BUTUAN CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA-Caraga Region 13) is intensifying its support for pandemic-hit families in the region through the Livestock-based Livelihood and Enterprise Development Program (LLEDP).
“The government aims to help the families become resilient amidst the threat of this pandemic,” DA 13 Regioal Information Officer Emmylou T. Presilda told The Manila Bulletin on Wednesday.
She said P1.4 million worth of livestock and poultry animals were distributed by DA-Caragain November to various recipients in the region.
The distributed animal stocks included 400 heads of free-range chicken for eight farmer associations of RTR, Agusan del Norte; 30 heads of cattle to San Francisco and Esperanza, Agusan del Sur for 22 farmer-recipients, 20 heads of goat for learning sites through the Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI); 50 heads of hogs to Small Hog Raisers Association of La Paz, Agusan del Sur, and 250 chicken for five farmer associations in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.
Last Nov. 25, DA-Caraga Region 13 also distributed 610 heads of chicks to 61 families in Barangay Matho, Cortes town, Surigao del Sur province with one bag of feeds, vitamins, and vegetable seeds for each recipient.
The turn-over ceremony was graced by DA 13 Regional Technical Director (RTD) for Operations Rebecca Atega, RTD for Research and Integrated Laboratories Nicandro Navia, Jr., Provincial Administrator Pedro Trinidad, Cortes town Mayor Josie Bonifacio, and other provincial, municipal, and barangay officials.
“During these trying times, the government is doing its best to help the family to earn through an enterprising livelihood such as animal raising,” Atega said.
Mayor Josie Bonifacio thanked DA-Caraga for extending its services to her constituents.
“Many need government support such as this, so I am appealing to the recipients to take care and develop it for additional income and food source of the family,” Bonifacio said.
DA-ATI Center Chief Sammy Calonzo said that the goat they received will serve as an additional intervention to selected learning sites in the region.
“The chosen learning sites will serve as a multiplier farm for the given ruminants,” Calonzo said.
Among the recipients is a tribal association in Sitio Cantagan, Barangay Lucac, San Francisco town, Agusan del Sur province.
“We have been longing for an animal like cattle to be raised, and it is now being fulfilled. This is a big help for our group, so we are so thankful to the DA for extending the services of the government to us,” said Edwin Almado, board director of Cantagan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, a tribal group composed mostly of the Manobo tribe.
The said interventions are an offshoot of the commitment of DA-Caraga Region 13 through Regional Executive Director (RED) Abel James I. Monteagudo to help the families to cope with the challenges the country is facing.
“RED Monteagudo is committed to help the families, especially in far-flung areas, to cope with the challenges that we are facing nowadays,” Presilda added.