A tree may be called the Tree of Life, but it is the hands of farmers that keep its bounty alive. Months before palm fronds emerge and heavy bunches are ready for harvest, seasons must be endured and years of growth must take root. Behind every harvest are farmers who climb towering trunks, grip the bark, and gather the fruits of their labor.
But as El Niño tightens its grip on Quezon, even the Tree of Life yields less. For the province’s coconut farmers, the prolonged dry spell means more than dwindling harvests. It means watching months of labor and hard-earned investments yield less than what it takes to keep their livelihoods afloat.
Across the province, dry spell reaches far beyond the groves. Rice fields crack beneath the scorching heat, vegetable crops struggle to thrive, and farming communities face mounting uncertainty as the land yields less than their livelihoods demand.
Quezon Province firmly anchors the agricultural economy of the CALABARZON region as the country’s leading coconut producer. As per the Philippine Statistics Authority, of the 43.5 million coconut trees grown across 167,400 farms region-wide, an overwhelming 83.8 percent are concentrated within Quezon alone.
In Quezon, where coconut cultivation remains a cornerstone of the provincial economy, the effects of El Niño exposes farmers to declining harvests, rising production costs, and uncertain livelihoods.
Joselito Batanes, a coconut farmer in Macalelon, Quezon, shared with Philstar Global how water scarcity has affected his livelihood.
“It’s also hard when we’re experiencing drought because we get less harvest from coconut trees,” Batanes said.
When fewer coconuts are harvested, farmers earn less from the crops they have tended for months. Reduced coconut production can also put more strain on an industry that links growers to markets and consumers by limiting the supply of raw materials for processors and other companies that rely on the crop.
The same struggle reaches rice and vegetable farmers, whose investments in seeds, fertilizers, and other production expenses become increasingly difficult to recover when water supplies dwindle.
For Bernie Pastrana, a 45-year-old farmer with 33 years of experience in agriculture, water scarcity has turned years of cultivation into an uncertain investment, with production expenses continuing to accumulate despite declining returns.
“Wala na halos kinikita, meron man ay kulang at lugi pa kami dahil sa mga gamot, pataba at mga pinuhunan namin sa palayan at gulayan dahil nasasayang lamang yung mga ganoon gawa ng kakulangan ng tubig,” Pastrana said. His experience reflects how water scarcity leaves farmers struggling to recover the resources they have already invested in their fields.
Orly Marcellana, regional coordinator of Tanggol Magsasaka Timog Katagalugan, appealed for immediate government action to protect the agricultural sector, emphasizing the need for direct assistance to affected farmers.
“I’m just a small farmer, so I don’t know how to make coconut trees stronger when there is drought or typhoon, so I leave it to the government to find better solutions for us,” he said.
While immediate assistance addresses farmers’ losses, sustaining agriculture requires long-term programs that strengthen their resilience, productivity, and climate adaptability.
One measure is Republic Act No. 11524, or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act, which established a trust fund for farmers’ welfare and the development of the coconut industry.
Its provisions include farm rehabilitation and replanting, crop insurance, agricultural training, credit programs, scholarships, healthcare, and coconut-processing facilities. However, fulfilling the law’s objectives requires ensuring that its programs provide meaningful support to farmers facing drought and declining harvests.
Danny Carranza, secretary general of Kilusan Para sa Tunay na Repormang Agraryo at Katarungang Panlipunan (Katarungan), urged authorities to accelerate the implementation of trust fund programs, warning that El Niño could further reduce coconut yields amid already low copra prices.
Such appeals highlight the need to restore farmers’ resources and protect their livelihoods. Through farm rehabilitation, credit access, crop insurance, and livelihood diversification, the law offers ways to manage uncertain growing seasons. However, its success depends on accessible programs that respond to the actual needs of coconut-growing communities.
For coconut farmers, the value of RA 11524 lies in whether its programs help them recover financial losses, boost yields, and achieve steady incomes. Fulfilling the law’s promise requires consistent, on-the-ground support.
Meanwhile, immediate interventions have been undertaken in drought-affected areas across Quezon. In October 2026, four municipalities—Alabat, Jomalig, General Nakar, and Guinayangan—were reported under a state of calamity, according to the Office of Civil Defense.
These declarations allow local governments to mobilize emergency resources and access contingency funds for affected communities. The Office of the Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator and the Provincial Agriculturist have also been assessing agricultural vulnerabilities to guide preparedness and targeted interventions.
Daniel Jael, 62, a farmer in Quezon for more than a decade, witnessed firsthand the challenges changing weather conditions can bring to the agricultural community.
“Para sa akin, pinakamahalaga ang pagkakaroon ng maaasahang pinagkukunan ng tubig, tulad ng irigasyon at imbakan ng tubig-ulan. Malaking tulong din ang pagkakaroon ng sapat na puhunan, abot-kayang mga kagamitan sa pagsasaka, at mga binhing kayang mabuhay sa mainit na panahon.” Jael said.
Through years of experience he has acknowledged the importance of adequate water sources and sustainable support for small-scale farmers.
“Mahirap ang buhay ng mga may maliliit na farm, kaya kailangan namin ng tulong na hindi lamang panandalian kundi makatutulong sa pagpapatuloy ng aming kabuhayan” he added.
His testimony reflects a broader concern among drought-affected farmers: while financial aid offers temporary relief, water scarcity, rising production costs, and unstable harvests require sustained support.
Beyond immediate assistance, prolonged drought demands long-term measures. For Pastrana, these include better preparedness, reliable irrigation, alternative water sources, and farming practices suited to extreme weather.
“Para sa akin ang pinaka mahalagang tulong na maibibigay ng pamahalaan ay yung kahandaan at mga konkretong plano sa ganitong panahon kung saan nag babadya ang napakalakas na El Niño,” he emphasized.
He also emphasized alternative water sources, dam and irrigation rehabilitation, and heat-tolerant crops to sustain farm production. These measures address challenges in rice and vegetable farming while highlighting the need for broader agricultural adaptation in drought-affected communities.
The coconut’s white flesh represents more than a commodity, its value returns to the hands that harvest, climb, and dehusk, sustaining an industry deeply rooted in Quezon’s agricultural identity. Yet beyond the coconut groves, the same resilience lives in farmers who cultivate rice and vegetables, whose labor continues to nourish communities despite the uncertainty of every harvest.
For Quezon’s farmers, recovery goes beyond waiting for a sky that refuses to bleed. It calls for moving away from temporary fixes, strengthening community solidarity, and cultivating long-term stability where agricultural livelihoods no longer depend solely on the mercy of changing seasons.
When roots thirst under scorching heat, those who have already persevered through grueling manual labor must not parch with them.
