports.
The farmers whose pigs tested positive had no choice but to burn entire corrals to stop the virus.
Day after day, gray monkeys hovered over the mountains while the infected jackdaws sacrificed their animals.
The smell of smoke remained in the air for weeks.
Marites felt increasingly anxious as she followed the local news and warnings.
One afternoon, she climbed the mountain to speak directly to Roger.
Standing next to the pigpens, he looked at the animals with servile attitude.
—Let’s see them while they’re still alive —he pleaded in a low voice.
Roger hit his head immediately.
“If we enter peace now, we will lose everything,” he insisted, sounding confident in himself.
“This will pass. We just have to endure a little longer.”
Marites remained silent, although fear was reflected in her eyes.
The following weeks became the most difficult Roger had ever faced.
He disinfected the equipment daily and limited visits to prevent possible contamination.
However, stress slowly consumed him.
Every cough from a pig, every small change in its appetite, made his heart race.
Sleeping became difficult, as worry kept him awake for long nights.
Meanwhile, the prices of the pieces doubled repeatedly due to the disruption of the supply chains throughout the region.
The budget carefully calculated by Roger began to slowly crumble.
The bank continued sending him reminders about his loan payments.
Each phone call tightened the pressure inside his chest.
Finally, the cassacius defeated him.
After several nights without sleep, Roger collapsed from exhaustion while working near the corrals.
He was urgently transferred to a hospital in Cabañatua, where doctors diagnosed him with extreme exhaustion and severe stress.
For more than a month he remained away from the mountain, slowly recovering under the care of his family.
During that time, he couldn’t stop imagining how the pig farm was falling apart.
When Roger finally returned to Carragla, his fears turned out to be true in part.
Half of his pigs had already disappeared..
The rest animals required a costly piece that Roger could barely afford.
Standing inside the silent pigpens, he felt his dreams vanish.
The rain lashed the metal roofs hard during the many nights of insomnia that followed.
Each storm dreamed like a warning that his hard work was crumbling.
Roger was sitting alone next to the pens, staring intently at the pigs that remained.
He already felt the emotion that previously impelled him to climb the mountain.
The telephone rang again.
Another creditor demanded payment.
Roger heard the silence before ending the call.
Luego, leпtameпste, septó eп el sЅelo del coberizo vacío.
The rain outside was hitting the roof harder.
He lowered his head and whispered to himself.
“I’m finished.”
The following morning, Roger made the most painful decision of his life.
He closed the pigpen doors and walked towards Mag Tipo’s small house.
Without saying much, he returned the keys to the former owner.
Maпg Tiпo looked at him with concern, but said nothing.
Roger turned around and slowly descended the mountain path.
He didn’t look back even once.
For him, the farm no longer existed.
The following years traпscυrrieroп coп traпqυilidad.
Roger and Marites moved to Quetzaltenango and found work in a small factory.
His life was simple and stable, although it was far from the dreams he had imagined.
Whenever someone mentioned pig farming, Roger would just manage a slight smile.
“I simply gave my money to the mountain,” he used to say.
I spent two long years.
Then, an unexpected phone call changed everything.
At the beginning of this year, Mag Tio returned to put himself in contact with him.
His voice trembled on the other end of the telephone.
“Roger… you have to come back.”
“There is something you must see in your old pigsty.”
Roger felt that the coпfυsyп was interested in his пterior.
It had been five years since I had climbed that mountain.
But there was something in Mag Tio’s tone that was urgent.
The following morning he began the journey back to Carragla.
The dirt road that led to the mountain seemed almost forgotten.
The grass had grown thick along the path.
The trees were encroaching on the road as if reclaiming the land.
Roger walked slowly, his chest heavy with uncertainty.
What could remain of the place he abandoned?
Had the pigpens collapsed a long time ago?
Perhaps only rusty roofs and broken fences remained.
The climb seemed longer than he remembered.
Every step he took brought with it memories he had tried to forget.
Finally, he reached the last curve before the farm.
Roger suddenly stopped.
Because what he saw in front of him left him completely paralyzed.
The mountain that I had descended…
