TWENTY-SIX-year old Elnard Ympal embraced farming in his native town in Siquijor while his contemporaries found work in the city.
Ympal excelled in farming after attending a scholarship grant from Technical Skills and Development Authority (Tesda).
Growing up in a family of ten siblings with his father’s only income derived from driving a passenger jeepney in San Juan, Siquijor, he knew no other livelihood except farming.
After graduating high school, he dreamed of becoming a priest but no one could support his education.
Instead, Ympal took the Tesda scholarship examination before he graduated high school and eventually passed. He enrolled in a two-year agriculture technician course in Lazi National Agricultural School.
From home, he had to walk 18 kilometers to get to school.
On his second year, his father lost his job as a jeepney driver. Ympal had to take odd jobs to finance his school projects as his allowance of P2,500 per semester as a Tesda scholar was not enough.
As the third in the brood, Ympal’s goal was to someday help his parents support the education of his younger siblings.
“When I saw that my course was relevant, I developed my skills even if agriculture wasn’t my first choice,” Ympal said.
During graduation in 2005, Ympal was given a citation for exemplary performance for agriculture and research.
Ympal applied his skills in his uncle’s farm. He also attended seminars and applied for other agricultural scholarship grants that offered allowances so he can buy seedlings.
He was able to save P500 from allowances and bought vegetable seedlings to plant in his small backyard.
His harvest of cabbages, eggplants, ampalaya and pepper was at first for his family’s consumption but it later grew and became their source of income.
Because water was scarce, he invented a ‘hanging bottle technique,’ a slow drip irrigation scheme. His innovation earned him national recognition as farmer scientist.
He was recognized as the 2010 National Outstanding Young Farmer of the Philippines by President Benigno Aquino III in Malacañang on May 23, 2011. He received P100,000 cash prize which he used for house improvement.
His other citations included Outstanding Young Farmer of the Philippines from former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2007 and a certificate of recognition as farmer scientist in Siquijor for his “hanging bottle technique.”
After seeing his perseverance, the local government unit as well as other agencies granted him a farm tractor, drip irrigation system, farm implements, green houses and seeds.
“It was in Tesda that I learned how to strive harder in life,” he said.
Ympal encouraged the unemployed youths in their community to enroll in Tesda.
“Everything in this world is God-given. We just need to use our full potential to achieve success,” Ympal said.
Two of his siblings have already graduated from Tesda.
This year, he was acclaimed Tesda idol during the 18th anniversary celebration of Tesda bringing home additional income to repair their home. /Tesda-7 communication consultant Lord Capuras