LIVELIHOOD CHANGE IN A PHILIPPINE COCONUT FARMING VILLAGE: A CASE STUDY IN LAGUNA PROVINCE

Abstract

This is a study on livelihood transformation in a rural village in the Philippines. It documents the economy of the village during the period of the late 1960s to the 1990s. While the coconut industry has been a major source of livelihood in this village, the village people still sought other economic opportunities. From the 1960s, they worked as seasonal workers in lowland farms, planted vegetables in the mountains, and raised hogs. This research shows that livelihood transformation in this village was facilitated by a combination of several factors: desire of the people to continuously improve their economic situation, opportunities offered by improved infrastructure such as roads, existence of markets for their products (vegetables, hogs), and the favorable land conditions within and in the surrounding areas of the village. The livelihood of this village is not solely dependent on an export-oriented coconut industry, but rather on the wise use of the land and the economic opportunities offered by the domestic market.