THE Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (DA 4K) Program, conducted a site visitation and coordination meeting with members of the Usbong Katutubo Indigenous People Agricultural Cooperative in Barangay Camias, Porac.

The activity was led by the officials of the DA 4K National Program Management Office (DA 4K- NPMO) and on behalf of Director Ervanie Jay Belarmino.

The visit also served as a monitoring of the interventions the said cooperative of nearly 120 members.

The cooperative had recently received 21 heads carabao, one head cattle, 1,080 banana suckers, 80 bags of organic fertilizer, 100 bags of various inorganic fertilizer, 74 cans of highland vegetable seeds, five units of grass cutter, 20 units of knapsack sprayer, 305 pouches of assorted vegetable seeds, 200 pieces of seedling tray, 500 heads of free-range chicken, 20 heads goat and 186 pieces of various garden tools from the said program.

Usbong Katutubo Indigenous People Agricultural Cooperative chairman Pari Popatco welcomed the NPMO team and thank them for the assistance their cooperative received through the program.

“Sinisikap po ng gobyerno na maiangkop sa inyong tunay na pangangailangan, maiangkop sa inyo pong mga tradisyunal na pamamaraan o culture sensitive, at higit sa lahat makita ang kakulangan sa kasanayan para ‘yon ang tutumbukin ng mga intervention,” said by Kevin Constantine Fonseca of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples Pampanga.

Also present during the activity were Assistant Program Director Lucia Campomanes, Regional 4Ks Focal Person Memito Luyun III, Provincial Rice Coordinator Ma. Cristina Manalang, Municipal Agriculturist of Porac Pampanga Jocelyn Buan, representatives from the provincial office and barangay officials of Camias.

“Kami po ay nandito dahil nais po namin kayong makilala, kung anong mayroon dito sa inyong lugar, kung ano po ang kinakailangan, at kung ano po ang dapat mangyari dito sa inyong lugar. Subalit wala pong magagawang pagbabago kung hindi kayo kikilos. Kami po ay nasa tabi ninyo pero hindi po kami ang mangunguna dahil inyo po ito,” Assistant Program Director Lucia Campomanes said.