Farmerlarry’s Weblog

Blacksmithing industry is vital to agriculture. Locally made tools like bolo, scythes, trowels, sickles, spades, chisels, and others have made work easier and faster resulting to more efficient use of labor and thus lower the cost of production.

It also provides steady livelihood for those involved in it. Blacksmith Roberto Parcon of Brgy. Puerto Princesa in Barotac Viejo says that for the last twenty years of his life, he had been a village blacksmith. Starting as an apprentice for an old blacksmith, he later set up his own shop with just basic tools and equipment, consisting of a forge, a hand cranked grinder and a set of mallets and makeshift anvil. He practically raised his family and sent his children to school thru his small blacksmith business. He hired a few workers in the past but as his children grew, they joined him in the business and it has become a family affair where all aspects of the trade is controlled by the family members.

He sells his bolos at P150.00 per piece, much lower than that manufactured by other blacksmithS in the Province of Iloilo. The town of Bingawan is widely known as the home of the Ilonggo bolo known as the “binacoco” or “binangon” Bolos in that town sells for at least P300.00. Much higher if it is made by a known blacksmith and if it comes with a beautifully crafted bolo sheath. Bert’s bolos are also known for its temper and sharpness. They are ordered mainly for use in cutting bamboo which is tough and would easily dull bolos with poor temper.

He also manufactures scythes and sickles by order. Ilonggo scythes are known for their serrated blade which can easily cut a bundle of rice stalks. A dozen scythes will sell at about P700.00 but Bert sells his for about P500.00 not because they are of poor quality but because he says, he already makes good margin and thus, there is no need to really kill the buyer. Bert’s bolos and scythes reach as far as Southern Negros Island because his buyers resell or retail them there. Oftentimes, Bert is visited by end buyers because they have used his blades and bolos and want to meet him in person.

On any given day, Bert and his three sons can fabricate not less than a dozen bolos using just about two (2) sacks of charcoal. He also uses about 5 kilograms of steel, usually broken leaf springs especially those of the ten-wheeler trucks. He buys them from a junk dealer at P40.00 per kilogram. Since his billows are hand operated, one son is assigned to turning it the whole day. His only electricity expense is a one-half horsepower electric bench grinder.

Bert’s reputation as an innovator and craftsman is also widely known. Farmers and equipment owners often come to him to have parts fabricated instead of buying them from parts stores. They say that aside from the quality temper, Bert can fabricate these parts like the original and with a better temper than the store bought or manufacturer ordered replacement. For instance, the rotavator blades that Bert makes last even longer than the original. “Sometimes a farmer comes here saying that his cultivator cannot be used anymore because the parts have worn out. I request them to bring an original part if it’s still available so I can copy them. I charge only what is fair and often it is about half of what it will cost them to buy from a parts dealer.

His earnings as a blacksmith has enabled him to build a modest house and send his children to school. But the boys have taken to like blacksmithing. “They have realized that blacksmithing is much better than getting hired as a laborer. A day’s continuous c\work will enable us to make about a dozen bolos selling for about P1,800.00. In between, we receive repair jobs so our gross earnings on the average is about P2,000.00. Minus food, charcoal, steel and electricity bills, we net about P1,200.00. So I pay the boys not less than P200.00 per day which they also use for school and transport expenses.

It is also fortunate that Bert and the other blacksmiths in the municipality of Barotac Viejo is being assisted by the municipal government. They enjoy incentives and support by way of their products being patronized by the municipality. “We take efforts to promote blacksmithing as a rural industry in our town. We order the tool needs of the municipal government from our local blacksmith. So aside from the money of the local government being circulated here, we also promote local craftsmanship which we think is at par with others in the province and elsewhere. In fact Bert has the reputation to give an excellent temper to bolos and other sharp tools, thus, we often hear of people visiting our place just to get his bolos, chisels and knives”, said Mayor Raul Tupas. “we are already mulling a livelihood loan program for him and other blacksmiths so that they can expand their scale and thus cater more to the demand of their customers”.