Thirty-three associations in Bago City, Negros Occidental, have been awarded more than PHP17 million in total projects under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
On Tuesday, the egg-laying project of the San Jose Farmers Association in Barangay Calumangan was launched, with Mayor Marina Javellana-Yao and association chair Reynaldo Caballero in attendance. The 28-member association received a seed capital of PHP500,000 through the DSWD-Negros Island Region (NIR).
“There are still other organized associations in the city about to launch their projects. Like the San Jose Farmers Association, we hope for a successful implementation of these other projects,” said project development officer Geljane Premacio.
Mayor Yao emphasized that the project is a step toward food sustainability and provides more livelihood opportunities for the residents of Bago City. “This program is a clear message of believing in the capacity of the people, in the strength of the community, and the goodness brought by dedication and hard work. Every egg that will be laid, every source of income this project creates, is not just about food on the table, but about lives built on hope,” she stated.
The San Jose Farmers Association was organized with assistance from the Presidential Commission for Urban Poor and was endorsed to the DSWD through the Program Convergence Budgeting, part of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty.
Caballero noted that the association is currently producing 90 eggs daily while raising 90 chickens specifically for egg production on a 200-square meter production site within their one-hectare communal area. “We are currently producing eggs mainly for the consumption of the community. We sell at farmgate price. We really want to help the community, and this is a big help for us in terms of livelihood,” he expressed, thanking the government for the opportunity.
The SLP aims to provide capacity-building support to poor, vulnerable, and marginalized households and communities, helping them improve their socio-economic conditions by accessing and acquiring necessary assets for a sustainable livelihood.
