What we acquire for ourselves, including our wealth, dies with us, but the good deeds we do for others will live on. Always choose kindness because a single act of love can change lives.

Asingan, Pangasinan, Rolly Mateo Sr., has this principle, which explains why he generously shares his blessings with others rather than hoarding them all for himself.

Through carabao dairying, Rolly earns not just a four- or five-figure income but up to a six-figure profit, or PHP100,000 monthly. He believes that God has made him a vessel of favors so that he can channel these blessings to others as well. 

 “My family and I look for people or families around the town who might be struggling. We give them a sack of rice or cover some of their bills. We extend help as much as we could. We do not post these on social media because a good deed is still a good deed even if no one knows about it. And for those that we were able to help, there’s only one favor that I ask of them—that they pay it forward,” Rolly said.

Based on the Family Income and Expenditure Survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country has 19.99 million individuals living below the poverty threshold. This represents 18.1 percent of the population. Hence, for Rolly, it is important not to have any second thoughts about helping someone, no matter how small it is, because one act of kindness is one felt change.

Rolly recalled that before his family was able to have the kind of life they have now, it was always punctured by difficulties and tough times.

He used to work on someone else’s farm and was only taking home PHP5,000 every cropping season. Aside from farming, he also tried his luck in piggery but their income was still insufficient to meet all their financial needs.

In 2007, Rolly was luckily selected by the DA-PCC at Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University to be a recipient of a pregnant dairy carabao. That changed the course of their lives.

Rolly and Gracia, his wife, are blessed with six children: John Loui, James Anthony, Rolly Jr., Yvette, Jade Carlo, and Jeffry. They felt a positive shift in their lives after getting a carabao, which paved the way for Rolly’s entire family to be interested in the business and to invest in purchasing more carabaos.

It was in 2019 when Rolly’s dairy revenue peaked substantially until 2021, owing to daily sales of 40 to 50 liters of milk. His gross monthly income exceeded PHP100,000, allowing them to purchase a top-of-the-line crossover, a motorcycle, one acre of property, and a two-story house. 

To date, the Mateo family has 70 buffaloes. Among them are four bulls, 10 are lactating, while 12 are pregnant. He sells his harvested milk to the Bantog Samahang Nayon Multi-Purpose Cooperative, which pays him PHP82 per liter. Since 2010, Rolly has been the co-op’s chairperson, and he has also helped the co-op grow from that association that was looked down on by townsfolk to the cooperative that is now considered as the pride of Asingan town. 

Rolly also helps fellow farmers in his community by entrusting some of his animals through a “paiwi” system.

He has this advice for those who want to engage in a similar venture: “Let them try it so that they’ll discover for themselves that there is indeed money in carabao dairying. The amount of their earnings is all up to them; the more they put in great effort, the more they’ll surely earn.”

Rolly wants to pay it forward by helping other people since he has earned enough from the generosity of others as well. 

Goodness spurs goodness—this is Rolly’s formula to success. And it’s no secret. 

Since the DA-PCC’s trust and support were given to me without any expectation of recompense, I believe it is only right to pay it forward  by blessing others.